Commenting on the news that the Government has missed its own deadline for a fifth time in failing to publish details of care system reforms for disabled adults and older people, the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:

“It is inexcusable that while people with social care needs are no longer receiving the care they need because of a lack of resources, causing distress to individuals and their families and putting additional strain on the NHS, the Conservative Government has yet again shown how uncaring it is by kicking the can down the road.”

“The Conservatives are so distracted with Brexit, that one of their key policy promises at the last election – to fix the problems in social care – is being completely ignored.  The Government said it was going to first publish the social care green paper in the summer of 2017, but it has been put back again and again. The Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Members of Parliament in January of this year that he would publish by April 2019 and now he has again reneged on that promise.”

Councillor Sykes added: “The delay has had a real impact on older people. Shockingly Age UK claims that 50,000 older people have died whilst waiting for the promised support.”

“The Liberal Democrats have repeatedly called on the Government to publish its Green Paper as a first step to tackling the crisis in social care, and we stand ready and willing to face the challenges in social care.  We would transform the care older people receive and reduce the inequality in provision, and we would put a penny in the pound on income tax to directly invest in social care as a first step to address the funding crisis.  Our older people deserve nothing less.  How we treat them speaks volumes about the type of society we wish to live in!”

The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE. has roundly condemned the Conservative Government for unilaterally withdrawing a £68 million housing fund promised to Greater Manchester that would have mostly been used to make brownfield sites suitable for housing redevelopment.

The Outline Housing Package, agreed in 2017 between the Government and the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester, included £50m to help remediate brownfield land.

Councillor Sykes added: “Greater Manchester was the location of the first industrial revolution.  Oldham Borough was at the heart of the cotton industry.  Consequently, many of our brownfield sites suffer from significant contamination, which is the result of previous industrial use as cotton mills; chemical and coal gas plants; coal mines; and dye works.  It has been estimated that remediation costs on average at least £250,000 per acre and redevelopment is often unaffordable without this subsidy.”

Councillor Sykes said: “Put more bluntly this is effectively the Conservatives forcing local authorities to build on our precious green belt and this illustrates their complete hypocrisy when their own supposed policy is to encourage Councils to ‘maximise the contribution’ of brownfield sites in meeting housing need.  Locally Liberal Democrats remain opposed to whole sale green belt development and we always will be.”

Note:The reference to ‘maximising the contribution’ of brownfield sites comes from the Conservative Government’s own White Paper ‘Fixing our Broken Housing Market’.

The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has welcomed recent news that the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act (more commonly known as Finn’s Law) has finally been given Royal Assent and entered the statute books.

The new law will give additional legal protection to dogs and horses serving alongside police officers or other emergency services personnel. It means that anyone causing such an animal suffering commits a serious offence in England and Wales.

Councillor Sykes said: “These animals serve bravery, loyally and selflessly alongside police officers tackling criminals and they deserve our thanks for their work and our protection when they are injured. This legislation came from an incident where a German Shepherd dog called Finn was brutally stabbed by a thug he was trying to apprehend in Hertfordshire. Despite being badly injured in the attack, Finn held onto the offender until help arrived. Finn’s owner PC Dave Wardell also credited Finn with saving his own life as he was also injured in the incident.”

Before the change in legislation, offenders injuring such a dog faced only criminal damage charges.

Councillor Sykes added: “The Oldham Liberal Democrats brought a motion to Oldham Council, in December 2017, recognising that animals have sentience, feeling and emotions and that they feel pain and can be traumatised by suffering.  I am pleased to say that Finn did ultimately recover from his life-threatening injuries, but he was forced to retire.  Finn’s Law finally recognises that animals are more than just property, and I welcome it.”

• Email: election@oldham.gov.uk
• Phone:  0161 770 4718

If you did not apply for a postal vote but will be unable to vote in person, you may want to find out about applying to vote by proxy.

Proxy voting – appoint someone to cast your vote

A proxy vote is for when you cannot get to the polling station on polling day so you appoint somebody to cast your vote for you.

Your appointed person must be allowed to vote in UK elections and willing to vote for you.

You can only appoint someone to cast your vote if:

• You are an overseas or service voter
• You have a physical disability
• You are away from home due to work or a course

In all these cases (except if you are registered blind) you must ask someone to certify on your application that the reason is valid (for example, your doctor or employer).

You can contact the Elections Office for an application form or download one from the About My Vote website.

• Proxy vote application – About My Vote website

Elections Office

Oldham Council
West Street
Oldham, OL1 1UL

T: 0161 770 4718

E: election@oldham.gov.uk

Update regarding the withdrawal of First Manchester’s daytime services 58 (Rochdale – Milnrow – Oldham).

The key thing since First announced the above is to ensure a service continues this route

Following discussions with local bus operators, regarding potential commercial replacement, then a competitive tender process TfGM are proposing the award of subsidised replacement, as follows:

Service 58 (award to First Manchester – effective 29^th April 2019)

• Hourly daytime service (currently half hourly) from Oldham towards Rochdale between 0500 and 1800 (Monday to Friday) & 0600 and 1800 (Saturday)

• Hourly daytime service (currently half hourly) from Rochdale towards Oldham between 0600 and 1900 (Monday to Friday) & 0700 and 1900 (Saturday)

Please note that First will continue to provide a morning peak service on their 182 between Milnrow and Manchester, and TfGM will continue to subsidise the evening and Sunday 181/182 journeys that also continue beyond Shaw to Milnrow and Rochdale.

The Council has now received confirmation that Rochdale Road will be able to be re-opened at 2pm today. 

The Highways Operations Team are currently in the process of removing all free-standing signs from the diversion route and then will start removing the signs fixed on poles when the closure has been removed; Amberon are being instructed to remove the temporary lights at 3pm.

The Councils Parking Team will be removing the temporary waiting restrictions and cones this evening and the distribution centres have been contacted this morning to advise them of the above.

Rochdale Road Shaw should be fully open by Easter when the work to install supportive scaffolding to St Paul’s Church is completed.  Work will continue to make the building safe again. This is the latest information we have been told.

Councillors have met with St Paul’s representatives to discuss the future of the building. 

Councillor Chris Gloster added, “we are all determined to ensure that this building does not remain a crumbling monument, and will work with Historic England, the Methodist Organisation and other interested parties to ensure it does not.”

Chris Gloster
Fullwood House, Lower Fullwood, Shaw, OL2 8QH
Email: Chris.Gloster@oldham.gov.uk Tel: 01706 847709

Dear Resident,

It has been an absolute privilege to represent the people of Shaw for the last four years.

I was born and bred in Shaw and have lived here all my life.  Before I became a councillor, I spent most of my career in Oldham becoming Shaw’s first community police inspector.

I became a councillor simply because I care deeply about Shaw and the people who live here. 

The service cuts unfairly inflicted upon Shaw residents, by Labour, such as the postponement of our new Health Centre and the theft of our baths and tip makes me angry!

Now, with support from the Conservatives, Labour want to grab our Green Belt for massive developments.

I work for Shaw, with my councillor colleagues Howard Sykes and Hazel Gloster all year round, not just at election time! 

Some of my opponents do not even live in Shaw and Crompton and have withheld their address from the ballot paper in the hope you do not notice!

Unlike anybody else in this election you can judge me on my actions and record. 

My key aims going forward are to ensure that St Paul’s isn’t left as a crumbling monument; work to combat the daily issues of dog fouling and fly tipping; challenge the ill thought out Labour land grab of our green space; and continue to hold Labour to account to ensure Shaw isn’t forgotten.

I do hope I can depend on YOUR support?

Thank you for reading this letter.

Best wishes,

Chris Gloster

Liberal Democrat Candidate

PS.  Elections in Shaw Ward are always a close fight between the Liberal Democrats and Oldham Labour.  Votes for anybody else just helps Labour sneak in!  Make sure YOUR vote counts.