For young people aged 8 – 18 years. Just turn up and take part.
Click on these links for details:
Holiday Activities for young people in Shaw 2016
Detailed programme half term activities for young people in Shaw 2016
Need more info:
Lynda Winrow: 07930 925 233 Lynda.winrow@oldham.gov.uk
Funded by YOUR Shaw and Crompton Lib Dem Councillors
As many people will be aware there has been a noticeable increase in youth anti-social behaviour in both Shaw and incidents have now escalated to racial abuse and physical assaults.
In response to the incidents reported and increased community concerns, Greater Manchester Police has developed a dedicated Patrol Plan covering Shaw and Crompton over the weekend and this will be supported by Council Services including Licensing, Detached Youth Team and First Response.
Services will also be gathering evidence to help identify the offenders, some of which are local to the area. However, it has been identified that young people are also travelling from Middleton and Rochdale. The identities of some local young people are known and evidence is being gathered to support enforcement action against them.
Partnership activities to be undertaken in Shaw over the weekend included:
In addition to the above, a meeting will be arranged next week with Representatives of local taxi companies to discuss their concerns.
It is believed that further incidents are taking place, but that these are not being reported to the Police. Please can I ask that if you are made aware of any community concerns or incidents which have the potential to increase community tensions, that these are forwarded to the Police and/or community relations email at the earliest opportunity. (community.relations@oldham.gov.uk).
Dear Councillor,
I hope you are well and enjoying the start of 2016. I wanted to make you aware of a forthcoming change to the services provided by The Children’s Society in your ward.
At The Children’s Society we are committed to making the greatest possible impact on the lives of the most disadvantaged children, teenagers and their families through all of our services and campaigning – in Oldham and nationally. Following a national review of our strategy we have decided to focus our work upon supporting disadvantaged 10-18-year-olds. We are looking to build upon our track record of working with those with the most complex needs who are all too often let down or abandoned – including the most disadvantaged older children and young people suffering from poverty and neglect.
Our contract with Oldham Council to run six children’s centres – including Shaw and Crompton Children’s Centre – ends on March 31 2016. Following the review of our strategy we have decided not to re-tender for this contract. It was a difficult decision to make, especially given the hard work and commitment of staff and volunteers at our Oldham children’s centres in supporting local children and families. However, we are confident we will be handing the centres over in good shape when our contract ends.
The new provider of our children’s centres has been chosen by Oldham Council. From April 1, 2016, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will run the Oldham children’s centres. Children and families will still be able to access the Oldham Children’s Centres and we are fully committed to ensuring a smooth handover and supporting the new providers as the services transfer to them.
The Children’s Society remains committed to changing the lives of children and teenagers in Oldham, including through our advocacy work with children in care, as well as our Resolve counselling service and our family support service. We are continuing to work closely alongside key partners including Oldham Council.
Yours sincerely, Rob Jackson, Area Director, North of England
Hundreds of free bikes are ready to be handed over to Greater Manchester’s job seekers to help them start 2016 with a new career.
Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM’s) Bike Back to Work scheme has around 400 recently refurbished bicycles to help people commute to their new jobs.
A bike can be a vital alternative for jobseekers who might struggle to get to work without one because of things like shift patterns and a lack of alternative commuting options.
Eligible applicants will also receive free equipment, such as helmets and hi-vis vests, and access to free cycle training.
TfGM can supply bicycles anywhere across Greater Manchester. Job seekers can collect them from suppliers in Wigan, Trafford, Bury, Manchester, Oldham and Stockport.
People should apply for bikes directly via their JobCentre Plus or Work Programme adviser.
For more information on the Bike Back to Work Scheme, visit www.tfgm.com/travelchoices and click on the ‘Jobseeker’ section.
Shaw and Crompton Councillors Advice/Ward Surgeries in February:
Thursday February 4, 11, 18 and 25.
All at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw
From 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Councillors: Sykes, Blyth, Gloster, Williamson, Murphy or Turner.
Parish Councillors: Aspinall, Farrell, Hall, Hamblett, Stephens, Wood, Blackburn, Dodd, Duffy, Tindall or P Turner will also attend.
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council will propose that in this year’s budget more money is invested on highway and environmental improvements to make the Borough’s streets safer and cleaner, and that more money be given to each of the districts so that local leaders have more cash to spend on local priorities.
The Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor John McCann, said:
“Labour is proposing that Council Tax bills rise by 2% to pay for improvements to adult social care and a further 1.99% for other services.”
“We support the rise as funding cuts to local government have now become so great that some of our vital services are in real danger of collapse, but we want to see more money spent wisely on some of the Council services that our rate payers most value.”
“Every Councillor has received complaints from the public about the state of our roads, about dirty streets and about instances of fly tipping. Ratepayers expect their money to be spent on providing quality services in the neighbourhoods in which they live – the Liberal Democrats want to see more funding spent on bringing our roads up to scratch, on supporting a ‘war on waste’ and on devolving more of our budget to local leaders in each of our borough’s districts so that more local services can be delivered in response to local needs.”
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the 1.99% Council Tax rise to be used to:
Councillor Dave Murphy, Shadow Cabinet Member for Highways, spoke in support of the road improvement programme:
“A 1.99% Council Tax increase will allow the Council to borrow an extra £5 million to invest in our borough’s roads. Imagine the impact that such an investment will make – the money can be employed wisely on improving roads where there is greatest public demand and drivers and their passengers will enjoy safer, smoother roads and improvements in travel times and road safety.”
The Shadow Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, Councillor Diane Williamson, also spoke in favour of the investment in gully-cleaning:
“The Liberal Democrats would make money available to employ two more cleaning teams and an extra vehicle to jet out gullies that have been filled with soil and other debris. Such an investment would be a victory for common sense as jetting means that clogged gullies do not have to be dug out at huge expense. This also reduces the risk of homes being flooded and there will be less water and ice on the roads, and in the long-term, a reduction in the damage caused by frozen water to road surfaces.”
She also strongly supports the ‘war on waste’:
“The Liberal Democrats also want to use some of the extra money raised through a Council Tax rise to restore the free Bulky Bobs service. From contact with my own constituents, I know that people were angry when a £15 charge was brought in by the Labour Council and the imposition of a charge has contributed to a rise in fly-tipping. Tackling fly-tipping costs the Council and the ratepayers a small fortune so, surely then it is common sense to bring back a free service for everyone at a fraction of the cost.”
The Liberal Democrats want also to keep the team of enforcement officers up to full strength.
Councillor Williamson commented: “We need to continue to employ the same number of officers to carry out enforcement action to ensure that fly-tippers know that in our borough this activity will not be tolerated and that offenders will always be prosecuted.”
Opposition Leader and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, praised his colleagues for the work they have carried out on the budget proposals:
“Working with the support of diligent officers, the Liberal Democrat finance team of Councillors McCann and Williamson have come up with some innovative and fully-costed proposals that meet public demands for better roads and cleaner streets.”
“I would also like to speak out particularly in support of the proposal to devolve £1 million of public money down to our districts. Despite Labour’s rhetoric, the Liberal Democrats are in fact the party of devolution, but in this instance we want to devolve £1 million down from Oldham Council to local leaders in each of the districts.”
“This would provide the three Councillors in every ward with a £50,000 budget to spend collectively to meet the needs of local people.”
“In Shaw and Crompton, we would use some of this money to commission more services for our young people to make up for the closure of our local Youth Centre by the Labour Council, but it is up to the local leaders of every district to decide what is important to the people they serve.”
“The Liberal Democrats stand ready to accept the challenge of spending this money wisely to meet the needs of people in their local community – do Labour, the Tories, the Independents and UKIP?”
For more details click this link: Lib Dem Opposition Budget Oldham Council 2016
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Crompton ward and Chair of Shaw and Crompton District Executive Diane Williamson has hailed the Dementia Awareness Event at the Lifelong Learning Centre a tremendous success after over 50 people attended the sessions. The event which in addition to the Dementia Awareness sessions offered legal advice from Brearleys Solicitors (Manchester) and was attended by partners Caremark Oldham, Oldham Millercare Healthwatch Oldham together with pupils and staff from The Radclyffe School.
“The event proved so popular that we had to put on an additional session. It was fantastic to see so many people keen to learn about Dementia. Every single person that I spoke to knew someone who was affected by this disorder” Cllr Williamson added “I would like to thank everybody who made this event possible and hopefully we can do another in the not too distant future”
The event funded by local Councillors is all part of trying to get Shaw and Crompton a more Dementia Friendly community – Shaw ward Councillor Howard Sykes MBE who took part in a session said “Whilst I have taken part in a full day’s training session previously, I was keen to have a bit of a refresher. When this crippling disorder affects people’s loved ones, it is good to hear of other people’s experiences and how they cope with it.”
Dementia Awareness event
There are over 820,000 people living with dementia in the UK & estimated to be 670,000 family and friends acting as carers. Quality of life remains extremely varied. Through us coming together, we can create dementia friendly communities where there is a greater awareness and understanding of dementia.Those living with dementia and their carers can feel better supported to remain independent and have choice and control over their lives.Together, we can make a difference.
• There will be free dementia friends sessions at 11am and 1pm.
• Stall holders with partner agencies
• Free parking • Everyone welcome
Dementia Awareness Event, Lifelong Learning Centre, 6 High St, Shaw, OL2 8RQ.
To down load this info click on this link: Shaw and Crompton Holocaust Memorial details
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, was impressed to read recently of a new mobile phone app developed for Worcester City Council.
Cllr Sykes said: “Poowatch, which is a new free web app for smartphones, tablets and personal computers, was launched a couple of months ago in Worcester to help clean up the city’s streets and to shame irresponsible dog-owners to clear up after their pets. I think this technology could be of great use in helping Oldham Council tackle this blight in our borough.”
Through the Poowatch app, residents can record any dog litter they spot in the city. The information they provide will help identify dog litter hotspots so action can be targeted in areas of greatest need.
Cllr Sykes added: “The good thing with Poowatch is that the public can be the Council’s eyes and ears in the community, and they are reporting real incidents in real time to enable prompt action to be taken. This app gives residents the ability to help change the behaviour of irresponsible dog owners and to contribute to both a more co-operative and a cleaner borough.”
The new web app has been jointly developed by the Safer Worcester Partnership, the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust (DWT) and Worcester City Council with funding from West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
The web app – which is free to access – uses GPS locaters to provide a simple and easy way for people to report dog mess and will help create an interactive map of the city showing the worst affected areas. It also shows the nearest bin to the location of the person accessing the app.
Cllr Sykes added: “As this is free there is no deterrent to residents who are tech savvy from accessing it and using it. Councillors are constantly approached by constituents, many who are responsible dog owners, who are enraged by seeing dog poo on our pavements and who demand some real action. Poowatch allows them to be part of that action and make a difference rather than simply registering a complaint.”
Cllr Sykes has written to Helen Lockwood, Executive Director of Co-operatives and Neighbourhoods, and Carol Brown, Director of Environmental Services, asking them to investigate the merits and costs of bringing Poowatch to Oldham Borough.