10Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Oldham Council fails again to address equality issues

Oldham Council fails again to address equality issues

Borough news
Oldham’s Labour Council has against delayed agreeing its equality objectives, some 15 months after they were legally required to be updated – meaning that they are now unlikely to be introduced until well after the elections in May. After numerous delays, they updated objectives were due to come to Council for agreement in March, but after an administrative error, they still have to go to be reviewed by four other bodies before they can be approved by the Council. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The Council’s equality objectives should be championing the needs of the elderly, the disabled, the poor and the working class – anyone who is disadvantaged, for whatever reason.  “For 15 months, the Labour Council has failed to support those people, by setting any objectives. If you…
Read More
10Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Period poverty plea to Oldham schools and colleges on International Women’s Day

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillors Diane Williamson and Hazel Gloster have sent a joint letter to all of Oldham’s state-funded schools and colleges on International Women’s Day (8 March) calling on them to sign up to a government scheme which provides free sanitary products for low-income students. An inability to access or afford sanitary products prevents some students from attending classes. With the post-Lockdown return to education planned from today, this issue is even more important. Councillor Williamson explained: “The 8 March is celebrated every year as International Women’s Day. The advancement of girls and women in our society has been greatly enhanced by their ability to participate in, and benefit, from education at all levels, yet the attendance of girls and young women from lower-income households at their school or college…
Read More
10Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrat Leader proposes new farmers’ and producers’ market for Shaw

Liberal Democrat Leader proposes new farmers’ and producers’ market for Shaw

Borough news
Shaw Councillor and Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wants to see Shaw host a monthly farmers’ and producers’ market to ‘showcase’ local fare. In his letter to Sara Hewitt, Oldham Council’s Markets Manager, he suggests that such a market would be ‘a new and exciting opportunity to shop and sell in our borough post-Lockdown.’ Councillor Sykes explained: “Oldham people have been turning more to local producers and suppliers for their groceries and household goods to help support local businesses and for the extra-special service they offer. Money spent with these businesses stays local and because everything is locally made and transported there are fewer food miles which is good for the environment. I want to see us capitalise on that loyalty by offering these producers and suppliers a…
Read More
10Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Labour axe health centres but carry on spending another £68M on Spindles

Labour axe health centres but carry on spending another £68M on Spindles

Borough news
Labour in Oldham voted against the construction of three health centres in Shaw & Crompton, Chadderton and Saddleworth, while voting to carry on spending more than £68 million on the renovation of Spindles shopping centre in the next five years. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “During the council meeting, there was a very emotive speech by one of the Labour councillors about being unable to put money towards health centres while there was hunger in the borough. I don’t understand why that doesn’t apply when it comes to spending on shopping centres.” The £68.3 million spending is in addition to the original purchase price for the centre, which was more than £10 million. Councillor Al-Hamdani continued: “Regeneration of the town centre is vital. We need to have ambitious plans…
Read More
08Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Protect Crompton Moor and other Green Spaces call from local Liberal Democrat Councillor

Protect Crompton Moor and other Green Spaces call from local Liberal Democrat Councillor

Borough news
Crompton Moor may have featured recently on a BBC Countryfile programme as a place of beauty and wonderment, but Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor and Chair of Crompton Moor Users Group, Howard Sykes MBE, is concerned that the protection of the moor and our borough’s other much-loved open spaces is threatened by the Council’s failure to properly publicise the local orders that prevent irresponsible behaviour. Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) allow local authorities to proscribe certain types of behaviour, imposing financial penalties upon those offenders who choose to ignore them. On moorland, a PSPO would typically prohibit the lighting of fires, the use of Chinese lanterns and irresponsible cycling and motor-cycling other than on certain defined routes, and place certain restrictions on dog-walking, hunting and dog fouling They are intended to…
Read More
05Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
‘Leaving our nature be is best plan for recovery’, says Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader

‘Leaving our nature be is best plan for recovery’, says Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader

Borough news
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is consulting the public on its proposed Nature Recovery Plan with a closing date for responses of 7 March. Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE is encouraging local people to respond; in the meantime, he has some sage words of advice ‘leave our nature be!’ Councillor Sykes is dismayed by the fact that the consultation is being conducted by the same authority that is responsible for the failed Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and is now developing a new Places for Everyone plan for the nine Greater Manchester authorities, eight Labour-led and one-Conservative, which remain wedded to rolling out a series of large-scale housing schemes on green belt sites throughout the city-region. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “Our natural environment, whether a local park, a green…
Read More
04Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Oldham Council Tax bills still 2nd highest in region, despite Labour boast

Oldham Council Tax bills still 2nd highest in region, despite Labour boast

Borough news
Oldham’s Labour Cabinet may claim that the proposed 2.99% rise is the lowest in Greater Manchester, but residents still face the second highest Council Tax bills in the city region. Of the ten local authorities, the Oldham Liberal Democrats have identified that only Labour-run Stockport presented a higher Council Tax bill to residents in 2020. Oldham’s bill for a Band D property was £1,678 compared to Stockport’s £1,691. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “In these difficult economic times, when we are all counting the pennies, Oldham Council Tax payers will, I am sure, be glad that bills will go up by 2.99% this year rather than the 5% that is permitted without a referendum, but this is small comfort when bills are already so high to begin with. “That is…
Read More
02Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
‘Could do better’, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader’s verdict on so called full school opening plans

‘Could do better’, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader’s verdict on so called full school opening plans

Borough news
With one week to go, Conservative Government plans to reopen schools fail to pass muster, says Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE. “Whilst we all want to see all our children back at their desks, a return to school must be safe for our children, our teachers and our other school staff,” said Councillor Sykes. “Parents will rightly want to have the assurance that the government is not simply rushing into things just to satisfy a deadline on the Prime Minister’s ‘roadmap’ and that our children’s health will in no way be compromised by a March 8 return to the classroom.” The Oldham Liberal Democrats believe that the government has a whole series of questions to answer before it can pass the test: How can we be sure that…
Read More
02Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Pressure tells as Government agrees changes to Domestic Abuse Bill on intimate image threats

Pressure tells as Government agrees changes to Domestic Abuse Bill on intimate image threats

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence, Parliamentary news
After tens of thousands of supporters contacted the Government in support of a change to the Domestic Abuse Bill, to outlaw threats to share intimate images, the Conservatives have agreed that it should form part of the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill.  Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, who was one of many to write to the Home Office calling for the legislation, was delighted to hear of the change. He said: “We need to change the UK’s culture around domestic abuse. This is another step in breaking down the taboos and attitudes which have let this situation fester for so long.” The lockdown has focused attention on domestic abuse, with rates dramatically increasing, but even before the start of lockdown, it was already endemic. According to Government figures, in the…
Read More
01Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats table Council budget amendment to make Oldham ‘Healthier, Greener, and Cleaner’

Liberal Democrats table Council budget amendment to make Oldham ‘Healthier, Greener, and Cleaner’

Borough news
Councillor Chris Gloster, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Green, is looking forward to presenting the budget amendment of the Liberal Democrat Group to next week’s Budget Council (Thursday 4 March, 6pm). “The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to make further efficiencies in civic centre bureaucracy to squeeze out more money for our priorities, and those of the public – more cash to spend on front-line services,” said Councillor Gloster. “As we begin to emerge from the nightmare of COVID-19, we wish to look at building back better in our Borough by focussing on making Oldham healthier, greener and cleaner.” The Liberal Councillors are proposing to repurpose part of Labour’s capital investment programme and find more money from cutting bureaucracy and waste elsewhere in the Council’s budget to: Invest £18 million…
Read More