10Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader calls on government to close sex offenders’ loophole

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
Two years on from the Oldham Liberal Democrats calling for the law to be changed to make illegal sexual contact between persons in ‘positions of trust’ and young adults in their care, Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the Deputy Prime Minister calling for long-overdue action. In September 2019, the Liberal Democrats brought a motion before the Full Council in support the NSPCC ‘Closing the loophole’ campaign. The children’s charity wants the Position of Trust law changed to cover all roles where an adult holds a position of power, care or responsibility over a 16-or 17-year old and to make it illegal for that adult to engage in sexual activity with that young person, even in circumstances where this activity is mutually-consensual. The motion received cross-party support.…
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09Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Pension Fund bosses refuse to speak to councillors on fossil fuels

Pension Fund bosses refuse to speak to councillors on fossil fuels

Borough news
After the Labour run Oldham Council removed any mention of divestment from a motion calling for the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) to stop investing in fossil fuel companies, the managers of the fund have refused to come and meet with councillors to explain why they are against the change. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani proposed the motion, and following the amendments to it, accepted an offer from cabinet member Abdul Jabbar to have the GMPF explain their reasoning. However, GMPF then responded to say that they “have decided not accept such invitations for now”. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “This is not acceptable. Oldham Council is among many public bodies which has accepted that we are facing a climate crisis. Yet our money is going into the largest pension fund of…
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07Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Don’t drop it, deposit it

Don’t drop it, deposit it

Borough news
As the world heats up, Oldham Liberal Democrats want to encourage residents to recycle more cans and bottles to help our planet, make our borough cleaner and greener, and earn themselves some money through a local deposit return scheme. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, has written to the Leader of Oldham Council suggesting we work to establish such a scheme for Oldham and across the Greater Manchester city-region. Deposit return, or reversed vending machines are used by customers to return drink cans, glass bottles, and plastic containers for recycling and they are rewarded with a small payment or a voucher to use against shopping purchases. In Europe, such schemes have been in place for decades, and it is routine for consumers to pay a deposit…
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05Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

No COP Out: Council must make ‘practical and time-bound commitments’ to tackle climate change

Borough news
As the world’s leading politicians meet in Glasgow for the COP-26 conference to renew their commitments to address climate change, the Oldham Liberal Democrats called on Oldham Council to make some local commitments to reach Net Zero. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Councillor Chris Gloster, who is the party’s Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Low Carbon, proposed an amendment to a motion at Wednesday’s meeting of the Full Council (3 November) listing a series of measures that Oldham should commit to as an authority ‘ambitious to become a carbon neutral council by 2025 and a carbon neutral borough by 2030’. Commenting Councillor Gloster said: “The Liberal Democrats first called on the Council to declare a climate emergency in July 2019 and the Council subsequently adopted a new green plan for…
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05Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Time for carbon offset woodlands in Oldham Borough

Time for carbon offset woodlands in Oldham Borough

Borough news
In advance of COP26 conference delegates agreeing to reverse deforestation, Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the Chief Executive and Leader of Oldham Council suggesting this borough do its bit by asking residents to make a voluntary payment to offset their own carbon footprint to use to plant more trees. Schemes to create so-called carbon offset woodlands already exist. These allow individuals who wish to make a payment to offset the carbon emissions that their actions generate, particularly where those generated by airline flights. This usually pays for more tree planting. Councillor Sykes said: “Trees absorb carbon and planting more trees means more carbon absorbed. More people are now choosing to make a small voluntary payment to offset the adverse impact of their actions on our…
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04Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Minor bus lane infringement ‘a cash cow that must be stopped’

Borough news
Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor and Deputy Leader Chris Gloster has written to the Leader of Oldham Council asking for £50 fines levied on drivers for a minor bus lane infringement to be reversed. In his letter, Councillor Gloster calls for this ‘cash cow’ to be stopped. Bus lanes in and around Oldham help ensure public transport passengers get to their chosen location on time, encouraging more users to choose public transport rather than drive reducing congestion and helping to make Oldham greener. Bus lanes are monitored by cameras which detect when private motorists use them at times when they are reserved for buses. Offenders are routinely issued a fine for infringements. Councillor Gloster was however recently perturbed to learn from two of his constituents that on occasions the local authority…
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27Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats say there will be less heartache if flooding funding upfront

Liberal Democrats say there will be less heartache if flooding funding upfront

Borough news
Paying home and business owners in flood areas grants up-front to make their properties ‘resilient’ is “common-sense and will save a lot of heartache” claims Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. Homes in Shaw and Saddleworth have previously been flooded, and with climate change resulting in warmer and wetter weather there is an increased likelihood of further flooding in future years. Councillor Al-Hamdani and his Oldham and Saddleworth Liberal Democrat councillors want to see the government do more to support home and business owners living with the risk by paying grants up-front rather than after disaster has befallen them, and they are bringing the issue as a motion to the next meeting of Oldham Council (3 November 2021). Commenting, Saddleworth West and Lees councillor Al-Hamdani, who is proposing the motion, said:…
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27Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats call on energy minister to make COP26 pledge for community energy – power for the people!

Liberal Democrats call on energy minister to make COP26 pledge for community energy – power for the people!

Borough news
The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the new Energy Minister asking him to pledge the government’s support for the Local Electricity Bill during COP26. The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021. Here the participant nations will agree how to accelerate their actions to address climate change in accordance with their commitments as signatories to the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Councillor Sykes and his Liberal Democrat colleagues wants the new minister, The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, to support the Local Electricity Bill, currently going through Parliament, as a government priority. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “We would like the UK…
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27Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Park heritage plan must focus on promoting culture, protecting nature, and growing local economy

Park heritage plan must focus on promoting culture, protecting nature, and growing local economy

Borough news
Liberal Democrat councillors have responded to a recent consultation on the draft heritage strategy for the South Pennines Park by calling for further measures to promote local culture, protect the natural and built environment, and grow the local economy in a sustainable way. The deadline for responses is 29 October. The South Pennines Park covers 460 square miles, including the Saddleworth district and Shaw, and stretches between the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks. In their response, the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group call for action to: Promote local culture: The Liberal Democrats want to see recognition of the work of the Shaw and Crompton and Saddleworth Parish Councils in supporting traditional heritage activities (such as the annual rush cart festival, the ‘world-renowned’ brass band contests, and the celebration…
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27Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrat Leader seeks earlier rollout of deposit return scheme

Liberal Democrat Leader seeks earlier rollout of deposit return scheme

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrats think a six year wait for the establishment of a national deposit return scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is too long, and Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the minister responsible to tell him so. A deposit return, or reverse vending, scheme works through retailers charging customers a small deposit on cans, bottles and containers that can be recycled. When the customer brings the empty container back to the retailer, they get their deposit back. In 2018, the Conservative Government promised to introduce such a scheme, but in a consultation earlier this year the start date had been pushed back to 2024, two years after Scotland. Councillor Sykes does not think this is good enough and he has written to the Secretary…
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