04Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Spending review forces inflation busting rises on Council Tax payers to fund essential social care

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats have described the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s recent Spending Review as “a failure to provide” money needed to build back better public services and a greener Britain after the Covid-19 pandemic.  Responding to the disappointing review, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “The Chancellor squandered this opportunity to properly support local authorities in these most-troubling times with more finance, and to invest in the health and social care sector and in combatting climate change to help make Britain better after Covid-19. “The Government has failed yet again to address the long-term challenge of sustainable funding for adult social care. The financial responsibility for social care has once again been shifted onto local taxpayers and councils have been given ‘permission’ to raise council tax well…
Read More
04Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat call for support for Small Business Saturday (5 December)

Borough news
As the national lockdown lifts this week and so called non-essential shops open once more in time for Christmas, Liberal Democrat Councillors are asking local shoppers to consider giving more of their custom to smaller independent shops across the Borough, instead of patronising large store chains or buying gifts from online megastores. Small Business Saturday (5 December) is an annual event to promote the virtues of shopping with small and local businesses. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrats, is a big fan: “As someone brought up in family-run shop in Shaw, I believe that shopping in a small store is more friendly, more personable and more fun. There is no joy in fighting your way through Christmas crowds in a large department store and shopping online…
Read More
02Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats seek further support for carers

Liberal Democrats seek further support for carers

Borough news
A recent survey by Carers UK found that four in five unpaid carers were providing more care for relatives during the Covid-19 pandemic and that two thirds were worried about how they might cope with these demands when faced with further lockdowns or local restrictions. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Mayor of Greater Manchester and to the Leader of Oldham Council with two requests to improve the rights of carers in Greater Manchester and to make life for local working carers a little easier. Councillor Sykes has written to the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asking him to make the Greater Manchester Care Leavers’ Travel Offer open to young adult carers. Commenting he said: “I have asked Mayor Burnham to make this available…
Read More
02Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Davey: Child Trust Fund reforms do not go far enough

Davey: Child Trust Fund reforms do not go far enough

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's announcement that Child Trust Fund court fees will be waived for parents, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Thousands of young disabled people are finding themselves locked out of their own Child Trust Funds when they turn 18. It’s good that the Government has finally recognised this problem, but waiving the court fee falls far, far short of an acceptable solution. “It will do nothing to alleviate the stress, hassle and bureaucracy involved in the current process. Ministers are displaying an appalling lack of understanding or empathy for the enormous challenges the carers face every day. “The Government must urgently implement a proper solution to this problem, that allows carers to access Child Trust Funds on behalf of disabled young people who lack the mental capacity…
Read More
01Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Debenhams collapse means more jobs wiped away on Rishi’s watch

Debenhams collapse means more jobs wiped away on Rishi’s watch

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that Debenhams stores are set to close affecting up to 12,000 jobs, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The news that Debenhams will be closing its stores is yet another blow to the UK economy. With the Arcadia Group entering administration last night, thousands more jobs have been potentially wiped away on Rishi Sunak's watch. "During the pandemic when so many are already struggling to get by, unemployment will have a devastating impact. This Government's failure to get a grip on the virus has seen tens of thousands of livelihoods lost, and these extra job losses means thousands more families across the UK wondering how they're going to get by. “Our high streets now need urgent government action to safeguard their future. A first step…
Read More
01Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

24-hour high street shopping proposal is ‘madness’

Borough news
Local Government Minister Robert Jenrick MP has announced his intention to allow shops to remain open around the clock in the run-up to Christmas, and Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is far from happy. Describing the move as “madness”, Councillor Sykes said: “Once more a Conservative Minister has shown themselves to be completely out of touch with reality. It might work in an out-of-town retail park where no-one lives, but we have communities where supermarkets are situated cheek-by-jowl with homes. Imagine living next door to a supermarket or department store open 24-hours, dealing with the noise and the traffic of Christmas shoppers and of delivery trucks. Unlike London, we do not have a 24-hour public transport system so shoppers would still come in by car in the wee…
Read More
30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems withholding support on tier system amid Tory rebellion

Lib Dems withholding support on tier system amid Tory rebellion

Parliamentary news
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has slammed the Government for failing to build a plan to “bring the virus under control and keep people safe” and warned that Ministers must address growing concerns before his Party can vote for the new system. In a letter to the Prime Minister ahead of the vote on the new measures in Parliament, the Liberal Democrat leader made clear that “without the assurances the public need” the Liberal Democrats “cannot in all conscience vote for this plan.” The Liberal Democrats have called on the Prime Minister to first address a series of concerns before the Party’s MPs will vote for a new system. They include Full release of the scientific evidence underpinning the tier system, including economic and health impact assessments.An ongoing…
Read More
30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must provide vital clarity on community testing

Government must provide vital clarity on community testing

Parliamentary news
Following the Health Secretary's press conference this afternoon, Liberal Democrat Health, Care and Wellbeing spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “Although Matt Hancock's promise that the Government now has the virus “back under control” may bring comfort to some, it will predominantly remind the public of just how out of control cases of coronavirus became on his watch. The failure by Ministers to prevent a second wave, which has taken a huge toll on both lives and livelihoods right across the UK, is utterly shameful. "Community testing was supposed to be the passport out of tier 3, yet today we have heard some areas may not get access to this testing until the end of January. We need much more clarity about which areas will receive mass testing when, and this must…
Read More
30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Last orders for many Oldham pubs

Last orders for many Oldham pubs

Borough news
Oldham publicans will be able to summon up little festive cheer as they face a bleak mid-winter with the latest Christmas lockdown. In a speech in Parliament last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP announced that the Borough will be in Tier-3 once the national lockdown ends at midnight on December 2 meaning that for the foreseeable future no pubs will be able to open. It is also unlikely to change when this is first reviewed in two weeks. The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that for many struggling pubs another lockdown over what should be for publicans the busiest trading period of the year will lead to permanent closure. Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wants to see the government do more to help struggling pubs. He…
Read More
30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Council needs to plan properly for 20mph limits

Council needs to plan properly for 20mph limits

Borough news, road safety
Having finally listened to Liberal Democrat calls for 20mph speed limits in Saddleworth’s villages, Oldham Council now needs to introduce fair and transparent guidelines for when they will be considered – and think ahead on what is happening when the current 18 month orders to implement them run out, says Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. A 20mph limit has already been introduced in Uppermill, and more are in process throughout Saddleworth, no current guidance has been issued as to what roads can be considered or when. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The system needs to be simple, clear and fair. Other Councils have rules in place such as considering an application after a set number of complaints from residents, or when there are particular considerations in the road layout,…
Read More