08Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Davey: We must match the scale of the crisis with the courage to invest

Parliamentary news
Speaking after the Chancellor's Summer Statement, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Coronavirus has left countless families facing serious financial hardship. More than a million people have lost their jobs and many more are worried about losing theirs in the weeks and months ahead. “While I welcome short term measures to help people now, the Chancellor has no serious long term economic strategy for dealing with unemployment, climate change and inequality. “Totally absent today was any measure to help the millions excluded from Covid support - like new starters, newly self-employed people and freelancers. They haven’t been helped at all so far and yet represent some of the most vulnerable groups. They must not be left behind. “Fundamentally, we need a radically new approach to building a…
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30Jan 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats find more cash for highways and environment

Borough news
– Money would also build a new health centre for Shaw and Crompton by cutting civic centre waste In their budget proposals for the coming financial year (2019/20), the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council have found more than £2 million more to invest in front-line services over the next three years largely by identifying more ways to save money at the Civic Centre.  This money would be used to pay for a further £5 million investment in the Borough’s highways, including a £1 million fund dedicated to restoring pedestrian footways; create a new Environmental Task Force to respond quickly and effectively to instances of fly-tipping, dog-fouling and littering; and pay to build a new health centre for patients in Shaw and Crompton.  The Liberal Democrats also want to reverse…
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31Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Chancellor promises end of austerity, but no end to Oldham Council funding cuts

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the promise by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in today’s Budget that ‘austerity is coming to an end’ and his recognition that local authorities have ‘significantly contributed’ towards the UK Government in addressing austerity, albeit through being forced to accept swingeing general cuts to their funding. Councillor Sykes has also welcomed the promised extra funding to tackle potholes across the country and for new services to help those in mental health crisis, contemplating suicide, or living with infirmity or disabilities; however the Chancellor was short on detail when it came to rolling back the massive funding cuts that local authorities have faced since 2010. “Some of this so called funding will not happen…
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02Sep 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Street cleaning investment “Welcome but long overdue” says Sykes

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has given a cautious welcome to the announcement that Oldham Council will employ more street cleaners and enforcement officers. He questions why it was not done sooner, while in recent years this service and staff numbers have been reduced and also now whether we will now see cleaner streets everywhere across the Borough. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said:  “This decision and U – turn by Labour to invest more in street cleaners and enforcement officers is very welcome, but long overdue.  For many years now, the Liberal Democrats have been calling for more investment in street cleaning and enforcement action in the amendments that we have proposed every year in Council to the annual budget. …
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01Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

The alternative Liberal Democrat Budget Council speech

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Mr Mayor, I rise tonight to second the amendment to the Administration’s Budget proposed by the Opposition Liberal Democrat Group. Local government continues to be butchered disproportionately - hit by the Conservative Government’s continued adherence to so-called austerity. The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement announced in December did not bring us an early Christmas present; it simply represented yet more pain for us to absorb. The Liberal Democrat Group recognises that in our financial situation the Labour Administration has once more had to reduce overall spending whilst, regrettably, increasing Council Tax by a further 3.99%. Through necessity, we will support the rise to pay for improvements to adult social care and services. This is albeit reluctantly because we know that many residents in our Borough have not seen any increase in their…
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01Mar 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives zero, Liberal Democrats one as Tories fail to show at Oldham Budget Council meeting

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Liberal Democrat Councillor John McCann was surprised to find that he was the only Councillor from the three in Saddleworth South Ward on Oldham Council who bothered to turn up for Wednesday’s important Budget Council meeting (28 February 2018). He explained: “I was disappointed that Conservative Councillors, John Hudson and Graham Sheldon, sent their apologies and failed to show.  I know it was not good weather wise, but I felt it was my duty to make it, whatever the weather.  I think the public expect us to be there and I have to travel a similar distance to get here as they do.  If anything they could be closer to the civic centre than I am!” Councillor John McCann proposed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Labour budget that would…
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