01Jul 2017 by Saddleworth Lib Dems
Alan Belmore open letter to Saddleworth South residents

Alan Belmore open letter to Saddleworth South residents

Saddleworth News
[caption id="attachment_152" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cllr Alan Belmore[/caption] Dear Neighbour, My name is Alan Belmore, and for the past two years I have served as the Saddleworth Parish Councillor for Greenfield and also as leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council. During that time, I have seen a Parish Council that is in urgent need of radical reform. Too often it is focused on squabbling and petty bickering, and fails to achieve anything for the people of Saddleworth. The Parish Council could be a body which campaigns for Saddleworth and delivers real benefit to the people living here. There are so many things which a united team could achieve on that council. I have therefore today committed to building the right team of people who can shake up the…
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21Jun 2017 by Saddleworth Lib Dems
Garth Harkness writes to Manchester Mayor

Garth Harkness writes to Manchester Mayor

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness wrote the following letter to Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham: Congratulations on being elected Greater Manchester’s first Mayor. I am sure you are aware that this week is Refugee Week. On behalf of the Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group, I would like to raise with you the issue of the support we offer in Greater Manchester to refugees seeking employment and how we could enhance it. As you will be aware, refugees are former asylum seekers whose claims to remain and work in the UK have been allowed by the Home Office. Refugees in Greater Manchester want to work, but experience unemployment on a scale hugely disproportionate to the wider population. According to research published by the Manchester Refugee Employment Partnership in 2013, at that…
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01May 2017 by Saddleworth Lib Dems
Greenfield Post Office Victory

Greenfield Post Office Victory

Saddleworth News
[caption id="attachment_134" align="alignleft" width="200"] Alan Belmore shows his letter from the Post Office, committing to keeping our facilities[/caption] Post Office Ltd has agreed that Greenfield Post Office will move to the Newsagents on Chew Valley Road, near to Road End, after a statutory public consultation. This follows the successful public Campaign To Keep a Post Office in Greenfield led by Richard Knowles and Councillors Alan Belmore and John McCann. Richard Knowles says “It has taken many months of lobbying and a site meeting in the newsagents to obtain Post Office Ltd’s agreement. The combination of our excellent newsagent (who still delivers newspapers) and the Post Office provides a viable future for both businesses. Public services are vital for the life and vitality of our village communities and I am delighted…
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19Apr 2017 by Saddleworth Lib Dems
Lib Dem petition to save the Green Belt and green spaces

Lib Dem petition to save the Green Belt and green spaces

Borough news, Saddleworth News
[caption id="attachment_130" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cllrs Garth Harkness and Derek Heffernan by a threatend site in Scouthead[/caption] The Liberal Democrats have started a petition to Oldham council to call on them to withdraw from the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework At the meeting on 22nd March the Liberal Democrat group proposed a motion calling Oldham Council to withdraw from the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) and to instead develop a local plan for housing and commercial development in the borough. They were frustrated by an amendment that means Oldham will now not withdraw Saddleworth North Councillor Garth Harkness said “It is frustrating that Labour, lacking the honesty to vote openly for keeping GMSF,   ‘amended’ and wrecked  our proposal by taking out the resolution to leave.  So Labour will wring its hands but make sure…
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03Mar 2016 by Saddleworth Lib Dems
Saddleworth School Judicial review- Lib Dem joint statement

Saddleworth School Judicial review- Lib Dem joint statement

Saddleworth News
The Judicial Review by Mr. Justice Kerr has upheld only 1 of the 9 objections put forwards by the objectors group with the other 8 being decisively dismissed. This means that the application will have to go back to the Oldham Council Planning Committee so due consideration of other sites issue to be included in the process. No doubt many parents, grandparents and pupils will be so disappointed at the further delay in providing a new school building for Saddleworth suitable for 21st century education yet they still reside in crumbling accommodation reaching the end of its life Indeed other schools funded in this programme are now built, occupied and providing the facilities we want for our young people Cllr Garth Harkness, Liberal Democrat, Saddleworth North, Oldham Council Cllr Derek…
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