07Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats say residents will be safer, greener, and cleaner in their budget proposals

Liberal Democrats say residents will be safer, greener, and cleaner in their budget proposals

Borough news, environment, housing and development, road safety
Safer, greener, and cleaner, these are the watch words when the Liberal Democrats present their budget amendment proposals to the Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 8th February (6pm). Shaw Councillor Chris Gloster, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Green, is looking forward to presenting the budget amendment to the committee and believes that the Liberal Democrats have come up with sensible adjustments to the budget that will have no impact on council finances but deliver maximum impact to residents whose valuable input as to what residents want to see is at the heart of the proposals. “The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to make further efficiencies in civic centre bureaucracy to squeeze out more money for our priorities, and those of the public – more cash to spend on…
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10Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Draft COP26 agreement is “kicking the can down the road”

Draft COP26 agreement is “kicking the can down the road”

Parliamentary news
Responding to the draft COP26 agreement calling on countries to strengthen their carbon-cutting targets by the end of 2022, Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey MP said: “I fear this is more about kicking the can down the road and expectation management after a disappointing conference. “We can have as many COPs as we like, but until the West convinces China to cut emissions more quickly, these summits will continue to fail. “To keep the 1.5 degree target genuinely alive requires greater political will, stronger leadership and far more serious domestic and global action. “Otherwise beating the existential threat of climate change will be a pipe dream and the greatest failure of global leadership ever.”
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03Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Chancellor’s City of London Plan is half-hearted Treasury spin

Chancellor’s City of London Plan is half-hearted Treasury spin

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's plans to ask large UK firms and financial institutions to show how they intend to hit climate change targets, Liberal Democrat Leader and former Secretary for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey MP said: “If we do not force fossil fuel money out of the City of London, we will never stop climate change in the UK or the wider world. “The Chancellor’s plan, that net zero is not to be mandatory for the world’s largest polluters financed in London, is a serious mistake. “Billions of pounds of the world’s fossil fuel money flood through the City of London: half-hearted plans and Treasury spin are simply not going to change that.”
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11Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Youth Service Summits

Borough news
Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat councillors have been informed that some exciting provision from Oldham Youth Service is happening in three of our local secondary schools.  Shaw Councillor, Howard Sykes said “Crompton House School, The Oldham Academy North and Royton & Crompton School have been offered some tailored youth work for pupils at the schools.  Part of this will see a Youth Violence Summit held on 23 June 2021 – guest speakers will be talking pupils from across the borough as well.”  The schools were asked how they would like the youth service to work with their young people and this has resulted in different types of engagement.  “Royton & Crompton School are having an afterschool drama and dance provision, focusing on the school’s values and creating a drama piece to…
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31Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Sykes backs call for post-COVID green recovery to tackle climate change

Sykes backs call for post-COVID green recovery to tackle climate change

Borough news, Parliamentary news
Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader has given his personal backing to a new national campaign by UK100 for a post COVID economic recovery plan to employ Britain’s skilled workers to tackle climate change. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group, has pledged his support for Net Zero, and is pleased that his group was instrumental in ensuring that Oldham Council is ahead of the game in already making a commitment to being a zero carbon emission authority. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “The Liberal Democrat Group brought forward a motion committing Oldham Council to declare a climate emergency and to taking action to tackle it. Subsequently the Council adopted an ambitious action plan to become carbon neutral by 2025 and we are also working on a cross-party…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems: Tackling the climate crisis is at the heart of coronavirus recovery

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support for their calls for local authorities to be empowered to enact measures that would help tackle the climate emergency as well as recover from the coronavirus crisis. The cross-party letter sent to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick states “we cannot simply return ‘back to normal’” and that “tackling the climate emergency is at the heart of our recovery”. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Climate Emergency, Energy and the Environment Wera Hobhouse initiated the letter, putting forward measures that include incentivising councils to support sustainable travel, revitalising high streets and allowing local authorities to close streets to traffic at allocated times. Following the letter, Wera Hobhouse said: “We cannot return to ‘normal’ following the Covid-19 crisis. The measures introduced by the Transport Secretary to promote the use of sustainable transport are…
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross-party call for urgent support for airlines in return for climate action

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party effort to secure Government agreement for an economic package to support the UK’s airlines in return to commitments to tackle the climate emergency.  Writing to the Chancellor, the cross-party group of parliamentarians have warned that without government support future fares may raise while “tens of thousands more will lose their jobs through no fault of their own.” MPs from across the political spectrum have signed the letter and agreed “if public money is used to save them, they must be required by law to do more to tackle climate change.” Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Sarah Olney, coordinated the letter. She said: “The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. Thousands of families will face financial hardship, including many who rely on employment in the…
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