Borough news – Page 41 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Last orders for many Oldham pubs

Borough news

Oldham publicans will be able to summon up little festive cheer as they face a bleak mid-winter with the latest Christmas lockdown. In a speech in Parliament last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP announced that the Borough will be in Tier-3 once the national lockdown ends at midnight on December 2 meaning that for the foreseeable future no pubs will be able to open. It is also unlikely to change when this is first reviewed in two weeks. The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that for many struggling pubs another lockdown over what should be for publicans the busiest trading period of the year will lead to permanent closure. Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wants to see the government do more to help struggling pubs. He…

30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Council needs to plan properly for 20mph limits

Borough news, road safety

Having finally listened to Liberal Democrat calls for 20mph speed limits in Saddleworth’s villages, Oldham Council now needs to introduce fair and transparent guidelines for when they will be considered – and think ahead on what is happening when the current 18 month orders to implement them run out, says Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. A 20mph limit has already been introduced in Uppermill, and more are in process throughout Saddleworth, no current guidance has been issued as to what roads can be considered or when. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The system needs to be simple, clear and fair. Other Councils have rules in place such as considering an application after a set number of complaints from residents, or when there are particular considerations in the road layout,…

30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Retain Rail to Refuge to save women from abusive relationships, says Liberal Democrat Leader

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Marking the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Oldham Liberal Democrats have written to government ministers asking for the Rail to Refuge scheme, which supplies free train tickets to enable women to flee domestic violence, to be made permanent. The letter sent by the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, on behalf of his colleagues to the Secretary of State for Transport, Garth Shapps MP, and the Home Office Minister responsible for safeguarding women and children, Victoria Atkins MP, suggests that retaining the scheme is both a ‘necessary and logical thing’ to do. Councillor Sykes has also twice written to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, seeking his support. During the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic violence has hugely increased. Tragically, two women are killed…

30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats welcome adjournment on Green Belt homes plan debate

Borough news

The Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group has welcomed the decision at a full meeting of Oldham Council (25/11/20)to postpone the decision on whether to approve the controversial plan to build housing on the Green Belt. The plan, backed by the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester and Labour Leaders of the Greater Manchester local authorities, would if adopted in Oldham mean 11,817 new homes built in the borough by 2037. Many hundreds of homes would be built on greenfield sites in Shaw and Crompton represented by Liberal Democrat Councillors. Last week, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, wrote to the Leader of the Council asking for an adjournment after councillors in Salford and Stockport failed to reach their own decisions on the plan. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said:…

26Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

School streets must not be knocked back again

Borough news

Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani is campaigning for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to deliver School Streets – schemes to manage traffic around local schools – and give applications the priority they need in forthcoming funding bids. An application to fund a scheme in Lees around Medlock Way was knocked back by the Labour-run GMCA, as they wanted to develop a Greater Manchester wide scheme, rather than put forward this proposal on its own. Sadly, when the funding agreement from the Government was put forward, School Street schemes were prioritised – meaning that the scheme almost certainly would have gone through. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “I understand the need to ensure that everyone can get access to a scheme such as this, but it is extremely frustrating that this has…

26Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Front line health workers, carers and relatives of care home residents must be top priority in mass testing

Borough news

The Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group wants to see front line health and care workers and the relatives of care home residents given top priority when mass COVID-19 testing is rolled out across Oldham. The Government has announced that Oldham will be one of 67 new areas to be targeted for mass testing because of the high number of new cases detected each week in the Borough. Testing the front line health and care workers in our National Health Service and care homes who are leading the fight to save the lives and alleviate the suffering of others from this terrible disease must, for the Liberal Democrats, be an absolute priority, but Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, makes a plea for a third category of our residents not be…

24Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Latest COVID move could spell sad end for Shaw Market

Borough news

At the start of the latest lockdown, Shaw market traders were moved off Market Street onto Newtown Street, and the move is killing trade and is not supported by the Council. Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has received reports that Oldham Council has failed to provide stall holders with tables and awnings, and that there has been no signage placed along the main street to say where the Market is. Traders cannot easily highlight their presence as the Council has not dropped the bollards, so they are unable to move forward a little to locate their stalls on the edge of Market Street. Councillor Sykes said: “If there was a textbook strategy of how to destroy a local market, the shameful conduct of Oldham’s Labour Administration towards Shaw…

24Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Online-only consultation now includes those most affected

Borough news

With £8 million in cuts promised for next year, Oldham’s Council was failing to ask for the opinions and feedback from the very people who will be most affected by these cuts. Local Liberal Democrat campaigner, Mark Kenyon, had discovered that details of the proposed cuts and the way for residents to give council feedback could only be found online: “Despite Boris’s promises to help with financing, Oldham’s Labour Council is proposing nearly £2.5 million of cuts to services for those in sheltered housing, adult social care and supported living. Many users of these services don’t use the internet.” The proposed cuts are due to begin in April next year, less than five months away. Mark Kenyon continued: “You can’t raise fears in people, then fail to give them any…

24Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

End the retreat in stable public sector funding, says Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader

Borough news

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has this week announced an extra £16.5 billion for Britain’s armed forces over four years, saying he was determined to “end the retreat” in military spending, but Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE is disappointed that he has made no similar commitment on long-term funding for other public services. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “Whilst this is undoubtedly welcome news for our armed forces, public services such as local Councils, Police, Fire and Health struggle along with year-by-year announcements on funding by central government. We need a similar four-year plan. It would enable us to plan services more effectively and to make better use of the money that is allocated to us. “No one doubts the courage of our armed forces which has been tested…

23Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats ensure Oldham Council will adopt recommendations of national Home Office-sponsored review into abuse

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence

Following the last meeting of Oldham Council (11 Nov), the Liberal Democrats have received confirmation that the Council will be taking the recommendations of the Independent Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and applying them to Oldham Council and its Safeguarding. The Council will also ensure that the findings of the independent investigation into allegations of historical CSE in Oldham are shared to IICSA. Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “I really welcome this response from the Council. Challenging this abuse relies on the Council being open to improving its practices. Being ready to listen to the outcome of the IICSA investigation and ready to implement its findings is one demonstration of that. “Every council has a duty of care both to young people and to the wider community.…

Category: Borough news