Local Development & Regeneration |  

Professional development at Gallery Oldham formed the first phase High-tech industry in Oldham University Centre Oldham of the new Cultural Quarter 

for the FutureÕ programme, are planned for the borough and will include plans for new ways of teaching and a keen focus on utilising computer technology to bring parents and teachers the best educational resources available.  
Improvements to educational facilities are taking place at every tier in the borough. Students at Oldham College are now progressing onto higher level courses and higher education in greater numbers. The so-called ÔValue AddedÕ score from the government puts the College in the top 10 per cent in the country.  Spurred on by its success, the College has unveiled plans for a new campus to improve facilities and boost educational achievement even further. 
At the boroughÕs sixth form college, students are celebrating record results, with an overall pass rate of 99 per cent. Many students go on to some of the countryÕs top universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. 
The CouncilÕs commitment to excellence in education for everyone is most visible in the Library and Lifelong Learning Centre. This £13 million building has won several architectural awards and incorporates the very latest in environmental standards.  Inside, there is more than double the space of the previous Victorian library building, with more than 90 computers for library members to use for free, study areas, and an 80-seat performance space. 
Quality of life 
Oldham has some of the best parks in the country and they are improving all the time. Currently seven parks have been awarded the coveted Green Flag status by the Civic Trust.  A popular area for walkers, climbers, horse riders, cyclists and canal enthusiasts, Oldham presents a wide choice of outdoor activities. But the borough is also rich in culture with the theatres, cinemas, galleries and museums for visitors and residents alike. 
OldhamÕs main park, Alexandra Park, has been rejuvenated using £2.5m of Heritage Lottery money. The park was awarded Green Flag status in 2005, and was described by the Director of the National Parks Agency as Òthe finest park in the landÓ. 
Oldham has a lively arts and entertainment calendar and also has the largest indoor shopping complex of any Northwest town in the Spindles Town Square shopping centre. 
The Cultural Quarter attracts national and regional visitors with the award winning ÔGallery OldhamÕ and the new Library and Lifelong Learning Centre. 
Oldham Coliseum Theatre is nationally recognised and has won both critical and popular acclaim for its highly successful productions, which often star famous actors. 
Tel. 0161 770 3000  | www.oldham.gov.uk