31Oct 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Tory plan to build on national parks and green belt rejected

Tory plan to build on national parks and green belt rejected

Borough news
A request for local councils to put forward sites for building in national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty or green belt has been firmly opposed by Oldham’s Liberal Democrat team, with local Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani branding the policy “a disgrace”. Lib Dem Councillor Al-Hamdani immediately sought confirmation that the Council had no plans to take up the option – which would have opened large parts of protected land across the whole of Oldham up for development. The Council confirmed that they had no plans to apply for any new developments under this scheme. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “I can’t understand how this Government thinks it can possibly be acceptable to abandon national parks and areas of outstanding national beauty.” Much of Saddleworth falls into the Peak District National Park, and…
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07Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
So-called Conservative Government levelling up agenda is all fur coat and no knickers

So-called Conservative Government levelling up agenda is all fur coat and no knickers

Borough news, housing and development
The Conservative Government’s announcements on the "levelling-up" agenda included dropping targets for gigabit broadband across the country, on the heels of dropping high speed rail lines across the north. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The Government has abandoned crucial targets, and failed to provide the funding needed to meet these new ones. It is a fig leaf for a Prime Minister who everyone can see for what he is.” “If the Government is serious about levelling up, why has it just abandoned plans for local high speed rail? “Why is it loading the bill for social care on to local council tax payers, particularly those like Oldham? “Why did it abandon its target for high-speed broadband to 85% of homes by 2025? “Levelling-up is just the latest Tory buzzword…
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03Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Saddleworth abandoned by Government’s broken promise on broadband

Saddleworth abandoned by Government’s broken promise on broadband

Borough news, housing and development
Boris Johnson’s promise to provide 85% of homes and businesses in Oldham with high-speed broadband by 2025 is set to be broken, local Liberal Democrats can reveal, with just 6.6% of homes in the more rural areas constituency getting high speed connections. Analysis of House of Commons Library data by the party has found that just 3.1% of premises in Oldham East and Saddleworth had gigabit broadband availability in 2021, and just 8.7% in Oldham West and Royton. At this rate of progress, just 37.2% of homes in Oldham West and Royton will hit the target, a poor enough rate. However, this just serves to highlight the far worse figures in Oldham East and Saddleworth – only 6.6% are on track to get high speed access.  Saddleworth Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam…
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12Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Rural areas set to be hit hardest by energy bill price hike, including Chancellor’s own seat

Rural areas set to be hit hardest by energy bill price hike, including Chancellor’s own seat

Parliamentary news
Rural areas in England and Wales will be hit hardest by the expected rise in energy bills in April, new research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. New analysis of ONS data by the party shows median bills are expected to rise by an average of £598, while many largely rural areas will see increases of £700 or more. Of the 20 local authorities with the highest increase in bills, 16 are only represented by Conservative MPs. This includes the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s area of Richmondshire, where people face an average rise of £737, the fourth highest rise in England. People living on the Scilly Isles face average increases of £968, higher than anywhere in the country. It comes as energy bills are expected to rise to unprecedented levels in…
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19Aug 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Cycling network improvements targeted by Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

Cycling network improvements targeted by Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

Borough news
Saddleworth Liberal Democrats are already working on the next round of cycle routes for the district, even before the current proposals are brought forward.  Having set key priorities for the network – connecting village centres, travel interchanges and parks – they drew up key routes that would connect existing cycle routes to those areas, and have put forward those proposals to the highways engineers in charge of the Active Travel Fund plans.  Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It’s really important to have a vision for how we are going to join up the existing cycle routes that we have, and with new work that is going ahead. “For example, the routes in Greenfield are going to connect a new Tameside loop route. I’ve proposed that the next extension should connect…
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01Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Hands off our Peak District National Park, say Liberal Democrats

Hands off our Peak District National Park, say Liberal Democrats

Borough news
Liberal Democrat councillors are determined to fight to keep control of the Peak District National Park in local hands after rumours of a takeover by Whitehall mandarins. Councillor Hazel Gloster is bringing a motion to the next meeting of Oldham Council (14 July 2021) calling for the Peak District National Park Authority to be retained, rather than abolished and absorbed into a new National Landscape Authority. This drastic action was recommended two years ago after the Glover Review, and Councillor Gloster has no doubt this will be a retrograde step. Councillor Gloster outlined her concerns: “At present, our local National Park is managed locally by an authority board with local representatives, including one Councillor from Oldham Council. If the authority is abolished there will be no accountability to local people…
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25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Flood approach in Saddleworth questioned by Liberal Democrats

Flood approach in Saddleworth questioned by Liberal Democrats

Borough news
The Liberal Democrats on Saddleworth Parish Council are asking for straight answers on flooding from Oldham Borough Council. With the winter storms upon us, flooding issues are a pressing concern for Saddleworth residents. The group have requested answers on a range of flooding issues and their impact on planning decisions. They have asked the Borough Council to provide proof that their approach to cleaning drains and gullies works, given the conditions faced in Saddleworth; for the information that OMBC is using to check the impact of housebuilding in Saddleworth on flooding; and how they’re keeping an eye on locations which flood frequently, and what measures they use to address them. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “This is such a concern to people in Saddleworth, and we want to see…
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02Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Opening up Saddleworth’s blocked and obstructed footpaths

Borough news, Campaigns
During the Coronavirus lockdown, thousands of Saddleworth residents have been walking regularly from home for an hour for exercise. Unfortunately, walkers have found many local footpaths blocked, obstructed or are in a poor condition. Liberal Democrat spokesperson Mick Scholes said: “As more council resources become available after the hard work done fighting the effects of Coronavirus, we are asking Oldham Council to prioritise complaints of paths and stiles being blocked or obstructed by landowners as this is restricting residents’ access to the countryside.”  Among the problems are: an unsafe bridge across Chew Brook, with a hole large enough for walkers to fall through and break a leg;notices erected by some landowners saying “No public right of way” when there is a right of way, and many Public Footpath signposts have disappeared;fallen trees blocking part…
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01Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives zero, Liberal Democrats one as Tories fail to show at Oldham Budget Council meeting

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Liberal Democrat Councillor John McCann was surprised to find that he was the only Councillor from the three in Saddleworth South Ward on Oldham Council who bothered to turn up for Wednesday’s important Budget Council meeting (28 February 2018). He explained: “I was disappointed that Conservative Councillors, John Hudson and Graham Sheldon, sent their apologies and failed to show.  I know it was not good weather wise, but I felt it was my duty to make it, whatever the weather.  I think the public expect us to be there and I have to travel a similar distance to get here as they do.  If anything they could be closer to the civic centre than I am!” Councillor John McCann proposed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Labour budget that would…
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