shaw – Page 3 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

13Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

‘Keep Clean Air Zone free’ say Oldham Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called for common sense as Andy Burnham’s war of words with the government over the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) continues. The Greater Manchester Mayor is locked in a bitter stalemate with Conservative ministers after he rejected Government proposals to limit the Clean Air Zone to Manchester City Centre only. Councillor Sykes said, “It’s about time we had some common sense instead of bickering between Mayor Burnham and the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats want to see people’s jobs and income protected at a time when many are struggling. Keeping CAZ free is the best way forward if we want to protect jobs during the cost-of-living crisis. “If the Conservative government force a charging zone on Greater Manchester then the area affected by…

13Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conductors on trams needed tackle anti-social behaviour and restore user confidence

Borough news

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat councillors have renewed their calls for Metrolink conductors/staff presence to be put in place on the Rochdale – Oldham line after it emerged that fear of anti-social behaviour preventing people using Metrolink, something the Liberal Democrats have said for several years now (2018). Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Shaw representative councillor Howard Sykes said, “The Metrolink is a huge asset for our communities. The continuing failure of Metrolink and Oldham’s Council to tackle anti-social behaviour has led to residents telling us that they are afraid to use the tram.” Last month, a report from Onward UK gave a damning insight into the realities of travelling around Oldham by tram. One respondent to the Onward UK study confessed they felt as though “you take your life into…

07Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham falls behind as demand for electric vehicle charging points grows

Borough news, environment

Council plans to increase electric vehicle usage across Oldham Borough have been labelled as “ineffective and empty words” by Oldham’s Liberal Democrats after it emerged that Oldham has just 36 charging points and has missed key opportunities to expand its supply. Oldham Liberal Democrat councillors have previously raised concerns about the Labour controlled Council’s strategy for electric vehicles, pointing out existing plans would not be good enough if Oldham is to reach the key target of 3,000 charging points by 2025. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “Labour have dragged their heels on this for too long now. We have Mayor Burnham rolling ahead with Clean Air Zone plans that will make electric vehicles ever more important, but lack of action from our Labour controlled council has…

07Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

A glorious day for a glorious occasion in Shaw and Crompton

Borough news

In Shaw Memorial Gardens on Thursday evening the community of Shaw and Crompton came together to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the lighting of the beacon. Councillor Diane Williamson, Liberal Democrat for Crompton said: “I was absolutely thrilled with the amount of people that came along to the event, to watch the performances from Crompton House School choir and band as well as the phenomenal Elizabeth Phillips – they were fantastic.” The event would not have happened without New Image, who provided lighting and music, Shaw & Crompton Town Crier, First Response, Liberty, Crompton House School, Elizabeth Phillips, the six Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat Borough Councillors and the District Co-ordinator. "The weather held off so we could light the beacon at 9:45pm; the community was in fine voice…

07Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham recycling rates are the worst in Greater Manchester and 231st in the country

Borough news, environment

Oldham Council has been slammed for its pitifully low recycling rates. Data from LetsRecycle.com shows that, in Oldham Borough, only 36.7% of household waste was sent for reuse, recycling or composting last year. Labour controlled Oldham council ranks 231st on the national recycling league tables and is tied with Manchester City Council as the worst local authority in Greater Manchester for recycling. The best local councils in the country are St. Albans, South Oxfordshire, Three Rivers District and Vale of White Horse District Council Councils. All four are run by the Liberal Democrats. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “These figures are a disgrace. Residents expect the council to be leading on recycling. People want to do their bit for the environment, but these figures show that…

01Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Council shamed by staff survey results

Borough news, fairer council

A survey into council staff satisfaction has exposed a culture of slipping standards at Oldham Civic Centre, with 50% of council workers saying they would not recommend Oldham Council as a place to work. Liberal Democrat Group Leader and Leader of the Opposition, councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “These results show that a long-term culture of falling standards is developing under Labour’s leadership of Oldham Borough Council. The Labour administration has failed to get the basics right under successive council leaders and we now have a mountain to climb to get our staff back on board.” Sykes’s comments come after 2021 staff survey data revealed that the council’s performance as an employer had dropped sharply across the board when compared with the last staff survey which was completed in 2016.…

30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Shaw and Crompton Jubilee Celebrations

Borough news

Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillors are delighted to announce that they will be hosting an event in the Memorial Gardens, on Thursday 2 June for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (see below). Cllr Diane Williamson said: “There have been a number of complications, but we can finally announce what will be happened on the start of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.” 2pm in the Memorial Gardens – the Town Crier will read the proclamation. Evening Running order:8:30pm - Performances Choir / Band / Soprano9:00pm - Performances Choir / Band / Soprano9:35pm – Flute player – Dui Regnard (Flute player from Crompton House School)9:40pm – Cornet Players – ‘Majesty’9:45pm – Lighting of the beacon in conjunction with the Choir and Soprano singing ‘A Life Lived With Grace'9:50pm - Event ends “We…

30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

How much public money have you wasted on Clean Air Zone signs Mr Mayor?

Borough news, environment, road safety

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader has criticised wasteful clean air signs after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was forced to backtrack on his plans for a £60 per week Clean Air Zone. Shaw Councillor and Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats, Howard Sykes MBE said, “Everybody can see the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) for what it is, a complete and utter shambles. In recent weeks, we’ve had the spectacle of Mr Burnham going cap-in-hand to the Government asking to be allowed to scrap the charges from his Clean Air Zone. This U turn is welcome but why did he not do this in the first place? This is just months after he announced plans to implement Europe’s largest clean air charging zone. And just weeks after he had to scurry around Greater…

22May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government threatens to scrap levelling up plans days after they were announced

Borough news, housing and development, Parliamentary news

The government came under heavy criticism from councils and developers after it emerged that plans had been made to scrap their Levelling Up plans just days after the Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Howard Sykes MBE said, “The government have promised to deliver a levelling up agenda for years now and when we finally see a Bill being brought forward, they’ve left themselves a sneaky hidden option to drop it all together when things get tough. Clearly ‘Levelling Up’ is just a political slogan to this Conservative government and they want to make sure they can still use it at the next General Election. “The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill commits the government to ‘levelling up missions’ around the country. These missions – which…

13May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Protections for cash machines announced in Queen’s Speech

Borough news, Parliamentary news

Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader and Shaw councillor, Howard Sykes MBE has been campaigning against cash machine closures in recent years and has welcomed the recent Queen’s Speech announcement about cash machines (ATMs). According to analysis from consumer researchers at ‘Which?’, since 2015, almost half of the UK’s bank branch network has closed. In addition, a further 12,178 free-to-use cash machines have vanished since 2018. During yesterday’s Queen’s Speech, the government pledged to introduce a Financial Services and Markets Bill, which will contain measures to protect cash machines and keep them readily available to businesses and members of the public. “Access to cash is vital for businesses and individuals, even in today’s environment where so many transactions are cashless. We have already lost several cash machines in Shaw and Crompton.…

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