Council Candidate Interview: Pam Byrne (Conservative, Saddleworth North)

Pam Byrne, Conservative candidate for Saddleworth North, in the Queen Anne Tea Rooms in Uppermill earlier today.

Pam Byrne, who is standing for the Conservatives in the Saddleworth North ward, has promised to follow a “common sense” approach if she’s elected to Oldham Council. She also criticised party political squabbling on the council, saying that “everybody should be working to the best effort for their own wards.”

On the issue of anti-social behaviour, Mrs Byrne suggested that the council and other agencies provide funding for a marquee with bands and other activities in Uppermill on Friday nights to help keep teenagers out of trouble. She also praised the work of the police, church groups and local football clubs in tackling past problems in the village.

Mrs Byrne is the membership secretary of the Saddleworth Business Association, and said she was in favour of the proposed Tesco in Greenfield. She argued that it would save local people travelling to Oldham to visit a supermarket, adding that she didn’t believe local shops such as butchers would suffer a drop in trade. Mrs Byrne added that she hoped Tesco would honour a promise to work alongside local businesses once the store is eventually opened.

A former member of Saddleworth Parish Council, and a governor at Saddleworth School, Mrs Byrne owns the Queen Anne Tea Rooms on Uppermill High Street, and that’s where I interviewed her earlier today. Our conversation also covered potholes, planning and tourism, as well as the issues of cutbacks at Oldham Council and councillors’ expenses. The gurgling and occasional banging sounds in the background were made by my baby daughter!

You can listen to the interview in full by downloading it from here.

The Saddleworth North ward covers Delph, Dobcross, Denshaw, Diggle, Austerlands and Scouthead, along with the surrounding areas.

One of the other candidates in the ward is Ken Hulme, who is standing as an Independent. My interview with him is here.

Also in the running are Aileen Bell for Labour and Alan Roughley of the Liberal Democrats. I intend to interview them later in the campaign.

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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