Oldham choose new Conservative leader after two depart within two months

The Oldham Conservative group have elected a new leader following the departure of two bosses within the space of two months.

Councillor Max Woodvine will now lead the group, which has been reduced to five members after three councillors quit the party this year. 

The new Oldham Tory boss was elected within hours after coun Dave Arnott resigned from the post just over a week after taking up the position. 

In a statement, Max Woodvine said: “This week I was chosen by my Conservative colleagues to act as their Leader going forward. 

“I have been a strong Conservative voice on Oldham Council so I am proud to be chosen by the Group and I look forward to representing their views and interests at the Council. My intention is to move our Conservative Group forward in a positive manner and see that we continue to act as an effective opposition to the Labour Administration in Oldham.” 

The 23-year-old Saddleworth South councillor hinted at his priorities as leader in a statement online, where he named ‘saving the Green Belt’, a ‘public inquiry into CSE’ and ‘freezing council tax’ and promised to ‘continue challenging Oldham Council’. 

Coun Woodvine will be the group’s third leader in as many months. Coun Graham Sheldon left the party after 13 years of standing as a Conservative councillor in early January. His resignation came shortly after a confrontation with a fellow group member at the Civic Centre in December last year. 

Last week, his successor Dave Arnott also stepped down from the role and the party, alongside colleague Christine Adams. Coun Arnott has not issued a statement on his resignation, but indicated to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he wanted to ‘step away from the politics’ and focus on ‘what residents actually care about – potholes, bins and fly-tipping’. 

All three former members are now acting as independent councillors.