03Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conductors mean safer trams, say Liberal Democrats

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is proposing a motion to the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 7 November) calling on the Council to support the elected members of Shaw and Crompton who are campaigning for the introduction of conductors on the Rochdale–Oldham Metrolink line.  The motion is seconded by Councillor Sykes’ Shaw Ward colleague Hazel Gloster. Councillor Sykes, who also serves as a member of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee representing Oldham Council, is adamant that the introduction of conductors will not only make tram travel safer for passengers, but it will make a major contribution to reducing fare evasion on the line. The Rochdale–Oldham line is the worst for violent and criminal incidents of any route…
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03Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats seek renewed action on pot-hole danger roads

Borough news
The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council have tabled a motion for discussion at the next full meeting (7 November 18) of the Council calling for greater action in tackling damaged road surfaces that represent a danger to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.  This is part of an ongoing Liberal Democrat campaign to raise the dangers of poor road surfaces with the current Labour Administration and to call for a change in policy so damage can be repaired if it is dangerous. The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Chris Gloster, is proposing the motion: “This issue is of great concern to Liberal Democrat Councillors on Oldham Council.  My Shaw colleague, Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes, has written to the Council Deputy Leader about this and my Crompton colleague,…
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31Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes extra funding to help tackle Winter Health Crisis

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition, has welcomed the recent announcement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock MP, that over £1 million in extra money will be provided to Oldham this winter to help patients get home quicker from hospital after medical treatment and improve care that might prevent them being admitted to hospital in the first place.  Mr Hancock recently announced that Oldham will be receiving £1,122,354 in extra winter funding. Commenting Councillor Sykes said:  “Any extra funding from government to help support adult social care at the time of year when there is the greatest demand must be welcomed.  I am sure patients would much rather have more support to be discharged so…
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31Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Chancellor promises end of austerity, but no end to Oldham Council funding cuts

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the promise by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in today’s Budget that ‘austerity is coming to an end’ and his recognition that local authorities have ‘significantly contributed’ towards the UK Government in addressing austerity, albeit through being forced to accept swingeing general cuts to their funding. Councillor Sykes has also welcomed the promised extra funding to tackle potholes across the country and for new services to help those in mental health crisis, contemplating suicide, or living with infirmity or disabilities; however the Chancellor was short on detail when it came to rolling back the massive funding cuts that local authorities have faced since 2010. “Some of this so called funding will not happen…
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09Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats suggest new measures to address speeding

Borough news
Saddleworth North Councillor Garth Harkness has written, on behalf of his colleagues in the Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group to the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Arooj Shah, with some suggestions to help tackle speeding in the borough. Councillor Harkness said: “Many residents contact me about speeding concerns. In Saddleworth myself and Derek Heffernan have arranged for a number of surveys across some of the Saddleworth villages and it is clear in a number of places there is a problem. “Speeding is one of those issues that every ward councillor receives complaints about on a regular basis. At the last Council, several members representing different parts of the Borough raised their concerns about speeding. Like them, I too receive complaints about speeding in Saddleworth North, and as this is a…
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08Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats say food premises should be required to display hygiene certificates by law

Borough news
Recent revelations from the Food Standards Agency show that eleven food premises in Oldham were given a 1 rating for hygiene, yet over half of food business in England do not even display their food hygiene ratings certificates on their premises or online. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, is giving the backing of his Group to the campaign by the Food Standards Agency and the Local Government Association for the Government to change the law so that all food businesses are obliged to display their ratings. Council environmental health officers award a score of zero to five to food outlets, based on factors such as kitchen cleanliness, cooking methods and food safety management. The ratings are…
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05Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats publish plans to cut taxes for businesses by 26% in Oldham

Borough news, Campaigns
The Liberal Democrats have published a comprehensive blueprint for replacing the broken business rates system, cutting taxes for businesses by 26% in Oldham. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, has described the plans as “exactly the sort of policy we need to boost local investment and ensure businesses in Oldham thrive”. The report – Taxing Land, Not Investment – calls for the abolition of business rates and its replacement with a tax on land values, the Commercial Landowner Levy (CLL). The levy would remove buildings and machinery from calculations and tax only the land value of commercial sites, boosting investment and cutting taxes for businesses. Liberal Democrat members, including councillor Sykes, voted to support the proposals at their party’s Autumn Conference…
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05Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats call for end to bailiff action against poorest council tax debtors

Borough news, Campaigns
The Deputy Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, and Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Chris Gloster, has written to the Council Deputy Leader, Councillor Abdul Jabbar, asking the Council to sign up to best practice standards in debt collection identified by the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and Money Advice Trust. These include ending the use of bailiffs and enforcement agents to collect debts from the poorest Council Tax payers. Councillor Gloster explained: “On September 6, the National Audit Office published a report highlighting the fact that the debt collection practices in local and central government fall in many instances well behind the standards applied in the commercial lending sector. I want to see Oldham Council become a standard bearer for good practice in this field, especially as many of…
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26Sep 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats call for council action to tackle HGV gridlock

Borough news, Campaigns, Saddleworth News
At the full September meeting of Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Councillors Derek Heffernan and Garth Harkness proposed and seconded a Motion asking for action to tackle the traffic chaos caused by HGVs using inappropriate roads in the Borough’s smaller villages and rural areas. Both Councillors witnessed this earlier this year when on April 26 in their own ward of Saddleworth North a large articulated lorry blocked the junction of Grains Road and King Street in Delph for four hours. Commenting, Councillor Heffernan said: “Garth and I saw then the chaos that a HGV driver can cause in a village when trying to navigate a tight road junction in a small village. These situations usually occur when drivers ignore displayed weight or width restrictions or use satnavs designed for cars instead…
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26Sep 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Backroom deal by Labour on 20-year homes plan threatens Green Belt

Borough news, Campaigns
Oldham Liberal Democrats have discovered that the Labour Council leaders of the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester have made ‘a backroom deal’ with Labour Mayor Andy Burnham that only they will need to sign off on plans to build new homes and factories across the city region as proposed as part of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF).  Each of the 10 authorities need to agree to the plans but previously it was the councils (and all their councillors) that agreed such matters, this has now all changed. Commenting the Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “Local Councillors and local residents deserve a say in how many homes are built, and where and when.  The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, when it…
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