09Dec 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats opposed to fast-track fracking

Borough news, Campaigns
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are submitting a motion to the next full meeting of Oldham Council opposing Government changes to planning procedures on fracking matters. Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy is proposing the motion and Councillor Derek Heffernan is seconding it. Councillor Murphy explained: “The Conservative Government is quite simply trying to circumvent established local planning procedures because they know that fracking is simply not popular with either Councils or the public.  Recent fracking activities on the Fylde Coast have demonstrated that there are public health issues with fracking activities, such operations involve many vehicle movements, ground disturbances that have led to earth tremors, and the real danger that fracking could lead to the pollution of local water supplies. It is only right that where such operations are contemplated that…
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09Dec 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats call for proper funding for public health services

Borough news
At the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 12 December), the Liberal Democrats will be proposing a motion calling on the Conservative Government to restore disastrous cuts made to public health. The motion will be proposed by Councillor Chris Gloster and seconded by Councillor Garth Harkness. Councillor Chris Gloster In the 2015 Budget, the Chancellor announced a £200 million in-year cut to the Public Health Grant, followed by a further real-terms cut averaging 3.9% each year (until 2020/21) in the 2015 Spending Review. These cuts are having a significant impact on public health services and functions. By way of example, research conducted by Action on Smoking and Health and Cancer Research UK shows that, following reductions to the Public Health Grant in 2015, 2016, and 2017, stop smoking services…
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09Dec 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat plan to make Oldham town and district centre safer at night

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillors Hazel Gloster and Howard Sykes MBE will be proposing a motion at the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 12 December) calling for the establishment of Safe Zones and for the ‘Ask Angela’ scheme to be adopted to help make Oldham town and district centres in the borough safer for night-time revellers. Commenting Councillor Gloster said: “When the Liberal Democrats were in power, we tackled the anti-social issues that resulted from problem drinking in Oldham town centre, issues that attracted lots of unwanted media attention with Yorkshire Street being dubbed ‘the  Wild West’ and I am pleased to say that things are now a lot quieter.  However, people do sometimes have too much to drink or they can feel threatened late at night, and we should…
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29Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader seeks establishment of Greater Manchester Business Forum to encourage trade with Palestine

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to Councillor Sir Richard Leese, Deputy Mayor for the Economy in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Leader of Oldham Council asking them to organise high-level events in Greater Manchester and in Oldham to enable the Palestinian Trade Representative in the UK to meet local business people to discuss British - Palestinian trade. The date is especially auspicious as 29 November is in fact the United Nations Day for International Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Councillor Sykes is backing the ‘1% initiative’ launched by the UK Government and the Palestinian Authority earlier this year. This seeks to promote Palestinian information technology businesses as prospective partners to UK businesses needing their services; it…
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17Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader says a good start but more needs to be done to promote free Bulky Bobs Collections for the infirm and others

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has welcomed the news that there have been more free Bulky Bobs collections in the first ten months of 2018 than in the same period in 2017. This improvement has been the result from Councillor Sykes raising his concerns with the former Council Leader Councillor that the fact that Bulky Bobs still offers one annual free collection to certain residents was not being promoted by the Council. Bulky Bobs was reappointed contractor for the service at the start of this year and it was promised there would be more promotion of the free service as part of this. Councillor Sykes said: “This important free service was not being publicised by Oldham Council…
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17Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes Government retreat on fixed odds betting terminals

Campaigns, Parliamentary news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s change of heart on the timescale for the introduction of the promised £2 maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in betting offices. In last week’s budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond decided to put off the introduction of the changes until October 2019.  This decision caused the resignation, in disgust, of Sports Minister Tracey Crouch MP and criticism from Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the Commons Treasury Committee. Councillor Sykes said: “Only in July Oldham Council supported a Liberal Democrat motion calling on the Government to introduce a £2 fixed stake.  These machines, which are often located in the high streets of Britain’s most deprived…
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15Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat councillor praises Ashbrook and Thornley Brook planning decision – but ready for next steps

Borough news, Campaigns
Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani has praised the decision of Oldham’s planning committee to refuse the planning application for the development of 265 houses on Thornley Brook and Ashbrook in Saddleworth West and Lees. Sam said: “This decision – that the importance of the protected open land was greater than any theoretical benefits of the scheme – is a victory for common sense, and for the hard work of so many local people. The Save Our Valleys campaign have been tireless in their efforts. And as well as being able to mark the success of our campaign, It felt good to be one of the residents in the chamber who were able to celebrate the decision. “I have spoken to so many local residents who would be directly impacted by…
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08Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Better health services for Saddleworth

Borough news
At the Oldham Council meeting on Wednesday 7th October 2018 Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness called for the council, as part of the Health Impact Assessment to bring more varied health services to Saddleworth. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “Liberal Democrats have long since campaigned for better health outcomes in this chamber including creating health equality for mental health and more access to defibrillators – both 24 hours and in public buildings. I support the creation of a Health Impact Assessment to make improvements in health and wellbeing.” Councillor Garth Harkness argued that evidence from government papers clearly points to delivering services locally and that the new cluster structure can be an opportunity for Saddleworth. He said: “The creation of the clusters lends itself to developing better local services. Saddleworth is almost…
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03Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader says Northern Rail links are short-changed whilst Government finds even more cash for London Crossrail

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has condemned the Government’s recent decision to give a further £350 million bail out to the London Crossrail project whilst continuing to deny money to complete much-needed rail infrastructure projects in the North of England. Councillor Sykes, who also serves as Oldham’s representative on Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “The cost of the Crossrail project in central London has gone up yet again to £15.4 billion and it is way behind schedule, yet this Government continues to find more and more money to bail it out.” “When it comes to rail services there is a distinct North-South divide,” he added.  “Northern Rail services are a farce - our passengers have to travel…
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03Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conductors mean safer trams, say Liberal Democrats

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is proposing a motion to the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 7 November) calling on the Council to support the elected members of Shaw and Crompton who are campaigning for the introduction of conductors on the Rochdale–Oldham Metrolink line.  The motion is seconded by Councillor Sykes’ Shaw Ward colleague Hazel Gloster. Councillor Sykes, who also serves as a member of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee representing Oldham Council, is adamant that the introduction of conductors will not only make tram travel safer for passengers, but it will make a major contribution to reducing fare evasion on the line. The Rochdale–Oldham line is the worst for violent and criminal incidents of any route…
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