16Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats call for ban on new hot food takeaways near schools to help curb childhood obesity

Borough news, Campaigns
Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Diane Williamson will be proposing a motion to the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 28 March) calling for Oldham Council to prohibit new hot food takeaways within 400 metres of schools and is appealing to the Borough’s schools to apply a ‘stay-on-site’ policy at lunchtimes and ban takeaway deliveries to school gates.   In October 2017, the medical journal, The Lancet, reported that one in every ten young people, aged 5 to 19, in the UK was classed as obese. In Oldham, the situation is even worse. The Public Health England profile for the Borough, published July 2017, reported that one in five, 21.9%, of children at Year 6 were classed as obese. Commenting, Councillor Williamson said: “Childhood obesity has risen to epic proportions…
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01Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

The alternative Liberal Democrat Budget Council speech

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Mr Mayor, I rise tonight to second the amendment to the Administration’s Budget proposed by the Opposition Liberal Democrat Group. Local government continues to be butchered disproportionately - hit by the Conservative Government’s continued adherence to so-called austerity. The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement announced in December did not bring us an early Christmas present; it simply represented yet more pain for us to absorb. The Liberal Democrat Group recognises that in our financial situation the Labour Administration has once more had to reduce overall spending whilst, regrettably, increasing Council Tax by a further 3.99%. Through necessity, we will support the rise to pay for improvements to adult social care and services. This is albeit reluctantly because we know that many residents in our Borough have not seen any increase in their…
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01Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives zero, Liberal Democrats one as Tories fail to show at Oldham Budget Council meeting

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Liberal Democrat Councillor John McCann was surprised to find that he was the only Councillor from the three in Saddleworth South Ward on Oldham Council who bothered to turn up for Wednesday’s important Budget Council meeting (28 February 2018). He explained: “I was disappointed that Conservative Councillors, John Hudson and Graham Sheldon, sent their apologies and failed to show.  I know it was not good weather wise, but I felt it was my duty to make it, whatever the weather.  I think the public expect us to be there and I have to travel a similar distance to get here as they do.  If anything they could be closer to the civic centre than I am!” Councillor John McCann proposed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Labour budget that would…
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22Feb 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader dismayed by smoking increase

Campaigns
The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has expressed his dismay at the latest report showing an increase in smokers in Oldham Borough. The latest GP Patient Survey, run independently by Ipsos MORI on behalf of NHS England, which has just been published shows that the proportion of smokers in Oldham rose from 17pc to 19pc between 2015/16 and 2016/17.  The Greater Manchester average is 17.5pc. Councillor Sykes said: “These figures are shocking.  A two percent rise is a move in the wrong direction, we should be seeing a decrease in smoking not and increase - it is simply not good enough.” “Smoking is known to be one of the biggest killers in our Borough and also blights the lives of many more of…
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15Feb 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Labour’s land grab hits Saddleworth green belt

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Oldham Council has been told by the Mayor of Greater Manchester to prepare new housing quotas for the next 20 years. Oldham propose there should be 2,000 expensive, top council tax band houses built in Saddleworth. No council houses, no social housing, no rented accommodation, nothing for young Saddleworth families - who will be forced out of the district. No mention of money for new schools, medical facilities or improving any of Saddleworth's antiquated narrow roads and bursting sewers. They are encouraging landowners to offer up green belt land. This is completely against national policy, which says all brown field sites throughout the borough should be filled before even thinking about invading the Green Belt. Saddleworth has a stable population. We say there should be some limited new rented accommodation in every village, for young people but…
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07Feb 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Remembering Annie Kenney – Springhead’s suffragette

Borough news, Saddleworth News
With the celebrations this year to mark 100 years of votes for women, we need to recognise the hard work and sacrifices the suffragettes made in order to achieve universal suffrage. Annie Kenney, from Springhead, was the only senior member of the suffrage movement who came from a working class background and knew what it was like to work in the mills. She worked closely with the Pankhursts and they trusted her and, because she was an inspirational speaker, they sent her to rally the millworkers in Lancashire and Yorkshire.  She also went to prison some 13 times for her beliefs and was subjected to force feeding and the notorious “Cat and Mouse” Act whereby, when the women were ill from being on hunger strike they were released from prison…
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05Feb 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats propose investment for better roads, cleaner streets and safer communities

Borough news
The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council will propose that in this year’s budget more money is invested on improving highways, tackling fly tipping and litter, and addressing anti-social behaviour and crime to make the Borough’s streets better and cleaner and our communities safer by finding further savings in Civic Centre bureaucracy. The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “Local government finance has been massively, and disproportionately, hit by this Conservative Government’s so called continued adherence to austerity.  Over many years, Oldham has really felt the pain.  This year has been no different.  The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement announced in December contained no surprises, it was simply more of the same, no additional funding, do more with less and more cuts.”…
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29Jan 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Don’t persecute honest passengers, prosecute fare-dodgers, says Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats have been shocked by recent revelations from Labour-controlled Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) that an estimated one in eight Metrolink passengers are fare-dodgers.  Responding to a question from Bury Liberal Democrat Councillor Tim Pickstone TfGM bosses conceded that 12% of all journeys are not paid for. The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who also serves as a representative of Oldham Council on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, stated: “The Oldham Liberal Democrats are flatly opposed to Labour plans (supported by the Conservatives) to put up fares for honest Metrolink passengers by an inflation-busting 19% by 2020 when one in eight passengers travel free.” “Labour goes on constantly about austerity and workers having to tighten their belts…
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23Jan 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader disappointed Bulky Bobs free service still a secret

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Jean Stretton, to express his disappointment that the new Council website still fails to mention that Bulky Bobs provides a free collection service to many of the Borough’s most disadvantaged residents.  Councillor Sykes said: “Last year, I discovered in a report that went to the Council’s Cabinet a hidden provision in the contract between Bulky Bobs and Oldham Council in which the elderly, disabled and pregnant residents can still access one free bulky waste collection every year. “That this provision existed was a surprise to me and a surprise also to the Leader of the Council when I asked her at the September 2017 meeting…
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22Jan 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat welcome crackdown on ‘Van and Man’ fly-tipping

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed a recent government announcement the new powers and guidance will be given to Councils to enable them to crack down further on fly-tipping. As part of a consultation, the Government has announced plans to allow Councils to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 to householders who are found to have ‘failed to take all reasonable measures’ to ensure that anyone they employ to take away their household waste has a proper licence.  Local authorities will also be told not to charge householders who dispose of their DIY waste at municipal tips. Councillor Sykes said:  “Fly-tipping is the bane of the lives of my constituents and an issue that features highly…
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