07Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Common-sense for public sector staff to be able to access Covid-19 App

Common-sense for public sector staff to be able to access Covid-19 App

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, was disappointed to discover recently that his Oldham Council-issued business smart phone would not permit him to download the new Government recommended Track and Trace Covid-19 App without special permission.  He has now contacted senior officers at the Council to suggest that the App be allowed to be downloaded onto every Council-electronic device used by its employees.  This suggestion is now being rolled out across the board. But Councillor Sykes has now gone one further.  He has written to Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, who in addition to being Chief Executive at Oldham Council, is the national officer lead on Track and Trace, to request that all public sector organisations in Oldham also ensure that their employees will also be able to access…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Borough news
Oldham Council’s Health and Well-being Board has failed to meet four times in the last twelve months, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member, is not impressed. Councillor Sykes has written to Board Chair, Councillor Jean Stretton, to point out this represents a serious democratic deficit especially when the Health and Well-being Board is charged with providing oversight to social care and NHS services.   Councillor Sykes says that: “At a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.” His hope is that the Chair will agree that the Board should: “not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.”
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18Feb 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader surprised at deficiencies in the collection of pothole data

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has been surprised to discover that Oldham Council officers do not record the number of potholes that are reported, nor the number of potholes that are repaired.  Councillor Sykes has written to Helen Lockwood, Deputy Chief Executive – People at Place at Oldham to ask why? Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “This information was disclosed in answer to a Freedom of Information request.  I am very surprised that we do not collect this data as surely we need it to determine how effective our road repair work is?” “Last November (2018), the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group brought a motion to the Council meeting seeking a commitment to the Council to repair potholes posing a hazard to…
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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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08Nov 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Better health services for Saddleworth

Borough news
At the Oldham Council meeting on Wednesday 7th October 2018 Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness called for the council, as part of the Health Impact Assessment to bring more varied health services to Saddleworth. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “Liberal Democrats have long since campaigned for better health outcomes in this chamber including creating health equality for mental health and more access to defibrillators – both 24 hours and in public buildings. I support the creation of a Health Impact Assessment to make improvements in health and wellbeing.” Councillor Garth Harkness argued that evidence from government papers clearly points to delivering services locally and that the new cluster structure can be an opportunity for Saddleworth. He said: “The creation of the clusters lends itself to developing better local services. Saddleworth is almost…
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