Sam Al-Hamdani – Page 10 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

01Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

First community meeting post-Covid

Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor, Diane Williamson, and her Shaw and Crompton colleagues, hosted the first Community meeting, since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions. “It was so nice to see local residents, officers and Councillors at the Lifelong Learning on Wednesday 27 July. GMP and FCHO officers were in attendance as well Mike Barker, the new Accountable Officer appointed for NHS Oldham, who came to speak to the meeting about the significant news about the new Shaw and Crompton Health Centre.” Residents mainly came to speak about issues on Durden Mews and Queen Street. Meetings have already taken place, organised by the Shaw Liberal Councillors, where officers from FCHO and GMP are working with them to investigate and resolve the problems. “The next meeting is on Wednesday 31 August at…

01Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lifesaving Grotton defibrillator ready for use

Borough news, health and social care

A heart defibrillator in Grotton has been brought back into use as the first community project for recently elected Councillor Alicia Marland. The casing for the defibrillator at Lido House had been broken since before lockdown and the unit was being kept in the manager’s office, meaning it was unavailable to people outside office hours, which could have meant a critical delay in providing life-saving resuscitation. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Alicia Marland said: “I became aware of the problem while helping at the Band Contest in Grotton a few weeks ago. Looking around at how many people there were really brought home how crucial it was to make sure it was accessible for everyone, and available for the North West Ambulance Service to support people. If I were in that…

27Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats welcome U-turn allowing dogs onto trams for a trial period

Borough news

Pet dogs will be allowed on Greater Manchester trams during a three-month trial, with a two dog per passenger rule. Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “It’s common sense to allow dogs on trams so I’m glad that Transport for Greater Manchester have finally listened. You can take a dog on a bus or a train with no problem. This trial should be made permanent. We want to see more people encouraged to use public transport so moves like this are very welcome.” Councillor Sykes’s Liberal Democrat group have previously called for pets to be allowed to travel but the move was blocked by Labour and Conservative councillors (see links below). Councillor Sykes said, “Hopefully this initial trial period results in something more permanent and responsible dog…

26Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government plans for council finance watchdog will do nothing to improve frontline services

Borough news, fairer council, Parliamentary news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has hit out against government plans to introduce new financial oversight measures for local government spending. Councillor Sykes said: “We’re in the eye of a cost-of-living storm right now and what we need is a government that empowers local councils to direct funding to frontline services across social care, housing and health. Instead, we have Conservative ministers who are making local councils jump through hoops, count beans and increase bureaucracy and red tape.” The Government announced that it would introduce a new regulator to audit council spending. But the Liberal Democrat Leader and representative for Shaw dismissed the plans as “unnecessary red tape that will do nothing for ordinary residents and just increase costs for councils”. Councillor Sykes argued: “Local councils need…

26Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats write to Home Secretary demanding public inquiry into CSE failings

Borough news, CSE

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the Home Secretary – Priti Patel – calling on her to open an independent public inquiry into child sex exploitation in Oldham and Greater Manchester. In his letter to the Home Secretary, Councillor Sykes said: “I hope you will use your position to show people in Oldham that failure to protect children can never be accepted in our public institutions. It is only through meticulously investigating these failings that we can have true accountability and begin to earn back the trust of the people of Oldham.” The issue of child sex abuse has dominated Oldham council meetings since the report was published, leading to heated council meetings. But so far Labour have blocked calls in council meetings to call…

23Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Burnham must face further questions

Borough news, CSE

Liberal Democrats say Andy Burnham must come to Oldham to answer questions on Greater Manchester Police special measures Liberal Democrats call on Andy Burnham to come to Oldham to answer questions on Greater Manchester Police special measures. At a meeting of Oldham’s Full Council, Liberal Democrat councillors called on Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to come to Oldham to field questions from councillors on the state of Greater Manchester Police. Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth West and Lees, Sam Al-Hamdani said, “Politically accountability has been lacking throughout the time that Greater Manchester Police has been in special measures. Will the Leader of the Council write to Mayor Burnham asking him to come to Oldham to field questions from councillors on the ongoing situation affecting Greater Manchester Police – as he…

23Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

No Pride in Policing!

Borough news, fairer council

In shock news, Greater Manchester Police has pulled its rainbow livered pride car from appearing at Oldham Pride. Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Louie Hamblett recently received the news as a member of Oldham Pride committee. Cllr Hamblett said: “With a force now in special measures you would think they would want to be doing all they can to work with the community to rebuild trust and confidence in policing. Decisions like this from Chief Constable Watson seem counterintuitive and to drag policing backwards into its hard-line, unpassionate past. “Supporting community groups goes hand-in-hand with active neighbourhood police work. Building good relationships with people means that police are more aware of what is going on locally, and have the knowledge and awareness to better combat crime that is affecting communities. This…

23Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

GMP ignore Council warning that DBS checks no good

Borough news, CSE

Oldham Liberal Democrats have discovered that despite Oldham Council warning Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in December 2018 that the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS check) wasn’t good enough for taxi licensing, the Council still haven’t had a promised response. The recent Assurance Review into historic CSE in Oldham found that GMP initially ignored the Council’s concerns about the working of DBS checks for taxi licensing submitted in December 2018 but the new Chief Constable of GMP, Stephen Watson, had responded to the Council’s concerns set out in a letter in December 2018. The report did not detail when Stephen Watson replied or what his reply contained. Mark Kenyon, Liberal Democrat councillor for Grotton, Springhead & Lees, said: “We’ve quizzed Council further and they’ve confirmed that whilst Stephen Watson was appointed…

23Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Council and GMP – no action against CSE failure staff

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Oldham Liberal Democrats have discovered that, despite Oldham Council’s and Greater Manchester Police’s assurances that processes to deal with Child Sexual Exploitation have changed extensively, they have also confirmed that no disciplinary actions have so far been taken with any staff still employed who took part in the failures described in the report. The recent Assurance Review into historic CSE in Oldham found that both GMP and Oldham Council had failed numerous children who were suffering horrific abuse. Twelve year old Sophie was sexually abused multiple times over multiple occasions and many of the incidents were known to GMP and Council staff who did not respond appropriately. Both GMP and Oldham Council have confirmed that, whilst many of the staff involved have either left or retired, no remaining staff have…

18Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Speeding signs promised for Shaw in October after two-year delay

Borough news, road safety

Shaw Liberal Democrat councillor Howard Sykes MBE has been told that Vehicle Activated Speed (VAS) signs on Buckstones Road now won’t be replaced until October at the earliest, despite funding being agreed over two years ago. Councillor Sykes said: “Speeding on Buckstones Road has been a major concern for Shaw residents. These signs have been faulty for many years and the budget to replace them was agreed in the summer of 2020. I’ve been repeatedly assured that Buckstones signs are a top priority for the council. So why have our residents had to wait years with a dangerous road while the council once again struggles to get the basics right?” When in operation, VAS signs have proven to be an effective way to tackle speeding in areas where speed cameras…

Author: Sam Al-Hamdani