Oldham’s Liberal Democrat leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called for free school meals to be extended to all children aged 11 and under. 

Currently the policy is only in place for children aged up to seven, but child poverty is on the rise in Oldham and Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for all primary school children to be offered a warm meal at lunchtime. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Free school meals are a lifeline for so many families in Oldham.  For some children, this might be the only warm meal they get in a day; and we know that a nutritious lunch helps children focus in the classroom.  The problem is that too few children are getting this opportunity and in Oldham, where a disproportionate number of our children are living in poverty, we need something much more ambitious.” 

Nationally, child poverty is estimated at 27% with the charity ‘Child Poverty Action’ stating that eight children in every classroom of 30 are suffering the effects of poverty.  But in Oldham, rates are much higher, with as many as 14 per class affected according to data provided by the National Education Union (NEU).  

Councillor Sykes said, “It’s time for the government to extend free school meals to all primary school children.  It would be one of the most meaningful steps we could take to tackle child poverty and improve attainment at schools.”

Search child poverty statistics by Westminster constituency here:
No Child Left Behind

Pop along for advice, help or to discuss any issue or matter with your local Liberal Democrat councillors.

Shaw and Crompton Advice Surgeries (no appointment necessary) held on the following Thursdays at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre – 7:30pm to 8:30pm.

January 5, 12 ,19, and 26.

Did you know that Christmas trees can be recycled in green bins? 

They just need to be chopped it into small pieces; and the wooden block has to be removed from the base of the tree as this is too big to be composted. Any lights and decorations need to be removed.

Alternatively, trees can be taken to Arkwright Street Household Waste and Recycling Centre or left at a collection point in the following parks (from 28 December to 31 January):

• Higher Memorial Park (car park), Joseph Street, Failsworth (open 7.30am until dusk)
• Royton Park (car park) off Bleasdale Street, Royton. (open 7.30am until dusk)
• Werneth Park (car park) off Frederick Street, Werneth (open 7.30am until dusk)
• Churchill Playing Fields (car park), Wellington Road, Greenfield. Anytime access.
• George Street Playing Fields (car park), off Milnrow Road, Shaw. Anytime access.

Work has now started on the link road between Knowls Lane and Oldham Road, including the destruction of an ancient woodland site which was fiercely contested by residents and local councillors at the planning stage.

New research has shown that it is likely that that was the only ancient woodland site in the area. Local archaeologist Jane Barker researched maps of all the local wooded areas of note, but none of them fulfilled the likely criteria for being ancient woodland.

Jane said: “This just shows the importance of the ancient woodland at Knowls Lane, and how unjustified this decision was.”

“Ancient woodland is so important to our country because it provides a local ecology that has been undisturbed for hundreds of years. It is rare, and often has not been identified, but for us to find it on our doorstep and see it destroyed is heartbreaking.”

The Woodland Trust defines ancient woodland as an area of land where there has been a continuous cover of trees since 1600 and currently it makes up only 2% of British woodland. Until 2014, these trees could not be designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest but the organisms living on them or in them could be. Also unlike buildings, there is no formal recognition for old trees – no listing status, no plaques and no guarantee of their protection.

Local councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, who worked with Jane on the research, said: “Jane did some remarkable work in challenging the previous decision. Having seen the importance of ancient woodland from that, I first of all put forward a motion to Council to embed future protection of ancient woodland in the forthcoming local plan.

“Having someone with the knowledge, commitment and access to identify potential sites was a real opportunity, and it is really sad to find that none of the other sites in the area would qualify.

“It just goes to show how unique and important the original site was. As we have not found any, we will instead be looking to ensure that any sites which have other ecological importance can be identified and protected.”

One such protected designation is “Sites of Biological Interest” – a new one has just been identified in Grasscroft, and the Greater Manchester Ecological Unit is looking at another potential one in Uppermill.

It has been revealed that recently resigned Deputy Mayor Beverley Hughes is to get six months extra part-time work in a new “assistant deputy mayor” position, which carries exactly the same pay (pro-rata) as the deputy mayor.  

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It’s one thing to have a good handover; it’s quite another to hand someone an ‘assistant’ role – on exactly the same wages as the full role – for six months.

“This will simply be reviewed in six months’ time. Really?

“If we need an assistant, there should already be one. Why has it just been created at this time? Is it poor organisation? Or is it an opportunity to give the outgoing Deputy Mayor a well-paid send-off?”

The Deputy Mayor recently stood down after GMP finally reached the minimum standard required to come out of special measures.

Councillor Al-Hamdani continued: “While Bev Hughes – under Andy Burnham – has been in charge of GMP, it has lost tens of thousands of crimes; wasted millions on a failed IT system; it was in special measures for nearly two years; it has been warned repeatedly about failing victims of domestic abuse and violence; and it has repeatedly failed to meet its own targets for neighbourhood policing, never mind produce figures on crime in each area.

“I’m not sure what support the outgoing Deputy Mayor is going to offer, but I sincerely hope that it doesn’t reflect the multiple failings of GMP on her watch.”