The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, have written to the new Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to welcome his rethink of the controversial Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.  The newly-elected Mayor has appointed Salford’s Mayor Paul Dennett to oversee a rewrite of the proposals.

Cllr Sykes said: “Much of the Green Belt land in Oldham that was proposed for housing development is located in the two wards represented solely by six Liberal Democrat Councillors, namely Shaw and Crompton.  Over three thousand new homes are proposed in these two wards.  Local residents are rightly up in arms, fearing that not only will the current plan mean that their precious Green Belt will be lost forever under a carpet of concrete, but also that the existing medical, school and leisure infrastructure, which is already severely stretched, will be completely swamped with the extra demand.”

The Liberal Democrats have a clear aspiration for future housing development in Greater Manchester.  Cllr Sykes explained: “Development should be on brownfield sites first, particularly sites with outstanding planning permission, coupled with mill and factory conversions to housing and a drive to bring existing empty homes back into occupancy, whenever this is practicable.”

In his letter, Cllr Sykes has made the new Mayor an offer: “I am pleased to say that the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council enjoyed a cordial and constructive relationship with your predecessor.  We look forward to establishing a similar relationship with yourself so that we might together work to make Greater Manchester, and its ten constituent local authorities, greater still.”

“We hope that you will offer us the opportunity to work with you and Mr Dennett to establish a revised plan that is acceptable to local ward members and our constituents, which mirrors our aspirations for housing and economic development in Greater Manchester.”

 Attached letter to Mayor Andy Burnham

22 May 2017

Mr. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, GMCA, Churchgate House, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6EU

Dear Mr. Mayor,

Many congratulations on your recent election. I am pleased to say that the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council enjoyed a cordial and constructive relationship with your predecessor. We look forward to establishing a similar relationship with yourself so that we might together work to make Greater Manchester, and its ten constituent local authorities, greater still.

We welcome your recent commitment to revise the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and your appointment of Salford’s Mayor Paul Dennett to oversee the rewrite.

We hope that you will offer us the opportunity to work with you and Mr. Dennett to establish a revised plan that is acceptable to local ward members and our constituents, which mirrors our aspirations for housing and economic development in Greater Manchester.

The original plans for Oldham proposed that 13,700 new homes be built and almost 700,000 square metres of land made available for new factories and warehouses in the borough. Approximately 3000 were to be located in sites in Shaw and Crompton, and other tracts of land were designated for industrial development.

To the six Liberal Democrat Councillors representing Shaw and Crompton, this plan represented a massive and inequitable land grab in our area with the loss of our much-loved Green Belt and OPOL (other protected open land).

Our constituents have rightly been up-in-arms about it, and have participated in demonstrations at Tandle Hill Park and in Albert Square to protect their Green Belt. As their elected representatives, we have supported their aspiration not to see any development of the Green Belt.

Labour colleagues representing Royton and Chadderton are also upset at plans to devastate Green Belt in their areas and I know they would also welcome the chance to participate in a dialogue with Mr Dennett and yourself.

It is the view of the Liberal Democrat Group that there is no justification for the construction of a large number of properties (or indeed any properties) on Green Belt or OPOL land before new homes are first built on Brownfield sites, on sites where planning permission for housing development has already been granted and upon the many derelict and the unloved sites in our town centres and districts.

We also believe that every empty mill and factory should be converted used for housing and that the large number of empty homes across Greater Manchester should be brought back into use.

We also wish to see the apportionment of housing and commercial development across every ward within every borough rather than the disproportionate imposition of development on a few wards such as ours.

It is our belief that Shaw and Crompton lacks the necessary infrastructure to meet the needs of the residents of more than 3,000 new homes. Our primary schools are full and overcrowded; we have a secondary school that is falling apart; a dilapidated Health Centre that is near cardiac arrest; no swimming facilities or dry leisure provision; precious few youth facilities and no municipal tip.

New homes with growing families need primary and secondary school places; more GPs and dentists; leisure and shopping facilities; and new highways and more buses and trams to get them there.

Mr. Mayor, I hope that in light of these facts that you will wish to engage the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group in the re-write and, with this hope in mind, I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely

Howard Sykes

Thursday:  June: 1, 15, 22, 29.

All at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw

From 7:30pm to 8:30pm

Councillors: Sykes, Blyth, Gloster, Williamson, Murphy and Turner

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY

Following a Group meeting on 15 May, the Oldham Borough Liberal Democrat Group has announced their appointment, unanimously and un-opposed, of Councillor Howard Sykes MBE as their Leader and Councillor John McCann as their Deputy Leader.

Councillor Sykes has also announced the appointment of his Shadow Cabinet Team for 2017/18.

Councillor Howard Sykes said: “I am delighted and honoured that John and I have once again received the unanimous support of our party colleagues. The Liberal Democrats remain the only effective opposition holding Labour to account on Oldham Council.”

“Under my Leadership, and with the support of my Shadow Cabinet Team, we will continue as a group to speak up and work hard for the residents of this Borough, particularly those who are marginalised or disenchanted with Labour, who want to hear an independent, common sense voice speaking out for them for better and more accountable public services.”

“As the Liberal Democrat Opposition, we shall oppose further central government cuts on Council finances and help fight our corner in negotiations with the new Greater Manchester Mayor and devolved authority so that Oldham gets its fair deal.”

“In June, we shall face a difficult General Election. The Liberal Democrats are a growing party of over 100,000 members with a dynamic leader in Tim Farron and a radical policy agenda for a stronger economy and a fairer society, including more financial support for local government. We also want to see the right deal in place on Europe that preserves cross-Channel trade on fair terms and leaves us on friendly relations with our continental neighbours.”

“I am confident that everyone in the party will be fighting hard to return as many of our Liberal Democrat colleagues as possible. I wish all of our Liberal Democrat candidates well in the forthcoming battle, especially those fighting the three Parliamentary seats in our Borough.”

Notes: details of positions are below.

The Lib Dem Group:

Leader – Cllr Howard Sykes;
Deputy Leader – Cllr John McCann;
Group Chair – Cllr Chris Gloster;
Group Vice-Chair – Cllr Rod Blyth;
Political Secretary – Cllr Garth Harkness;
Treasurer – Cllr Derek Heffernan;
Group Secretary – Cllr Diane Williamson

Shadow Cabinet (Shadow Executive Members):

Howard Sykes Economy and Enterprise (Opposition Leader);

Julia Turner Education and Early Years;

Garth Harkness Employment and Skills;

Rod Blyth Social Care and Safeguarding;

Chris Gloster Health and Well-being;

Diane Williamson Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives;

Dave Murphy Environmental Services;

John McCann Finance and HR.

GM Fire and Rescue: Cllr Derek Heffernan

Transport for Greater Manchester: Cllr Howard Sykes

Audit Committee: Spokesperson – Cllr Garth Harkness

Overview and Scrutiny Board: Spokesperson – Cllr Diane Williamson

Performance and Value for Money Committee: Spokesperson – Cllr Rod Blyth

Planning Committee: Spokesperson – Cllr Rod Blyth

Licensing Committee: Spokesperson – Cllr Chris Gloster

Standards Committee: Spokesperson – Cllr Diane Williamson

Health and Well-being Board: Spokesperson – Cllr Rod Blyth

Petitions and Traffic Regulation orders: Spokesperson – Cllr Chris Gloster

District Executive: Shaw and Crompton – Chair Cllr Diane Williamson;

Saddleworth and Lees – Spokesperson Cllr Garth Harkness.