24Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Council must support the 3,000 pensioners currently losing out on pension credits

Council must support the 3,000 pensioners currently losing out on pension credits

Borough news, fairer council, health and social care
Shaw representative and Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called on council leaders to act after it was revealed that 3,033 over-65s in Oldham are currently not receiving their full pension entitlement. The figures were uncovered in research conducted by the charity Independent Age, who say that on average, pensioners are missing out on payments of £63.54 each month. Councillor Sykes said: “Pensioners are already facing severe cost-of-living pressures with energy bills and the cost of the weekly shop rocketing, an extra £60 per month could make a massive difference. Oldham Council must play a proactive role in reaching out to and helping these pensioners claim what they are entitled to.” Independent Age research also shows that 51% of over-65s across the north of England are…
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24Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Grant funds security devices for concerned residents

Grant funds security devices for concerned residents

Borough news
The Saddleworth West and Lees Crimewatch security group has been awarded a grant to fund the purchase of security devices to help residents in need in Lees, Springhead and Grotton. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Alicia Marland said: “I set up the Crimewatch WhatsApp groups in Lees, Springhead and Grotton in January 2022 for neighbours to promote vigilance and increase awareness of criminal activities in each village and it has been a great success. However it became apparent that many residents were still feeling insecure and in need of more physical security devices for their homes and vehicles. Councillor Alicia Marland with residents Sue, Marlene and David, who have all received additional security help “Crimewatch Group Co-ordinator Linda Kemp suggested that there may be funding available through local grants that could…
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22Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Bus bombshell – bus services face massive cuts or might be axed altogether

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has warned of uncertainty facing Oldham and Manchester bus services after a report from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) “raised more questions” about the future of many services across Oldham and Manchester. The report (Bus Network Review) was considered on Friday 12 August. Many Oldham services – including the 180, 81, 181, 182, X84, 59, the 350 and the 425 – were due to see a reduction in services, with many set to be axed completely. TfGM have placed many of the affected routes out for tender starting in late October. Councillor Sykes said, “With the cost-of-living crisis raging, more and more people will be looking at their public transport options to try to keep costs down. TfGM have put some of…
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22Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government accused of crippling social care sector as waiting lists set to double by November

Government accused of crippling social care sector as waiting lists set to double by November

Borough news, health and social care
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has criticised the government for leaving social care services to fend for themselves as waiting lists swell. 600 people per day are joining the list of people waiting to be assessed for care and support in England. A survey by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) suggests that almost 300,000 people are now waiting for an assessment of their needs by social workers, an increase of 90,000 (44%) in five months. Councillor Sykes said: “The government is leaving social care services £10 billion short and expecting already stretched councils to plug the gap. Social care waiting lists are getting out of control and with price hikes and a hard winter ahead, things are only going to get worse. The…
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19Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Council must bid for brownfield development fund

Council must bid for brownfield development fund

Borough news, housing and development
New funding for brownfield housing development is being made available for councils to bid on and Oldham’s Liberal Democrats are calling on Oldham Council to “play a leading role” in shaping Greater Manchester’s bid. Liberal Democrat Leader and Shaw representative councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to senior council officers urging them to ‘get the best possible outcomes’ for the borough. Councillor Sykes said, “We keep seeing developers pushing for four- and five-bedroom developments on green belt land. This style of development is doubly unwelcome because it harms the environment without providing homes for first-time buyers. Councils rarely get the financial support to drive brownfield development, so Oldham Council must seize this rare opportunity and strive to play a leading role in shaping any Greater Manchester bid.” The Liberal Democrats…
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08Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Former St Pauls building Rochdale Road, Shaw – proposed car park and part demolition

Uncategorized
Shaw Ward councillors were informed by Oldham Council Planning Department of a listed building consent/planning application for the former St Paul's Church Rochdale Road, Shaw on Monday 1st August 2022 details as below: FUL/349488/22 and LBC/349489/22 (identical application required for Listed Building Consent). https://planningpa.oldham.gov.uk/online-applications/Examination of the online plans show further reduction of the existing partially demolished walls on the collapsed section and a proposal to build a 12-space car park within the footprint of the previously collapsed section.Access would be gained from the current car parking area adjacent. Several problems exist with this application. The previously approved listed building planning application to reduce the building's footprint to window cill height has been breached despite intervention by Planning Enforcement Officers at the request of ward councillors prior to this demolition taking…
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08Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

From an ambulance station to 12 apartments

Borough news
Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor, Diane Williamson, and her two Crompton colleagues, have learnt that the owner of the former Ambulance Station on Moor Street has put an outline planning application for 12 apartments. “Currently our stance is that we would support, in principle, this application. This is because for a long time the site has been an eye sore, with anti-social behaviour as well as littering and fly-tipping, which has caused residents much concern,” said Councillor Louie Hamblett. Councillor Dave Murphy added: “We are keen to understand how the application will affect local residents and we would also like to guide them through the planning application process. This is only an outline application, which means it is just the principal of building on that land.” “We obviously want to listen…
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04Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Failure to investigate crimes highlight again GMP’s inadequacies

Failure to investigate crimes highlight again GMP’s inadequacies

Borough news, domestic abuse and violence
Greater Manchester Police closed 141,010 cases last year without even identifying a suspect, new analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. The party’s analysis of new Home Office figures found that of the 360,099 offences committed between April 2021 and March 2022 39.16% were not investigated. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “These awful figures show criminals are getting away with victimising people on an industrial scale. The Conservative party love to talk tough on crime, but they can’t even get the basics right. “And on Andy Burnham’s watch, GMP has remained stubbornly in special measures, has been cited repeatedly for failing victims of domestic abuse, and failed to engage in the recent review into child sex exploitation in Oldham. “That is just part of the reason why we have written to the Home Secretary asking for…
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04Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Time to clamp down on parking offenders says Sykes

Time to clamp down on parking offenders says Sykes

Borough news, road safety
Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader and Shaw representative, councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called on Oldham Council to clamp down on persistent parking offenders. Councillor Sykes said: “Pavement parking and inconsiderate, or illegal parking is a real nuisance in our communities, especially in our town centres. I am calling on Oldham Council to get tough on repeat offenders – just as other councils have done. The only way we are going to change things is by showing people that there are consequences for being a nuisance to other people on our roads and pavements.” The Department for Transport defines a persistent offender as someone with three or more Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Councillor Sykes is calling for Oldham Council to seize vehicles of persistent offenders until a release fee has been…
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04Aug 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Oldham Council urged to act against fly-tipping

Oldham Council urged to act against fly-tipping

Borough news, environment
Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader and Shaw representative, councillor Howard Sykes MBE has urged Oldham Council to think outside the box when it comes to tackling fly-tipping. In a letter to council bosses, Sykes has called for the council to apply for grant funding from the government; and highlighted three strategies that have shown good results elsewhere in the country. Councillor Sykes said: “Fly-tipping is a crime which harms our natural world, blights communities and costs council taxpayers thousands to clean up and councils time and staff resources. If there is extra funding available from the government Oldham must be sure to apply for that funding. The councils that deal with Fly-tipping best are the ones who have multiple schemes in place to prevent and prosecute offenders.” The Liberal Democrat Leader’s…
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