Sam Al-Hamdani – Page 7 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

24Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Developer short-changes Oldham

Russell Homes, the developer who is building 265 houses and a link road on protected land in Grotton, Oldham have failed to pay £115,000 as part of the planning conditions. The payment was agreed with the Council and is called Section 106 money. The payment is meant to be used by the Council to improve the local area to offset the impact of building so many new houses and was due on day one of building works – that work started this week. The missing payment was discovered by Liberal Democrat Councillor for Grotton, Springhead and Lees, Mark Kenyon. He said: “The community, as a whole, doesn’t want this development, yet it was forced upon us. Considering the amount of money that Russell Homes will make on all these new…

24Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes warns of ‘more red tape and wasted cash’ as councils brace for £75 million increase in audit fees

Borough news, fairer council

Oldham’s Liberal Democrats have warned that Oldham Council could face “more red tape and wasted cash” after it was announced that councils across the country are to be hit with an additional £75 million audit fee. Liberal Democrat Leader and Shaw representative councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Bureaucracy is one thing Oldham Council does not need more of. This audit price hike is particularly unwelcome given the current cost-of-living crisis. It amounts to more red tape and wasted cash that will do nothing to alleviate the pressures that councils face in funding frontline services. “Councils should be focusing on the basics, like finding and funding highly skilled social workers and helping people with the cost-of-living crisis. Instead, we will see councils across Greater Manchester struggle to plug budget gaps caused…

12Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

It is time to extend free school meals to all primary age children

Borough news, Parliamentary news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat councillors have backed a campaign calling for free school meals to be extended to all primary school children. The National Education Union has said that child hunger is an ‘epidemic’ in schools and has published an open letter to the prime minister which says that currently millions of children miss out on a free school meal, with some as young as seven. Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Oldham councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Free school meal provision is one of the most effective policies when it comes to tackling child hunger and poverty as well as raising educational achievement. It’s about a fair start in life and peace of mind for struggling families who know their children will be able to focus in class after a…

12Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

“Half-hearted and weak”: council’s warm bank scheme slammed

Borough news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes has hit out at Labour council bosses over their plans to provide warm banks this winter in the Borough. It has emerged that all the council’s earmarked locations are in public libraries, and none are open on Sundays. Councillor Sykes said, “This is simply not good enough. It is unimaginative and half-hearted. The cost-of-living crisis doesn’t take Sunday off. We need warm spaces that are accessible to residents all the time. The council has only utilised libraries. What about community centres and other public buildings? What about those buildings used by faith groups? In a rich country like Britain, it’s shameful that we need to consider ideas like warm banks to begin with, but if we’re going to do this, we need to…

12Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Council slammed after no dog fouling penalties were issued for three years

Borough news, environment

Oldham Council has been accused of “failing to get even the most basic things right” after it emerged that the authority failed to issue a single fixed penalty notice (FPN) for dog-fouling for three years. This shocking fact was supplied as a result of a freedom of information request. Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “This is a shocking fact. We’re talking about the basics here. We hear all this talk from the Labour administration about how they’re getting tough on littering, fly-tipping, and dog-fouling yet the facts say something else. “The vast majority of dog owners are responsible, the few that are not spoil it for all. This is one of the number one issues in my mailbox, and I know it is for…

03Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Beware of telegraph pole installations

Uncategorized

Poles set to blight residential streets in Saddleworth – local Councillor and community fight back Liberal Democrat Councillor Alicia Marland was recently contacted by residents from Bracken Close in Springhead who had objected to Openreach about their proposal to install telegraph poles on the Close after spotting posters placed on lampposts near their homes. Unfortunately their written and verbal complaints were being ignored so she contacted the local Openreach Engineers and held a community meeting about their plans and to give the residents an opportunity to air their views and concerns about the detrimental visual impact the poles would have. Alicia said: "I am delighted that we were able to agree that Openreach would not put wooden poles up the length of the road but instead install the fibre via…

03Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Cemetery should not be final resting place for bins

Borough news, environment

As Oldham’s programme of replacing litter bins across the ward goes ahead, the old bins are currently being housed in a storage area at the Lees Cemetery, much to the concern of many local residents. Local Councilllor Sam Al-Hamdani challenged the parks team over the location after residents raised their concerns that they were visible from graveside in one section of the cemetery. The team have agreed to clear the site as soon as possible. Sam said: “The bins are clearly visible through a gap in the hedges, and that is not what someone wants to see when they are visiting the graves of relatives or friends. “The team have agreed that they will assess the bins as soon as possible, and get any that are not usable scrapped as…

03Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Aldi confirm interest in Lees site – but no deal yet

Borough news

Plans are going forward to replace the current Co-operative site in Lees with an Aldi, but a deal has not yet been confirmed. Local councillor Sam Al-Hamdani spoke to the property director for the North West who confirmed their intentions for the site, but acknowledged there would be a delay before the site reopened. Sam said: “They have confirmed that they are hoping to complete a deal for the site this year. Rumours that the site would be demolished are incorrect – they are planning to demolish the petrol station to make way for a small extension and additional parking. “The proposed building works do mean that we are expecting a delay before the store would be reopened, and that is our primary concern at the moment. For residents with…

30Sep 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Department of Health slammed for ‘dodgy’ dental figures

Borough news, health and social care

Liberal Democrats in Oldham have slammed the government for issuing a claim that the number of NHS dentists grew by 500 last year. Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has hit out at statement from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), reported by the Oldham Times on September 21st. The Government spokesperson claimed: ”The number of dentists practising in the NHS increased by over 500 last year.” young woman doing dental checkup. Copy space The statement, which reportedly came via a DHSC representative, appeared to contradict official data released by the department earlier this year, which revealed that the number of NHS dentists had fallen by more than 900 across England. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “NHS dentistry is in crisis. Less than four in ten…

30Sep 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New health centre to go ahead with earnest!

Borough news, health and social care

On Tuesday 27th September, Shaw Parish Council’s Planning Committee approved for the new health centre to go ahead on the former bath site. Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett, spoke at the Parish Council planning committee to explain when works will go ahead, the size of the site and the likely size of each consultation room. Cllr Hamblett said: ”Because of NHS building regulations and improvements in technology, it will allow the rooms to be built smartly. Taking into account patient uses of GP’s, the intention with the plan is to box clever and give each of the practices more space than they currently have. The NHS’s aspiration is to bring together health and care services in a more integrated way. “The main priority…

Author: Sam Al-Hamdani