Shaw 7 May

Local government pension fund GMPF must back a motion to BP’s annual shareholder meeting [27/04/23] calling for it to align its emissions reduction programme with the Paris Agreement, or it will be failing in its duty as a ‘responsible investor’ says local councillor Sam Al-Hamdani.

The UK’s largest public sector pension fund, GMPF has steadfastly refused to stop investing in fossil fuel companies, instead arguing that it should use its influence to modify company behaviour. This motion gives it a direct opportunity to do just that, which Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani says “must be taken”.

“If GMPF fails to back this motion, then its defence for investing in fossil fuel companies would seem to be in tatters.

“This is exactly the type of motion that does what GMPF claim they intend to do. Other pension funds – including local government ones – have already backed the motion – GMPF should be leading the way.”

Councillor Al-Hamdani has written to both GMPF and Oldham Council’s representative on the pension fund, Councillor Abdul Jabbar, asking them to vote for and publicly back the motion.

He continued: “Oldham Council recently backed my call for GMPF to stop investing in fossil fuel companies by 2030, and for them to report back each year on what they were doing to change company behaviour in the meantime.

“If they meant that, then they must back this motion. This is concrete action, that will preserve our environment for the future. Our children deserve nothing less.”

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Free voter ID deadline: 25 April

If you don’t have the right photo ID to vote in the election on Thursday 4 May, you will not be able to vote in person.

To get a free voter ID you can apply online

You can also drop into one of Oldham’s Libraries before 5pm on Tuesday where staff can help you get online and fill out an application. They can also take your picture. You need your National Insurance number to complete the registration and you must be registered to vote.

Oldham’s Labour Administration has been criticised for “failing to stand up for Oldham” after they stood by controversial plans to build housing on local Green Belt sites, despite more than 55 other Council’s deciding to drop or review housing targets according to the local government press.

Responding to the disappointing news, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition Group Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “The government have removed the mandatory housing targets that the Greater Manchester-wide housing strategy was based on.  Labour have always said they didn’t want to build on the Green Belt and green spaces, but they were forced to by the government Yet now they are given a free hand, they have chosen not to change their policy.  Time and time again, I have called on Oldham’s Labour leaders to do precisely what more than 55 other councils are doing and rethink their housing strategy.”

“In March, Liberal Democrats called for Oldham to withdraw from these deeply unpopular, Greater Manchester-wide plans but Labour councillors refused to stand up to their bosses.  They refused to stand up for Oldham.”

Labour members voted against a Liberal Democrat motion which would have removed Oldham Borough from ‘Places for Everyone’, the scheme initiated by the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, which allocates Green Belt and green spaces for housing and industrial development. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Time and time again, it is the Liberal Democrats fighting for the interests of the people of Oldham.  We would tackle the housing crisis by building affordable housing on Oldham’s many brownfield and ex-industrial sites, and by bringing empty homes back into use.  Not by building expensive luxury housing on green spaces, which only helps boosts the profits of greedy developers.” 

NOTES

Liberal Democrats call for Oldham to withdraw from Places for Everyone
Liberal Democrats to push for Oldham Council to withdraw from Places for Everyone in bid to save local green spaces  – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Sykes calls on Oldham Council to drop top-down housing targets (Dec 9, 2022)
Sykes says Oldham must break free of ‘artificial housing targets’ after government U-turn and save our green spaces – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)