Borough news – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

14Apr 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

“Proper local health services” needed as figures show surge in patients per GP in Oldham

Oldham Liberal Democrats have called for a return to proper local health services, after new figures revealed an 18% fall in the number of GPs in Oldham while patient numbers rise. The analysis shows that there are now an eye-watering 2,774 patients for every GP in Oldham. This is up by 28% since 2016. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “At the last election, the Conservative party promised to recruit more GPs. However, today’s figures show there are now fewer fully qualified GPs in Oldham compared to 2016. The number of GPs has fallen in Oldham, but the number of patients has soared.” Figures show that there are over 600 more patients across Oldham but 21 fewer doctors to treat them. Councillor Sykes said, “We need a…

04Apr 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Childcare costs rise by an average £225 in the North West in a single year

Borough news

Oldham Liberal Democrats have hit out at the Conservative government for “neglecting cash-strapped young parents” after it emerged that childcare costs in the region have soared by £225 per year. Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes said, “Cash-strapped young parents are already seeing their income squeezed by the Conservative cost-of-living crisis. Every child and every family should have access to great care; and it shouldn’t break the bank. The Conservatives are neglecting hard working families.” Liberal Democrat analysis of the figures in the 2022 Coram Childcare Report and the 2023 Coram Childcare Report show a £225 rise for parents paying for 25 hours of childcare a week. For children aged two and over, the figures show an average rise of £4.33 a week, meaning an annual rise of…

04Apr 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats call for “Carer’s Minimum Wage” as 442 vacancies revealed in Oldham

Borough news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called for a higher minimum wage for care workers in Oldham to help tackle chronic staff shortages in social care. Councillor Sykes said, “Too many people in Oldham are left stranded in hospital beds because there aren’t enough carers to look after them at home or in a care facility. This care backlog is contributing to record-breaking waiting times in A& E and dangerous Ambulance delays. The fact that there are 442 care vacancies across Oldham shows that we need to urgently address pay for our carers. The council needs to call for a proper carers minimum wage in Oldham and start leading by example.” Across the country, care vacancies currently stand at 165,000 – an increase of 55,000 on last…

04Apr 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

“Failure to grasp the basics”: Oldham Council bosses slammed as fly-tipping rates soar but number of fines drop

Borough news, environment

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has slammed Labour council bosses over their “abysmal” record on environmental crime. Latest figures show that, while fly-tipping rates across the North West are down, in Oldham there has been an astounding 275% increase in offences. Councillor Sykes said, “We hear a lot of talk about the success of campaigns like “Don’t Trash Oldham” but the reality is Labour haven’t got a grip on environmental crime. These numbers are shocking. And the fact is, Labour have refused to listen to common sense solutions.” Liberal Democrat councillors used the budget meeting in March to set out an alternative action plan on environmental crime. Councillor Sykes said, “Liberal Democrats have proposed practical action and found the cash to crack down on people who…

31Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

140,000 children ‘severely’ absent from school as teacher vacancies almost double since the pandemic

Borough news

An alarming report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) shows that teacher vacancies in England have increased by 93% since before the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings also indicate staff turnover is still rising. Vacancies in schools in England are up 37% compared with 2021/22. Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes said, “We have a huge problem with recruiting and retaining teachers. The pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have put people off the profession. Now we see schools increasingly forced to use non-specialist teachers or teaching assistance to fill a gap where a qualified teacher should be.” The impact of teaching decline is shown in a new report by the Centre for Social Justice. Over 140,000 children were “severely absent” from school last summer. “Severe absence” is defined…

28Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Staggering £14 billion needed to fix nations potholes as roads reach worst state ever in Britain

Borough news

According to a survey conducted by ‘Asphalt Industry Alliance’ (AIA), the nation’s roads are in the worst state ever. A staggering £14 billion is now needed to clear the road maintenance backlog. Liberal Democrat councillor for Shaw and Leader of the Opposition in Oldham, councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Highways teams would need triple the funding they currently get, just to stop our roads deteriorating further. The Government has chosen to neglect our roads so they can raid budgets for savings. Now £14 billion is needed to fix their neglect.” Oldham Liberal Democrats proposed more cash for crumbling Oldham roads and pavements when they set out their alternative budget proposals (March 02). The extra cash for roads was voted down by both Labour and Conservatives on Oldham Council. Councillor Sykes…

15Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Voter ID plans branded as “chaos” as only 1% of people who need ID have applied

Borough news, fairer council

With just over two months until voters go to the polls, Oldham’s Liberal Democrats have branded government plans to introduce photo ID checks at polling stations as “chaos”. New figures reveal that a shocking 1% of the near 2 million eligible voters without ID have applied for an acceptable form of photo identification. Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “The government have rushed these laws through with no time for councils to implement them. It’s very likely that the result will be people in Oldham are denied the right to vote because they don’t have ID or don’t know to bring it with them to the polling station.” “It’s clear that we are heading towards chaos at polling stations in May. The government know this, yet…

15Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Nearly 1,000 Northern Care Alliance patients left waiting more than two months to start cancer treatment

Borough news, health and social care

New figures reveal that more than half of all cancer patients in Oldham are having to wait more than two months for vital treatments. New research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that 913 people were stuck waiting for more than two months before receiving treatment with Northern Care Alliance (NCA), the NHS Trust that covers Oldham. The shocking figures mean that, in 2022, 52% of patients had to wait more than two months for treatment to start. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Northern Care Alliance has not hit the target of 85% of patients receiving a first treatment for cancer within 62 days of an urgent GP referral since 2020. These figures are absolutely horrifying.” Nationally, more than 66,000 patients were forced to wait…

09Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes warns council bosses of “cyber-security risks”

Borough news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has warned council bosses of the increased risk councils face from cyber-attacks. Councillor Sykes said, “Experts in cyber security have been telling us for some time that councils are at risk from cyber threats. Some councils have already fallen victim to attacks, resulting in the loss of cash and interrupting essential services to vulnerable residents.” A freedom of information response made available to Oldham Liberal Democrats has revealed that there was an attempted cyber-attack against Oldham Council in 2020. Councillor Sykes said: “The risk will only increase the longer the government and council bosses go without acting on these warnings.” In January, MPs heard from victims of cyber-crime at a meeting of Parliaments’ joint committee on national security strategy. In some cases,…

06Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats hit out at Labour and Conservatives in fiery budget meeting

Borough news, fairer council

Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has hit out at Oldham council’s Labour leadership after they voted down vital cash-injections, set out by the Liberal Democrats for safer streets, road maintenance, children’s social care and district funding. Councillor Sykes said, “We have a Labour controlled council which fails to get the basics right on road safety and maintenance, environmental crime and cleaning up our green spaces. Time and again, they choose to prioritise vanity projects in Oldham Town Centre at the expense of fairer funding for all our districts and communities across Oldham Borough.” Speaking after the Liberal Democrat plan was rejected by an alliance of Labour and Independent councillors, Sykes said, “Our Liberal Democrat proposals would have prioritised the things that residents want to see from the…