Ancient woodlands now only cover less of 3% of England’s landmass, yet the charity the Woodland Trust has estimated that 1,200 woodlands may be under threat.  Oldham Borough Liberal Democrat Councillors want to see Oldham Council at the forefront of the fight to protect our nation’s remaining irreplaceable legacy of ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees. 

Saddleworth West and Lees Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani will be proposing a motion at the next full meeting of Oldham Council (16 December 2020) calling for more protection for these trees:  “In Oldham, we are all well aware of the threat of development hanging over our natural landscape with plans to build a significant number of new homes on our Green Belt.  While other elements of our physical landscape may have been worked and managed by humankind over the centuries, ancient woodlands and veteran trees have stood untouched.”

“Despite what may happen in the future, ancient woodlands and veteran trees must remain as irreducible symbols of our past. We can learn from them, we can cherish them, and as elected members and as a local authority, we must do all that we can to protect them.”

Saddleworth North Councillor Garth Harkness is backing his Liberal Democrat colleague.  Commenting he added: “The Government’s National Planning Policy Framework has put planning protection for ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees on a par with the protection afforded to historic buildings, like palaces and castles, demonstrating that their loss to our nation would be too high a price to pay whatever the development.”

“The Liberal Democrats hope that our new Local Plan will mirror the best practice of other local authorities and the excellent guidance from the Woodland Trust to ensure that ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees in this Borough are comprehensively protected for our future generations to enjoy.”

Council December 16, 2020 – Notice of Opposition Business

Turning over an old leaf

Council notes:

• That the revised NPPF (2018) put protection for ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees on a par with the best of our built heritage.
• The NPPF states that: “When determining planning applications, local planning authorities should apply the following principles: …… c) development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons”.
• That over 1200 Ancient Woodland sites across the UK are under threat from development.
• That other local plans have included protections on Ancient Woodlands in their local plans, with recommended wording provided in the Woodland Trust’s document “Planning for Ancient Woodland”.

Council recognises

• That the forthcoming Local Plan provides an opportunity for us to ensure that Ancient Woodland is protected across our Borough;
• That protection is required before the Local Plan is delivered to ensure that Ancient Woodland remains protected in the interim period;
• That not all Ancient Woodland has been properly identified, and it is important that a clear route is available to identify and protect Ancient Woodland across the borough

Council resolves

• To consider inclusion of the protection of Ancient Woodland into its forthcoming Local Plan, and include that as a theme within the forthcoming Issues and Options consultations on the emerging Local Plan.
• To write to the Secretary of State to ensure that any changes to the planning system do not remove the rights of Local Councils to protect Ancient Woodland as part of their planning policies
• Subject to any adoption of a policy on Ancient Woodland as part of the Local Plan, to include in later consultation an opportunity for residents to identify Ancient Woodland sites throughout the borough which should be covered by protection.

Proposed by:                                                                      Seconded by:

Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani                               Councillor Garth Harkness

Oldham’s Liberal Democrats believe that proposed legislation currently going through Parliament would be much more effective if it included a commitment to establish an offenders’ register for those convicted of stalking or domestic violence. 

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Councillor Chris Gloster, a former police officer with 30 years’ experience, will be proposing a motion to the next meeting of Oldham Council (16 December) calling on the government to create this register as part of the Domestic Abuse Bill when it becomes law.

Councillor Chris Gloster explained why he is bringing this motion to Council:

“The Covid-19 lockdown has sadly led to a significant increase in reports of domestic violence as partners have been obliged to spend more time at home and underlying tensions in relationships lead to breakdown.  Most shockingly this has been reflected in a fifty percent homicide increase with three women being killed by their partner every week.”

“Stalking, coercive behaviour and domestic violence are often committed by the same offenders, with perpetrators often having a history of such behaviour towards multiple partners.  If there was a single national register, like there is for sexual offenders, it would be easier for police forces to track and manage offenders as they move from place to place, and before they find new victims.   More importantly it would most likely save lives.  Yet maddingly there is currently no such register, nor is there currently any legal duty placed upon police forces to do this.”

Councillor Diane Williamson, who is seconding the motion, said: 

“The Domestic Abuse Bill is a welcome step forward in protecting victims, but the government is currently only committed to some vague promises to better share information about offenders, and remains wedded to Clare’s Law, where anyone who fears they may be in a relationship with a person with a history of offending can contact police to find out if they are.  These are serious deficiencies in the bill. 

“Creating a national register and requiring police services to proactively notify persons in relationships of the offending behaviour of their partner would be much more effective.  I hope that our motion, if carried, will help change the Government’s mind on this life-or-death issue”.

The National Stalking Advocacy Service, Paladin, established by survivors of domestic violence and stalking to support other victims and to campaign for changes in the law, has been working with Liberal Democrat Councillors in Oldham to bring this motion to Council. 

Zoe Dronfield who was a victim of stalking and domestic violence, and is now a campaigner and Trustee of Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service (NSAS), said:  

“I know first-hand the disastrous impact of Police not having a statutory obligation to register, track and monitor offenders of this nature.  In 2014 I was almost murdered by a known serial offender, his crimes undetected due to not joining the dots.  My case is not unique.”

“Now as a campaigner I hear this time and again that a known perpetrator is giving leniency because their background offending has not been checked, meaning his recent offending is dealt with less severity.  We must start looking at the pattern of these crimes and the escalation that happens when they go undetected.” 

“A register like the sex offender register, which the framework currently exists, would allow the police to be proactive in their policing.  I’m sure they would welcome being able to finally deal with these offenders with the level of severity needed to reduce these crimes in long run.”

Council December 16, 2020 – Notice of Opposition Business

Tracking Stalkers and Domestic Abusers

Council notes that:

• Stalking and domestic abuse are crimes which are insidious and terrifying, the majority committed by men against women.  Offenders go from victim to victim, yet many remain undetected and un-convicted.

• The evidence shows that domestic abuse has become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.  Some stalkers and domestic abusers go on to commit murder, and tragically the domestic homicide rate, mostly of women, continues to increase.

• Despite clear warning signs that such crimes are often repeated and follow a pattern, much offending behaviour remains undetected by the Police, probation and other agencies, and offenders are left at large.

• Although the provisions of the Domestic Abuse Bill now before Parliament are welcome, the Bill is manifestly deficient in not addressing the importance of robustly tracking and apprehending these offenders.

Council further notes that:

• Whilst the Domestic Abuse Bill would place Clare’s Law (the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme) on a statutory footing, this will place the onus upon victims to come forward to seek information about their partner or a family member and this can sometimes place the victim in danger.

• There is no duty on police services to identify, track and manage stalkers and domestic abusers.

Council believes that:

• It is imperative that serial stalkers and domestic abusers are prioritised and proactively identified, assessed and managed by Police, probation and other relevant agencies, so that intelligence can be shared about their offending behaviour to hold them to account and close down their behaviour.

• The details of stalkers and domestic abusers should be included on the Violent and Sexual Offender’s Register and managed via the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Home Secretary asking her to make these changes to more effectively track and apprehend stalkers and domestic abusers, and to copy in our three local Members of Parliament and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester asking them to make representations to the Home Secretary in support of the Council’s position.

Proposed by:                                                     Seconded by:

Councillor Chris Gloster                                 Councillor Diane Williamson

The Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service

Paladin was launched in 2013 by Founder Laura Richards and others changed the law to create a specific criminal offence of stalking.  Paladin amplifies the voice of the victim within the criminal and civil justice system, as many victims feel isolated and terrified. Some pay with their lives. Paladin provides a high level of advocacy to anyone at risk of serious harm or homicide from a stalker.

We give initial advice and offer to complete a detailed assessment to anyone who calls our service and is affected by stalking. Sometimes we call this ‘high risk’ and it is based on what we learn from the detailed assessment.  However, in all situations we aim to improve access to the right kind of support for each person and improve co-ordinated working between specialist services to keep each survivor feeling safer.

Our Board is made up of experienced and award-winning professionals including our Chair Rachel Horman, who is a solicitor; Allan Aubeelack former police officer, Zoe Dronfield, Zoe Jones and Tom Cottew. Our patron is philanthropist and prison reformer, Lady Edwina Grosvenor.

Paladin operates a telephone helpline 020 3866 4107 open weekdays 9 am to 3 pm (except Wednesdays when it operates until 5pm).  Enquirers unable to call within these hours can email info@paladinservice.co.uk to arrange a call at a convenient time.

Paladin’s website can be found at https://paladinservice.co.uk/

For real time information: https://oldham.roadworks.org/

Liberal Democrat Councillors will be calling on Oldham Council to mark Young Carers Action Day in 2021.  Councillor Hazel Gloster and Louie Hamblett will be proposing a motion to the next full meeting of the Council (Wednesday 16 December) requesting a local event be held in the Borough as part of a new national campaign to recognise and support young carers.

Young Carers Action Day will be held on 16 March 2021.  It is a new event being organised nationwide by the Carers Trust, replacing a previous annual Awareness Day held on 30 January.

Councillor Hazel Gloster, who will be proposing the motion, said: “Research indicates that up to one in five secondary school children may be a carer for grandparents, parents or siblings, and that many of the children begin caring from a very young age.  Caring is a huge responsibility having an impact on a young person’s schooling, ability to maintain friendships, physical health and emotional well-being.  It is often a responsibility that is carried out alone and without support.”

“Good work is already being done in Oldham through the Young Carers Project and we want to see the Action Day used as a way to recognise the efforts of young carers and to ensure that all of our Borough’s agencies offer them their full support.”

This motion represents another part of an ongoing Liberal Democrat campaign following on from Carers Right Day, 26 November, when the Leader of the Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wrote to the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham asking him to make young carers eligible for free bus travel across the city region.

Councillor Louie Hamblett, who will be seconding the motion, added:  “The Liberal Democrats are committed from the Leader, Sir Ed Davey MP, down, in Parliament and in councils across the country to fighting for a better deal for carers, whether young people or adults.” 

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, the efforts made by carers in supporting family members who are battling physical or mental illness, or otherwise living with disabilities or are substance dependant, have been truly astounding and we must all do more to recognise and support them in these most trying times.”

Council 16 December 2020 – Notice of Opposition Business – Young Carers Action Day

Council commends the young people in this borough who selflessly provide care for others.

Council notes that:

• Recent research shows that one in five secondary school children may be a young carer. For many, their caring journey begins at a much younger age. 

• Caring for someone can be very isolating, worrying and stressful. For young carers, this can negatively impact on their experiences and outcomes in education, having a lasting effect on their life chances.

• Each year, The Carers Trust has organised a Young Carers’ Action Awareness Day. In 2021 this will be renamed Young Carers’ Action Day and marked on March 16.

• The purpose of the day is to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people and young adults because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young carers to meet their needs.

Council resolves to:

• Promote Young Carers Action Day as widely as possible on an annual basis, particularly to young carers and their families.

• Ask the Health and Wellbeing Board to work with the Carers’ Trust, the Connexions Young Carers’ Project and the Youth Council to establish an annual event in Oldham to mark this date to which young carers and their families can be invited in person or online, and at which appropriate information and services can be accessed.

Proposed by:                                                                 Seconded by:

Councillor Hazel Gloster                                Councillor Louie Hamblett

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has given a warm welcome to news that the first Covid-19 vaccine is finally being distributed for use with the most vulnerable group in society, care home residents.  

Councillor Sykes said:  “The logistics associated with the transport and storage of this vaccine are considerable as it must be stored at minus 70 degrees centigrade until shortly before its use, but it is my hope that the residents of Oldham’s care homes (and staff) will soon be able to receive it – let us hope by Christmas.” 

“If we could combine the vaccine roll-out with the introduction of 30-minute on-site lateral flow tests for family members, then face-to-face visits to care homes, allowing physical contact in safety, may become possible and this must be good for the mental and emotional well-being of both parties who have often been left isolated, anxious and without contact for many months.”

Last week, at a special meeting of Stockport Council, the 26 strong Liberal Democrat Group, led a charge to vote down the latest Greater Manchester Spatial Framework proposals in a nail-biting 26 to 35 votes.

The vote at this second meeting followed the request for an adjournment made by the Conservatives and Labour Groups at an earlier meeting to enable the two parties to seek a compromise that would enable the Tories to vote with Labour, but even after talks the Conservatives found the latest modified proposals still unpalatable.

The proposals supported by Greater Manchester Labour Mayor and the ten leaders of the Greater Manchester Councils have been opposed by Liberal Democrats across the city region, and the Oldham group has also been at the forefront of local efforts to prevent the Labour-backed plan from destroying large parts of our Borough’s Green Belt for housing development.

The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said on hearing the latest news:  “I congratulate my Stockport Liberal Democrat colleagues in defeating the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.  This certainly represents a significant blow to the Labour-backed Green Belt homes plan”.

Councillor Sykes hopes that this set-back will represent a wake-up call to Oldham’s Labour Administration:  “It is clear that wherever you go in Oldham and Saddleworth  the public is against this plan – they do not want to see any part of their green spaces built upon.”

“This is the wrong plan at the wrong time and the proposals are now in tatters,“ he added.  “I hope that Labour in Oldham will now take time to think again and deliver everyone a real Christmas present by revising their own plans.”

Notes:  Stockport has a Labour Administration the numbers on the council are: Labour 26, Lib Dems 26, Conservatives 8,Heald Green Ratepayers 3 (63-member council).

The Government has launched ‘Staying Connected This Winter’. The online advent calendar brings together practical advice, inspiring stories, and support routes to encourage people to take the first steps to alleviate loneliness in themselves and others.

It will be updated daily.

The Government will make the long-suffering publicans of ‘wet’ pubs, which do not serve food, a one -off payment of £1,000 for the month of December to compensate them in part for their loss of earnings during the Covid-19 closure, but the news has left Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE underwhelmed.

In response, Councillor Sykes said:  “This payment, though welcome, is a drop in the ocean compared to the loss of takings that publicans have suffered through the prolonged and repeated closure of their premises and the loss of trade they have suffered even when open which has been caused by all of the restrictions placed upon them.” 

“Even if it were a £1,000 extra a month, every month it would not really touch the sides, but that would be at least represent a regular income.  Like a mass-produced industrial lager this leaves a nasty taste in the month; it has been wrung out of Government grudgingly to generate a good news story before Christmas and it may never be repeated,” he claimed.

There is also the question of whether it will also apply to pubs, which normally provide food, but cannot do so if located in a Tier Three area.

Councillor Sykes added:  “In Oldham, we are in a Tier Three area, meaning that all pubs cannot open, so will pubs which serve food also receive this payment?  It is not at all clear.”

Friday 4 Dec 20

Despite the Council’s best efforts through todays weather they are not going to complete the refuse collection today.

They believe there is about an hours work outstanding around the Brunswick Street, Ivy Close, Vine Close.

Residents are asked them to keep/put their bins out for first thing Monday morning.

We will return first thing (approx. 7:30am to collect from the area).

This week the Council launched new business grant schemes to support businesses affected by local and national coronavirus restrictions.

They include grants to support leisure, visitor accommodation, non-essential retail and hospitality sector businesses who pay business rates and those who don’t pay rates but have fixed property costs.

These new schemes are in addition to the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) which is in already place for rate-paying businesses which have been legally required to close.

For more information visit www.oldham.gov.uk/localrestrictionssupportgrant