15Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Greater Manchester Combined Authority Decommission Bin App R4GM

Greater Manchester Combined Authority Decommission Bin App R4GM

Borough news
Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy, Shadow Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Culture, is disappointed to learn that the bin app introduced in 2018 has been discontinued.  The R4GM bin app for mobile phones contained information such as ‘Where’s my nearest …?’, ‘When’s my bin collected?’, ‘What do I do with..?’, ‘What can I recycle at home?’ and a Contact Us. At the Full Meeting of Oldham Council in July 2016, Councillor Murphy brought a motion asking for a local bin app for Oldham which was almost unanimously supported across the Chamber.  Councillor Murphy said: “I have used the app myself many times which can help signpost you to advice, from what to put in the right bin, and what goes where.  I was really pleased when I learned that…
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15Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham residents can see Remembrance Sunday services online this year

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillors have been instrumental in ensuring that residents across the Borough do not miss out on paying their respects, albeit online, via the Oldham Council website this Remembrance Sunday (8 November 2020). Remembrance Day services will be shown live on the Council’s website www.oldham.gov.uk which will allow you to watch your local service. Due to social distancing rules, only six people will be allowed to attend any Remembrance Sunday event. This is what the Royal British Legion, who oversee these events, have decided. In anticipation of this, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, contacted senior council officers months ago to ensure that the Oldham Council started planning for the events to be live streamed across the Borough from each individual Remembrance Sunday Service, via the…
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15Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Hardly Magnificent – Stockport and Tameside spat delays Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) for seventh time

Hardly Magnificent – Stockport and Tameside spat delays Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) for seventh time

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillors were bemused to hear that Labour’s plans to build thousands of new homes on the Greater Manchester Green Belt have been delayed yet again for the seventh time; this time, because of a spat between two neighbouring Labour-run Councils, Stockport and Tameside, over redevelopment proposals for an industrial estate. The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) was developed by Greater Manchester’s Labour Mayor with the ten local authority leaders. The controversial plan, which is opposed by Liberal Democrat Councillors across Greater Manchester and many members of the public, has been rumbling on for years without resolution. Next month, Mayor Burnham was due to proceed with a final public consultation on the latest proposals. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “These plans were meant…
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07Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Common-sense for public sector staff to be able to access Covid-19 App

Common-sense for public sector staff to be able to access Covid-19 App

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, was disappointed to discover recently that his Oldham Council-issued business smart phone would not permit him to download the new Government recommended Track and Trace Covid-19 App without special permission.  He has now contacted senior officers at the Council to suggest that the App be allowed to be downloaded onto every Council-electronic device used by its employees.  This suggestion is now being rolled out across the board. But Councillor Sykes has now gone one further.  He has written to Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, who in addition to being Chief Executive at Oldham Council, is the national officer lead on Track and Trace, to request that all public sector organisations in Oldham also ensure that their employees will also be able to access…
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07Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
A Godsend to our poorest residents

A Godsend to our poorest residents

Borough news, Campaigns, Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Leader calls on Chancellor to make £20-a-week Universal Credit rise permanent Liberal Democrat Councillors have called on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP, to end the financial uncertainly for Oldham Borough’s poorest families and make a one-year temporary rise of £20-a-week in Universal Credit payments permanent.  The increase was announced in April at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic; now with the deferment of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget until Spring, there is currently no guarantee that the rise will be made permanent next year. Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has added his voice, and that of his party colleagues, to the call from many of Britain’s leading charities for the uncertainty to be ended by writing to the Chancellor asking for the rise to…
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06Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Support local businesses – deliver a better broadband infrastructure for Saddleworth

Support local businesses – deliver a better broadband infrastructure for Saddleworth

Borough news
Saddleworth Councillors Garth Harkness and Sam Al-Hamdani are calling on Oldham Council to make serious improvements to their plans for better broadband across the district.  With the substantial changes in working patterns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, this has emphasised the need to deliver high-quality fibre optic broadband to homes across the area. They have written to the Council to ask if they are reviewing the current contract for broadband infrastructure, and in particular, to develop new infrastructure across Saddleworth, where the current system seems least able to cope. Councillor Al-Hamdani also challenged GMCA at a meeting today to ensure that the programme was reviewed as part of the Authority’s plans around digital exclusion as part of their Living with Covid plan. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “With so many…
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06Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Shaw and Crompton short-changed for third time in Labour’s Green Belt homes plan

Shaw and Crompton short-changed for third time in Labour’s Green Belt homes plan

Borough news, Campaigns
Liberal Democrat Councillors on Oldham Council remain bitterly opposed to Labour’s latest version of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework which has just been unveiled and will go before a special Council meeting to be held on Wednesday 28 October, prior to being open to public consultation. In this third version of their plan to build new homes, which forms part of the wider Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF), Oldham Council’s Labour Administration has removed proposals to build on Green Belt sites in Royton North Ward, Failsworth East Ward and St James Ward, but have retained plans to build almost 1,000 new homes on Green Belt and green space sites in Cowlishaw and in the Beal Valley. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is the Leader of the Opposition and represents Shaw,…
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03Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is the wrong plan, at the wrong time

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is the wrong plan, at the wrong time

Borough news
Liberal Democrats in Oldham and across Greater Manchester are calling for a halt to the Greater Manchester Strategic Framework, due to be published on 5 October 2020. In advance of the publication, Oldham Council has revealed their local proposals and there will be a full meeting of the Council to discuss these on Wednesday 28 October. Wrong plan Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillors recognise that we will need more homes in the Borough, and we want to build the high quality, affordable and energy efficient homes that people need, but not at the expense of losing our precious green spaces. During the Covid-19 pandemic, residents have been using our great outdoors for exercise and solace. This experience this year tells us, we need our open spaces more than ever. Our precious…
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01Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Saddleworth and Oldham Tories out of step on planning with party colleagues

Saddleworth and Oldham Tories out of step on planning with party colleagues

Borough news
Saddleworth and Oldham Conservative Councillors showed themselves to be out of step with party colleagues when voting against a recent motion at Oldham Council.  The motion, supported by Liberal Democrat Councillors, called for the government’s recently-published proposals to radically reform the planning process to be scrapped. Conservative Councillor Graham Sheldon spoke, and voted, against the motion arguing that: “The once in a generation reforms will lay the foundations for a brighter future for Oldham and Saddleworth”, but his enthusiasm is not shared by Conservative Councillors elsewhere. A recent survey by Savanta Comres of Conservative Councillors across the country found 61% opposed to the government’s proposals, contained in a White Paper called Planning for the Future.  This majority believe the proposals will make planning less democratic as elected members and members…
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29Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Shaw Liberal Democrats seek to save Shaw jobs after Yodel move

Borough news
Yodel have written to the Shaw Ward Councillors informing them that they are looking to relocate within the next five years from the Shaw site to a ‘super hub’. Yodel has advised Councillors that this would still be within the North West.  They have also made a company commitment to protect the current workforce and expand job opportunities.  Councillor Chris Gloster stated: “This news was not unexpected.  Although home shopping is on the increase, sadly old cotton mills are quickly becoming unsuitable for modern logistical operations.  However, Yodel is an integral part of the Shaw community and the company employs many people from our community.”    “As local Councillors, we welcome the invitation that Yodel have offered us to work with them to look at how best to protect the existing…
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