Oldham Council is acting unlawfully by failing to elect a leader or cabinet, the council’s top legal boss says.
Labour is the largest group and most recent administration but failed to win a clear majority during the local elections in May.
There have been three unsuccessful attempts to form an administration.
The council’s director of legal services, Alex Bougatef, has now issued a formal Section 5 report, which warns that the council is acting ‘unlawfully’.
The local authority’s 60 councillors now have 21 days to attempt to elect a leader and cabinet.
A spokesperson for the council said, ‘If they are unable to come to an agreement at that point, the council will write to the Government for them to consider next steps.’
