For details click on the link: Bulletin_14 March
408 bus service – change in operator for part of the service
The 408 bus service provides an hourly daytime link between Shaw and Oldham with weekday peak and tendered evening and Sunday services extending to Stalybridge.
These journeys provide a unique bus link to Oldham centre for residents in parts of Buckstones, High Crompton and Thornham.
First Manchester has advised of their intention to withdraw the Monday to Saturday off peak daytime service between Oldham and Shaw.
I am pleased to report that Transport for Great Manchester (TfGM) has sort other operators for the replacement of these journeys operating between approximately 9.15am and 2.15pm on Weekdays and 9.15am and 5.15pm on Saturdays.
These services will be operated by Rosso starting after Saturday 2 April.
Shaw and Crompton Planning Decisions 7 March 16
For details click on the link: Planning decisions in Shaw and Crompton 07 03 16
Damning report shows homelessness will rocket due to Conservative housing bill
A recently-released report from the Local Government Association shows that councils fear the Conservative Housing Bill will see a sell off of homes that will not be replaced and a rocketing of homelessness in communities across Britain.
The survey results are stark; of the councils which responded:
– 78% said there would be an increase in homelessness
– 90% of councils surveyed said their number of council homes would decrease
– 74% said the homes sold under Right To Buy would not be replaced
– 82% said there would be less estate regeneration
Commenting, the Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, said:
“This report, which was called for by the Liberal Democrats on the Local Government Association, paints a very grim picture. It is clear that this Conservative government is intent on devastating social and affordable housing for those most in need. As a result there is likely to be a colossal rise in homelessness as poorer households struggle to find homes that are within their means. Be in no doubt, the blame for this lies firmly at the Government’s door.”
“We need to stop this before it’s too late. Liberal Democrats in the Lords have launched a major attack on the reforms and will be fighting them to the bitter end.”
“At December’s meeting of Council, the Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment calling for a local assessment to be carried out of the impact of the Housing Bill on the residents of our Borough. I fear that our poorer citizens will suffer the devastating consequences of this mean-spirited legislation.”
Click on the link to see the report: LGA Executive – 3 March 2016 – Housing and Planning
Friday’s Refuse and Recycling Collections – 4 March
Despite the Council’s best efforts this morning they have reluctantly had to suspend all today’s refuse and recycling collections for safety reasons.
Refuse only : leave bins out and they will be collected as soon as possible.
All recycling : please return bins/containers to property and they will be collected on the next schedule collection day where extras will be taken in clearly marked bags.
So for Shaw and Crompton that means your green bin will be emptied next week and your brown bin in two weeks.
Road works W/C 7 March 16
For more details click on the link: Roadworks Bulletin 7.3.16
FREE HELP TO STOP SMOKING! FREE NHS HEALTH CHECKS!
Click on this link for details: EH Leaflet 2A
A scandal that Conservative Trafford gets extra cash and Oldham gets Nowt, Says Sykes
Cash strapped Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council will receive NOTHING from a £400M war chest to help Councils with funding cuts. Trafford Council, ran by the Conservatives will receive £465,000 in ‘transitional’ funding from the Government.
This is cash aimed at helping councils cope with the transition from ‘dependence’ on the Government.
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes, MBE, condemned the announcement:
“Quite clearly we have seen here a Conservative Government trying to curry favour amongst Conservative council leaders by offering them this bribe to keep quiet about spending cuts and remain on board. Trafford Council which is one of the richest Councils in our region got almost half a million pounds; yet Oldham, a deprived Borough hammered by spending cuts and welfare reform, where there is a constant and increasing demand on Council services, has received nothing because its political hue isn’t blue. This is simply naked cronyism!”
Liberal Democrats in Oldham are backing party colleagues in Rochdale who have submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Communities and Local Government. They are asking for an explanation of the ‘rationale’ behind the decision and if they are not satisfied with the response of Conservative Local Government Minister Greg Clarke MP will ask the Local Government Ombudsman to intervene.
Shaw and Crompton Councillors Advice/Ward Surgeries in March
Thursday March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31.
All at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw
From 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Councillors: Sykes, Blyth, Gloster, Williamson, Murphy or Turner.
Parish Councillors: Aspinall, Farrell, Hall, Hamblett, Stephens, Wood, Blackburn, Dodd, Duffy, Tindall or P Turner will also attend.
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
Sykes backs Fairtrade Fortnight 2016
The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, is urging local residents to get involved in Fairtrade Fortnight 2016 (29 February to 13 March) to help support farmers and growers living in poor communities around the world.
Cllr Sykes said: “Lack of food security is one of the world’s most critical issues. Despite millions of farmers and workers in developing countries working hard to grow the food we eat every day, many do not earn enough to afford an adequate and nutritious diet.”
Research shows that half of the world’s hungry people, nearly 400 million, are estimated to live on small farms.*
Councillor Sykes added: “The Liberal Democrats strongly support the Fairtrade movement which guarantees the world’s poorest farmers and workers a decent and stable income for the products that they grow or make and bring to market.”
“I am proud that during my Administration, our Council became a local authority committed to purchasing and promoting Fairtrade products. I am now asking as many people in our Borough as possible to get involved this Fairtrade Fortnight by purchasing products displaying the Fairtrade symbol. This helps ensure a decent income for the poorest working families from around the world.”
Fairtrade works with 1.5 million farmers and workers in parts of Africa, Asia and Latin and Central America enabling them to earn a sustainable income and the Fairtrade Premium that they can invest in community, business and environmental projects.
For example, in Nicaragua, many coffee farmers suffer food shortages for the 3-4 ‘thin months’ before the coffee harvest. Farmers at the Fairtrade coffee co-operative COOMPROCOM use the Fairtrade Premium to run programmes to grow food crops, and become more self-reliant.
Adam Gardner, Communities Campaigns Manager for the Fairtrade Foundation, said:
“Farming is the backbone of the world. It’s simply wrong that whilst farmers work hard to produce what we eat so many of them should go hungry themselves.”
“Shoppers in the UK can change this by making choices that help ensure food security for farming communities in developing countries; be it buying Fairtrade or campaigning against trade policies that can disadvantage farmers.”
“It is the support of campaigners such as the Oldham Liberal Democrat Council group that drives the Fairtrade movement forward and we hope the residents in the Oldham borough will join them this year.”
Fairtrade Fortnight is an annual campaign aiming to get shoppers, campaigners and businesses in the UK talking, thinking about and buying Fairtrade.
Thousands of events will be held in over 600 Fairtrade Towns, 1350 Fairtrade Schools, 170 Fairtrade Universities, and 7,500 Fairtrade Places of Worship. You can find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight, and how to get involved in your local area, at http://fortnight.fairtrade.org.uk/
Notes
The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent certification body which licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products which meet international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label appears on products to show that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal from trade. Today, more than 1.3 million people – farmers and workers – across more than 70 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.
Over 5,000 products have been licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark including coffee, tea, herbal teas, chocolate, cocoa, sugar, bananas, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, satsumas, lychees, coconuts, dried fruit, juices, smoothies, biscuits, cakes & snacks, honey, jams & preserves, chutney & sauces, rice, quinoa, herbs & spices, seeds, nuts & nut oil, wines, rum, confectionary, muesli, cereal bars, yoghurt, ice-cream, flowers, sports balls, sugar body scrub and cotton products including clothing, homeware, cloth toys, cotton wool, olive oil, gold, silver and platinum.