Development of a mini growing Hub in Dunwood Park which was previously going to be called the Secret Garden. The day will include apple pressing, seed planting and garden related craft activities.
FREE Level 1 bikeability course in Dunwood Park, Shaw, 1-3pm, Monday 20th July
FREE Level 1 bikeability course in Dunwood Park, Shaw.
1-3pm, Monday 20th July.
To book please contact info@s2scyclesafe.co.uk / 01924 256 284
17 July – now been cancelled due to lack of interest
Lib Dem Leader reacts to Labour Gagging Order
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, expressed his disappointment at a Labour move to gag and silence the Lib Dems from two important motions at tonight’s Council meeting.
Cllr Sykes said: “At the instigation of the Council Leader and the Labour Group, the Lib Dem Group was tonight gagged. We were informed less than two hours before the start of Full Council that, at the request of the Council Leader, our motions on free prescriptions for people with long-term illnesses and on lowering the drink driving limit would be ruled out of order, by the Mayor.”
“Labour claimed that the two motions were not constitutional because they were not about “some matter over which the Council has a direct influence” and that they are of no relevance to the business of Oldham Council. Council legal opinion differed. Despite this, the Mayor agreed to the Leader’s demand.”
“So according to the Labour Administration, Oldham Council has no business in trying to improve the lives of Oldham residents who live with long-term medical conditions or in preventing further needless deaths from drinking and driving in the Borough. This view is totally contradictory to the responsibilities and legal duties placed on Oldham Council to promote public health and to maintain road safety, so these motions surely fall within the Council’s constitutional remit.”
“According to Labour, Oldham Council can have no influence in changing Government policy on these matters; yet Council Leader Cllr McMahon was happy to work with me to support our Council making representations to Government to grant local authorities more powers to restrict betting shops on our High Street and to continue to allow camera cars to monitor poor parking at school gates. Both of these have been successful campaigns, in part because of the ‘direct influence’ of Oldham Council. If we follow Labour’s logic, the Council should not be lobbying Government ministers for anything.”
“We are not so naïve as to say that passing these motions will in themselves change Government policy – if only we were so influential – but the Lib Dems do have more faith that Oldham Council with other local authorities and the Local Government Association can together bring about change.”
Cllr Sykes added: “The deadline for submission of motions was Friday 3 July. At no point since that time has Labour or staff from the Council’s Legal and Democratic Services Team raised any objections to either motion. The article has never been used in this manner before, and certainly Labour has had many motions that could be deemed to be outside of the scope.”
“For example, in September of last year Labour proposed a motion objecting to the Transatlantic Trade and Agreement Partnership (TTAP). This is an international trade treaty being negotiated between the European Union and the United States of America. Did the Lib Dems object to bringing this motion? No, because we felt that it was an issue that was worth debating, despite it having no direct relevance to the people of Oldham, in application of Labour’s interpretation of the rules.”
Cllr Sykes added: “Council legal opinion was that the motions did meet the ‘scope’ requirement. This is yet another example of the Labour Administration attempting to stifle the effectiveness of the Opposition in raising issues of legitimate concern to the people of Oldham Borough or in challenging their actions. Last time, Labour cut our questions, now they are seeking to cut our right to propose motions. Who knows maybe next time they will be meeting separately from the Opposition and taking all of the decisions in our absence.”
Oldham Council 15 July 2015 – Leader of the Opposition Questions by Councillor Howard Sykes
Q1 Oldham’s Education Deficit
Schools in Oldham have recently received public attention, but regrettably for all of the wrong reasons.
If Oldham were itself a pupil, there is no doubt that the Borough’s Annual School report would read: ‘once again failed to reach its potential and could do much better if it just applied itself’.
Oldham has the third worst record in the country for the number of infant pupils taught in classes of more than 30.
More than 2,300 children (nearly one in three) of five to seven year olds.
In junior schools more than 2,900 children are in classes over 30 in size.
In fact the average class size in Junior School in Oldham Borough is 28.9 pupils, the seventh highest in the country.
In addition nearly a fifth (20%) of Oldham pupils will not be able to attend their first choice Secondary School as places at the most popular schools do not meet demand.
This is understandable as demand at popular schools will continue to rise as Oldham’s Secondary Schools overall are judged poorly with only 36.5% of our pupils in ‘good or excellent’ Secondary Schools which is less than half the UK national average of 73.5%.
I am sure that the Leader will agree with me that much more needs to be done.
We are currently failing to give thousands of our children the opportunities they deserve.
Our Borough’s children deserve an excellent education to help reach further and higher education, set them up to become productive and well remunerated in the workplace, active citizens and positive parents and role models for their own children.
Let me be clear the Liberal Democrat Group will do all in its power to assist in changing the current state of affairs.
Labour has promised much for the Oldham Education Commission – indeed it would appear to have its work cut out – so can the Leader tell us all what this Administration is doing and will do to address the clear educational deficit in Oldham and when we might expect to have sight of the Commission’s final report, remembering its interim report in January was never published?
Q2 Sunday Trading
The Chancellor proposed in last weeks’ Budget that areas such as Greater Manchester should be permitted to extend Sunday trading hours if we wish to do so.
Extended Sunday trading hours could provide additional jobs and additional business as a stimulant to the retail economy of our Borough, and may lead to the Borough becoming a ‘destination’ of choice for weekend shoppers accessing our retail offer by Metrolink, particularly if the Princes Gate development is the ‘game-changer’ the Leader has promised it will be. It could also be used to build upon the cultural offer town centre.
However it can also encroach on quality time and family life.
I would therefore like to ask the Leader whether within the new Combined Authority he would support the proposal for extended Sunday opening hours within Greater Manchester and specifically on Oldham, or not?
In essence would he echo the view that: “Sunday was the most miserable day of the week” before retail laws were relaxed, or support the view that limited opening hours on Sunday are sacrosanct as it is the only day that shop workers and their families can “bank on some time with their kids?”
FIRST Shaw and Crompton COMMUNITY Market Place
Shaw and Crompton District Executive is inviting residents to have a say on local issues that matter to you.
On Tuesday, July 21 the first Shaw and Crompton Community Market Place is being held at the Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw, OL2 8TB.
If you want to find out more about our community or share your views then come along from 6pm until 6.45pm.
You will be able to speak to your Shaw and Crompton councillors and the District Team plus representatives of Greater Manchester Police.
Officers from First Choice Home Oldham and The Guinness Partnership Housing Association will be on hand to answer any housing queries you may have and if you want to speak about public transport then representatives of First Bus will be present.
If you have any benefit issues then the Welfare Rights team might be able to assist and you can also hear about all the sport and leisure opportunities taking place through Oldham Community Leisure run and what is going on down at Mahdlo.
Councillor Diane Williamson, Chair of Shaw and Crompton District Executive, said: “This first market place is a great way for residents to get more help and information about the things that matter to them under one roof.
“If you have got something that you’d like to bring up with us then please come along on the night. We hope to have a couple of these type of events every year so that local councillors and partners can keep in touch with residents in a different way”
For more information email: anne.fleming@oldham.gov.uk or call 0161 770 8172.
Lib Dems propose Lowering Drink Drive Limit to Save Lives
The Oldham Liberal Democrats will propose a motion to Council (15th July) that England’s drink drive limit be reduced to bring it into line with Scotland and many European countries.
Proposing the motion, Shaw Lib Dem Councillor Chris Gloster said:
“I spent thirty years in the Police service, twenty five of which were spent as a roads policing officer at different levels. My final role was as a senior officer investigating road collisions where tragically there had been deaths or serious injuries.
“I have seen first-hand the misery that drink-driving brings to families, and continues to bring them every day; yet there are mixed messages for motorists. The Government tells motorists not to drink and drive, but then advocates two pints and you are likely to be ok to drive. The message should be none for the road and the limit should be reduced to be in line with the majority of Europe at least”.
The current limit in the majority of the United Kingdom is 80 micrograms (mg) per 100millilitres (ml) of blood. This is the highest limit in Europe, shared only by Malta. Scotland has however recently reduced its drink drive limit to 50mg per 100ml of blood mirroring the limit in many European countries, and Northern Ireland is currently considering the same measure.
Cllr Gloster explained the rationale for the reduction: “A lower limit will make people think twice about that extra drink. Everyone has different tolerance levels to alcohol and the current level can make someone unfit to drive, even though they are not over the legal limit of 80 micrograms of alcohol in their blood. I am confident that a lower limit will save lives”.
In 2014, on average 5 people a day were killed and 62 seriously injured on Britain’s roads. Statistics show that on average nearly 1 in 6 collisions that result in a fatality, the driver is in excess of the legal alcohol limit for driving.
The motion is backed by the Cllr Gloster’s Shaw colleague, Lib Dem Leader Cllr Howard Sykes: “I am grateful to Chris for bringing this important issue to the attention of full Council.
“The current position is illogical in law, and must be bewildering to the motorist, when a driver under the legal limit in England, can be immediately prosecuted once they cross the Scottish border.
“We need consistency in our treatment of drivers wherever they consume alcohol within the United Kingdom. Scotland has reduced the limit, Northern Ireland is considering following suit, so it seems sensible for everyone to adopt the lower limit.
“And there are clearly road safety grounds for having a lower limit in place in any case.
“It is frightening that in 1966, there were 7,985 fatalities on Britain’s roads, yet by 1980, this figure had halved and by 2014 halved again. Although modern cars contain many safety features, much of the reduction is due to the introduction of the breathalyser in 1967, to Government road safety campaigns around drink-driving, and to changing public attitudes about its acceptability.
“The Oldham Liberal Democrats now feel that we need to take the drink drive limit lower to further reduce road deaths; every one of which is an individual tragedy.”
Notes:
- A 50mg limit would mean an average man would be limited to just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine and women to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine.
- The Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia have introduced a zero-tolerance policy
- Germany has a 50mg limit – but for new drivers, the limit is 0.
- Source: European Transport Safety Council
Notice of Opposition Business – Lowering the Drink Drive Limit
On average 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions on Britain’s roads. Nearly one in six of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit.
Council notes that:
The current permitted limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood
In Scotland the limit was reduced in December 2014 to 50mg
This Council believes that, as a contribution towards a further reduction in road deaths, the drink drive limit should be reduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to 50mg per 100ml of blood to bring it into line with Scotland.
This Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt. Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP, to outline this Council’s position and to ask him to introduce this measure as soon as is practicable.
Adoption of Highways/Footways and Street Lighting – Cape Gardens Estate, Shaw
I have been campaigning for a number of years to get the roads, pavements and street lights on Cape Gardens, Mill Pond Close, Read Close, Refuge Street, Clubhouse Close and Twingates formally ‘adopted’ by Oldham Council.
It is many years since the homes in this area have been built however the responsibility for maintenance and repairs of these ‘un-adopted’ highways, footways and street lighting is the responsibility of the developer or owners of the properties. A far from satisfactory solution that causes all sorts of delays when things need repairing.
These streets have remained ‘un-adopted’ by the Council and as such they remain out of the Council’s jurisdiction for repairs, and upkeep.
I have been actively pursuing this issue with Council Officers or more years than I care to remember.
I am now very pleased to report that Council Officers have informed me that the highways, footways and street lighting in the areas of Cape Gardens, Mill Pond Close, Read Close, Refuge Street, Clubhouse Close and Twingates should be formally ‘adopted’ by the Council in August 2015.
Once this adoption process is completed it will allow the lighting contractor, EON, to be requested to begin the process of maintaining, or upgrading where needed, the street lighting in these areas.
This has been a long fight but we have got there in the end.
Footpaths: Woodhouse Road, Crossfield Close and Compton Fold, Shaw
Residents have been in contact with me regarding the reinstatement and making good of the footpaths on Woodhouse Road, Crossfield Close and Compton Fold, following the works recently carried out by Virgin Media.
I have been pursuing this issue.
The reinstatement level on these streets is unacceptable under SROH (Specification for Reinstatements On the Highway) after an inspection has been carried out by the Highways Department (which I asked for).
Hopefully now the reinstatement will be re-done to the correct standard.
Visibility Buckstones Road Junction with George Street, Shaw
The Traffic Reregulation Order (TRO) Panel decision was to extend the double yellow lines by 16 metres in front of the terrace houses on Buckstones Road.
This on balance is a sensible outcome as it will give better visibility while leaving residents some spaces to park.
The operative date set is for August 2015
Lib Dem call for Community Shop to be discussed
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the report on Community Shop that will be presented to Oldham Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board next Tuesday (14th July).
Cllr Sykes wrote to Community Shop in December last year inviting them to work with him to establish an outlet in Oldham. After visiting the flagship store and the parent Company Shop in Barnsley in February, he called upon the Council Leader Cllr McMahon to “find the site and find the money” to bring the concept to the Borough as soon as is practicable.
Community Shop operates community supermarkets selling low-cost, high-quality surplus foodstuffs to people on means-tested benefits, backed by services to help them get back into work. Company Shop sources the food and provides logistical support.
Each shop works on a membership basis and can shop for food at prices 70 per cent lower than usual and so members can feed their families well within a limited budget.
There is also an on-site café with good, wholesome food cooked by an on-site chef, who teaches customers how to cook as well.
But Cllr Sykes has another reason to wish to see Community Shop in Oldham.
He explained: “Community Shop is not just about food. Community Shop will enhance our Get Oldham Working offer and help more people from deprived communities find work.”
Members enrol on tailored programmes to improve their self-confidence and job prospects. Working with mentors and professionals from local agencies based at the store, members receive help to make positive improvements in their lives and move back into employment.
Report below: