PARENTS URGED TO TAKE MMR JAB FOR CHILDREN

Oldham’s Director of Public Health is encouraging parents across the Borough to vaccinate their children against Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Alan Higgins is urging parents who have not yet had their children vaccinated and young adults who missed out on their vaccinations to contact their GP to arrange their MMR vaccinations as soon as possible.

The move is part of a new national campaign aimed at getting as many 10-16 year olds as possible vaccinated before the next school year.

New figures show that measles cases nationwide are at their highest level for 18 years with almost 2,000 cases during 2012 and 159 in Greater Manchester alone.

There have been no confirmed cases of measles in Oldham this year and only one last year: the lowest rates in Greater Manchester.

However, the recent outbreak in Swansea, where more than 900 cases have been confirmed since November, shows that measles is still a problem.

Parents can ensure their children and teenagers are fully protected against measles, mumps and rubella with two doses of the MMR vaccine. Most children get the first dose of MMR at 13 months old and the second dose is offered to children when they reach 3 years and 4 months. The two doses together offer almost complete protection from the disease.

Over the last two years more than 95 per cent of Oldham children have been given the MMR vaccine. However, following the coverage of the now discredited link between MMR and Autism in the late 1990s take-up of vaccinations was lower at around 80 per cent.

We are now encouraging any parents and young people who missed out on their vaccinations to speak to their GP.

Alan Higgins, Oldham’s Director of Public Health, said: “Oldham has a good take-up rate of the MMR vaccination at present but there is an historical problem.”

“In the late 1990s and early 2000s many parents had concerns about what is a now discredited link between MMR and autism.

“As a result the take-up of vaccinations then was lower and, given the recent outbreak in Swansea, we’d like to encourage those parents who didn’t have their child vaccinated at the time to contact their GP to arrange for an MMR jab as soon as possible.

“Even if those children are now young adults it is not too late for them to be vaccinated.

“The key message to parents is that MMR is safe – it’s free and it can save lives.”

Parents and young adults wanting to know more about MMR should contact their GP or visit www.nhs.uk

Work to help and support blast victims continues

Copy of a letter delivered to residents in the blast area.

I am pleased we have managed to do this for local residents again.

————–

Dear Residents

As a lot of the building works are coming to completion and more residents are returning to their homes, Oldham Council will be providing another opportunity for residents to dispose of unwanted items.

To continue with our support of the local community to return to normality, we propose to supply 3 large skips for the use of the residents which will be placed at the following locations:

• Edmond Street
• Corner of Chancery and Buckley Street
• Oak Street – section directly to the rear of Buckley Street.

These will be in place from Friday 3 May with a planned removal on Tuesday 7 May. However, should there still be spare capacity for more items, this period will be extended.

Once these skips have been removed, no additional skips will be provided by the Council.

Should you have any further large items that need to be removed, these should be booked through the normal process of Bulky Bobs Service on 770 6644. Please note that this may incur a fee.

As usual all general household black bag waste should be placed in the normal refuse bins provided.

Oldham Council fully appreciates your support in this matter.

My questions at last nights Council meeting – No.1

Oldham Diving Pool:

Oldham Council has for the second time this week attracted negative publicity regionally and nationally – this time in connection with the lack of provision of a pool for board and scuba diving at either of the two new replacement swimming pools in Oldham and Royton.

A petition with 1,350 signatures demanding that this Council: Save Oldham’s Diving Pool, was received in May 2012.

Both the Sub-Aqua Club and Divers have for 30 years used this facility at the Oldham Stadium and apparently their campaign has the support of Olympic diver Tom Daley.

During public consultation, the Council has been less than truthful with these users, and, for nearly a year, they have been strung along with the false expectation that their needs were being looked into and might be catered for.

I say a false expectation as the specification for the leisure re-provision never included a diving pool within the proposed scope of works.
And latterly the sites chose for the Oldham replacement facilities were physically not big enough ever accommodate a replacement diving pool.

Would the Leader not agree that failing to provide a replacement facility is very regrettable, especially given Oldham’s past association with diving at the highest level, with Naomi Bishop competing in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games?

Does he also agree the actual decision to not have a diving pool was taken some time ago and he and his colleagues could have and should have shared that with the current users of the diving pool before now?

Shaw and Crompton St Georges Day Celebration Sunday 14 April

Shaw Memorial Gardens, West Way.

We have managed to secure the Market which will include food stalls, the car boot sale, Rochdale Hedgehog Rescue, Circus acts.

The Lifelong Learning Centre will be used for indoor activities and workshops including an English afternoon tea, face painting, aromatherapy sessions, circus skills workshop and more to be confirmed.

The Market will run between 10.00 – 13.30.

Further info to follow when confirmed.

Do you know an Oldham resident without heating or with an old heating system?

Earlier this month Oldham Council was also successful in receiving £190,000 to pay for a Heating Upgrade Scheme, this will pay for 50-75 upgrades before March (dependant on what is needed) to help people access affordable warmth in their homes.
To qualify for a new system:

• Households with old/inefficient boilers (D rated or less & working) need to be on means tested benefits to qualify for an upgraded A-rated system

• Households with NO working central heating would either have to be on benefits OR have a cold related illness to qualify for a new system

Applications will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis.

The application form is available on the Council’s website here:

http://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200389/affordable_warmth/235/grants_and_funding

Fairer Pensions

Pensioners of Oldham Borough – Liberal Democrats secure Fairer Pensions!

In 1908, Liberals in Government introduced the first Old Age Pension in Britain.

Now 105 years later on, Liberal Democrats in Government have again secured a great new deal for Britain’s pensioners.

The Single Tier Pension:

Liberal Democrat Pensions Minister Steve Webb has announced the introduction of a new single state pension that will be simple, decent and fit for the 21st Century.

The new single-tier pension will be introduced in 2017 and apply to any one retiring after that date.

• For a single person, this will be £144 per week, substantially more than the current basic state pension, now £107.45

• For the first time men and women will be treated equally and you will no longer lose out if you are self-employed, or of you decide to bring up children or become a carer

• Unlike Labour’s Pension Credits scheme, the single-tier pension will not be means-tested – people who save for their retirement will not be penalised because of their savings and all of their existing pensions contributions will be honoured
The Triple Lock:

In Government, Liberal Democrats have also secured a ‘triple lock’ for current pensioners.

Under the ‘triple lock’, pensions will rise each year in percentage terms with inflation, average earnings, or 2.5% (whichever is greater).

Despite 13 years in Government, Labour failed to restore the link between pension rises and earnings; Liberal Democrats in Coalition Government did so within 6 weeks of taking office.

The ‘triple lock’ means that:

• There will be no repeat of Gordon Brown’s insulting 75-pence pension ‘increase’!

• In April 2013, pensioners will be £650 per year better off than when Labour was in power

• The basic state pension is now at its highest share of average earnings since 1992

Welcoming the news, Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal-Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes said:

“The worrying fact is that, for many local citizens today’s state pension is not enough to live on. So I was delighted to hear about the introduction by the Liberal Democrats of the new single-tier pension. This represents a significant increase in real terms over the basic state pension.

“Our existing pension system is much too complicated and penalises those who save for their retirement or who are self-employed, raise a family or care for a loved one. As well as being decent, the single-tier pension is also simple and fair.

“This welcome news comes on top of the Liberal Democrats’ triple lock, which will ensure that state pensions maintain their spending power, and a renewed commitment by Liberal Democrats in Government to maintain free bus travel, TV licences, eye tests and prescriptions, and the much valued Winter Fuel Allowance, which has been recently raised, for our pensioners.

“All-in-all, a great new deal for Oldham’s pensioners and one that will give them a decent income and dignity in their retirement”.

Closure of Crompton Pool – Petitioners Panel Meeting 13th December 2012 – formal decsion

Commercial Services
Oldham Council
Level 4,
Civic Centre,
West Street,
Oldham,
OL1 1UG

Date: 19 December 2012
Our ref: PP002/12

Tel: 0161 770 5151

Councillor H Sykes
Civic Centre Level 3
Room 338
West Street
Oldham
OL1 1UL

Dear Councillor Sykes,

Re: Petitioners Panel Meeting 13th December 2012 – Closure of Crompton Pool.

I am writing with regard to the Petitioners’ Panel meeting held on 13th December 2012 which heard your petition regarding the closure of Crompton Pool and a replacement facility being built in Royton.

The Panel considered the matter and decided not to support the petition.

The full decision is as follows:

“The Panel accepted the recommendation as detailed in the report and rejected the petition;

The Panel supported the work already undertaken with regard to the negotiations with Shaw and Crompton Parish Council for the Community Asset Transfer and would like to see these negotiations continue, with officer support, as an urgent priority.”

I have also sent a copy of this letter to Councillor Williamson as joint lead petitioner.

Yours sincerely

Angela McIntyre
Constitutional Services Officer
Direct line: 0161 770 4728
Email: angela.mcintyre@oldham.gov.uk

Help for residents to stay warm and well this winter

Keep Cosy – Referral form and guidance NEW

I thought I would post a reminder of what help is available to Oldham Borough residents over this winter period:

• Toasty Oldham – free loft & cavity insulation for ALL residents. This offer was due to end at the end of December, however the Utility company has not yet met their targets, so the offer has been extended (not sure when new ‘end date’ is, as when they meet their targets the scheme will be pulled). RING 0800 009 3363.

Last week we re-launched the successful ‘Keep Cosy’ scheme, to offer further assistance to our most vulnerable residents.

• Keep Cosy – home energy check, energy freebies installed, emergency heating repairs, hot meals delivery service, free smoke alarms, benefits checks and help out of fuel debt & off prepayment meters. Please see attached at the top of this post a referral form for use.

SHAW BLAST UPDATE – DECEMBER 2012

Over recent weeks, we have been putting insurance companies under pressure to agree the repair works to individual properties and this has resulted in works starting to quite a few houses and some owners moving back in. However, some owners have still to provide the necessary estimates, which is holding up progress. In the meantime, we have maintained tight security on site to reduce the likelihood of homes being broken into.

Oldham Distress Fund

All money donated to the Oldham Distress Fund will be used to directly benefit residents affected.

A full list of donations made to date can be found at www.oldham.gov.uk

To date £300,000 has been donated. Around £230,000 of this has already been committed to affected residents. Applications to the distress fund, continue to be approved by Trustees and paid quickly to ensure repairs can be made.

So far the fund has successfully helped 91 households to cope with the impact of the explosion and we have received a lot of positive feedback on how the situation was handled.

Demolition/site update

Numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and13 Buckley St. have been demolished. They were either dangerous and unsafe or beyond reasonable repair. Some of the owners of these homes have now settled with their insurers and moved to other areas. We wish them well in their new homes.

Insurers are still considering the future of some the remaining properties. If they decide that more demolitions will take place, the insurance company will inform the home owner.

Any further demolitions will be organised by the insurance company who will appoint their own contractors.

What will happen to the cleared site?

The site freeholder is waiting to see what happens with the remaining homes. Once that situation is clear, we will engage with him to share his views with residents on his plans for the site.

Round the clock security remains on site. We are reviewing the need this security as some residents are moving back and we need to make the site more accessible.