The council has defended its £3m cost-of-living package after calls from the Failsworth Independent Party (FIP) for ‘cash rebates’ to be introduced to help ‘hard-pressed’ families.

The political group has criticised Oldham Council’s support package, which was announced last week, claiming will ‘do nothing to help’ and has instead called for cash rebates to be administered to all council taxpayers.

A post published on the FIP Facebook page by the party’s leader Cllr Brian Hobin on Monday (September 26), reacting to Oldham Council’s cost-of-living package, reads: “Unfortunately, I’m struggling to see how much of this will find its way into the coffers of hard-pressed families.

"In their own inimitable way this administration, like those before them, like to spend it on pet projects and grandly named schemes which sadly, ultimately, do nothing to help.

“Surely the best way to help at this moment would be a simple cash rebate to all council taxpayers. Simple to administer, a direct and tangible gesture giving residents a helping hand.

"I am unaware of any supermarket that will accept "another telephone helpline" as payment towards the weekly shop and I'm quite sure the investment in the "community engagement team" won't cut the mustard as payment to an energy company bill.

“If the council really want to help and they have £3m with which to do it, please let's not waste it on bureaucracy and administration. Let the residents feel the money in their pockets to help with their bills.”

Responding to Cllr Hobin’s comments, Cllr Amanda Chadderton, leader of Oldham Council, has insisted that the local authority’s package is “putting money in people’s pockets to help them stay afloat” and providing practical support with housing and energy costs.

Defending the investment in the council’s engagement team, she said: “Our investment in our engagement teams and our helpline is so we have enough trained staff to properly advise people about how to maximise their incomes.

"In Oldham alone, £6m in pension credits went unclaimed last year. People are missing out on cash they’re entitled to so it’s our duty to make sure people know how to access this money.

“If Cllr Hobin is confused about what our engagement teams and our helpline staff do, he is more than welcome to join them for a shift and witness first-hand the work they do to help his constituents who are struggling at the moment.”

She also pointed to the Council’s Welfare Rights advisors who helped get residents more than £1.8m they were entitled to and not claiming last year, adding: “If we can get more people aware of the money that’s right there waiting for them, they’ll have more cash in their pockets which as we know is ultimately the best way to get through this cost-of-living crisis”.