24Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Taxi enquiry comes up trumps

Borough news
Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy was delighted to hear recently that Oldham Council will be acting on his suggestion that taxi exhaust emissions be properly tested to ensure they do not pose an undue hazard to human health. Councillor Murphy, who carries out MOT tests in his professional life in the motor vehicle industry, posed a question at the last full meeting of Oldham Council asking why the emissions of private motor vehicles are routinely checked using specialist equipment, yet the assessment on taxis only involved a ‘visual test’. Councillor Murphy said: “Taxis are driven many more miles per year than an average motor vehicle, they are on the road for longer and their engines are idled for longer periods of time so a taxi could cause a lot…
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23Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Keeping residents in touch

Borough news
Local Liberal Democrat Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett has written to Oldham’s Clinical Commissioning Group in his capacity as Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care in regards to Royton and Crompton family practice telephone issues. His letter dated 9th of September asks as to what actions are being taken in regards to Royton and Crompton family practice (based in Royton) being unable to answer their phone lines and their dire ability to correspond with patients, local pharmacies and other health professionals. Mike Barker Oldham’s Chief Operating Officer for Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group responded to Councillor Hamblett following on from his initial correspondence, in which he asked what actions are being taken to resolve your constituents’ problems contacting their GP by phone following the recent merger of Royton and…
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23Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats believe social care will be a Cinderella service if transferred to NHS

Liberal Democrats believe social care will be a Cinderella service if transferred to NHS

Borough news, Campaigns
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that social care will become a secondary priority if transferred from local authority control to the National Health Service. At present, local authorities, like Oldham Council, take the primary role in providing a care service to elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents living at home, but Conservative ministers are rumoured to be considering transferring this responsibility to the NHS. Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “I know from recent personal experience that the National Health Service with its excellent medical facilities and dedicated staff do a wonderful job, but, the NHS does so many things and is such a large organisation, that I really fear that social care in its hands would become a Cinderella service, at the bottom of the rung…
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22Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Secrecy over speed camera criteria “is something North Korea would be very proud of”

Secrecy over speed camera criteria “is something North Korea would be very proud of”

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to see some action to bring speed cameras back into use and more transparency over where they are sited and how they are funded. At present officers from GM Councils, the Greater Manchester Police and Transport for Greater Manchester meet to discuss speed cameras, with elected councillors having no say in decision making; a situation that Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has described as “something North Korea would be very proud of.” Councillor Sykes has written to Eamonn Boylan, the Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, asking him to ensure that all existing speed cameras are functional and recording traffic violations as they happen, and that they be upgraded to incorporate the latest digital technology. Councillor Sykes also wants…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Oldham Liberal Democrats pour scorn on PM’s Marshal Plan

Oldham Liberal Democrats pour scorn on PM’s Marshal Plan

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group is sceptical about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recent announcement that an ‘army’ of marshals will be deployed to police Covid-19 compliance amongst Britain’s businesses and their customers as the Conservative Government will not back the plan with new cash to local authorities to employ them nor grant the new marshals’ additional powers for enforcement. Responding to the news, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “Regrettably, this posse will be more Deputy Dawg than Wyatt Earp. For after sounding tough and decisive, the Prime Minister has once again regressed to type by saying that there be no money, no people, no powers and no training for local government to implement the so-called initiative. Clearly this announcement could be something taken straight out of…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems call for furlough extension as 9.8% of people claim Universal Credit in Oldham

Lib Dems call for furlough extension as 9.8% of people claim Universal Credit in Oldham

Borough news, Campaigns, Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling for an extension of the Government’s furlough scheme until the jobs market is “ready to bounce back” in the wake of “staggering job losses” across the country. With 9.8% of people now relying on Universal Credit in Oldham, the Party claims that extending furlough would help “stop this crisis getting even worse” and protect jobs for the future. Despite the Chancellor promising last month to do “whatever it takes” to support households and businesses through the worst of the coronavirus outbreak, the Government has so far failed to agree a plan beyond the end of the furlough scheme on 31 October. The Liberal Democrats have also warned some of the worst hit are the country's self-employed workers, three million of which are still not covered…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Borough news
Oldham Council’s Health and Well-being Board has failed to meet four times in the last twelve months, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member, is not impressed. Councillor Sykes has written to Board Chair, Councillor Jean Stretton, to point out this represents a serious democratic deficit especially when the Health and Well-being Board is charged with providing oversight to social care and NHS services.   Councillor Sykes says that: “At a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.” His hope is that the Chair will agree that the Board should: “not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.”
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats lambast Tories over three-year Social Care bill delay

Liberal Democrats lambast Tories over three-year Social Care bill delay

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats have lambasted the Conservative Government for delaying once again their long-awaited proposals to overhaul the social care system. Details are not expected to now be released until the Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Autumn Statement at the earliest; this is scheduled for late November. The Conservatives first promised to publish a Green Paper on social care for public consultation in the summer of 2017. This is now more than three years behind schedule. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “This extra delay is yet another example of the prevarication shown by this uncaring Conservative Government in making policy about the future of our under-threat social care system. Due to consistent underfunding of local government and the National Health Service, the provision of quality care to…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Extra step to improve safety at Dovestone

Extra step to improve safety at Dovestone

Borough news
There have been concerns over parking at Dovestone with extensive yellow lines implemented and enforcement action taking place. There has also been the use of BBQs which risk huge fires. Following discussions with the marshals, Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness has highlighted another concern. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “Last year I called for irresponsible people lighting BBQs on our moorlands to be hit in the pocket to be fined £1,000. Since then we have had a Public Protection Order introduced. While I think the fines are modest it is welcomed progress, as are the extensive yellow lines and the collaborative work done at Dovestone to help address the safety concerns. “There is also another problem which has emerged and that is motorists attempting a right turn when it is dangerous…
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08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Not every disability is visible

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are backing a national campaign to raise public awareness that not everyone who uses an accessible public toilet has a visible disability.  The campaign by the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK encourages venues with such toilets to install special signage with the logo ‘Not every disability is visible’. Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett, who is the Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, is raising this issue in a motion to the next meeting of the full Council (September 9). He said:  “This motion is timely.  The requirement to wear face coverings in shops and on public transport has started to raise public awareness that people can be exempted from their use because of a hidden disability.  Accessible toilets, often opened using a RADAR key, are…
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