My speech seconded our proposals.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I’m proud to rise in support of our Liberal Democrat budget proposals this evening.

Our priorities reflect the real priorities of people across Oldham Borough.

We seek to build a safer, greener and cleaner Oldham with fairer futures for the next generation. 

• New funding for ’20 is Plenty’ residential streets
• A New parks and recreational spaces fund
• More cash to tackle crumbling roads and footpaths
• More action on enviro crimes (litter, fly-tipping, dog fouling)
• New children’s social care residential home
  
  

Tonight, the Liberal Democrats are setting out a plan that focuses our resources on getting the basics right.  That is what our constituents deserve and expect, Madam Mayor. 

Our proposals set out plans for 20 is plenty streets.  Safer neighbourhoods, where 20 mph is more than enough for residential areas. 

Real action on Environmental Crime.  Getting to grips with this administration’s pitiful record on tackling littering, fly-tipping and dog-fouling offences. 

Earlier this year it was confirmed that the Council issued only 64 littering fines in 2022, down from 194 in 2020, when Covid restrictions were still in place.  The Council also confirmed that fewer fly-tipping fines were handed out – 33 in 2022, down from 50 in 2020.  It is an understatement to say this direction of travel is very much in the wrong direction.

We would establish a much-needed designated parks and green spaces fund. 

Our green spaces were a lifeline during Covid but we need to invest in them now.

Social care is one of the greatest challenges that government at all levels must grapple with. 

We must break our dependency on the private sector by providing care places in our Borough, run by the council.  And we must bring down our agency spend by training and retaining top-quality care workers here in Oldham. 

Yes – There is a national crisis in social care recruitment and retention and yes – it requires national solutions.  National solutions like a Carers Minimum Wage. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new minimum wage for care workers – two pound per hour higher than the current minimum wage. 

We urge colleagues across the chamber to get behind that policy because it would be transformative for the caring professions that we all know are under-valued and under-incentivised.  

But what we can do locally, is provide more council-led facilities for care.  These Liberal Democrat Budget proposals would deliver a new children’s residential care home in Oldham.

This makes sense for our young people but also makes financial sense and pays for itself very quickly.

Properly resourced youth services can act as a lifeline for many and they provide the first opportunity for the early intervention that we know alleviates pressure on other services further down the road.

Our plan would provide funds to improve youth services across all the districts of our Borough. 

And finally, we would provide more cash to fix our crumbling roads and establish some budget provision to do something about the dreadful state of our pavements.

So I commend our proposals to you.  A safer, cleaner, and greener Oldham.

These are the people’s priorities.  What you – the people of Oldham – have told us you want from your Council.

Please support the amendment.