fairer council – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

15Mar 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

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

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…

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…

07Feb 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Budget proposals set out for fair futures in a safe, clean, and green Oldham Borough

Borough news, environment, fairer council, health and social care, road safety

New funding for ’20 is Plenty’ streets New parks and recreational spaces fund More cash to tackle roads, footways, and public footpath More action on enviro crimes (litter, fly-tipping, dog fouling) New children’s social care residential home Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Opposition Group have set out their alternative budget proposals ahead of a crucial Council vote on 1 March, where councillors will agree to spending plans. Prior to that Council meeting the proposals go to scrutiny on Tuesday 7 February. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Shadow Executive Member for Finance and Low Carbon, councillor Chris Gloster said: “The Liberal Democrats’ priority is to make Oldham Borough a safer, cleaner and greener place to be for all of us, but especially for the next generation. “In the future, Oldham must be able…

19Jan 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Voter ID “chaos” slammed as postal voters are exempt from identity checks

fairer council, Parliamentary news

Voters will have to produce photo ID before they will be allowed to vote in May’s local elections, but a loophole means that people who vote by post will not be subject to ID checks. Liberal Democrat councillors in Oldham say the change will lead to “chaos” at polling stations. Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “The government is making it harder to vote by forcing people to bring photo ID with them to the polling station – something thousands of people in Oldham will not have.” “It couldn’t be clearer that there isn’t the time to implement this before May and most importantly, there isn’t the time to tell people about it. Regrettably, this will probably lead to voters being denied their right to vote and being…

19Dec 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Cost-of-living: plan set out for enhanced winter care packs and free school meal support as ‘harsh winter’ hits Oldham

Borough news, fairer council

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Opposition group will call on Oldham Council to provide enhanced winter care packs for vulnerable residents and step-up support for free school meals in primary schools. The party will bring its proposals to a vote at Oldham’s full council meeting on Wednesday 14 December. Shaw Liberal Democrat councillor Hazel Gloster, who is proposing the motion, said, “Mistakes and mismanagement at the top of the Conservative party have caused chaos in the economy. The people who will pay the price will be the most vulnerable in society. That means the elderly, the sick; and children – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.” “As councillors, we have a duty to make support available to those who need it. The plan that the Liberal Democrats will set out at Council will…

05Dec 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives have handed local councils a “ticking time bomb” say Liberal Democrats

Borough news, fairer council

Oldham’s Liberal Democrats have warned that Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has handed councils a “ticking time bomb” with his Autumn Statement. Commenting on the Chancellors Statement and after securitising the detail, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Jeremy Hunt has just handed councils like Oldham a ticking time bomb with this Budget. His government has lost control of the economy and to make up for it, he is now passing the burden to councils and in turn, council taxpayers. All at a time when everyone is struggling with the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. Conservative mistakes, but apparently everyone else must pay for them.” In a cross-party statement following Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement the Local Government Association said, “Financial turbulence is as damaging to local government as…

22Nov 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Council tax hikes show Conservative hypocrisy at its worst

Borough news, fairer council

Jeremy Hunt has today paved the way for massive increases in Council Tax over the next five years, raising the ceiling on increases to five per cent. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Local authorities are facing crippling increases in social care costs, especially in Oldham. It is absolutely crucial that we pay for social care to keep vulnerable adults and children safe, and this is the reason why bills go up year on year. “Instead of funding social care properly, Jeremy Hunt has again piled the cost of this on to the local authorities who can least afford it. “In four months’ time, when Oldham’s annual budget comes around, local Conservatives will – as they do every year – complain about the increase which their Conservative Government has…

19Nov 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New bins are rubbish for disabled users

Borough news, fairer council, health and social care

The Council has left the town centre filled with new bins which cannot be used by wheelchair-bound residents, after it failed to carry out any Equality Impact Assessment for their purchase. After Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett met with the head of the council’s environmental services team to demonstrate the issues, two of the old bins have been reinstated, but Councillor Hamblett has written to Council Leader Amanda Chadderton to ask why no assessment was carried out, and to ask what the Council plans to do about the rest of the bins. Lewis and Shona Farnworth with Councillor Lewis Hamblett at one of the bins At the site meeting, Councillor Hamblett asked local resident Shona Farnworth – who has multiple disabilities – to demonstrate the impossibility of using the bin from…

01Nov 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Council still using CCTV equipment from Chinese supplier linked to human rights abuses

Borough news, fairer council

Oldham Council is using CCTV equipment supplied by Chinese company Hikvision, despite a House of Commons report last year which linked Hikvision to serious human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the Council urging them to blacklist Hikvision and if possible, remove their equipment from sites across Oldham where possible. A breakdown of Hikvision equipment owned and operated by the council was obtained by the Liberal Democrat Group after a freedom of information request was issued by councillor Sykes. Councillor Sykes said, “Hikvision have been blacklisted in the United States because of concerns about their role in human rights violations, targeting Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The firm has provided camera technology which has been used in internment camps in…

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…