Borough news – Page 15 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

22Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Spreading the love in Grotton, Springhead and Lees

New artwork has gone up in Lees, Springhead and Grotton, celebrating the beautiful villages and the people in them. Councillors Sam Al-Hamdani and Mark Kenyon funded the new signs, after as a Parish Councillor, he tried to have artwork put up when the Tour of Britain came through Saddleworth, only to discover that there were no fixings in place in the villages to be able to do it. Sam said: “I think it’s really important to be able to visibly celebrate the best of our villages and special events, and putting these up is a small but very visible thing we can do to make this happen. The signs, which have gone up in the centre of Lees, Springhead and Grotton, currently show sunset over Leesbrook Mill, the linear park,…

22Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Healthwatch UK find NHS not supporting equal access to care for deaf, blind, and disabled people

Borough news, health and social care

Having already written to senior officers at Pennine Care, Oldham Hospital and CCG about their treatment of blind, deaf and disabled people, Councillor Louie Hamblett has had his concerns backed up by a Healthwatch UK report that many NHS trust are failing to meet their legal duty to help people with additional communication needs. One local residents, Mrs Farnworth, complained to services last year regarding her experience with her past hospital appointments last year after she was turned away from a smear appointment because of the lack of disability equipment. In his letter, Councillor Hamblett asked how much support their trusts and services are able to offer those with additional needs and whether they could assure him, residents and their patients that they will receive full and unrestrained standard support…

21Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Credit where credit’s due: Lib Dem proposals for recycled roads are making their way forward

Borough news, road safety

Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillors, Dave Murphy and Hazel Gloster sat astonished as Cllr Amanda Chadderton, Deputy Leader of the Council, waxed lyrical about a trial using tyres when answering a Liberal Democrat question, without ever acknowledging that this had been repeatedly proposed by the Liberal Democrats, and refused each time by the Labour administration. Cllr Murphy said: ”This is unbelievable. Yet again we suggest something to the administration either in our budget amendments or a notice of motion and the administration say it can't be done – yet they are now trialling the use of tyres in road surfaces, which is something the Liberal Democrats have spoken about.“ Recycled car tyres could soon be used to resurface roads across the country after a pioneering trial found that it…

18Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Independent investigation must be given all the time it needs, and all the additional support it can get

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Responding to the motion on the CSE report to Oldham Council last night [16/03/22], Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Everyone must always put the needs of survivors first, and it is important to recognise that independent experts in this area are in favour of the extension of the investigation. “It is still justified to ask questions to ensure that the investigation gets all the support it needs. If some of the delays in the process of the report were unnecessary, we must identify that and ensure that these extensions do not happen again, particularly for those who have already come forward and given their evidence. “Regardless of the outcome of the vote, I would like to see the Council reach out to the investigation team and the Home Office,…

18Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Support for change on speed cameras is a start, but 20s plenty is still needed

Borough news, road safety

Over 1,000 signatures have been collected in Oldham and Stockport to support the Liberal Democrat campaign to allow speed safety measures to be more readily introduced in accident hotspots across Greater Manchester. The petition, which will be presented to Safer Roads Greater Manchester and the Department of Transport, calls for guidance to be amended so that there is no longer a requirement for three separate incidents resulting in death or serious injury before a fixed speed camera can be installed. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Everyone knows where the local safety hotspots are near them – that’s why nearly 300 people in my ward have signed a petition to get safety improvements on Cooper Street, where cars have been recorded travelling at over 70mph in a 30mph zone outside…

18Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

‘Postcode lottery’ on children’s mental health revealed

Borough news, health and social care

Children in Oldham get £63.90 spent on them, compared to £165.20 in the Isle of Wight Shadow Health and Social Care Cabinet Member Louie Hamblett has condemned the postcode lottery which means that children in Oldham get almost two thirds less spent on their mental health than children on the Isle of Wight. The Liberal Democrats are putting a Private Members’ Bill forward to Parliament today to force the Government to report strict figures on waiting times for assessment, treatment and referrals, as well as a breakdown of where money is being spent on children’s mental health. Liberal Democrat Councillor Hamblett said: “Any parent wants to ensure that their children get the best treatment, and a fair turn. That children in Oldham get so much less spent on their mental…

09Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Action needed on speed cameras to save lives say Liberal Democrats

Borough news, road safety

Oldham Liberal Democrats are calling for rules on speed cameras to be changed to save lives. Current rules require at least three separate collisions involving deaths or serious injuries to have occurred before they are even considered. “These rules are out of date and a straight jacket that prevents the installation of speed cameras in many areas and as a result accidents are not prevented and lives can be lost,” stated Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy. “These regulations do not include non-injury incidents which it is estimated there are a 100 of for every injury or fatality meaning there could be 300 accidents before any action is considered. We think this is just not good enough.” “Road fatality rates are on the increase,” said Councillor Murphy. “This is why…

09Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Urgent need to tackle fly tipping driven by Oldham Liberal Democrats

Borough news, environment

The dramatic increase in fly tipping in specific hotspots across the Borough has resulted in a call for action by the Liberal Democrats on the Council, with a motion to the March meeting calling on the Council to show whether current measures are actually effective. Shaw Councillor Hazel Gloster said: “This has got beyond a nuisance; there are criminal gangs who are taking advantage, in particular of the ‘grey market’ around house clearance, and it is local residents who are suffering. “People from every part of the town suffer, and as these gangs look for isolated spots in which to tip the waste, it is often the most picturesque parts of the town that suffer. “While the Council teams are very good at clearing fly-tipping once it is happened, we…

01Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Misogyny vote: Conservatives turning a blind eye to anti-women hatred

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence, Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government for rejecting a law that would make misogyny a hate crime. Today, Conservative MPs voted against the law, which had been passed by the House of Lords last month. The vote comes days after a man pleaded guilty to the murder of Sabina Nessa and just days before the anniversary of the murder of Sarah Everard. Cross-party peers had added a clause to the Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to make crimes motivated by hatred of women aggravated offences, so they are treated as seriously as crimes motivated by racial or religious hatred. Liberal Democrat MPs voted to keep the amendment, which now returns to the House of Lords. Wera Hobhouse MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice and Women & Equalities,…

25Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Citizen’s budget would make Oldham safer, greener and cleaner

Borough news, environment, fairer council

Shaw Councillor Chris Gloster, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Low Carbon, is looking forward to presenting the Liberal Democrat budget amendment to Oldham’s annual Budget Council 2 March 2022. Many of the proposals have been shaped by feedback from the Borough’s residents and Councillor Gloster’s confident that the Opposition Group has produced a budget amendment that will have no adverse impact on council finances, whilst delivering further improvements in the Council services that residents most value. Councillor Gloster, who is Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition Group on Oldham Council will present this amendment on Wednesday 2 March 2022 in response to the Labour Administration’s proposal that recommends a 3.99% increase in Council Tax, coupled with the Labour Metro Mayor Andy Burnham’s proposal to increase the Greater Manchester…

Category: Borough news