A personal message for YOU from Howard Sykes

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Dear Fellow Shaw Ward Resident,

Soon it will be the local elections and you’ll have the opportunity to vote for your councillor for Shaw Ward.  I wanted to write to you personally, to ask YOU for your support on Thursday May 5.

I’ve lived in Shaw and Crompton for more than 50 years; my family has been brought up here and we live and work here in the heart of Shaw.  I’ve worked hard to help local residents and the community, where I live, with the issues that affect us but there is much more to do.

I listen to your views and concerns – at my regular ward surgeries, on one of my many ward walks, at dozens of community events and even in the aisles of ASDA, on Market Street or even in the Shay Wake on occasion!

I have a proven track record of action and I keep residents up-to-date through our all-year-round Focus newsletters and also via my website, Facebook, Twitter and email newsletters.

Shaw and Crompton deserve better from the Labour run Oldham Council and with YOUR help I want to continue to fight to make sure our area gets its fair share and is not forgotten or overlooked.

 I will make sure your voice is heard at Oldham Civic Centre.  I will fight on your behalf for:

  • A new Health Centre for Shaw and Crompton.
  • To get our roads and footways repaired.
  • To keep our town and neighbourhoods clean and tidy.
  • To support Shaw’s thriving community and it’s voluntary organisations.
  • To provide a swimming and leisure facility for Shaw and Crompton.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

Best wishes,

Howard Sykes 

PS.  Your vote in the local elections on 5 May could make the difference. In Shaw it is always very close in the local elections between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservative from Uppermill will come either a very poor third or fourth, so a vote for them just lets Labour sneak in.  Please consider lending me your vote to stop Labour’s candidate from Sholver getting in.

Kerrching Grants

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What it is: Kerrching – Youth Opportunity Fund is a pot of money that is specifically for young people.  The fund aims to provide opportunities for young people in their leisure time that will improve their health and wellbeing and enable young people to lead healthy lifestyles

The fund is: For activities for all young people aged 11-19 (or up to age 25 if the young people have additional needs).  It is managed by young people from Oldham Youth Council who will be making decisions about the allocation of funds.

This year, we have the opportunity to award grants to youth and community groups within Oldham in the form of the Kerrching grants awards.  We are offering a maximum of £2,000 to groups in order to enhance their health and well being of young people.

We are inviting nominations from all types of groups who currently offer positive activities and opportunities for positive engagement to young people in Oldham.

Priority Outcomes for the funding: The theme of the funding is health and we will only fund applications for activities that clearly address at least one of the following priority outcomes:

  • Improving the emotional health and mental health of young people
  • Increase levels of physical activity
  • Improves Sexual health and positive relationships
  • Reduces substance misuse – including Alcohol, drugs, tobacco and legal highs.

Applications will be assessed by members of the Youth Council.  The deadline for applications is Monday 23rd May at 3pm   – We will not accept any applications received after this time.

Applications can be sent electronically via email to Pam.jennings@Oldham.gov.uk – or you can print out the form and complete by hand – returning it to us on the address below

If you have any queries or would like further information please contact: Jodie Barber, Senior Youth Work Manager, Integrated Youth Services – Central team, Room 222 – Youth Council Offices, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham OL1 1UL.  0161 770 3117.  Jodie.barber@oldham.gov.uk

Missed bins, Shaw and Crompton 22 April

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Please note that I have been informed there are two small pockets of food and garden waste (green bins) outstanding from today’s collections.

I have been told this is due to an unseasonal amount of garden waste being placed out for collection this week.

The two areas are:

  • Grains Road/Mark Lane area (approx. 2 hours)
  • Bedford/Surrey/Dorset Ave area (approx. 1 hour)

Please be aware that any outstanding collections will be undertaken first thing tomorrow morning starting from 7:30am.

Applications for a proxy vote need to be returned to the elections office by 5pm 26 April

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For a form click on the links but do not forget it needs to be returned by NO LATER THAN 5PM 26 April (Tuesday).

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Elections Office, Oldham Council,West Street, Oldham, OL1 1UL

Tel 0161 770 4712.  election@oldham.gov.uk

http://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200038/elections/476/voting

New Health Centre for Shaw takes a massive step forward

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£500K made available to progress business case for a new Health Centre for Shaw and Crompton.

Local Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillors Howard Sykes and Diane Williamson have welcomed the news £500,000 has been released to the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to develop the final business case for a new health centre for Shaw and Crompton.

“We were really pleased to hear the fantastic news that £500,000 has been made available to carry out a feasibility study and business case for a new centre,” stated Councillor Sykes.  “Locally we are campaigning for the site vacated by the demolition of Crompton Pool and its car park to be used for a new Health Centre.”

“We have a new substation lying empty right near the former baths site that was built specially to power a new health centre so the CCG needs to build a case, and make a bid and get the centre built,” he added.

“Staff at Crompton Health Centre do an absolutely fantastic job in a building that is far from state of the art,” said Councillor Williamson.  “For too long now Shaw and Crompton residents have been forced to use a centre that is well past its prime to say the least.”

“Residents in Shaw and Crompton deserve excellent health facilities in their home town.  We need more services here, rather than always being expected to travel to Royton or further afield.  If you have a car, then it is relatively easy to get to Royton Health Centre, but you can’t park.  If you use public transport, then it can prove a hassle and timings are not great,” stated Councillor Sykes.

“A new facility for Shaw and Crompton would provide a range of quality primary care services for the locality, which will be more accessible to the frail and elderly and those with young children,” said Councillor Williamson.  “These services will also help ease pressure on other services within the NHS by reducing A & E attendances and hospital admissions, and a new centre could also help develop clinical excellence by supporting on-site training for our GPs and nursing staff.”

Backed by a local Liberal Democrat campaign team, Councillors Sykes and Williamson stand ready to support an early bid for funding, but they have a worry.

Cllr Sykes explained: “Greater Manchester has not made a single successful bid in recent years to fund the building of a new NHS facility.  It’s about time they did so.  We want them to take this opportunity to build now on this ideal site.  We stand ready to support the CCG and in doing so and we are asking local residents to sign an on-line petition to demonstrate the strength of feeling in our town and that the whole community is behind such a bid and that we all want to see a state of the art health facility for Shaw and Crompton in the very near future.”

The on-line petition can be found at: http://howardsykes.mycouncillor.org.uk/petition-a-new-health-centre-for-shaw-and-crompton/

The Big Lamp Roundabout, Shaw

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The Big Lamp Roundabout is having a bit of a makeover.  Over the last year Shaw and Crompton Councillors have been working behind the scenes to get some improvement works to happen on the roundabout itself.

“Because the Big Lamp Roundabout is such a prominent location and the entrance to Shaw and Crompton, we wanted to showcase it.  Some minor improvements have already been undertaken – trees cut and some shrubs removed.  The lamp itself, despite the bulb keep having to be replaced, is a bit brighter.  Starting this week, there should be more work happening, including a new sign welcoming people to the town.  Exciting times ahead,” stated Local Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes.