27Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats say there will be less heartache if flooding funding upfront

Liberal Democrats say there will be less heartache if flooding funding upfront

Borough news
Paying home and business owners in flood areas grants up-front to make their properties ‘resilient’ is “common-sense and will save a lot of heartache” claims Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. Homes in Shaw and Saddleworth have previously been flooded, and with climate change resulting in warmer and wetter weather there is an increased likelihood of further flooding in future years. Councillor Al-Hamdani and his Oldham and Saddleworth Liberal Democrat councillors want to see the government do more to support home and business owners living with the risk by paying grants up-front rather than after disaster has befallen them, and they are bringing the issue as a motion to the next meeting of Oldham Council (3 November 2021). Commenting, Saddleworth West and Lees councillor Al-Hamdani, who is proposing the motion, said:…
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26Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Family hubs announcement is “a drop in the ocean”

Family hubs announcement is “a drop in the ocean”

Parliamentary news
Responding to the government's announcement on funding for 'family hubs' for early years, the new Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: “Investment in family hubs is welcome, but this is a drop in the ocean compared to what’s needed for early years and childcare. “Families around the country are struggling to afford childcare costs or get a nursery place. They deserve a fair deal with quality childcare provision for all, giving children the best start in life and parents more choice about when to return to work. "Instead this is just tinkering at the edges of a broken early years system reeling from years of Conservative underfunding and neglect."
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25Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lack of clarity on NHS funding an insult to millions waiting for treatment

Lack of clarity on NHS funding an insult to millions waiting for treatment

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have said the government’s decision to brief a Budget announcement on NHS funding to the media before Parliament is an "insult" to the millions of people desperate for answers on when they will get their treatment. Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper tabled an Urgent Question in Parliament today on the issue that was granted by the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. He warned ahead of the debate that the move was unacceptable and that the government “shouldn't try to run roughshod over this House". Speaking in response to Daisy Cooper’s question, Minister Edward Argar failed to provide clarity on where the funding was coming from and said that the details would have to wait until the Budget. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:…
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03Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Continued wait for EU replacement cash means Conservative government ‘short-changing Oldham’, says Sykes

Continued wait for EU replacement cash means Conservative government ‘short-changing Oldham’, says Sykes

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrats are disappointed that promised government cash to replace the development grants previously provided by the European Union is too little and still hasn’t arrived. In the last round of European funding (2014-2020), the ten Greater Manchester authorities received £322.75m [European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) (£176.78m) and the European Social Funding (ESF) (£145.97m)]. Over each of the six years this represented £53.8m per year. In 2017, the Conservatives promised to replace these funds with a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund once the UK exited the European Union. Ministers now say they plan to launch this in 2022 and in the meantime have made only £220 million available this year through a stopgap UK Community Renewal Fund. Local authorities have been invited to bid, with those councils in greater…
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22Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Safer streets fund opportunity for Oldham

Safer streets fund opportunity for Oldham

Borough news
The addition of £25 million from the Home Office into the Safer Streets fund is an opportunity for Oldham to improve its work in schools to combat violence against women and girls, and combat public street harassment, says local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani With the opportunity to bid for up to £550,000, Councillor Al-Hamdani has written to Oldham Council to ensure that they apply to run a programme later this year, such as introducing educational and community programmes across the Borough. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “Oldham Council already pledged to support Our Streets Now’s work to improve education in schools to combat harassment, and it is vital that we take every opportunity to change the culture around violence and abuse.  “The release of the Ofsted review of sexual abuse emphasized…
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27May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Cross-Party MPs: Education Secretary must scrap proposed cuts to arts funding

Cross-Party MPs: Education Secretary must scrap proposed cuts to arts funding

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Business spokesperson, Sarah Olney MP, has led a group of 51 MPs and Peers in calling for Gavin Williamson to issue new guidance to the Office for Students (OfS) and reconsider the proposed 50% cuts to the high-cost subject funding of arts subjects. In a letter sent to the OfS, the Secretary proposed cutting residual funding in half for Higher Education (HE) subjects not amongst the Government’s “strategic priorities” in England. Courses in music, dance, drama and performing arts, art and design, media studies and archaeology will therefore, under the proposals, suffer a 50% cut to their ‘high-cost subject funding’, which is provided for subjects with higher teaching costs. Independent campaign group Public Campaign for the Arts, whose efforts Sarah is supporting, has launched a petition calling for…
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24Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, “let’s get it done”, say Liberal Democrats

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, “let’s get it done”, say Liberal Democrats

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to see the Conservative Government honour the promise it made after the British people voted to Brexit to replace the funding received from the European Union with a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In the last round of European funding (2014–2020), the ten authorities of Greater Manchester received £322.75m, from the European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) (£176.78m) and the European Social Funding (ESF) (£145.97m). Over each of the six years this represented £53.8m per year. In the Conservative Party Manifesto for the 2017 General Election campaign, the party pledged to create this new fund to ‘reduce inequalities between communities across our four nations’. To help shape the fund the incoming Conservative government committed to ‘consult widely on the design of the fund, including with the…
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13Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Save Oldham’s Services

Borough news
The COVID-19 outbreak is placing massive pressure on services provided by both Oldham Council and the NHS. Team Oldham, the voluntary sector and the community have worked tirelessly throughout this pandemic to keep Oldham residents safe. This vital work has come at a massive financial cost to Oldham Council. Although further government funding has been announced, it is not enough to fully support the people of Oldham. We’re calling on the community to say thanks to those who have been working to look after others, the care workers, waste disposal teams, emergency helpline operators and more. To enable us to keep being there for our residents we now need the support from Government in the form of fair funding. This funding will help make up the costs the council has…
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09Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Govt must foot the bill to keep TV licences free for over 75s

Parliamentary news
Responding to news that the BBC will ask over 75s to start paying for TV licenses from 1 August, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “Many people over the age of 75 are worried about stepping foot outside their homes due to the risk of COVID-19. For those who are isolated, television is a lifeline - especially right now. It is a travesty that many may now lose access to this vital service. "The Government has forced the BBC into a corner where it has to choose between further cuts to its programming or raising these fees. The Government must foot the bill so that millions of elderly people are not left without television during this ongoing crisis and commit to a new independent body…
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09Dec 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats call for proper funding for public health services

Borough news
At the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 12 December), the Liberal Democrats will be proposing a motion calling on the Conservative Government to restore disastrous cuts made to public health. The motion will be proposed by Councillor Chris Gloster and seconded by Councillor Garth Harkness. Councillor Chris Gloster In the 2015 Budget, the Chancellor announced a £200 million in-year cut to the Public Health Grant, followed by a further real-terms cut averaging 3.9% each year (until 2020/21) in the 2015 Spending Review. These cuts are having a significant impact on public health services and functions. By way of example, research conducted by Action on Smoking and Health and Cancer Research UK shows that, following reductions to the Public Health Grant in 2015, 2016, and 2017, stop smoking services…
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