The Oldham GroupAccountability · Integrity · Change
Councillor Shoab Akhtar
Councillor

Shoab Akhtar

Werneth ward
  • Councillor for Werneth

About

Shoab Akhtar is a Councillor for Werneth. He chairs the Council’s Charitable Trust Committee and sits on the Planning Committee. He is a former Cabinet Member for Employment and Enterprise.

Work & achievements

  1. Chair of the Charitable Trust Committee

    Listed by Oldham Council as Chair of the Charitable Trust Committee and a member of the Planning Committee.

    Source: Oldham Council councillor page

  2. Moved motion for free digital post-mortems for bereaved families

    Council agreed that, once the joint service goes live in 2026, Coroner-authorised digital post-mortems for Oldham residents will be funded from the coronial budget and no bereaved family will be charged directly.

    Source: Council minutes, 12 Nov 2025

  3. Moved motion on free school travel for children in temporary accommodation

    Moved the Oldham Group motion so children placed in temporary accommodation can keep getting to school. Council agreed an amended motion asking Cabinet to report within 12 weeks on options, including free school travel regardless of distance.

    Source: Council minutes, 17 Sep 2025

  4. Joined the Oldham Group

    Joined the Oldham Group together with Cllr Nyla Ibrahim in June 2024, as reported locally at the time.

    Source: Neil Wilby Media, 5 Jun 2024

  5. Former Cabinet Member for Employment and Enterprise

    Recorded in Council minutes as Cabinet Member for Employment and Enterprise.

    Source: Council minutes, 15 Mar 2023

Motions

Filter all motions
Full Council, 10 Dec 2025MotionCarried

Werneth Park Music Rooms – Community-Led Regeneration and Asset Transfer

Moved by Cllr Nyla IbrahimSeconded by Cllr Shoab Akhtar

Sought a community-led plan, using heritage funding, to restore the Grade II listed Music Rooms in Werneth Park, closed since 2001 and costing the Council about £125,000 a year.

Outcome: Carried as amended. Council will keep exploring options with community groups and the GM Building Preservation Trust.
Watch the meeting (full recording, opens YouTube in a new tab) Printed minutes (Oldham Council) (PDF, opens in a new tab)Meeting papers (opens in a new tab)
Full Council, 12 Nov 2025MotionCarried

Fair Access and Funding for Non-Invasive (Digital) Post-Mortems

Moved by Cllr Shoab AkhtarSeconded by Cllr Zaheer Ali

Called for scan-based (digital) post-mortems ordered by the Coroner to be free for bereaved families and paid from the coronial budget.

Outcome: Carried as amended. From 2026, Coroner-authorised digital post-mortems for Oldham residents will be funded through the coronial budget, with no direct charge to families.
Watch the meeting (full recording, opens YouTube in a new tab) Printed minutes (Oldham Council) (PDF, opens in a new tab)Meeting papers (opens in a new tab)
Full Council, 17 Sep 2025MotionCarried

Provision of Free School Travel for all Children in Temporary Accommodation

Moved by Cllr Shoab AkhtarSeconded by Cllr Naveed Chowhan

Proposed free school travel for children living in temporary accommodation (748 children in Oldham at the start of 2025), so that a housing crisis does not cost them their school place. An Oldham Group amendment (moved by Cllr Ghafoor, seconded by Cllr Wahid) re-ordered the proposal to fit the Council’s budget rules.

Outcome: Carried as amended. Cabinet to report within 12 weeks on options, including free school travel regardless of mileage.

Taken when the adjourned 17 September 2025 meeting reconvened on 12 November 2025.

Printed minutes (Oldham Council) (PDF, opens in a new tab)Meeting papers (opens in a new tab)
Full Council, 11 Sep 2024MotionCarried

Motor Insurance Premiums

Moved by Cllr Shoab AkhtarSeconded by Cllr Nyla Ibrahim

Highlighted evidence that drivers in more ethnically diverse areas are quoted higher car insurance premiums, and asked the Council to press MPs, the regulator and insurers to end the disparity.

Outcome: Carried as amended. The Council agreed to write to Oldham’s MPs, asking them to raise the issue with Government and urge the FCA to speed up its investigation, and to write to the Association of British Insurers.
Watch from 2:04:36 (opens YouTube in a new tab) Printed minutes (Oldham Council) (PDF, opens in a new tab)Meeting papers (opens in a new tab)
Full Council, 15 Mar 2023MotionCarried

Actions Not Ambitions – A Renewable Energy Future

Moved by Cllr JabbarSeconded by Cllr Shoab Akhtar

Called for the Council to expand renewable energy across the borough to cut carbon and costs.

Outcome: Carried as amended. Council committed to re-evaluate all council-owned buildings and land for solar panels and to explore further renewable schemes, including a mine water heat network.

Seconded by Cllr Akhtar while a Labour Cabinet Member, before joining the Oldham Group

Watch from 2:23:05 (opens YouTube in a new tab) Printed minutes (Oldham Council) (PDF, opens in a new tab)Meeting papers (opens in a new tab)

In the Chamber

All videos

Timestamps point to the chapter of the council meeting where the item was debated, or to the full meeting where no chapter is available.

Council roles

Committees

  • Audit Committee (Substitute)
  • Charitable Trust Committee (Chair)
  • Council
  • Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board (Substitute)
  • Planning Committee

Outside bodies

  • Hollies Trust

Election results listed by Oldham Council: 6 May 2010, 22 May 2014.

Source: Oldham Council councillor page, checked 22 October 2026.