Starts on the 12 April for 30 days.

Welcome back we have missed you. From Monday 12 April.

Non-essential shops open.

Pubs and restaurants open, but outside only.

One household can stay away overnight in the UK.

Hairdressers and nail salons open.

Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family at this sad time, and the council will be writing to Buckingham Palace offering condolences.

Due to Coronavirus restrictions and the importance of staying safe, condolence books will not be available at civic buildings for people to sign in person, but an online book of condolence is now open here.

As per protocols the Union Flag has been lowered to half-mast at all council buildings, and will remain so until next Sunday, 18 April.

Oldham Parish Church will also toll their bells at 12 noon tomorrow, one for every year of the Duke of Edinburgh’s life.

Restart Grants launched this week – a new grant scheme for businesses who were forced to close during the national lockdown to help them reopen safely as COVID 19 restrictions are lifted.

The grants are for businesses who:

• Are liable for Business Rates in Oldham and trading on 1 April 2021
• Are in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care, accommodation, and gym, and sports sectors
• Offer in-person services where the main service or activity takes place in a fixed Business Rate-paying premises.

Applications opened on Tuesday and the council have processed payments totalling £1,688,679 to 218 local businesses so far.  Funds should hit bank accounts on Tuesday next week.

This is a new scheme and businesses must apply – even if they have previously received a Coronavirus business grant.

More information is available at www.oldham.gov.uk/restartgrants 

Restart Grants discretionary scheme

A discretionary scheme, for businesses in the above sectors that don’t pay rates, has also launched. It’s supported by the Additional Restrictions Grant.  To be eligible, businesses must have fixed property costs.

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group, councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has spoken with sadness about the death of HRH Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and has joined the chorus of voices offering condolences and sympathy to Her Majesty, The Queen and the Royal Family on their loss.

Councillor Sykes said:  “Today is a day of national mourning.  Like many British subjects, I have lived my whole life knowing only our Queen as my Sovereign and Prince Phillip as her Consort.  His Royal Highness Prince Phillip faithfully and selflessly served this country and the institution of the monarchy for decades, and was a stalwart support for Her Majesty, The Queen, throughout her long reign. He will be greatly missed by our Queen and the Royal Family and all of us.”

 “I would most like to express my condolences and sympathies to The Queen and members of the Royal Family”, added councillor Sykes. 

“Although this nation has lost a great public servant, we must remember that they have today lost a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather.  The following days will be difficult for the Royal Family, and now is the time when all loyal subjects must stand by them in grief and solidarity.”

Oldham’s Liberal Democrats welcome the increased charge for single use plastic carrier bags introduced on 1 April.  All retailers, regardless of how big they are, will now have to charge customers 10p for a bag.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “Environmental issues are incredibly important to Liberal Democrats, as they are for the general public.  Who doesn’t feel angry and upset when they see the plastic detritus that is choking our oceans and killing our marine life?”

“The Liberal Democrats were glad when the 5p plastic bag charge was introduced at our bigger stores.  It has already had a massive effect on the number of single-use plastic bags in circulation.  Extending the charge to all stores and doubling it will make even more shoppers think twice about the need to buy yet another bag.”

In 2014, Britain’s seven largest supermarkets gave away 7.6 billion free bags to customers, about 140 for every person in Britain.  After the charge was introduced, between 2017 and 2018 this figure dropped to just over 1 billion.  Smaller retailers still supply around 3.6 million bags annually.

“I hope that this new charge will take us much lower towards the figure that everyone concerned about our natural world wants to see – Zero”, added Councillor Sykes. “I would urge everyone not to be a Fool this April.  Use long-life bags made from sustainable and environmentally friendly materials for your shopping instead. This is a simple thing that we can all do that will make a big difference to our planet.”

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council and Liberal Democrat candidate for Shaw in the forthcoming local election, is giving his backing to a campaign by the Trussell Trust to work towards ending the need for food banks after the May election. The Trussell Trust intends to formally launch its campaign on 9 April when all election candidates are announced.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “Tragically, Oldham is a borough with some of the highest levels of deprivation in the UK.  Although I have some issues with the Trussell Trust, I do support this campaign.  The Oldham Liberal Democrats believe strongly that in a country as wealthy as the UK it is criminal that some of our residents still do not have sufficient money to pay for enough decent food for themselves and their families, and that some children go to bed hungry.”

“The Liberal Democrats have raised the need to address poverty in Oldham in the Council Chamber many times,” added Councillor Sykes. “We have asked questions and brought forward motions with practical proposals to tackle food, fuel, clothing, water and period poverty in recent years.  Some of our ideas have been taken up by the Labour Administration, but some, like our idea to bring the Community Shop model to Oldham and the need to establish a food poverty strategy, have not.”

“We have also lobbied government ministers to improve benefits, most recently the Chancellor to make the temporary £20 weekly uplift in Universal Credit payments permanent, and also supported Marcus Rashford in his campaign to ensure children from our poorest households receive free meals during the school holidays.”

Councillor Sykes also wrote to the Leader of the Council suggesting they jointly lobby the government to put forward Oldham as a pilot area for Universal Basic Income (UBI).  Oldham was one of the first pilot areas of the UK in which Universal Credit replaced existing benefits for claimants, and Councillor Sykes believes UBI is worth pursuing.

“Unfortunately, the Council Leader felt unable to pursue this idea at this time”, concluded Councillor Sykes.  “I hope in due course he will have a change of heart as I regret that it is likely that in a post-COVID Oldham we will continue to see high levels of poverty and unemployment in some parts of our borough for many years to come.  Universal Basic Income is simple to administer and if set at a decent level has the potential to lift many people out of poverty. It is an idea whose time may well have come, so why not trial it in Oldham, one of this nation’s poorest boroughs?”

The council are now able to process self-isolation payment applications for parents/carers of schoolchildren self-isolating.

If the self-isolation period started after 8 March 2021 they may be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment of £500.

This is in addition to who people have received notification from NHS Test and Trace or via the NHS COVID 19 app to self-isolate and started on or after 28 September 2020.

People are encouraged not to delay in applying for financial support to self-isolate. Complete the online application form and your eligibility will be assessed.

https://www.oldham.gov.uk/selfisolationpayment

I hope you can join me again for the first time in over a year.

There is much maintenance / repair work required on Crompton Moor and the initial task is the access road drainage – spades being the tool of the day.

Please ensure you have your favourite hot & or cold liquids, warm clothing, appropriate footwear and a packed lunch (if required) to suit the weather on the day.

If you have any issues that you may wish to discuss prior to Sunday, 11 April 2021 please do not hesitate to email (on either address) or text / phone me on 07961107860.

For those of you that have not already done so, please could you let me know if you intend to join me on the day.

I look forward to seeing you in the Crompton Moor Car Park from 10.30 onwards on Sunday, 11 April 2021.

Thank you. Stay healthy, stay safe. Kindest Regards

Edward John Fulton (aka Ed / Eddie), Countryside Volunteer Ranger, (Mob) 07961 107860 [Calls may be recorded], (Text) 07961 107860, (Fax)  01706 661813. (E)  edward@edwardjohnfulton.uk