Lib Dems call on Council to Combat Disability Hate Crime

screen_shot_2013-02-14_at_10_10_55_largeThe Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, will propose a motion to the next meeting of full Council (17th December) outlining measures to enable the Council to play an active role in combatting disability hate crime.

Cllr Sykes said: “All hate crime is disgusting, but hate crimes targetted against people because of their disability are especially abhorrent. Tragically, despite supposedly living in a tolerant, modern society, these crimes are also all too common. Government statistics in the national hate crime survey of 2013 recorded on average 62,000 incidents of disability-related hate crime in each of the two preceding years.

“A disability hate crime can be verbal abuse, harassment of a disabled person, or damage caused to their property, but in three in ten cases, it amounts to a physical assault; most shockingly, in extremis this has included the abject degradation, rape or murder of the victim.

“Yet disability hate crimes do not receive as much publicity as other hate crimes, and regrettably police detection rates and prosecutions of offenders are lower than other hate crime categories. Disappointingly the number of disability hate crime convictions fell over the last year from 494 to 470.

“The Liberal Democrat Group believes that now is the time for the Council to ‘square up’ to disability hate crime and to work in partnership with disability advocacy groups to identify what can be done locally to reduce offences, to protect victims and to prosecute offenders”

Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Cllr Rod Blyth is proud to second the motion:

“The Liberal Democrats are also calling on the Labour Administration to promote the excellent teaching materials produced by the Crown Prosecution Service as a learning resource for our borough’s students and to ensure that our disabled employees are effectively supported should they become a victim of a hate crime.

“Lastly we recognise that disability hate crime is not exclusive to Oldham, and so not just Oldham’s cause to fight; that is why we are also calling on the Police and Crime Commissioner and on Government Ministers to join us in this fight”.

The timing of the motion is purposefully chosen.

Cllr Sykes explained: “December is a month with several important dates on which the world marks the dignity and respect that should be shown to every human being and the intrinsic value of every life, whatever their ability or disability.

“On the 3rd, the United Nations celebrates the achievements, despite disadvantage and discrimination, of disabled people on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, whilst on the 10th we mark Human Rights Day.

“My colleague, Cllr Diane Williamson, also recently wrote to her Labour counterpart, the Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Amanda Chadderton, asking her to promote United Kingdom Disability History Month (22nd November to 22nd December) as a learning opportunity to students attending academies, colleges and schools across our borough”.

The motion to Council (17th December 2014) reads as follows:

Disability hate crime is defined by the Crown Prosecution Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers as being –

‘Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability or perceived disability’

Disability hate crime comprises verbal abuse, harassment, damage to the property of a person because of their disability, and, in three in ten cases, a physical assault.

Council notes that:

– there is much general hostility toward disabled people, some of which is whipped up by sensational and vindictive media reporting and by intemperate and ill-advised comments by politicians and candidates.

– despite an overall rise of over 1,000 in convictions for other forms of hate crime in 2013/14, disappointingly the number of disability hate crime convictions fell over the year from 494 to 470.

– there has been good work carried out by the Police, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Disability Hate Crime Network, but the Director of Public Prosecutions acknowledged ‘that there is more to do, especially around disability hate crime’.

Council resolves to:

Ask Overview and Scrutiny Committee to:

o convene a special hearing to investigate, with disability advocacy groups, the prevalence of this type of crime in Oldham and what can be done locally through a multi-agency approach to prevent it and what can be done to bring about criminal prosecutions
o bring a report back to full Council as soon as practicable.

– Support the Disability Hate Crime Network, an umbrella body that promotes the reporting of disability hate crimes and supports the work of the Police in bringing prosecutions.

– Support Mencap’s ‘Stand by Me’ campaign to help stop hate crime against people with a learning disability.

– Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Justice Minister, the Rt. Hon. Simon Hughes MP, and Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, urging them to:

o redouble their efforts to prosecute offenders
o consider introducing new legislation for England and Wales which mirrors that which already exists in Scotland (the Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009)
o provide magistrates with appropriate training so that they are aware of the extra sentencing powers they have to deal with disability hate crime offences.

– Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd urging him to:
o ensure the prosecution of perpetrators of disability hate crime is given equal prominence to the prosecution of those committing other hate crimes
o ensure that reporting procedures allow for British sign language and appropriate formats for those with learning difficulties

– Ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding, Cllr Amanda Chadderton, to promote the materials published by the Crown Prosecution Service to support the delivery of the Disability Hate Crime Schools Project in local schools and academies

– Ask the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support, Cllr Abdul Jabbar, to review the existing support mechanisms for employees who become victims of disability hate crime to ensure that these model best practice

FOR HELP AND ADVICE – SHAW WARD SURGERIES

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Councillors Rod Blyth, Mark Alcock and Howard Sykes.
Also Parish Councillors Aspinall, Farrell, Duffy, Hall, Stephens, Dodd, Robinson, Murphy and Wood will also attend.
7.30pm – 8.30pm, Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw, OL2 8TB.
Thursday: December: 4, 11, 18
NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED

Save Money? Pigeon-hole-it not mail-it, says Cllr Sykes

Staff discouts mailing Nov 14

The Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr Howard Sykes, has today highlighted one way in which Oldham Council could save money towards the £60 million savings target it has to achieve over the next two years.

Cllr Sykes said: “Quite simply it is this. All sixty Councillors and all of the thousands of Council staff have recently received through the post details of the Council Staff Discount Scheme operated by Vectis, as well as a membership card.

“Whilst offering discounts to staff at a time when pay restraint is in place is welcome, is it really the best use of ratepayers’ money to incur the cost of an all-out mailing when Councillors have their own postal pigeon-holes in the Civic Centre where mail is regularly left for them and when line managers could distribute envelopes to staff in the workplace by hand?

“Worse still, the mail-out was a blanket effort to every Councillor and every staff member. This failed to take into account those who have already signed up for the scheme. Many hundreds of staff are already signed up to the Vectis discount scheme.”

Cllr Sykes added: “Whilst I recognise that stopping this mail-out would contribute only a small amount towards the massive budget savings we as a Council have to make, it is indicative of a corporate mind-set that regrettably does not always think about the costs of carrying out actions and continues to act as they have always been done.

“At a time when we have just asked members of the public to help save £60 million in savings, this kind of action sends out a completely wrong message; we need to think and act differently. This lack of thought will have cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds when hidden costs as well as actually costs are added up. This really could have been a case of small change big difference!”

Let’s All Do our Bit in National Tree Week, says Cllr Sykes

clipart-tree-MKTjKnaiqLeader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr Howard Sykes, is keen to encourage the residents of our Borough to do something positive in National Tree Week to mark the importance of trees in our lives.

First started in 1975, National Tree Week marks the start of the winter tree planting season. National Tree Week this year is from 29th November to 7th December 2014.

Each year, partner organisations, such as local authorities, schools and community groups, work with the National Tree Council and its network of 8,000 Tree Wardens organise events that inspire up to a quarter of a million people to plant around a million trees.

Cllr Sykes said: “Not only do trees provide the oxygen that we breathe; the wood we use for construction and to heat our homes; and some of the food that we eat, but woodlands are great habitats for wildlife and great places for us to enjoy, whether it be for a romantic walk, a family picnic or for children to play hide-and-seek.

“Earlier this year I wrote to my Liberal Democrat colleague, Forestry Minister, Dan Rogerson MP, seeking a Forestry Bill to provide for the care of this nation’s forestry estate and to provide greater legal protection for Britain’s ancient forests.

“Under Dan’s stewardship, this Government has planted one million new trees and I am pleased that the Lib Dems at its last conference pledged to plant one new tree for every baby born in this country.

“Everyone can do their bit during National Tree Week – you can go out and plant a native British tree in your garden; if you are a school governor you can pledge to take action to plant trees your schools grounds and to ensure that it becomes a Forest School; and for those of you who are active in Friends of Parks groups you can look online to find out how you can become one of the National Tree Council’s trained tree wardens, who do so much work to help preserve the health of our woodlands”.

Further information about National Tree Week can be found on the website of the National Tree Council – http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/

GOOD NEWS Fraser St/Rochdale Rd/Chamber Rd – lights to be removed by 13 Nov

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Earlier this week Council Officers have visited site and subsequently spoken by telephone with Cuncannon the appointed contractors requesting an update on the removal of the scaffold.

They have informed them that the scaffold, skip and debris will be removed and cleared from site no later than close of business on Wednesday 12th November.

Although, this is slightly later than anticipated the contractors have been asked by the property owner to provided roller shutters (for security) to all windows and doors and the delay has been the delivery of the shutters.

The Council has informed the contractor that they intend to open the Highway on the Thursday 13th November.

FOR HELP AND ADVICE – SHAW WARD SURGERIES

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Councillors Rod Blyth, Mark Alcock and Howard Sykes.

Also Parish Councillors Aspinall, Farrell, Duffy, Hall, Stephens, Dodd, Robinson, Murphy and Wood will also attend.

7.30pm – 8.30pm, Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw, OL2 8TB.

Thursday: November: 6, 13, 20

NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED

New Strategy Launched to Meet Bees Needs

imagesCA9N3YINElizabeth Truss, the Environment Secretary, has today (Tuesday 4th November) launched a National Pollinator Strategy that every gardener should read.

Speaking to the Policy Exchange think tank, Ms Truss said that pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, moths and wasps are ‘indispensable’ to our food production and that establishing a ‘flower-rich habitat’ will help increase their numbers.

Many thousands of Britons have already created pollinator-friendly havens in their gardens and backyards.
This is very commendable.

I am glad that Ms Truss has finally published the long-promised plan as the latest guidance offers advice on how we can all contribute to saving Britain’s bees.

The plan was certainly a long time in coming. In April of this year, I wrote to Ms Truss’s predecessor, Lord de Mauley, urging him to publish a plan as a matter of urgency.

Lobby groups, such as Friends of the Earth, were also campaigning hard on this issue.

For those readers that wish to help save Britain’s bees and other pollinators, the plan they can found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-strategy-to-support-bees-needs

Guarded Welcome to ‘Devo Manc’ Agreement

Cllr Howard Sykes gives Guarded Welcome to ‘Devo Manc’ Agreement

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, has given a guarded welcome to this week’s news of the agreement between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the 10 Council Leaders in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Cllr Sykes said: “Much of what has been agreed is to be welcomed. The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group certainly wish to see more power and more revenue being devolved from Whitehall to local town halls so this is a big step in the right direction.

“At the last Council meeting in October, I expressed my support for devolution and offered my full support to the Council Leader in achieving it.

“The plan will devolve real powers to a new Greater Manchester Authority, led by an elected Mayor, allowing significant improvements to our infrastructure, the creation of more efficient and joined up public transport network and thousands of new homes to be built, whilst creating many more, much needed businesses and local jobs.

“There is no doubt this will all have a positive impact on Oldham’s economy as one of the ten beneficiary authorities.

“Another spin-off benefit will be amalgamation of the powers and responsibilities of the Police and Crime Commissioner, a post that has never been popular and the loss of which will not be lamented.

“However the new Mayor will only be elected in 2017, after a delay of almost two and a half years and after a General Election, with all the uncertainties that this brings for the future. In the interim an appointed Mayor will take charge of a vast budget.

“It is of course early days, but I am concerned that as yet there appears to be no concrete proposals in place to scrutinise the actions of the appointed Mayor or of the ten local authority Leaders who will sit in judgement on her or him.

“There have been major past concerns about the accountability of the Police and Crime Commissioner to the public. I would certainly want the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to look at how the Mayor and new authority will be properly accountable to both elected members and the wider electorate.

“The Oldham Liberal Democrats will be looking to ensure that once worked up future governance arrangements balance operational efficiency with public transparency”.