Hope you can join me this Sunday, our event being the creation of new drainage for the footpath adjacent to Whitesides, to the adjacent brook.

The weather forecast for Sunday is sunny intervals and a gentle breeze, likely temperature of 5º/9º and 6/7 mph winds so ensure you have your favourite hot & or cold liquids, warm clothing, appropriate footwear and a packed lunch if you are up for the day – it may feel colder than it really is depending on where we are on the moor.

If you have any issues that you may wish to discuss prior to Sunday, 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 us on the day.

I look forward to seeing you in the Crompton Moor Car Park from 10.30 onwards on Sunday. Thank you.

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 , (E) edward.fulton@btinternet.uk

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

In a reply to the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, a Conservative Minister conceded that Government policy appears to allow for building less housing than is currently planned under Greater Manchester Spatial Framework proposals and the green belt can only be built on ‘in exceptional circumstances’.

Councillor Sykes wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire MP, in February. Kit Malthouse MP responded on Mr Brokenshire’s behalf earlier this month as Minister for Housing.

Although original government estimates were that there be a need for 213,380 extra homes in Greater Manchester by 2035, later projections released by the Office for National Statistics in 2016 put the figure at only 164,000.  In his letter, Councillor Sykes asked if would in fact be permissible for the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester to use the lower figure to decide on the number of homes to be built under the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

In his response, Mr Malthouse reiterated Conservative Government policy that the higher figure should still be used as ‘the standard method’ for determining housing need ‘until an amended version of the formula can be released’.  However, he concedes that this ‘does not represent a mandatory target’, and that local authorities ‘may decide that exceptional circumstances justify the use of an alternative method of determining housing need’ with this being ‘tested by the Planning Inspectorate’.

Councillor Sykes said: “The difference between the earlier and later figures is a massive 50,000 homes.  It is my view that there would be ‘exceptional circumstances’ in the ten Greater Manchester local authorities and the Greater Manchester Mayor choosing to use that lower figure because this would save much, if not all, of our previous and irreplaceable Green Belt from housing development.”

“In Oldham, the difference is 2,587 less properties to build; a similar figure to the number of new homes earmarked for Green Belt sites in my part of the world at Kingsway South, Beal Valley, Broadbent Moss, Cowlishaw and Hanging Chadder.”

The Minister also made clear that the Government’s own guidance, the National Planning Policy Framework, makes clear that ‘only in exceptional circumstances’ can the Green Belt be built upon, and that local authorities must first make ‘best use of brownfield land, optimise densities and determined if need can be met my neighbouring authorities’.

Commenting Councillor Sykes added: “The Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group made clear in its latest letter of objection to the recent Greater Manchester Spatial Framework Consultation that our view remains unchanged that our replaceable Green Belt and Other Protected Open land sites must not be built upon.

“Instead we want to see new housing on brownfield sites, new homes in our redundant textile mills, factories, and shops, more homes with higher densities in Oldham town centre, and our many existing empty homes brought back into use. There are no ‘exceptional circumstances’ in this Borough which justify concreting over a single blade of grass!”.

The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Council Leader congratulating him on establishing a ‘night-time economy taskforce’ and asking him to do the same for the day-time economy to help save high streets across the borough.

Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “Our high streets are slowly dying and if we want vibrant retail and leisure centres across our borough, not just in Oldham but also in Shaw, Uppermill, Royton, Lees, Chadderton and Failsworth, we must do all we can to help them. Otherwise I fear that more and more stores will close in the Spindles and Town Square shopping centres and we will see the encroachment of yet more charity shops, which benefit from being exempted from business rates and sometimes occupying premises rent-free.”

“I have written to the Leader of the Council asking him to establish a Daytime Economy Task Force to draw up an action plan to save our high streets based on an examination of the recommendations of two recent published reports. These are The High Street Report that was commissioned by the Government and chaired by Sir John Timpson, and a report published by the Institute of Place Management and Manchester Metropolitan University called High Street 2030: Achieving Change.”

“I also believe we should look at the merits of establishing more Business Improvement Districts for our district centres to support our retailers and leisure operators. I do hope that the Leader will be able to take my suggestions on board.”E

The letter is below

The two reports can be found at

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/766844/The_High_Street_Report.pdf

http://www.placemanagement.org/news/achieving-change-high-street-2030-report-released/

Dear Councillor Fielding,

Further to my recent letter to you urging Oldham Council to make a bid to the Government’s new Future High Streets Fund.  I am writing to you again with further suggestions that I hope if adopted by your Administration would help make our town and district retail and leisure economies more vibrant.

1. Night-time Economy Taskforce: Congratulations on establishing this taskforce. As you are aware the Oldham Council Liberal Democrat group has raised issues relating to our night-time economy several times in recent years. Maintaining the viability of public houses, promoting our live music and comedy scene, implementing Student Safe Zones and the Ask Angela Scheme.  I was proud and relieved when, as Leader, my Administration placed the highest priority on bringing the ‘wild west’ atmosphere in Yorkshire Street under control at a time when unlimited alcohol offers caused sickening violence and unwanted national media attention. Given our experience, I do hope that you will feel able to ask for input from the Liberal Democrat group in the future work of the taskforce.

• Day-time Economy Taskforce: With the recent developmentof theNight-time Economy Taskforce, would it not be a good time to establish a Day-time Economy Task Force? We have the Town Centre Partnership, but this could be a more active group with more partners, including partners from outlying district centres.

You may be unaware that the Government commissioned Sir John Timpson to convene a panel of experts and to produce a report identifying practical steps that local authorities and their retail partners could implement to reinvigorate the retail offer on their high streets. The ‘High Street Report’ was published in December.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/766844/The_High_Street_Report.pdf

In addition, the Institute of Place Management and Manchester Metropolitan University published a complimentary report ‘High Street 2030: Achieving Change’.

http://www.placemanagement.org/news/achieving-change-high-street-2030-report-released/

May I suggest this taskforce take a detailed look at the two reports referred to above and develop an action plan for our town and district centres?

• Business Improvement Districts:

Can I ask if Oldham Council is currently working on any plans to develop further Business Improvement Districts in our borough, particularly for out outlying district centres? If the answer is no would your Administration give this suggestion some consideration.

I shall look forward to receiving your response.

Best wishes,

Howard Sykes

The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has submitted a strongly-worded letter of objection on behalf of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group outlining why the revised Greater Manchester Spatial Framework proposals still remain ‘a massive and inequitable land grab’ in Crompton, Shaw and Royton (deadline for submissions was the 18 March).

These proposals will result in the devastation of local Green Belt and Other Protected Open Land Sites for housing development being ‘completely unacceptable’.

Councillor Sykes said: “The Liberal Democrat position remains clear and unequivocal.  We want to see all new housing developments built on brownfield sites or on existing sites with planning permission for housing, or through bringing existing empty homes back into use, or the conversion of empty mills, offices and factories into dwellings.  We are implacably opposed to any building on any of our irreplaceable Green Belt or on our Protected Open Land sites until all this has been done.”

“I also want to see our Greater Manchester Council leaders and the Mayor lobbying government hard to reduce the housing figures to match the most recent growth projections from 2016 – that would mean 50,000 less houses to build – and I want to see them fight for more money from the Treasury to enable us to remediate our Brownfield sites to make them ready for housing development.”

• Save Shaw Greenbelt Group, for publicity materials – £350.00
• See form to apply: Parish Grant application form March 18