Oldham Liberal Democrats have discovered that the Labour Council leaders of the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester have made ‘a backroom deal’ with Labour Mayor Andy Burnham that only they will need to sign off on plans to build new homes and factories across the city region as proposed as part of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF). Each of the 10 authorities need to agree to the plans but previously it was the councils (and all their councillors) that agreed such matters, this has now all changed.
Commenting the Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:
“Local Councillors and local residents deserve a say in how many homes are built, and where and when. The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, when it is finally approved, will be the plan to build homes across Greater Manchester for the next twenty years. This is one of the most important decisions that will affect the lives of everyone living in Oldham Borough for the next two decades. If we get it wrong, it will represent a disaster for our communities and for our Green Belt and green spaces. Yet the ten Labour Council leaders are saying ‘leave it to us, we know what is best for you’.”
Councillor Sykes believes he knows why the agreement has been reached:
“When Labour’s initial plans to build thousands of new homes on Green Belt land in Shaw, Crompton, Saddleworth, Royton and Chadderton were first unveiled, they were bitterly opposed by local Liberal Democrat Councillors in these areas and by many thousands of local residents.”
“Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, Liberal Democrat Councillors and residents’ groups have led the charge against these proposals. Such was the strength of local feeling that there was a demonstration in Tandle Hill Country Park and residents from our Borough joined others from across Greater Manchester to protest in Albert Square outside Manchester Town Hall.”
“Public sentiment is the same across Greater Manchester – NO to building new homes on our green belt and YES to local Councillors and people playing their part in deciding where the new homes are built. This agreement represents a backroom deal to make it easier for Labour to push through their plans and prevent opponents from being able to block unsuitable developments or safeguard the green belt.”
Councillor Sykes will be demanding answers: “I will be asking the Leader of Oldham Council to explain this decision and to find out whether he has any plans at all to allow local councillors to have a say on the proposed sites for development and I will let you know how he responds. It is simply not right that such an important decision can be agreed by leaders and the Mayor rather than the 10 councils themselves.”
This is totally undemocratic and I will support the Liberal Democrats against this action. Keep me informed and tell me what I can do to help
I will put this on the agenda for FCMs next meeting. Losing Greenbelt land affects us all and we need to fight to keep it
Many thanks. We all need to work hard and together to fight this.
This Green Belt move is purely a political move to silence the opposition to all the Labour Planning motions regarding ‘Green Belt’.
Is this another loop hole that the double dealing councils have come up with.
What kind of a dictatorship are we moving into.
Why do we need a Mayor for greater Manchester when every Metropolitan
Authority already have a First Citizen.
One wonders which Gravy train thy are on and can they see it hitting the buffers.
It is the double dealing Labour not councils.
We knew exactly what would happen when there was so much reaction in the form of the interdistrict march,which was so successful.
We remember the words spoken at the Council Meeting to discuss the future of Shaw swimming pool at which there were many present opposing its imminent closure.
When asked the question” in the event of you deciding to close the pool,can you give an assurance that it will remain open until the new pool at Royton is completed ?”
The response was that “we can give you that assurance,in view of the many groups that will be affected “.
We knew that this was never going to happen……..it didn’t.
We therefore knew that the decision- making format re numbers of new builds ,locations and “green belt “considerations would never be allowed to proceed in the proposed format.
We saw it coming…shameful !
I remember the broken baths pleadge as well. We still need to fight these GMSF proposals.