Save on your Council Tax Bills but act now!

Pay your Council Tax in 12 instalments thanks to Lib Dems in Government

Council Tax payments are currently made in 10 monthly instalments but you can now choose to pay in 12 payments to spread the cost from April 2013, thanks to national changes made by the Lib Dems in Government.

If you wish to switch to a 12 month payment schedule you must submit a request before Friday, February 22 says Oldham Council.

For further info:

• www.oldham.gov.uk
• Call 0161 770 6622
• Visit Access Oldham at the Civic Centre to request the change in person
• Send an email requesting the change to council.tax@oldham.gov.uk
• Write to PO Box 4, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1UH

TEMPORARY TRAFFIC ORDERS CROMPTON WAY / HIGH STREET, SHAW – update 31st Jan

Due to the adverse weather conditions last weekend the proposed work at this junction was not able to be completed.

As a result, the junction of High Street were it meets Crompton Way will be closed for one day on Sunday 3 February.

The left turn from High Street to Crompton Way will be closed – all other turning manoeuvres at this junction will remain unaffected.

Loan Sharks – not welcome here

COUNCIL MOTION SUPPORTS ACTION IN TAKING BITE OUT OF LOAN SHARKS

At next Wednesday’s full Council meeting (6th February), Leader of the Opposition and the Lib Dem Group, Councillor Howard Sykes, will propose a motion expressing appreciation for the recent work carried out by the Council’s Trading Standards Team, the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) and Police to combat loan sharks in our borough and support for the Labour Administration’s stand against them.

Cllr. Sykes said:

“Loan sharks are illegal money lenders who operate without a licence from the Department of Fair Trading. Through the application of extortionate interest rates, intimidation and violence, loan sharks leech many thousands of pounds from those residents in our borough who are often amongst those who are poorest and least able to pay.

“Liberal Democrats endorse the tough stand of this Administration on this issue and the action now being taken by Council officers and partner organisations to rid our communities of these parasites.

“It is my hope that Councillors of all parties will feel able to support the motion that sets out a number of practical measures to help raise the profile of the ‘Stop Loan Sharks’ campaign in our borough, alongside promoting the availability of affordable credit for Oldham residents through membership of credit unions.”

A copy of the motion is below.

This Council notes the excellent work that is being carried out in Oldham by the Council’s Trading Standards Team, the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) and Police to combat loan sharks in our borough.

We congratulate the Administration on taking a lead on this issue and the agencies concerned on the recent arrest of individuals engaged in this activity in Oldham, Manchester and Tameside.

This Council resolves that the Chief Executive write to all District Partnerships; social landlords; the Oldham Voluntary, Community, and Faith Partnership; and the Oldham Business Leadership Group urging them to get behind the Stop Loan Sharks campaign to rid our communities of loan sharks by:

– promoting the Stop Loan Sharks Campaign to partners and to the public;

– inviting the England Illegal Money Lending Campaign / Trading Standards Team to meetings and public events:

– including information on this campaign in newsletters, flyers and on-line

– promoting membership of credit unions as an alternate source of affordable credit

District partnerships are also urged to make best use of the £500 made available to them by the IMLT (which was seized from apprehended loan sharks) to help support this work.

Proposed: Cllr Howard Sykes
Seconded: Cllr Lynne Thompson

Temporary Traffic Signals outside No 300 Buckstones Road, Shaw 30th Jan for 2 weeks

To replace 60 Metres of aging 3” Cast Iron Gas Main.

Duration of work from 30/01/2013 for 2 weeks.

Works Supervisor and contact number: Michael Taylor 07773 820627.

Emergency Contact & Telephone Number in the Event of Traffic Signal Failure: Chris Dempsey 07931 575160 24 Hr Call Centre 0800 521 660.

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

Shaw and Crompton Memorial Gardens

Please accept our apologises for any inconvenience caused by the recent and future works associated with Shaw Memorial Gardens.

For your Information the works comprises of the Following:

• Resurfacing of paths to Shaw Memorial Gardens.
• Erecting Stone Plinth
• Refurbishment of Bronze Statue
• Erection of new information board

The park will be closed for access from Monday 18th February for the refurbishment.
The works are expected to be completed week commencing 18th March 2013.

On completion of the paths/ erection of the statue, works are programmed for bedding plants and refurbishment to the seating areas; however the park will operational as usual.

We may need to close the park gates for short periods of time outside of the period above where the ongoing work requires it.

For any queries, please contact
David Holme 0161 770 4353 david.holme@unitypartnership.com or Ian Monaghan 0161 770 5262 Ian.Monaghan@oldham.gov.uk

PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING YOUTH RELATED ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR – 7PM MONDAY 28TH JANUARY 2012 CROMPTON LIBRARY

HAVE YOU WITNESSED OR BEEN THE VICTIM OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN OR AROUND SHAW TOWN CENTRE IN RECENT MONTHS?

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AND WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING NEXT?

THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY WE CAN ONLY RESOLVE THE CURRENT PROBLEMS BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU.

HELP US TO HELP YOU COME ALONG TO THE MEETING TO FIND OUT MORE.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING BUT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY IN CONFIDENCE PLEASE TELEPHONE:

YOUR COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICER CHARLOTTE GILL ON 0161 770 1580 OR YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING TEAM ON 0161 856 898

UNEARTH JUBILEE

Sunday 27th January (12-3pm)
Jubilee Nature Site, Milnrow Road, Shaw, Oldham

Come to Jubilee Colliery to discover the history of the site and the findings from an exciting heritage project. Take part in a free raffle for your chance to win a plane ride to see Oldham’s coal fields from the air.

This event is for all members of the community with activities for kids and adults.

Come and see our archaeological dig and learn about our local mining heritage.

For more details please contact Lili Briggs, Heritage Project Officer:
T: 0161 624 1444 / 0773 997 8792
E: lili.briggs@groundwork.org.uk