08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Creation of Brownfield Fund welcome, but will fail to ‘scratch the surface’

Creation of Brownfield Fund welcome, but will fail to ‘scratch the surface’

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats have welcomed the creation of a so called new £400 million Brownfield Land fund, from which £81.1 million will be made available to the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities over the next five years, but say the overall investment ‘won’t scratch the surface’ when compared to the cost of remediating former industrial land in our City Region to make it fit for housing. Alongside publishing a new White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’ last month, the Conservative Government restated its so-called commitment to building new homes on brownfield sites first; an approach the Oldham Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for years. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, explained: “According to Department of Trade figures, the UK has approximately 1,000,000 acres of contaminated land, much of…
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08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Democracy please – Labour hypocrisy over planning issues

Democracy please – Labour hypocrisy over planning issues

Borough news
This Wednesday (9 Sept), Oldham Council will be debating a motion calling for planning to have ‘democratic control at its heart’ in response to a Conservative Governments proposal to abolish Planning Committees, but to Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, says Labour would have had more credibility over this issue if they practiced what they preached. At the June 17 meeting of Oldham Council, despite the vocal objections of Liberal Democrat Councillors, the Labour Group abolished the entitlement of Ward Councillors to address the Planning Committee to speak about local applications on behalf of their constituents. Labour also agreed changes to allow planning officers to dispose of public open land more easily, and empowered officers to decide on developments of 20 homes or less without bringing them for…
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04Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Parking consultation welcomed by local councillor

Parking consultation welcomed by local councillor

Borough news, Parliamentary news
After local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani wrote to the Home Office calling on them to progress the national consultation on pavement parking last month, he has welcomed its launch. He said: “For so many people, this causes major issues for them, whether it is getting past in wheelchairs, or trying to manage prams on unnecessarily blocked pavements. It should not be the case that disabled residents, or parents with young children should be forced out into the road because of a badly parked car.” The consultation puts forward three options: to improve the process by which local councils can introduce restrictions; giving them the power to enforce against ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’; or introducing a London-style pavement parking ban across the country. He continued: “Oldham has a combination…
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04Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Councillor fears new planning rules a concern for Saddleworth

Councillor fears new planning rules a concern for Saddleworth

Borough news, Campaigns, Parliamentary news
Saddleworth North Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness has expressed concerns about the likely negative impact of Boris Johnson’s new White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’, which the Conservatives claim will represent the most radical changes to our planning system since the Second World War.  Councillor Harkness said: “We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, but this Conservative legislation will do nothing for our green and pleasant land.” Under the Conservative plan, central government will designate whole swathes of the country for ‘growth’, meaning that developers will have ‘planning permission in principle’. Conservative ministers claim it will eliminate ‘red tape’ but the Liberal Democrats fear that it abolish any meaningful involvement of local councils and residents in planning matters. Councillor Garth Harkness said “I already have a…
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03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats say road policing ‘not optional’

Liberal Democrats say road policing ‘not optional’

Borough news, Campaigns, road safety
Traffic cops often feature in our television shows, but the harsh reality is that the traffic officers forming the thin blue line are too few and grossly underfunded, and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council wants to do something about that. Liberal Democrat Councillors are taking a motion to the next meeting of Oldham Council (9 September) calling for a restoration of funding for traffic policing to help prevent road deaths and for traffic policing to be made a priority in Greater Manchester. Figures published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy show a 34% cut in funding in real terms for road policing between 2012/3 and 2019/20 meaning less officers available to keep our streets safe. The Deputy Group Leader, Councillor Chris Gloster is proposing the…
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03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Let’s all do our bit to tackle litter

Let’s all do our bit to tackle litter

Borough news, Campaigns
The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group has echoed the recent call of Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal for more local action over litter by tabling a motion at the next meeting of the Full Council (September 9) on the issue. The campaign group Keep Britain Tidy is organising the Great British September Clean-Up from 11 – 27 September, and Liberal Democrat Councillors Diane Williamson and Sam Al-Hamdani see this as ideal opportunity to get the Council, its employees, local businesses and residents working together to make our borough cleaner. Crompton Councillor Diane Williamson, who is proposing the motion, said:  “No one wants  to see litter on our streets.  It makes our neighbourhoods look dirty and unloved.  We want to encourage residents and businesses to join forces with the Council to clear our…
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31Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
20mph speed limit OK for one but not the other

20mph speed limit OK for one but not the other

Borough news, Campaigns, road safety
Councillor Garth Harkness has welcomed an 18 month order to limit speeds of cars in Uppermill, to facilitate social distancing, but is also perplexed by the decision. He said: “I have been campaigning for a long time with regards to 20mph speed limits, backing the “20's plenty” campaign. The Council failed to support my motion for 20mph limits on residential roads across the borough. “After the HGV incidents in Dobcross residents and I have been pushing for Dobcross to become a 20mph zone. “Despite this happening in other parts of the country there has always been an excuse not to do it. But now, it seems that we can introduce the measures for social distancing but not for road safety? “I call on the council to again introduce 20mph speed…
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31Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Day-burning lamps a waste of money

Day-burning lamps a waste of money

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillors have hit out at waste of money with an increased number of daylight burning lamps. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “During summer I witnessed and reported several daylight burning lamps across a variety of villages in Saddleworth. I know Liberal Democrat colleagues in Shaw and Crompton have done the same. “When the PFI contract was awarded to EON some years ago the Liberal Democrat group was rather critical about the process. At the time one of the many things we questioned was daylight burning lamps. We were told that these lamps would burn for about the first 24 hours and then would not be a problem. Clearly they are and wasting money and energy.” Liberal Democrat Councillor Diane Williamson, Crompton, said: “We were told that in the unlikely event of a daylight…
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30Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham fails to protect ‘protected’ land

Borough news
Once again, the Labour administration at Oldham Council has shown no regard for land designated as other protected open land (OPOL). At the Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday 27 August 2020, the application for outline planning permission with all matters reserved except for the principal means of access from Cocker Mill Lane for a residential development following demolition of existing buildings was considered. “Despite the pros and cons to this development, the Liberal Democrats are not opposed to housing being built on the former abattoir site; we are opposed to the weight of OPOL (other protected open land)  not being given the full merit of what the area deserves” said Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Diane Williamson. “The Council has hidden behind the fact that the policy is out of date. But rather…
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30Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leadership Team, Group Officers and Shadow Cabinet announced for 2020/21 – Covid 19 up date

Borough news
Considering the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic the Liberal Democrats on Oldham Council have had a minor reshuffle. Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE takes on the Covid 19 portfolio and Councillor Diane Williamson takes over the HR and Corporate Reform portfolio. This reflects what has been happening in practice for some time and is effective from 1 September 2020 (00:01).
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