11Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Putting local children first

Putting local children first

Borough news, CSE, fairer council
Oldham & Saddleworth’s Liberal Democrat councillors have said that the report into historic safeguarding and CSE in the borough is a challenge to put children at the heart of everything the Council does and so have submitted a motion for the next Council Meeting on 13th July. Mark Kenyon, Liberal Democrat councillor for Grotton, Springhead & Lees, said: “The implications of Newsam & Ridgway’s report will take a long while to unpick – we have 50 outstanding questions alone – but there’s two things we can do straight away to make a change. Our motion for the next Council meeting asks that all future Council decisions made either by officers or councillors be explicitly weighed against the potential risk to children and on the level of Council spending locally.” Mark…
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31Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Covid letter ‘an absolute waste of Oldham Council Taxpayers’ money’

Borough news
The Liberal Democrat Deputy Group Leader on Oldham Council, Shaw Councillor Chris Gloster, is fuming at the cost of a letter sent to every household in the borough. The controversial letter, jointly signed by the Labour Leader of Oldham Council, councillor Sean Fielding, and Oldham Council’s Chief Executive, Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, relays what the council has been doing over the past twelve months during the Covid crisis, and concludes that by ‘working together and demonstrating that community spirit Oldham is famous for, we can get back to doing the things we love sooner’. Councillor Gloster is also the shadow portfolio holder for finance and knows how precious every Council Tax penny is. He railed against the waste of money sending out the letter represents: “To be blunt this is…
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10Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Labour axe health centres but carry on spending another £68M on Spindles

Labour axe health centres but carry on spending another £68M on Spindles

Borough news
Labour in Oldham voted against the construction of three health centres in Shaw & Crompton, Chadderton and Saddleworth, while voting to carry on spending more than £68 million on the renovation of Spindles shopping centre in the next five years. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “During the council meeting, there was a very emotive speech by one of the Labour councillors about being unable to put money towards health centres while there was hunger in the borough. I don’t understand why that doesn’t apply when it comes to spending on shopping centres.” The £68.3 million spending is in addition to the original purchase price for the centre, which was more than £10 million. Councillor Al-Hamdani continued: “Regeneration of the town centre is vital. We need to have ambitious plans…
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25Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Chancellor needs to be much more ambitious in Spending Review

Chancellor needs to be much more ambitious in Spending Review

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Chancellor's announcement ahead of the Spending Review, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: "For people worried about work now or facing continued exclusion from government support, investment in job centres is no replacement for a serious economic strategy to protect and create jobs. "The country needs a radically new approach to the recovery that tackles deep-seated inequality, prioritises unparalleled infrastructure investment into the green economy of the future and ensures no one is left behind. "Before the Chancellor stands up in Parliament, he still has time to think again and listen to Liberal Democrat calls to support carers with an extra £4bn to local authorities, extending access to free school meals and providing mental health services can support everyone."
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18Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham’s food not worth a hill of beans

Borough news
That’s the verdict according to Council spending records which show that of the £1.1 million spent by council bosses on food and drink since December 2019, a mere £12,500 was spent with businesses in the borough of Oldham.1 Imagine each and every baked bean represents £50: the pile of beans is the £1M+ spent OUT of the borough and the small can is what’s spent IN the borough. (all beans donated to Oldham Food Bank) Local Liberal Democrat campaigner, Mark Kenyon, who made the discovery, also pointed to claims made by Council bosses who regularly boast that local spending by the council is on the up – Sean Fielding as recently as June this year claimed that it was as high as 55%.2 “If these figures are anything to go…
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22Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Cannes you believe it?

Borough news, Parliamentary news
£10,000 would be better spent fixing our crumbling roads or providing care for our vulnerable children or elderly citizens rather than on French Seaside Spree, says Liberal Democrat Leader The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, has questioned the value of Oldham Council spending more than £10,000 + VAT to send two Council officers to the French Riviera resort of Cannes at a time when Council services have been cut to the bone. The two officers were representing Oldham Council at the three day Marché International des Professionnels d'Immobilier (MIPIM) property conference earlier this month.  Oldham Council was one of at least nine around the UK that the national press reported were sending representatives at public expense. Commenting Councillor Sykes stated: …
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