07Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Former Shaw & Crompton Town Crier, Andrew Powell, has passed away

Borough news
“My colleagues and I are devastated to hear the news that Andrew Powell, Shaw & Crompton's Town Crier for 30 years, until his retirement from the voluntary role in 2018 has passed away suddenly,” stated Shaw Liberal Democrat councillor Howard Sykes MBE. “Andrew was very supportive to the community and the Parish Council and attended many events in Shaw and Crompton throughout the years and was loved by all. Young children were fascinated by him, often mistaking him for a pirate,” he added. As late as last week he was still to be seen walking around Shaw town centre with his wife and soulmate Win. “Andrew summed up everything that is good about Shaw and Crompton, he loved the place, loved the people and was selfless with his voluntary work…
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21Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Councillors deeply disappointed that the Dunwood Park Café, Shaw will close

Councillors deeply disappointed that the Dunwood Park Café, Shaw will close

Borough news
Shaw councillors where informed of the closure of the café in Dunwood Park a few days ago but where asked not to share the information until staff and the Park Friends group where informed. This has now happened. “This is a great loss to the local community, and we will be doing all we can to find another user, like we did when the last operator pulled out,” stated Shaw councillor Howard Sykes on behalf of all his colleagues. “Pure Innovations who operate the café have been up front about this and will continue to operate it until July 2022,” he added. “Hopefully this gives the council time to make alternative provision.” Pure Innovations (PI) re-opened Dunwood Park Café in March 2019, with two key objectives. The first to provide…
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20Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Conductors are still what is needed on Oldham tram line says Sykes

Conductors are still what is needed on Oldham tram line says Sykes

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has once again made the call for conductors to be introduced on the Oldham Metrolink network. He made his call again at a meeting of the Rail and Metrolink Committee on Friday 14 January in response to a detailed report on the trams detailing amongst other things crime and anti-social-behavior (ASB). “It was November 2018 when Oldham Council agreed with the Liberal Democrat suggestion for conductors and still nothing has happened,” stated councillor Sykes. “I welcome the proposal to provide CCTV at some tram stops in Oldham and other schemes to tackle ASB and make the trams safer. However I am worried this will not be enough and will also just displace activity away from these five town centre stops to elsewhere on the…
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11Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Burnham must keep his promises: clean air and no job losses

Burnham must keep his promises: clean air and no job losses

Borough news, environment
Andy Burnham must keep his manifesto promise to clean up air pollution in Greater Manchester without “the loss of a single job or business”. His plans to implement a Clean Air Zone – following the instructions of the Conservative Government – were clear in his manifesto but have come under withering public attack as the implementation date nears. “The Liberal Democrats have a simple message for Mayor Burnham,” said Oldham’s Opposition Leader and Transport Spokesperson for Greater Manchester, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE. “Keep your promises, or admit you were elected on a platform you couldn’t stick to. You need to pause and re-think the whole scheme, and you need to do it now!” The Clean Air Zone is being introduced because there are an estimated 1,200 deaths a year in…
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20Feb 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

More Oldham children being failed: Liberal Democrat Leader disappointed at news of yet another poor school performance

Borough news, Campaigns
The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has expressed his disappointment and dismay on hearing news that another school in Oldham – the Oasis Academy Oldham – has failed the OFSTED test when it comes to performance. Councillor Sykes said:  “Oldham Council and its educational partners have had years to turn around Oldham’s academic performance, but yet again we see another negative report of an Oldham school rated ‘inadequate’ and in need of ‘improvement’ in several key areas, including the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.”   “When the Oldham Education and Skills Commission Chair Baroness Estelle Morris stated on the publication of its long-awaited report in January 2016, ‘we are on the edge of being able to achieve great things…
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30Jan 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats find more cash for highways and environment

Borough news
– Money would also build a new health centre for Shaw and Crompton by cutting civic centre waste In their budget proposals for the coming financial year (2019/20), the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council have found more than £2 million more to invest in front-line services over the next three years largely by identifying more ways to save money at the Civic Centre.  This money would be used to pay for a further £5 million investment in the Borough’s highways, including a £1 million fund dedicated to restoring pedestrian footways; create a new Environmental Task Force to respond quickly and effectively to instances of fly-tipping, dog-fouling and littering; and pay to build a new health centre for patients in Shaw and Crompton.  The Liberal Democrats also want to reverse…
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13Jan 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats vow to continue to fight to save Oldham’s Greenbelt from massive land grab for housing and industrial use

Borough news, Campaigns
The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council is gearing up for the next round in its fight to save Oldham’s Greenbelt and green spaces. Labour’s Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and the 10 Council Leaders are due to agree the latest proposals for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) which identifies where future houses will be built and industry based. Last year, public opposition, backed by support from Liberal Democrat Councillors across Greater Manchester, forced the Mayor to withdraw the original proposals to build homes on greenbelt across the county, including many thousands in Shaw, Crompton, Saddleworth, Chadderton and Royton. The so called new proposals are now in the public domain and according to Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham…
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29Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader seeks establishment of Greater Manchester Business Forum to encourage trade with Palestine

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to Councillor Sir Richard Leese, Deputy Mayor for the Economy in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Leader of Oldham Council asking them to organise high-level events in Greater Manchester and in Oldham to enable the Palestinian Trade Representative in the UK to meet local business people to discuss British - Palestinian trade. The date is especially auspicious as 29 November is in fact the United Nations Day for International Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Councillor Sykes is backing the ‘1% initiative’ launched by the UK Government and the Palestinian Authority earlier this year. This seeks to promote Palestinian information technology businesses as prospective partners to UK businesses needing their services; it…
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17Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader says a good start but more needs to be done to promote free Bulky Bobs Collections for the infirm and others

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has welcomed the news that there have been more free Bulky Bobs collections in the first ten months of 2018 than in the same period in 2017. This improvement has been the result from Councillor Sykes raising his concerns with the former Council Leader Councillor that the fact that Bulky Bobs still offers one annual free collection to certain residents was not being promoted by the Council. Bulky Bobs was reappointed contractor for the service at the start of this year and it was promised there would be more promotion of the free service as part of this. Councillor Sykes said: “This important free service was not being publicised by Oldham Council…
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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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