28Jan 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems: Culture in our schools system is toxic

Lib Dems: Culture in our schools system is toxic

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Department for Education’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy that was published this morning, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: “Although any changes that improve the learning environment for children and working conditions for teachers are to be welcomed, we won’t see any fundamental changes in schools under this government. “For years teachers have faced real terms cuts, feeling undervalued and overworked whilst battling funding cuts and swelling class sizes. The problems that we see in our education system won’t go away until the government reverse these cuts and invest properly in the education of our future generations. “The culture that exists, of endless testing, Ofsted and league tables needs to be abolished – it’s toxic and we must instead focus on pupil and teacher well-being.”
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24Jan 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Tory failures result in increase in violent crimes

Tory failures result in increase in violent crimes

Parliamentary news
Responding to the latest official figures which have revealed a 19% rise in violent crime recorded by police in England and Wales, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey said:  “We are facing an epidemic of violent crime. Behind these shocking figures lies hundreds of tragedies of young lives cut short. All Conservative Ministers have done is make things worse.  “From severe reductions in the police budget to the weakening of security at our borders, the Prime Minister bears personal responsibility for decisions that have left people and communities in danger. “Conservative Ministers ought to be getting a grip, yet they have farmed out responsibility to Police and Crime Commissioners and asked them to sort it out. “The Liberal Democrats demand better for our communities. We demand more police, more youth services and people…
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24Jan 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PAC report highlights fragmentation of schools system

PAC report highlights fragmentation of schools system

Parliamentary news
Commenting on the report by the Public Accounts Committee, Academy Accounts and Performance, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran, who sits on the committee, said: “This report shows the risks which come from the increasing fragmentation of the schools system, and erosion of scrutiny and oversight, which has resulted from the Conservative's ideological drive to create more and more academy schools.  “Parents will no doubt be concerned that a lack of accountability will be jeopardising the quality of education their children receive.  “I'm in no doubt we need far greater oversight and scrutiny of academies and am pleased that this report recommends a number of steps towards this. “The Liberal Democrats believe multi-academy trusts should be subject to the same inspections as local authorities, and that we need to return more power to local councils to oversee schools in their local areas.”
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17Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes Government retreat on fixed odds betting terminals

Campaigns, Parliamentary news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s change of heart on the timescale for the introduction of the promised £2 maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in betting offices. In last week’s budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond decided to put off the introduction of the changes until October 2019.  This decision caused the resignation, in disgust, of Sports Minister Tracey Crouch MP and criticism from Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the Commons Treasury Committee. Councillor Sykes said: “Only in July Oldham Council supported a Liberal Democrat motion calling on the Government to introduce a £2 fixed stake.  These machines, which are often located in the high streets of Britain’s most deprived…
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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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16Jul 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government inaction on fixed odds betting terminals “a blow”

Campaigns, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group has hit out at Government inaction over reducing the maximum possible stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to £2 per play.  Despite promises to introduce the changes as soon as possible, the government has now put back the changes to 2020. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition, is proposing a motion tonight at week’s full Council meeting calling for more national and local action to tackle problem and underage gambling. Responding to the disappointing news, Councillor Sykes said: “This is a real blow. Problem gambling is a blight on the lives of the individuals affected, and those of their loved ones.  For many, the problem starts with Fixed Odds Betting Terminals where players got hooked on…
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19May 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats back moves to curb addictive gambling

Campaigns, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group has welcomed news that a move to cut the maximum stake on addictive gambling machines from £100 to £2 that could be announced soon. The government is understood to have accepted recommendations that stakes for Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) should be reduced to £2, and a final announcement is expected shortly now the local elections are over. Commenting, Leader of the Opposition and of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “Bringing the stakes down to £2 would help prevent vulnerable players from losing £100 in seconds in a single play, which many people simply cannot afford to lose.  It is an issue that Liberal Democrats have been campaigning on for a while now, and we back Government action being taken on…
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28Apr 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats back real help for the homeless

Borough news, Campaigns, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are backing real help for the homeless and those applicants who remain stuck on housing waiting lists. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has recently discussed the matter at the party’s spring conference in Southport where housing policy was debated. Commenting, he said:  “I am pleased to report that Liberal Democrat councillors successfully tabled a motion that was accepted by conference as party policy allowing Councils to be able to scrap the ‘right to buy’ and the housing borrowing cap.” Councillor Sykes added: “Scrapping the automatic ‘right to buy’ will mean that no more council and housing association properties will be sold.  Scrapping the housing borrowing cap will mean that Councils can borrow…
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22Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Cannes you believe it?

Borough news, Parliamentary news
£10,000 would be better spent fixing our crumbling roads or providing care for our vulnerable children or elderly citizens rather than on French Seaside Spree, says Liberal Democrat Leader The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, has questioned the value of Oldham Council spending more than £10,000 + VAT to send two Council officers to the French Riviera resort of Cannes at a time when Council services have been cut to the bone. The two officers were representing Oldham Council at the three day Marché International des Professionnels d'Immobilier (MIPIM) property conference earlier this month.  Oldham Council was one of at least nine around the UK that the national press reported were sending representatives at public expense. Commenting Councillor Sykes stated: …
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31May 2017 by Saddleworth Lib Dems
There would be more nurses, teachers and Police in Oldham area under Liberal Democrats

There would be more nurses, teachers and Police in Oldham area under Liberal Democrats

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats plan for a brighter future, with pledges to reverse Conservative cuts and increase funding for the NHS, schools and police. The Liberal Democrats would put a penny on income tax for health and care would raise £18m for the NHS in Oldham enough to fund 107 more nurses and £7m for social care. An additional £36.37m of funding for schools in Oldham paid for in part by reversing Conservative cuts to corporation tax, would be enough to pay for 200 more teachers. Meanwhile an additional £15.6m funding for Greater Manchester Police would pay for 312 more officers, helping to cut crime and ensure a stronger police presence in the area. Other key policies in the Liberal Democrat manifesto include plans for a £100bn infrastructure fund to build more homes, improve road and rail links and install fibre-optic…
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