09Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Starter gun sounded for the ‘new son’ of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework – the ‘Development Plan for the Nine’

Starter gun sounded for the ‘new son’ of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework – the ‘Development Plan for the Nine’

Borough news
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority will consider approving in principle a proposal to develop a new plan to build homes across nine of the ten districts of Greater Manchester at a meeting of its Executive next Friday (12 February). Surprisingly no specific timescale is given in the report for the plan’s production, but the Government requires a local plan to be in place by December 2023. The previous Greater Manchester Spatial Framework proposals were abandoned at the end of last year after Liberal Democrat Councillors in Stockport led the charge to withdraw that authority from the controversial plan. Oldham’s Leader of the Opposition, Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, hopes that the leaders of the nine remaining authorities, eight of which are Labour-led and one Conservative, will use this new…
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09Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Shocking three year wait for disabled people left isolated without parking bays

Shocking three year wait for disabled people left isolated without parking bays

Borough news
The Liberal Democrats have revealed the shocking truth that some disabled people in Oldham have had to wait for almost three years for a parking bay. And, sadly, there seems no end in sight as Oldham’s Labour Administration has not allocated any funding for the creation of disabled parking bays in the last two financial years. Disabled parking bays require minimal work, the area designated as the bay is painted onto the highway and they only require a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to be issued. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE wrote to the Deputy Chief Executive of Oldham Council in January taking up the issue of the wait time on behalf of one of his Shaw constituents. He was seeking answers about what was happening with the backlog, and found those…
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09Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Abrahams approach to tax doesn’t add up

Abrahams approach to tax doesn’t add up

Borough news
Oldham East and Saddleworth's Labour MP Debbie Abrahams opposition to taxing online giants such as Amazon on Politics North West this weekend has been criticised by Oldham Councillor and tax campaigner Sam Al-Hamdani. When asked if she would support proposals to introduce an online sales tax, intended to combat tax avoidance and raise money for the Coronavirus response, Abrahams said: “Not at this stage.” She even pushed back against the presenter’s suggestion that: “There is nothing wrong with getting the online giants to pay their tax”, saying: “I wouldn’t want to be considering increases in taxation at this stage.” Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said that the MP’s response did not add up. “It shows a complete disregard for what is happening in the real world. While people running local…
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06Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Our pledge to make Oldham Borough “healthier, greener and cleaner”

Our pledge to make Oldham Borough “healthier, greener and cleaner”

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats will be proposing in their amendment to Labour’s 2021-22 Council Budget measures to make Oldham a ‘Healthier, Greener and Cleaner’ Borough. They have found cash to invest in: three much needed new health centres for Shaw and Crompton, Saddleworth, and Chadderton;make Oldham Council greener and more energy efficient;improve pavements;and tackle speeding, anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and dog-fouling across communities. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and the Green agenda, Councillor Chris Gloster, will be first presenting the Liberal Democrat’s Budget Amendment to the Council’s Performance and Value for Money Committee when it meets on 9 February, for pre Council scrutiny before tabling it for consideration by the Full Council when it debates the budget on 4 March. Over the next five…
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03Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats back Union’s ‘No child should be hungry’ appeal

Borough news
Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Councillors are backing a union appeal to Boris Johnson urging the Prime Minister to ensure that ‘No child should be hungry’. The National Education Union, which represents teaching staff, has called on councillors from all political parties, and none, to endorse a collective letter to the PM asking for immediate action. Liberal Democrat Councillors in Oldham have long been campaigning for the extension of free school meals to all children in need. They recently brought a motion to the November 2020 meeting of Oldham Council supporting the excellent work being done by footballer Marcus Rashford and calling on the government to provide free school meals to the children of all families in receipt of Universal Credit. The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group,…
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27Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
New Government strategy on tackling child sex abuse welcome – but we need action not just talk

New Government strategy on tackling child sex abuse welcome – but we need action not just talk

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence, Parliamentary news
The Home Office’s new Tackling Child Sex Abuse Strategy could help put the UK ahead of the world in tackling abuse, but a Government which is big on promises and poor on delivery must not miss this opportunity, says Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. He raised concerns that much of the strategy can only be delivered with spending decisions that have been put off by the current Conservative Government, as well as new legislation which has been repeatedly delayed. The 91-page strategy details the extent to which the police, social care, intelligence agencies and government must work together to make an impact on abuse, and bring offenders to justice. It specifically targets online spaces, and focuses on providing adequate safeguarding for children and young people, as well as support for victims. Liberal…
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27Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Transport bosses decide free Wi-fi no longer an option for Metrolink

Transport bosses decide free Wi-fi no longer an option for Metrolink

Borough news
Transport bosses have confirmed they have decided to scrap free wi-fi on Metrolink permanently as a cost-saving option, despite the objections of Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE. The issue was discussed on Friday 22 January at a meeting of the Rail and Metrolink Committee of the Transport for Greater Manchester Board at the request of Councillor Sykes, who sits on the Committee and Board as an Oldham representative. Councillor Sykes also represents Shaw Ward, which is located on the busiest Metrolink tram service and has the most used stop – Shaw and Crompton – on the Rochdale–Oldham line. In July 2020, in response to complaints from constituents who use the tram, he raised that the Wi-fi service had not been available on trams on the line since the onset…
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25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Conservative changes leave local development stuck between a rock and a green place

Conservative changes leave local development stuck between a rock and a green place

Borough news, Parliamentary news
Conservative changes to planning targets will force Manchester to build an extra 35% more houses than had been planned, which seems likely to increase the pressure on green spaces in and around Oldham and Saddleworth. Following the withdrawal of Stockport from the Greater Manchester development plan, the remaining nine authorities are redrawing the plan, and there is no indication that the other boroughs will be able to avoid taking a share of the additional housing demand. Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet member for Housing and Homelessness Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The targets being set are completely unrealistic. There need to either be significant changes to fund the regeneration of previously used land, or local authorities need the powers to insist developers cannot build on green spaces while brownfield sites remain. “The previous…
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25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Covid delays highlight severity of waiting list crisis

Covid delays highlight severity of waiting list crisis

Borough news
Further delays to healthcare access have demonstrated the massive crisis facing our healthcare system, due to underfunding. Waiting times for referrals have increased by in many cases another six months. For children waiting for referrals to an orthodontist, this means that children are waiting up to two and a half years to be referred for specialist treatment.  Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “For a young child, two and a half years feels like forever. How would you feel as a parent if that was how long you were asked to keep a child waiting for treatment? “The impact of Covid-19 is huge, and will have impacts in many directions. Right now, we are faced with painful choices about schools remaining open, and children’s healthcare is also critical. Waiting times…
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25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Flood approach in Saddleworth questioned by Liberal Democrats

Flood approach in Saddleworth questioned by Liberal Democrats

Borough news
The Liberal Democrats on Saddleworth Parish Council are asking for straight answers on flooding from Oldham Borough Council. With the winter storms upon us, flooding issues are a pressing concern for Saddleworth residents. The group have requested answers on a range of flooding issues and their impact on planning decisions. They have asked the Borough Council to provide proof that their approach to cleaning drains and gullies works, given the conditions faced in Saddleworth; for the information that OMBC is using to check the impact of housebuilding in Saddleworth on flooding; and how they’re keeping an eye on locations which flood frequently, and what measures they use to address them. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “This is such a concern to people in Saddleworth, and we want to see…
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