Shaw and Crompton Christmas Lights Switch On Competition

christmas-lights

Friday 27th November 2015 Market Street, Shaw

An opportunity for one lucky winner (Primary School aged child from schools in Shaw and Crompton) to switch on Shaw and Crompton Christmas Lights with Bouncy Ben.

Find the form at Cissie Barlow’s Traditional Sweet Shop, Interiors, Robert Glass, Pamper your Princess, J D Williams, Playhouse 2, Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre and Crompton Library.

Or email: shawandcromptonlights@gmail.com or use the link below:

APPROVED Xmas Comp application slips

Include: Child’s Name, Address, Age, Primary School and Telephone number. Competition closes at 5pm on Friday 20th November 2015.

Save Shaw Market Petition presented

HS and DW market petition hand in

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

Lib Dem Leader Renews Call for Food Poverty Commission

Healthy-Food

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:

  • Children attending school hungry or going without sufficient food during the school holidays
  • Housebound elderly and disabled people
  • Residents without the skills or the cooking facilities to effectively prepare nutritious meals

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.”

Sykes supports RNIB in Campaigning for Rights of Blind and Partially Sighted

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Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC), has written to its Chief Executive Dr Jon Lamonte asking the Transport Executive to support two campaigns of the RNIB (the Royal National Institute for the Blind) to meet the needs of blind and partially-sighted passengers.

Cllr Sykes said: “On Thursday 8th October we marked World Sight Day, an annual occasion which provides cause to reflect on the needs of blind and partially-sighted people.  Given their condition, most are reliant on public transport to get about and it is important that all of the services funded by Transport for Greater Manchester are responsive to their needs.”

The RNIB (the Royal National Institute for the Blind) has two ongoing campaigns in support of the rights of blind and partially-sighted passengers:

  • “Stop for me, Speak to me” – which seeks a commitment from bus drivers to be aware of the presence of such passengers at bus stops, to actively stop for them and to engage them in conversation to ascertain their desired designation and provide pro-active assistance.
  • “We’re on Board” – a 13-point charter that sets out the commitments they want bus operators to sign up to in order to improve the travel experience of blind and partially-sighted passengers.

Cllr Sykes has asked Dr. Lamonte to identify which bus operators in Greater Manchester have committed themselves to supporting the objectives of both campaigns; what TfGM is doing to encourage them to do so; and what otherwise is being done to champion the rights of blind and partially-sighted bus passengers.

Cllr Sykes added: “With Disability Month coming up in December, now is the time to review current operating arrangements to be sure that they follow best practice and the recommendations made by the RNIB.”

“I look forward to receiving Dr Lamonte’s response and to raising this issue with colleagues from local authorities across Greater Manchester at future meetings of the committee.  I hope that we can make progress in making Greater Manchester a welcoming and inclusive destination for passengers who are blind or partially sighted”.

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LABOUR SUPPORTS HUGE ‘GOLDEN GOOD BYE’ PAYOUTS DESPITE CUTS

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The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, expressed incredulity that the ruling Labour Group of Oldham Council should oppose a Government proposal to limit pay-outs to staff leaving the Council to £95,000.

Concerned by some eye-wateringly generous pay-offs by councils and elsewhere in the public sector, the Government has been consulting on setting a £95,000 limit on these so called ‘Golden Goodbyes’.  These are payments made to council staff made redundant, pensioned off early or who leave early by ‘mutual consent’.

In its response to the consultation, Oldham Council stated: “the level is set too low” and “unrealistic in relation to Senior Officer, Chief Officer and Chief Executive Pay”…representing…“less than one year’s salary”.   Oldham Council wants the cap to be set at £120,000.

Cllr Sykes said: “These pay-outs have until now been uncapped.  The Labour Administration appears to live in an ivory tower by opposing the £95,000 pay-off cap suggested by the Government.  For most Oldhamer’s, £95,000 would represent a small fortune.  I am sure that most council tax payers in the Borough would resent paying even this and would want a limit on council staff pay-offs.”

“At a time when Oldham Council will be forced to make massive cuts to services, where making every penny will count, I am surprised it is not thinking more about exit benefits for top staff and therefore retaining services for ratepayers.”

The Lib Dem opposition on Oldham Council are also concerned that the authority’s response to the Government was not presented to councillors before it was sent off.

“It’s another example of the lack of transparency Oldham Council has with some matters when it comes to spending council tax payer’s cash.  Without my intervention we would all still be in the dark about this matter,” added Councillor Sykes.