29Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Daytime Economy Task Force also needed to save our high streets, says Liberal Democrat leader

Borough news, Campaigns
The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Council Leader congratulating him on establishing a ‘night-time economy taskforce’ and asking him to do the same for the day-time economy to help save high streets across the borough. Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “Our high streets are slowly dying and if we want vibrant retail and leisure centres across our borough, not just in Oldham but also in Shaw, Uppermill, Royton, Lees, Chadderton and Failsworth, we must do all we can to help them. Otherwise I fear that more and more stores will close in the Spindles and Town Square shopping centres and we will see the encroachment of yet more charity shops, which benefit from being exempted from…
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29Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Greater Manchester housing figures ‘not mandatory’ and greenbelt building should be ‘exceptional’, says Government Minister

Borough news, Campaigns, Saddleworth News
In a reply to the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, a Conservative Minister conceded that Government policy appears to allow for building less housing than is currently planned under Greater Manchester Spatial Framework proposals and the green belt can only be built on ‘in exceptional circumstances’. Councillor Sykes wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire MP, in February. Kit Malthouse MP responded on Mr Brokenshire’s behalf earlier this month as Minister for Housing. Although original government estimates were that there be a need for 213,380 extra homes in Greater Manchester by 2035, later projections released by the Office for National Statistics in 2016 put the figure at only 164,000.  In his letter,…
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23Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Green Belt Land Grab ‘completely unacceptable’

Borough news, Campaigns
The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has submitted a strongly-worded letter of objection on behalf of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group outlining why the revised Greater Manchester Spatial Framework proposals still remain ‘a massive and inequitable land grab’ in Crompton, Shaw and Royton (deadline for submissions was the 18 March).   These proposals will result in the devastation of local Green Belt and Other Protected Open Land Sites for housing development being ‘completely unacceptable’. Councillor Sykes said: “The Liberal Democrat position remains clear and unequivocal.  We want to see all new housing developments built on brownfield sites or on existing sites with planning permission for housing, or through bringing existing empty homes back into use, or the conversion of empty mills, offices and…
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20Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Pay carers who accompany claimants to medicals, say Liberal Democrats

Borough news, Campaigns, Saddleworth News
PLiberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness has written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Amber Rudd MP, asking for carers or companions who accompany claimants with disabilities to medicals to be reimbursed their travel expenses and for travel expenses to be reimbursed in cash on the day. Councillor Harkness said: “The Department of Work and Pensions encourages claimants who apply for Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments to take along with them a carer or companion if they need assistance or support to attend their medical assessments.” “Most assessments are carried out at Albert Bridge House in central Manchester requiring travel for most claimants by public transport, yet only the claimant is currently entitled to the reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses. This seems manifestly unfair; it disadvantages…
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20Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats propose action on dog fouling and microchipping

Borough news, Campaigns
The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council has proposed a motion to the Council (Wednesday 20 March) calling for more action on dog fouling and microchipping by adopting good practice from other local authorities, by making use of new technologies, and by working with the Dogs Trust charity. The motion is being proposed by Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Gloster, who recently showed his support for the Dogs Trust campaign ‘A Tail of True Love’ which calls on all dog owners to take responsibility and show ‘true love’ to their pets by cleaning up after them. Councillor Gloster said: “Dog fouling remains one of my constituents’ biggest bugbears. As a ward councillor, I receive many complaints as do my Liberal Democrat colleagues in Shaw and Crompton. Not only is dog…
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20Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats suggest new measures to tackle speeding

Borough news, Campaigns, Saddleworth News
Saddleworth North Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness has proposed a motion to Oldham Council (Wednesday 20 March) asking for further measures to be adopted to tackle speeding across the borough, including in his own ward. Councillor Harkness first asked for action in a letter sent last September to the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Arooj Shah. Unfortunately six months on, nothing seems to have changed. Councillor Harkness said: “Speeding is one of those issues that every ward councillor receives complaints about on a regular basis, yet action on this issue by this Labour Administration seems so slow. In contrast, the Liberal Democrats seek action on road safety issues.” “We have previously proposed 30mph zones on residential streets but, after a long look by the Overview and Scrutiny Board, nothing…
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03Mar 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New Saddleworth school application approval welcomed by Lib Dems

Borough news, Campaigns, Saddleworth News
For many years we have had students at Saddleworth school who were promised a new school and yet are now well on into adulthood. Other school proposals have come and been built yet in Saddleworth we have a generation who have missed out. For too long the wishes of the school and the children have been ignored. We praise the work done by Saddleworth parents and children amongst many others who want the school built. The Liberal Democrats have always unanimously supported a new school wherever the Education Funding Agency saw was appropriate. We wanted a new school and have been open about this. We along with others have been abused at times for our position on the school. Having different views is fine but threats and abuse over someone’s…
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25Feb 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Moran: Use of Vagrancy Act should shame the Government

Campaigns, Parliamentary news
A Freedom of Information request has shown that 6,518 ‘offenders’ were found guilty under the Vagrancy Act (1824) between the years 2014 to 2017 in England and Wales.  The Metropolitan Police were the most likely force to use the Act, which criminalises rough sleepers, averaging 459 convictions a year. West Midlands police force area averaged 161, and Merseyside averaged 148 per year.  Commenting on the findings, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who has brought forward legislation to scrap the Vagrancy Act, said: “The Government, and local authorities, should be ashamed that they have continued to allow the use of a law that makes rough sleeping a criminal offence, and for it to be used so prolifically with little regard for the people afflicted. “This law was controversial 200 years ago,…
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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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20Feb 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Why can’t we use lower housing figure to save greenbelt?

Borough news, Campaigns
The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire MP, to ask him whether it would in fact be permissible for the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester to use the lower figures for expected household growth published in 2016 to decide on the number of homes to be built in the conurbation under the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework. Thousands of these new homes would be built on Green Belt sites in Crompton, Shaw, Royton and Chadderton. Figures published by Mr Brokenshire’s own department in 2012 indicated that households in Greater Manchester would increase by 213,380 by 2035, or 18.75%, yet by contrast the more recent figures…
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