16Sep 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Closing the loophole on exploitative sex in Oldham Borough

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
A dangerous loophole has been found that is threatening young people’s safety. Liberal Democrat Councillor Diane Williamson wants to close the loophole on adults that can have sex with people just over the age of consent in the UK (currently 16).  This loophole concerns adults in a position of authority not defined in the law highlighted in an NSPCC campaign to change the law.  “Teachers are currently covered by the law preventing sex between them and 16/17-year olds, but faith workers, youth workers and sports coaches are currently exempted,” stated Councillor Williamson.  “These are people who could potentially exploit young people for sex and there have been many cases where they have.” The Liberal Democrats want Oldham Council and the Mayor of Greater Manchester to be ahead of the curve,…
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15Sep 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat heads shake at Greater Manchester Labour charging OAPs £10 to ride on public transport

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has criticised Labour bosses in Manchester for their hypocrisy.  Pensioners who currently enjoy free travel on public transport across Greater Manchester are being forced to pay an annual fee if they want to travel from A to B.  The new Charge will be £10, whereas before it was free.  This tax will be live possibly as early as January 2020. Councillor Sykes MBE commented:  “Pensioners currently enjoy free train, tram and bus travel weekdays, on weekends and public holidays.  This is a great way to enable older people access to the full network free of financial burden.” “This £10 charge is simply a Labour shakedown to stealth tax our elderly.  OAPs now have to pay for TV licences and struggle with heating bills in…
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23Aug 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Unused tramlines could make the network safer

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE challenges local tram operator to create fully functioning tram turnback facilities.  These would be at Westwood and Oldham Mumps.  The Liberal Democrat Leader on Oldham Borough Council told Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) that by motorising the existing points and modifying the signalling system they would create a safer travel network for residents.   The overall aim is to utilise the resources the network currently has, in full.  There have been several incidents recently where Oldham Town Centre Metrolink tracks have been blocked.  Passengers have had to leave the trams at Freehold Tram Stop for trams coming from Manchester, and Derker Tram Stop for trams coming from Rochdale. There have also been cases when trams have been damaged by vandals and the travelling public have been ‘thrown…
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06Aug 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New Saddleworth School can finally happen

Borough news, Campaigns, Saddleworth News
Now that the period to call a judicial review is over the building of a Saddleworth school can finally happen. This was met with delight by Saddleworth Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness. He said “I am delighted that a new school can now be finally be built. I have always been clear from day one that I want a new school, wherever the Education Funding Agency saw it as appropriate. It has been clear for some time that that place was Diggle. “There has been a lot of strong feeling about this and at times I have been met with abuse. We now need to move on from this.” The process has gone on for over seven years and has seen a series of delays including a Judicial Review on…
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06Aug 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats reveal extent of ‘criminal’ Conservative police cuts

Borough news, Campaigns
The true extent of ‘criminal’ Conservative police cuts in Greater Manchester have been revealed by local Liberal Democrats. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE commented on a Liberal Democrat analysis of new Home Office figures released recently.  They revealed that the Conservative Government cut funding to Greater Manchester by 6.3% in real terms between 2015–16 and 2019–20. According to data from the Home Office statistical bulletin: ‘Police funding for England and Wales 2015 to 2020,’ total government funding to all 43 forces in the UK (in 2019-20 prices) fell from £8.48 billion in 2015–16 to £7.99 billion in 2019–20.  32 of the 43 forces across the country experienced cuts of 6% or more.  Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “Across the country, we are seeing rising crime and falling police numbers.  Far too many…
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06Aug 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Shock suspension of Head of Planning at Oldham Council

Borough news, Saddleworth News
After a formal request, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat Leader in Oldham Borough has been informed that the Head of Planning and Infrastructure, Steven Irvine, has been suspended from the Council.  He has been suspended from duties whilst allegations of ‘gross misconduct’ are ‘fully investigated’.   Councillor Sykes MBE wants to know how long for and what steps have been put in place to maintain a planning service.  “Currently it is far from perfect and I and other councilors are getting lots of complaints from residents and business,” stated Councillor Sykes. “There is currently a large amount of public unrest in relation to the Planning Officer’s Reports in relation to two applications leading to decisions of approval: 1: PA/342008/18 Land at Hodge Clough Road Oldham 2. PA/343269/19 Land at Knowls Lane,…
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19Jul 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats want maximum fines for thoughtless dog owners

Borough news
Thoughtless dog owners are being targeted in fresh calls for max on the spot fines.  Liberal Democrats in Oldham Borough want to charge people the maximum allowed by law for those who don’t pick up their dog muck.  Owners who do not observe the law could be fined £100. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Oldham Council wants the full force of the law to tackle this issue.  He says: “Dog fouling is horrendous; it can make children go blind.  Also, people who fail to control their dogs can have tragic impacts on local residents.” Councillor Sykes added: “I have raised this with the Deputy Leader and portfolio holder but if nothing happens, like it has before, I will continue to pursue this.  The vast…
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13Jul 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Big help through Real Change

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the recent announcement that the Council will finally back an initiative called Real Change Oldham to support people who are homeless in our Borough.  This will mirror the suggestion that he made himself in a question to the Council Leader at a meeting on 13 December 2017. The Real Change Scheme Oldham, delivered by a coalition of Oldham Council and social partners, will help residents deal with the issues they face day-to-day as they struggle to survive with homelessness. In December 2017, Councillor Sykes suggested Oldham join Rochdale, Manchester, Bradford and Leeds in becoming a member Council of the Big Change scheme.  Real Change Oldham will offer a similar service.   Commenting Councillor…
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13Jul 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Bid for Urban Tree Challenge to make Oldham Borough greener

Borough news
In recent times, world leaders have acknowledged that there is a climate change emergency affecting every one of us.  The Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Council Leader suggesting Oldham Council apply to the Government’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund to help do our bit in tackling climate change. The Urban Tree Challenge Fund has been developed in response to the Government releasing £10 million last year for planting, at least, 130,000 trees nationally across England’s towns and cities. Councillor Sykes believes that the Council should make the most of this windfall as further tree planting will provide economic, social and health benefits for the people of Oldham, especially in the Borough’s district centres…
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12Jul 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Diane says “Change and Check”

Borough news, Campaigns
Last Thursday I sat in a meeting at Oldham Council – the Performance and Value for Money meeting – and we were talking about Staff Absences and that 7% of the Council's staff are absent due to Cancer. Which got me thinking about the Campaign that I have seen every morning on ITV for so many weeks and thought it might help in some small way.   It was on Lorraine Kelly's ITV morning program where she and her former Producer Helen Addis (who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 39 years old last) spoke passionately about the campaign. So on Friday of last week I wrote to the CE of Oldham Council, the Principal of Oldham College and Oldham Community Leisure, asking them to look at whether Oldham Council could do more to…
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