News – Page 134 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

04Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Parking consultation welcomed by local councillor

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…

04Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

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…

03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Education Secretary must come clean about what he knew, and when

Parliamentary news

Speaking after the Chair of Ofqual told MPs today that it was a "fundamental mistake" to believe a controversial algorithm initially used for A-level and GCSE results would "ever be acceptable to the public", Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “The A level scandal caused untold distress and anguish for too many young people. "It is now clear as day that the Education Secretary stubbornly refused to heed warnings about this approach and that the decisions which led to this fiasco were firmly in his hands. "Pupils and parents need to have confidence that children and young people can return to full time education and stay there. Instead, this Government just keeps lurching from one crisis to the next. "After shamelessly hanging officials out to dry, the Education Secretary…

03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

NAO report shows Govt has made a dog’s dinner of Brexit

Parliamentary news

Responding to a National Audit Office report on the Government handling of Brexit, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “With the combination of coronavirus creating uncertainty for people's lives coupled with this Brexit shambles, we cannot afford for the Prime Minister to continue playing politics. "How Boris Johnson ever thought he could get a deal by the end of July with the chaos behind the scenes in Whitehall is beyond me. Even he must realise the dog's dinner he has made of Brexit. "Now is the time to put people first. It is time for real leadership. The Government must listen to experts and redouble their efforts to reach a good deal with the EU, or risk even greater chaos."

03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

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…

03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

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…

03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Three in 10 still not being contacted to isolate

Parliamentary news

Responding to the Government missing its 80% target for a tenth consecutive week, with more than 3 in 10 close contacts of people testing positive for COVID-19 not being contacted, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “With children going back to school, the priority has to be keeping people safe. Instead, Ministers have failed to deliver a comprehensive strategy to test, trace and isolate every case of coronavirus. "It is utterly unacceptable. The public deserves to know what is going wrong. That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling for an independent inquiry to be launched now so we can learn lessons to prevent further spread of the virus."

01Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Bill introduced to give health and care workers right to remain

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats will today introduce a Bill calling on the Government to offer indefinite leave to remain to foreign nationals currently working in the health and social care sectors.Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine, who is moving the Ten Minute Rule Bill, has warned it is unacceptable that people who put their lives on the line during Covid-19 should not be welcome to stay. The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support from Labour, Conservative, SNP, Green, Plaid, DUP and Alliance MPs. Ahead of the Bill’s reading on Tuesday, Ms Jardine said: “Foreign nationals in the NHS have been on the frontline in protecting us from Covid-19, putting themselves at risk and in many cases paying the ultimate price. “Their skills have been vital to all of us throughout this crisis. The least we can do now…

31Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

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…

31Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

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…