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

In advance of the publication of an independent review into allegations of historic child sexual exploitation in Oldham, the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wrote recently to Greater Manchester Police seeking assurances that they ‘will act without fear or favour to reassure the public and bring all offenders to justice’.

In November 2019, Oldham Council and the Oldham Safeguarding Partnership commissioned the independent review from the Mayor of Greater Manchester.  Two experienced investigators, Malcolm Newsam MBE, a childcare expert, and Gary Ridgeway, formerly a senior police officer specialising in public protection, were appointed to head up the review team and they are now working to finalise their report.

In his letter, Councillor Sykes was keen to impress upon Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain MBE that Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Councillors were seeking an assurance that no-one with possible crimes to answer for would escape prosecution ‘regardless of any status or position in life they hold’.  This includes prominent public figures, including any elected members.

Greater Manchester Police has already established Operation Hexagon under the command of Assistant Chief Constable Nick Bailey to work with the review into the historic allegations.  In his response, Assistant Chief Constable Hussain reassured Councillor Sykes that ‘any matters which are disclosed as part of the independent review are being progressed by Greater Manchester Police prior to any formal publication’ and this has included some evidence being ‘placed before the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration’.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said:  “Child sexual abuse in all of its forms is totally abhorrent and both I and my Liberal Democrat Councillor colleagues are determined to ensure that anyone with a case to answer for does so, whatever their political situation or social station.” 

“I fully appreciate that Assistant Chief Constable Hussain must be guarded in his public comments in order not to compromise the integrity of any future prosecutions or the outcome of the review, but, reading between the lines, I am reassured that ACC Bailey and his police team at Operation Hexagon stand ready to bring any offenders to book.”

Losing someone close is never easy, whether it is a family member, close friend or work colleague.

For more information on support for bereavement or loss, please visit:

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

Number of people have contacted me about the above – hopefully this should help calrify the situation.

Best wishes and stay safe.

As the national lockdown lifts this week and so called non-essential shops open once more in time for Christmas, Liberal Democrat Councillors are asking local shoppers to consider giving more of their custom to smaller independent shops across the Borough, instead of patronising large store chains or buying gifts from online megastores.  Small Business Saturday (5 December) is an annual event to promote the virtues of shopping with small and local businesses.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrats, is a big fan:  “As someone brought up in family-run shop in Shaw, I believe that shopping in a small store is more friendly, more personable and more fun.  There is no joy in fighting your way through Christmas crowds in a large department store and shopping online means you are denying yourself yet another opportunity for social interaction.”

“Your local independent shops and small businesses are the lifeblood of your community, offering a range of goods and services that are vital to customers, yet 2020 has been a horrible year for many of them financially.  Instead of backing the owner of Amazon, who frankly doesn’t need the money, why don’t you instead support your local business?  You will help keep local people in work and help support your local high street, but you will also get a good deal and receive a personal service in return.”

More information about Small Business Saturday, including information about which small businesses are participating, can be found at:

https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/