01Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Electric charging strategy is ‘divorced from reality’

Electric charging strategy is ‘divorced from reality’

Borough news
Urgent improvements are needed to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s electric charging strategy, according to the region’s Liberal Democrats, who have warned that the plan seems to have no plan for delivery. With a new clean air zone planned for Manchester, ensuring that there is the support needed for alternative fuels is crucial. Yet with 3,000 public chargers needed by 2025, the region has just 323 in place, and only plans to add another 54 in the next year. Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “This strategy is completely divorced from reality if they think that this is good enough. At this rate, we wouldn’t have a public charging network in place in 50 years, never mind five. “It is an insult to the drivers who are being told…
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29Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
No free bags for Oldham’s valiant litter picking volunteers

No free bags for Oldham’s valiant litter picking volunteers

Borough news
Oldham’s valiant volunteer litter pickers cannot even get free bin bags from the Council to aid them in their work. Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE was shocked to hear that the previous policy to provide them free has been changed under this Labour Administration and is currently ‘under review’. Councillor Sykes made his request for free bags on behalf of one of his constituents and her friend: “This lady is a keen litter picker, and has also had a friend come on board, but they have both now ran out of bags. They have been paying for their own as they have had great difficulty getting through to the Council to request more.” He was surprised when he heard that the Council is ‘unable to provide any bags’…
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29Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes seeks special Council to discuss action on child sex exploitation report

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrats has written to the Leader of the Council to seek her assurance that a special council meeting will be held in the autumn to discuss the much-awaited report on historic child sexual exploitation in Oldham. In his letter to the Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE asks for sufficient time to be made available to discuss the report at the scheduled November or December meeting of the Full Council, or, as he would prefer, that ‘a special one agenda item meeting of the Full Council [be convened] as soon as is practicable after publication to enable discussion to take place.’ The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has stated that his intention is to publish the CSE report ‘by November or, at the very…
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20Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
‘Computer Says No!’ – Police officers still failed by Mayor’s new iOPs system

‘Computer Says No!’ – Police officers still failed by Mayor’s new iOPs system

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
Police officers and the victims of crime across Greater Manchester continue to be let down by a new computer system backed by £29 million in public money from Greater Manchester’s Labour Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Burnham. A report by accountants Price Waterhouse Coopers into police performance was finally published last Friday after being hidden for many months by Mayor Andy Burnham. Pressure from the Liberal Democrat Leader of Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, helped bring the findings to light. It includes a damning litany of the inadequacies of the iOPs (Integrated Operational Policing System) system. Councillor Sykes said: “Police officers have complained to me about the inadequacies of iOPs from the time it was first introduced in June 2019. The PwC report candidly records the frustration…
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14Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Councillor welcomes critical safety designs for Lees junction

Councillor welcomes critical safety designs for Lees junction

Borough news, road safety
Plans to improve safety at a dangerous junction in Lees have been welcomed by local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. The junction saw two fatal accidents in nine months, and the surrounding roads have been plagued with reports of drivers speeding – in particular on Dunham Street and Stamford Road.  Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “This has been traumatic for the family and friends of the people involved, and for the local residents, who have seen two such terrible accidents outside their houses.  “I am glad that so much effort is being put in to redesigning this junction by the highways team. It has long been a problem area, with an unusual legacy of criss-crossing junctions meeting on to a main road.” The initial designs involve a major reconfiguration of the junction, which…
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14Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Job vacancies: Working families facing ‘triple whammy’

Job vacancies: Working families facing ‘triple whammy’

Borough news
Reacting to new figures which show job vacancies are at a record high, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "These figures reveal an unprecedented staffing crisis creating uncertainty for businesses all across the UK, and threatening to hurt our economic recovery. "At the same time, at the end of the month countless working families will be left worrying about putting food on the table as they face the triple whammy of furlough ending, the slashing of universal credit and the unfair National Insurance hike. “The Government can no longer ignore the unfolding crises in our economy hurting people and businesses. We need to see an extension of furlough, the Universal Credit uplifting made permanent, and urgent action to tackle staff shortages."
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13Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Working class must be part of equality strategy

Working class must be part of equality strategy

Borough news
Oldham’s Equality Strategy needs to do more to address the problems faced by working class people across the borough, according to the Oldham’s Liberal Democrats. The report, which was presented to full council at its September meeting [09/09/21], was broadly welcomed by the group for the many positive approaches it has taken, but some key changes were requested by the opposition group going forward – socioeconomic inequality, mental health issues, and the digital divide among them. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Despite the delays, this report does an excellent job of addressing many problems that people in our borough face. “My primary concern is that it almost completely misses out socioeconomic inequalities. If you are working class, you are likely to have faced so many difficulties, whether that…
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10Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Seeing double: Sykes shares concerns that Spindles plan duplicates existing provision

Seeing double: Sykes shares concerns that Spindles plan duplicates existing provision

Borough news
The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrats has written to a senior Council officer with his concerns that elements of the current plan to refurbish Spindles mean spending again on something Oldham already has. In his letter to the Director of Economy Emma Barton, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE points out that Oldham already has a dedicated space for new creative industries and an unused food court in Create Oldham and the Egyptian Room respectively, and he is concerned that the Labour Council will be spending more public money on duplicating the same in Spindles rather than using what Oldham already has better. Councillor Sykes said: “This is like seeing double. Oldham’s Labour Council spent at least £1.5 million to refurbish an old night club on Yorkshire Street into Hack Oldham…
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10Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Police reforms and PwC report publication ‘eagerly awaited’

Borough news
The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is ‘eagerly awaiting’ Friday 10 September, for this is the day that Greater Manchester’s new Police chief reveals his plan to reshape policing across the city region and the Mayor of Greater Manchester finally publishes a secret report into police failings. Councillor Sykes has previously written to Mayor Andy Burnham demanding a report prepared in the spring at public expense by accountants Price Waterhouse Coopers be published. His requests have met with obfuscation and outright refusal as Mayor Burnham kept the report under wraps during his re-election campaign and whilst a new Chief Constable was being appointed. The report allegedly exposes grave police failings; failings that Councillor Sykes has also repeatedly raised in correspondence with the…
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09Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

‘Grave concern’ that home of first test tube baby short of test tubes

Borough news
Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Louie Hamblett has written to the newly appointed local NHS supremo Mike Barker to express his grave concerns that shortages in medical supplies will impact on patient health over the autumn, with blood tests and flu shots being rationed. Councillor Hamblett, who serves as Shadow Cabinet Member for Heath & Social Care, wrote to the new Interim Accountable Officer of the Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group, Mike Barker, over the recent shortages of test tubes which will prevent some patients receiving their annual blood screening tests at this time. On top of this, Louie was alarmed to hear news that flu vaccinations may also be limited by a shortage of supplies. Commenting, Councillor Hamblett said: “Oldham has been especially hard hit by Covid-19 and sadly many of…
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