[12][13] In 2011, Oldham declared its ambition to become a "co-operative council", aiming to find better ways of working for and with local communities.

[20] Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows:[21][22] The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Oldham.

The Shield is derived from the former arms of Oldham showing three white owls (a pun on "Owldham") and three red rings giving the initial letter "0".

The two red griffins identify the other districts by the heraldry of their chief manorial families which are some of the most famous in history.

As a necessary difference, they wear collars with fluted edges like those in the arms of the Radcliffes (Oldham, Royton and Chadderton).

Oldham Council introduced the office of Youth Mayor in 2009 when Mohammed Adil became the first-ever holder of the post.

It is awarded rarely and dates back to the Middle Ages when freemen had commercial privileges and route into a position of power in a town or city.

Freedom of entry grants the service unit the right, privilege and honour of marching through the streets of Oldham on ceremonial occasions with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and colours flying.

Recipients to date are: Dame Sarah Anne Lees, Dr Thomas Fawsitt, William Schofield, Charles Ward, Marjory Lees, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, JR Clynes, William E Freeman, James Bannon, Frank Tweedale, Thomas Driver, John Fletcher Waterhouse, the 41st (Oldham) Royal Tank Regiment TA, Sir William Turner Walton, Alice Amelia Kenyon, Charles Leslie Hale, Sir Frank lord, Dame Eva Turner, Arnold Tweedale, 75 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers), Ellen Brierley, Sir Norman Kelvin Stoller and Michael Hugh Meacher.

[41][42][43] The review also found the council had done "everything possible" to warn people of the threat of child sexual exploitation, "consistently attempted" to address the problem, and were supported in these efforts by Greater Manchester Police.

[44] Among the failings reported, the review found that police had not notified the council that Shabir Ahmed, seconded to the Oldham Pakistani Centre from his role as a welfare rights officer, had previously been arrested for sexual assault of a child.

[41][44][42] The review also found a "structural flaw" in the authority's multi-agency safeguarding processes meant that some offenders were "not being apprehended earlier".

[44][45] Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester (Labour and Co-operative Party) who commissioned the report, said, "It is never too late to face up to past mistakes, to say sorry to those who were failed nor to prosecute those responsible for appalling crimes against children and young people".

[48][49][50] In 2025, Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch and others called for a national public inquiry in Oldham.

[48][54] Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a government-backed Oldham inquiry, and a nationwide review of evidence, on 16 January 2025.