The Council have informed me that despite the crews best efforts today they are approximately 3.5 hours behind on Paper & Cardboard recycling collections in the Shaw area this evening.
They have a spare crew going out tomorrow at 7:30am to collect this.
Copy of recent correspondence to the CX of TfGM re ‘Cycle Alert’ (and his reply).
This is currently being used in York and has clearly improved cycle safety and I am pleased to report TfGM will be looking into this matter.
For copy of his reply follow this link: Cllr Sykes Cycle alert
My original request about this matter is below.
To: Jon Lamonte
Subject: Lamonte – Cycle Alert – Re Draft
Dear Dr. Lamonte,
Re: Cycle Alert
I am writing to you in connection with something that I saw recently in York, a safety innovation called Cycle Alert.
I do not profess to understand all of the technology, but essentially the safety system comprises an electronic unit located on a bus and a unit placed on cycles.
The two units bounce signals other and a warning is sounded in the bus driver’s cab alerting him when a cyclist is nearby, particularly when the cyclist is in a blind spot.
Although 23% of cyclist deaths were caused by HGVs, I am sure some deaths and injuries must be inflicted to cyclists each year by buses.
This system seems effective and is relatively cheap but placed against the cost of a life lost that is priceless, cost seems immaterial.
In York, Transdev buses have been fitted with Cycle Alert since 2013. Independent market research released from Actionline research stated that 88% of Transdev drivers give the system a positive rating, and a whopping 95% recommended that it should be used by other bus companies in the city.
Given that Greater Manchester is a more built up and busy conurbation, I would suggest the benefits of installing Cycle Alert on buses across the region must be immense.
To assist you, I have attached information sourced from the Cycle Alert website (www.cyclealert).
I would welcome your views on this matter and how such technology could be applied in Greater Manchester.
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE
Due to exceptionally high tonnages presented following the Christmas break the Council have managed to limit the outstanding work to a few pockets only on brown bins/ black boxes as follows:
The Orchards area
Salt Street area
These will be collected on Saturday (today).
Click on this link for more informnation: Slimmin without Women
The event will include lots of practical support for keeping warm & well this winter – including free winter warmth packs, free electric blanket testing & much more! Winter Health Event 14-12-15
Letter from CCG: Village medical practice Crompton Health Centre
| Mark Drury, Head of Public Affairs,Oldham CCG, Ellen House, Waddington Street, Oldham OL9 6EE | |
| Dear Mr Drury | |
Re: Village Medical Practice |
|
I refer to your letter dated 29 October, 2015 concerning the Village Medical Practice and the question of re-procurement at the end of the contract in September 2016.
I am writing on behalf of myself, my two Shaw Ward colleagues, Councillors Blyth and Sykes, and also my three Crompton Ward colleagues, Councillors Murphy, Turner and Williamson, as the Crompton Councillors appear not to have been consulted but have many constituents who utilise this service and would be similarly affected should re-procurement not take place leading to patient dispersal.
The Village Medical Practice, as well as the Oak Gables Partnership contained within Crompton Health Centre is a vital resource for the Shaw and Crompton community, providing easy town centre access to a medical practitioner. Shaw and Crompton is one township, with a population of around 20,000 and the need for a medical facility that is easily accessible is a must.
If patients were to be dispersed, this would lead to difficulties in accessing suitable alternative GP services that are already under immense pressure, create unnecessary travel for some and great difficulty for others. Needless to say, Shaw and Crompton Councillors wholeheartedly support the re-procurement of this service based in Shaw.
Shaw and Crompton Councillors have campaigned for a long time to increase the quality of provision and access to integrated medical care within Shaw and Crompton.
The CCG will be aware that we almost had a new integrated care centre built in Shaw Town Centre but finances were withdrawn and the scheme axed before the 2010 General Election by the then Primary Care Trust (PCT).
As a group of locally elected representatives we are very keen to see a new Integrated Care Centre for Shaw and Crompton and feel that the time is now right to look again at this proposal.
With the impending demolition of Crompton Pool, the relocation of Shaw Market and therefore the vast increase in available open land within the town centre, there can be no better time to reconsider a new build of an Integrated Care Centre which would benefit from ample parking and excellent access from far and wide created by the arrival of Metrolink into Shaw.
Also those using the current Crompton Health Centre need a building, facilities and access to services like most other citizens in Oldham Borough already have.
We are able to offer facilities in Shaw that are unequalled by any other district in the Borough and the benefit of easy access by road and tram can only be of benefit to the whole Borough of Oldham as well as increasing the prosperity of Shaw Centre in particular created by increased footfall and revenue.
Therefore, we need to ensure local provision for those currently provided for by the Village Medical Practice and hopefully you will give some very active consideration to providing all those who use Crompton Health Centre with the facility they have patiently waited for and justly deserve.
Yours sincerely
COUNCILLOR CHRIS GLOSTER
Local Shaw and Crompton Lib Dem Councillors Howard Sykes MBE and Diane Williamson recently handed in a 350 plus name petition about Oldham Council’s plans for Shaw Market.
At first Labour wanted to move the Market onto the South side of Market Street that joins High Street. Now they want to move it to the North side of Market Street adjoining Rochdale Road.
“The latest news is that the Labour Council will press ahead with its plans, with the Market moving permanently,” stated Councillor Howard Sykes. “We expect them to formally confirm this at the Licensing Panel on 2 November.”
Local councillors are campaigning to leave the Market where it is. They want to see Shaw Market stay on its present site with investment to bring farmers markets and Christmas markets to the area as well. Leaving the Market where it is also makes additional market days possible including the various charity events as well as more specialised markets.
“We want to see the cash Labour has allocated for the move spent instead on revitalising Shaw Market on its existing site by replacing the fixed market stalls with pop-up stalls on Market Day (Thursday) and removing the perimeter units,” stated Cllr Williamson.
“This solution will not only remove the shelter that attracts youths intent on anti-social behaviour but also provide more free car-parking on non-Market Days, therefore contributing to the general vitality of Shaw’s District Centre,” said Councillor Sykes.
“We are not surprized the new venue appears to be popular. The Council has thrown the kitchen sink at this with free events, promotions, advertising, questionnaires and staff. It just shows what can be done. If the same amount of effort was made to promote the existing site I am sure that would have been successful. Remember the ‘staying put’ option was refused to be included in the consultation. You have to ask why?” he added.
“We shall see what happens in the longer term when all this existing ‘excitement’ has evaporated,” stated Councillor Williamson. “Also the Council needs to come clean on its plans for the ‘old market site’ if it presses ahead with its plans.”
“In addition our proposal also prevents potential traffic problems that can happen when Market Street is closed forcing all vehicles, including HGVs and buses, to use Eastway,” added Councillor Williamson.
Councillors Sykes and Williamson handing in their petition
Half term activities 8-18 year olds Shaw
For more information contact Lynda Winrow: 07930 925 233
lynda.winrow@oldham.gov.uk
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has again written to Councillor Barbara Brownridge and Sue Dearden renewing his call for the Labour Administration to work with him to establish a Food Poverty Commission for Oldham.
Councillor Brownridge serves as Cabinet Member for Communities and Councillor Dearden is Chair of the Health and Well-being Board, Councillor Sykes first wrote to them on this matter at the end of July.
Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “As I know well, Councillors, especially Cabinet Members, are busy people with many calls on their time so it is probably an oversight that I have as yet, received no formal response to my initial letter.”
“I am sure that every elected member shares my concern about the level of food poverty in our Borough and the need for the Council, with its responsibility for public health and well-being, to take an active lead in addressing it, so I thought it timely to send a further reminder in advance of our November Council meeting.”
“As the letter was sent very soon after World Food Day, I am sure that it will receive swift attention.”
In the letter, Cllr Sykes welcomed the recommendation to the Overview and Scrutiny Board on 13 October that they seek to establish a new Community Shop, alongside a FairShare food distribution centre, in Oldham. Councillor Sykes first raised the possibility of a community shop in a question to the Leader of the Council in February 2015, and he wants to see it become an “immediate strategic priority for the Council.”
In his letter, Councillor Sykes also identifies specific groups at risk of food poverty:
The Oldham Lib Dem Group is calling on the Council to establish more breakfast clubs, school holiday food clubs, community cafes, lunch clubs for the elderly and a home delivery service for the housebound. They also want to see residents in need being able to access cookery courses; simple, affordable and nutritious recipes; and cooking facilities for those who do not have them, coupled with budgeting support to those on low incomes.
Cllr Sykes explained: “I do recognise that, in the current financial climate, the authority is not in a position to itself shoulder the financial burden for all of these activities, but these are all activities that should form part of joined up comprehensive strategy which we would like to see developed and delivered by a Food Poverty Commission. This would comprise the Council and key partners working together to put practical measures in place so no Oldhamer goes hungry.”
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has responded negatively to a Government consultation proposing that subsidies for renewable energy schemes be drastically slashed from January 2016.
The new Conservative Government is proposing to reduce the payments of a Feed in Tariff (or FiT) by up to 90% in the new-year to householders installing solar panels or community owned renewable power projects.
Under the previous Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary, Ed Davey MP, a regime was created that provide generous FiT payments to such schemes. Community owned schemes were also able to seek pre-accreditation once planning permission was granted to ensure that they could access the current FiT rate for six months guaranteeing a level of income that would attract investors through community share issues.
Cllr Sykes said: “The Coalition Government had an excellent record of providing support to community energy with over 5,500 such projects established. The current Government claims to want to continue this support, yet its actions run contrary to these intentions.”
“Remember it is Prime Minister David Cameron who is alleged to have said ‘let’s get rid of all the Green Crap from Government’ – sadly now he seems to want to live up to this statement at a time when Britain is facing a massive challenge to meet its agreed targets to reduce carbon emissions.”
“The Conservative Government has so far abolished pre-accreditation making it far harder to establish a new scheme that is financially viable and these new proposals will provide insufficient guaranteed income to continue to develop community owned renewable energy schemes.”
Government proposals to reduce the subsidy will be especially felt by householders with solar panels or by investors in roof-mounted community owned solar schemes. Here the payment will be reduced to 1.63p from 12.47p per kilowatt hour.
Cllr Sykes added: “I recognise that over time the Government may need to reduce it’s spending on renewable support overall but the FiT regime has worked well to link ever-decreasing subsidies with decreasing costs.”
“Community energy makes an increasing contribution to Britain’s energy needs, and on some days renewables provide more power than nuclear; all this power generation comes without increasing the nation’s carbon footprint.”
Community energy schemes also produce an income for investors who spend this in the local community and which they often reinvest in new projects generating further capacity. In addition, each project establishes a community dividend used to kick start other schemes or to support energy behaviour training.
“This is a win-win situation. Communities produce their own energy making them more self-sufficient and more sustainable. The money generated by selling the power is paid in dividends to local shareholders who spent this money in their own community and the community dividend also supports good work in that community. Surely this must be far better than supporting large commercial schemes that simply put money in the hands of the Big Six energy providers.”
The argument that subsidies for renewable energy are too expensive seems bizarre to Cllr Sykes:
“The country desperately needs investment in community owned clean energy projects to fulfil its targets on CO2 emissions and prevent the unpredictable, but likely disastrous, effects of global warming.”
“The government appears willing to hugely subsidise the nuclear industry, but a much smaller subsidy to renewables would yield much greater dividends and without the deadly waste and contamination that comes with nuclear power.”
“The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group is of the view that retaining FiT payments at current levels and restoring the pre-accreditation scheme would be the best ways to support continued investment in such schemes; therefore we are fundamentally opposed to these proposals”.