Pleased to report, after much chasing over many months, we now have a dropped kerb on Duke Street.
This will now allow those in wheelchairs/with difficulty walking or with push chairs can gain access to the pedestrian ramp that was constructed at this location to get to ASDA.
Investigatory work on the demolition of Shaw Baths is now taking place.
The demolition of the building is expected to start in January 2016.
I am sure many of you will agree with me when I say that it will be a sad day to see this building, which has been part of our heritage since it was built in 1899, no longer present in Shaw and Crompton.
Demolition – Provisional Timetable:
| ACTIVITY | DATE |
| Asbestos Survey | 08/10/15 – 09/10/15 |
| Asbestos Removal | 12/10/15 – 11/11/15 |
| Planning Application submitted | 12/10/15 or 13/10/15 |
| Demolition of Building (approx. 10 weeks) | 04/01/16 – 14/03/16 |
The site compound is shown edged blue below.
The red hatching shows the part of the road that will have a temporary closure on it for the duration of the demolition (this part of the road does not have any impact on any of the current car parking spaces).
The closure and site compound will enable safe working and give the contractors and their equipment space to manoeuvre.
Access to the site will be from High Street and the site compound.
The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has pledged the support of Oldham Liberal Democrats for the Fair Deal Devo campaign launched by the Manchester Evening News, Bolton News, Wigan Evening Post and Oldham Evening Chronicle.
Cllr Sykes: “Although the Chancellor has talked a lot about devolution and about the fabled Northern Powerhouse, the Government has yet to prove that it is sincere in its intention by offering a fair funding deal for Greater Manchester.”
“Liberal Democrat Councillors in Greater Manchester are ready and willing to accept the challenge and responsibility of devolution to make our region still Greater, but we need to have the cash to make it happen. This is why we welcome and are backing the Deal Devo campaign.”
The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group has been calling for fair transport funding for the region to close the gap between London and Greater Manchester, and is opposed to further Police and local authority funding cuts and the government proposals to close both of the borough’s courthouses.
Cllr Sykes added: “Devolution represents an exciting opportunity for local authorities across Greater Manchester to work together to transform the lives of the region’s residents and to make service improvements that reflect local needs and that create local jobs. But it will not work if Government money does not follow the transfer of power, and we will not accept any attempt by Government to merely pass on responsibility for carrying out difficult cuts.”
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are firmly committed to seeing transparency in the work of the new Combined Authority – where all the Greater Manchester councils work together using the devolved powers and budget.
“It isn’t enough just to tell people what’s going on. The new Combined Authority will be assuming responsibility for a massive devolved budget amounting to many billions of pounds and will be taking on board new areas of work affecting the lives of millions of people.”
“The Liberal Democrats do not believe in telling people what we will do and then doing it for them. We want to actively involve Greater Manchester residents in making the decisions that affect their lives and in shaping the services that their taxes pay for. And we want to work with people and communities to deliver those services more effectively and in a more responsive and accountable way.”
“So we want information to be in plain English, and available on-line and on demand, and we want all meetings to be open to the public and to be webcast so taxpayers can call their representatives to account. That’s real democracy and that’s what as Oldham Liberal Democrats we aspire for in the new structure for the Combined Authority.”
The Friends of Jubilee Colliery are having our first annual event on the 31st October between 11am & 2pm at the Jubilee Nature Reserve/Colliery, Jubilee Bend, Milnrow Road, Shaw, OL16 3SY.
All welcome
Oldham Council has won some new funding to help residents without gas central heating
Please see attached briefing note on the scheme & how to access it.
Warm Homes Partner Briefing Note
Any queries contact: Angela Broadhurst, Principal Housing Energy Officer, Oldham Council, Room 310, Level 3, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham OL1 1UH. 0161 770 4798. angela.broadhurst@oldham.gov.uk
Councillors Diane Williamson and Howard Sykes MBE are delighted that a defibrillator has been installed on the Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw.
Councillor Williamson, Shadow Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Co-operatives, speaking for her colleagues, said: “Absolutely delighted that this has happened. Over the last year, the Liberal Democrats have been proactive on the Council in asking for a number of initiatives, which include first aid training for all school children and defibrillators to be installed in Council buildings. The Lifelong Learning Centre is such a prominent location that it was a no brainer when deciding on the location.”
Approximately 100,000 people a year die after having a sudden cardiac arrest with the survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrest being less than 10%. If a defibrillator is used in conjunction with CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), then this can increase the survival rate to over 70%”.
Local Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes, added “Whilst anyone can use an AED*, because you are talked through how to use the device, the staff at the Centre will also be trained how to use it and what to do in an emergency”.
*Automated External Defibrillator is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
With simple audio and visual commands, AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layperson, and the use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, certified first responder, and basic life support (BLS) level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes.
There couple of small areas of kitchen/garden waste outstanding from today’s collections.
They will be collected tomorrow.
LQ1 – OFSTED Children’s Services Report
My first question to the Leader tonight concerns the recent report by OFSTED about the performance of our children’s services department and the Safeguarding Board.
In 2012, when OFSTED last published a report on these services they were judged to be Good. In the August 2015 report they were deemed to be Requiring Improvement – a significantly worsened position.
Mercifully, in the report, OFSTED affirms positively that the four children’s homes operated by the local authority “were judged to be good or outstanding in their most recent Ofsted inspection” and that “There are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm”.
I am sure that this news will at least be a relief to all members in this chamber given recent tragedies involving vulnerable children and young people elsewhere; tragedies that I have previously raised in questions to the Leader.
But the report also states damningly that “The authority is not yet delivering good protection and help for children, young people and families” and that it is “not yet delivering good care” for looked after children and young people.
OFSTED also states that “Leadership, management and governance require improvement” and that “the characteristics of good leadership are not in place”.
I am sure that like me the Leader will share the expectation of OFSTED that “all children and young people in Oldham receive the level of help, care and protection that will ensure their safety and help prepare them for adult life”.
Certainly this was an expectation that we always worked to meet during my administration and this was why the Leader was able to inherit a Good rating in the last report.
So can he therefore now tell me what plan will be put in place to ensure that our Children’s Services will be improved and our leadership, management and governance structures made fit for purpose, so that we may avoid another such damning verdict in future?
LQ2 – Elder Abuse
My second question concerns another group of vulnerable people – this time elderly people subjected to abuse.
Although there is much media attention focused on the abuse of children there is comparatively little given to that meted out to our elders. And here I am referring to neglect and financial and emotional abuse, as well as physical abuse.
The UK charity Action on Elder Abuse estimates that 8.6% of older people living in our communities are subject to elder abuse – over 500,000 people. Yet this is hidden from sight from the majority of people.
Breaking the statistics down a little – 60% of victims are over 80 years of age, more than 15% are over 90 years old, and almost one in five – 19% – have dementia.
Although most people have heard reports of abuse in care homes or in hospitals, the majority of older victims of abuse live in their own homes, and the majority of abusers are relatives not professionals. Most shockingly a quarter of those abused actually live with their abusers.
My second question to the Leader tonight is to ask him what is being done to address elder abuse in this Borough?
Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of the Opposition and Lib Dem Group Oldham Council, 9 September 2015
Friday 25th September 10am – 1pm
Chadderton Town Hall, Middleton Road, Chadderton, OL9 6PP
Shaw and Crompton Councillors Advice/Ward Surgeries: September: 3, 10, 17, and 24
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 NECCESSARY