James O'Rourke McMahon is one of four siblings born to William Edward McMahon and Alicia O'Rourke on 7th July 1980 in the Miles Platting district of Manchester.

The family moved from their home to Cheetham Hill and then on to Middleton where he attended the Middleton Technology School from 1990 - 1996. He later moved to Failsworth with his partner in 2001.

He met his partner, Charlene Duerden in 1999 and had their first son Jack William James McMahon on the 8th February 2002.

Working life

He began working life at North Manchester General Hospital where he worked as a trainee administrator for a short time before moving to Manchester University as a technician where he stayed for 8 years. Shortly after becoming a councillor for the Failsworth East ward he began work at the environmental charity Groundwork in Manchester. In 2008 Jim was appointed as a Town Centre Manager.

Political life

In November 2003 Jim stood in a by-election in Failsworth East and won the seat which he has successfully defended twice since. Since becoming a councillor Jim has worked hard and secured a great deal of investment for the town, including funding for the first new park in the town since 1923 at Westminster Road, and as Chair of the Failsworth War Memorial Steering Group lead fund raising to secure over £136,000 to renovate the aging war memorial on Oldham Road.

In 2004 Jim was part of a delegation to attend the Labour Party Conference to lobby for the Metrolink extension, managing to get the then Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling, to commit that the original £520million allocation  was secure.

In 2007 Jim became Oldham's youngest ever Cabinet member with responsibility for the council's £350million budget and lead, for the first time in Oldham Councils history, a 0% council tax rise which it was later discovered was the only local authority in England not to increase council tax rates in 2008.

In 2008 Oldham's Labour Group elected Jim as their Leader, and at the age of 27 was the youngest Leader of the Opposition in the region.

In the community

Jim's began community life in 2002 by co-founding the Failsworth Historical Society. Shortly afterward he wrote for the Oldham Advertiser on local history answering questions submitted by local people.

Jim's interest in local history lead him to fight for a statue of local poet Ben Brierley which stands at Pole Gardens, and subsequently requested the name of the new canalside housing development to be called Ben Brierley Wharf.

In 2002 Jim was elected as the youth representative on the Failsworth and Hollinwood Area Committee.

In 2003 Jim began work as the treasurer of the annual Failsworth Carnival, which raises around £15,000 a year for local groups.

In 2005 Jim became a governor at Failsworth School.

in 2006 Jim founded the Failsworth Volunteer Centre which aims to support voluntary groups in the area and runs the community centre at 1 Ashton Road West which provides meeting space and office accommodation to local groups.

References

Two more post offices face closure Oldham Advertiser 6/10/2004
METROLINK CAMPAIGNERS LEAVE LABOUR CONFERENCE HAPPIER British Trams Online Oct 2004
Looks who's back home Manchester Evening News 21/6/2006
 

Links