Councillor Sean Fielding became Oldham Council Leader in May 2018 and was named GMCA lead on Education, Skills and Apprenticeships shortly afterwards. Sean’s GMCA portfolio includes the devolved Adult Education Budget, GM Working Well (Greater Manchester’s work and health programme), careers and enterprise advice and guidance, digital skills, T-levels, support for older workers, and the GM Apprenticeship Grant for Employers.
The 28-year-old has served as a Councillor for Failsworth - where he has lived with his girlfriend Sophie - since 2012.
When first elected, he was one of the youngest UK councillors and was immediately given a role as Assistant Cabinet Member by then Leader, Jim McMahon. Sean was jointly named the LGiU Young Councillor of the Year alongside fellow Assistant Cabinet Members Amanda Chadderton and Arooj Shah (who is now Deputy Leader) in 2013.
He first came to prominence through his involvement with Fairness campaigns: launching ‘Fares Fair’ to tackle Oldham’s disproportionately high bus fares and deliver more affordable travel to help people access job and training opportunities. His lobbying led First Bus to slash fares by 30 per cent and this was later extended to all passengers across Greater Manchester, benefiting thousands of people.
Sean is a member of the Labour Party, the Co-operative party, and UNISON and he was re-elected to serve Failsworth West with an increased majority in local elections in May 2016. Sean’s immediate priorities include delivering good quality affordable homes, more work to increase social mobility and education, investing in repairing the roads network, and securing further investment in the borough to create good jobs for residents and a thriving town centre.
Born at the Royal Oldham Hospital on January 10, 1990, he attended South Failsworth and Failsworth schools. His father was a local bus driver and his mother used to work at Manchester City Council. Sean is the youngest-ever leader of Oldham Council. He believes in having a strong Cabinet team and values the great partnership working which drives Oldham’s co-operative model of working.
