FIRST Shaw and Crompton COMMUNITY Market Place

meetingShaw and Crompton District Executive is inviting residents to have a say on local issues that matter to you.

On Tuesday, July 21 the first Shaw and Crompton Community Market Place is being held at the Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw, OL2 8TB.

If you want to find out more about our community or share your views then come along from 6pm until 6.45pm.

You will be able to speak to your Shaw and Crompton councillors and the District Team plus representatives of Greater Manchester Police.

Officers from First Choice Home Oldham and The Guinness Partnership Housing Association will be on hand to answer any housing queries you may have and if you want to speak about public transport then representatives of First Bus will be present.

If you have any benefit issues then the Welfare Rights team might be able to assist and you can also hear about all the sport and leisure opportunities taking place through Oldham Community Leisure run and what is going on down at Mahdlo.

Councillor Diane Williamson, Chair of Shaw and Crompton District Executive, said: “This first market place is a great way for residents to get more help and information about the things that matter to them under one roof.

“If you have got something that you’d like to bring up with us then please come along on the night. We hope to have a couple of these type of events every year so that local councillors and partners can keep in touch with residents in a different way”

For more information email: anne.fleming@oldham.gov.uk or call 0161 770 8172.

Shaw Market – ward question from Councillor Howard Sykes

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Oldham Council 15 July 2015

Shaw and Crompton Councillors have been hearing recently from Market Traders that Oldham Council has had another change of heart about the relocation of Shaw Market.

Like its namesake, the children’s party game Musical Chairs, this seems to becoming a tale of Musical Markets.

At first this Administration wanted to move the Market onto the South side of Market Street that joins High Street, then the North side of Market Street adjoining Rochdale Road.

Now there are rumours that the Market will after all remain on its historic site until some un- specified time next year (2016).

Will the Leader confirm or deny whether Shaw Market is to move?

And if so where and when?

Or will he hold his hands up and admit – as I hope he will – that the Market can remain at its current location as per the wishes of local Councillors, the local community, market traders, high street shop keepers, the Police, and two of the largest employers in the Borough (Littlewoods and JD Williams).

And will he also agree to invest the money that that has clearly been budgeted for this year (2015/16) to revitalise Shaw Market by replacing the fixed market stalls with pop-up stalls.

This solution will not only remove the shelter that attracts youths intent on anti-social behaviour but also provide more car-parking on non-Market Days, therefore contributing to the general vitality of Shaw’s District Centre.

After all the above solution is what local Councillors along with key agencies like the Police have been asking and campaigning for more years than I care to remember.

Lib Dems call for end charges for long term medical conditions

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The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group will be proposing a motion to Oldham council on Wednesday 15th July 2015 supporting the call of the Prescription Charges Coalition that Government end prescription charges for patients in England with long term medical conditions.

The motion is proposed by Saddleworth North Cllr Garth Harkness, Shadow Cabinet member for Education and Skills. Cllr Harkness said:

“Many people with long term medical conditions do not qualify for free prescriptions and struggle to pay for regular treatment. Around a third of people are choosing not to collect prescriptions because of the cost. Consequently, some of these patients fall ill and are admitted to hospital. Ultimately hospital admissions and treatment cost the tax payer far more.”

Seconding the motion, Julia Turner, Councillor for Crompton and Shadow Cabinet member for Performance and Corporate Governance, said:

“Some conditions get a medical exempt certificate, which is exactly right, but equally many other potentially debilitating medical conditions are not exempt and are subject to the £8.20 charge per item. Even with pre-payment cards you are looking at over £100 per year and many people round here simply do not have this to spare and choose to go without”.

Councillor Harkness added “We think there should be equality in healthcare. In government we fought to get mental health on a level playing field with other conditions. We want to ensure that people with all long term medical conditions get the medication they need wherever they live in the UK

“In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, residents receive free prescriptions; yet in England, we have patients with identical medical conditions who have to cut pills up to save money or go without altogether and that can’t be right. We should not be subject to a lottery where you only receive free medication based on where you live or which long term medical condition you have. Everyone who needs treatment should receive it. “

 

Adoption of Highways/Footways and Street Lighting – Cape Gardens Estate, Shaw

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I have been campaigning for a number of years to get the roads, pavements and street lights on Cape Gardens, Mill Pond Close, Read Close, Refuge Street, Clubhouse Close and Twingates formally ‘adopted’ by Oldham Council.

It is many years since the homes in this area have been built however the responsibility for maintenance and repairs of these ‘un-adopted’ highways, footways and street lighting is the responsibility of the developer or owners of the properties.  A far from satisfactory solution that causes all sorts of delays when things need repairing.

These streets have remained ‘un-adopted’ by the Council and as such they remain out of the Council’s jurisdiction for repairs, and upkeep.

I have been actively pursuing this issue with Council Officers or more years than I care to remember.

I am now very pleased to report that Council Officers have informed me that the highways, footways and street lighting in the areas of Cape Gardens, Mill Pond Close, Read Close, Refuge Street, Clubhouse Close and Twingates should be formally ‘adopted’ by the Council in August 2015.

Once this adoption process is completed it will allow the lighting contractor, EON, to be requested to begin the process of maintaining, or upgrading where needed, the street lighting in these areas.

This has been a long fight but we have got there in the end.

 

 

Footpaths: Woodhouse Road, Crossfield Close and Compton Fold, Shaw

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Residents have been in contact with me regarding the reinstatement and making good of the footpaths on Woodhouse Road, Crossfield Close and Compton Fold, following the works recently carried out by Virgin Media.

I have been pursuing this issue.

The reinstatement level on these streets is unacceptable under SROH (Specification for Reinstatements On the Highway) after an inspection has been carried out by the Highways Department (which I asked for).

Hopefully now the reinstatement will be re-done to the correct standard.

 

 

 

Lib Dem call for Community Shop to be discussed

shop front colourThe Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the report on Community Shop that will be presented to Oldham Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board next Tuesday (14th July).

Cllr Sykes wrote to Community Shop in December last year inviting them to work with him to establish an outlet in Oldham. After visiting the flagship store and the parent Company Shop in Barnsley in February, he called upon the Council Leader Cllr McMahon to “find the site and find the money” to bring the concept to the Borough as soon as is practicable.

Community Shop operates community supermarkets selling low-cost, high-quality surplus foodstuffs to people on means-tested benefits, backed by services to help them get back into work. Company Shop sources the food and provides logistical support.

Each shop works on a membership basis and can shop for food at prices 70 per cent lower than usual and so members can feed their families well within a limited budget.

There is also an on-site café with good, wholesome food cooked by an on-site chef, who teaches customers how to cook as well.

But Cllr Sykes has another reason to wish to see Community Shop in Oldham.

He explained: “Community Shop is not just about food. Community Shop will enhance our Get Oldham Working offer and help more people from deprived communities find work.”

Members enrol on tailored programmes to improve their self-confidence and job prospects. Working with mentors and professionals from local agencies based at the store, members receive help to make positive improvements in their lives and move back into employment.

Report below:

Community Shop

Lib Dem Community Bank proposal to be considered

thCAGDS5F2The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the tabling of a report to discuss his proposal that Oldham Council examines the merits of establishing a community bank for the Borough and for Greater Manchester.

In February, Cllr Sykes wrote to the Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Cllr Shoab Akhtar, asking the Labour Administration to consider the option.

Cllr Sykes said: “In Hampshire, a community bank is about to commence operations later this year. The bank is a partnership between Liberal Democrat run Eastleigh Borough Council and other social partners. It is based on a successful local banking system from Germany. The bank will support small and medium sized businesses to secure money for investment more quickly and at lower interest rates.”

“Such a bank would be a stimulant for local jobs and local businesses. As the emphasis is on lending locally, to green projects and recycling profits as a community windfall, there will also be improvements to our environment and benefits for local communities.”

The item will be discussed at the next meeting of Oldham Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board on Tuesday 14th July.

Cllr Sykes added: “A community bank looks like a real winner to me, and would be another practical example of co-operative Oldham in action. This is another in a long line of initiatives the Liberal Democrat Group has proposed to help Get Oldham Working.”

Report is below:

Community Bank in Oldham

Carriageway Improvement Works on Greenfield Lane, Shaw – starts 6 July

Road-Closure-Icon1COPY LETTER TO LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES

Dear Sir / Madam

As part of Oldham Council’s £10 million Capital Investment Programme, J. Hopkins (Contractors) Ltd will shortly be carrying out carriageway improvement works on Greenfield Lane, Shaw.

The improvement works on Greenfield Lane will consist of carriageway resurfacing. We anticipate that the carriageway resurfacing works will start on site week commencing 6th July 2015 and are anticipated to take 4 nights to complete.

Due to the nature of the carriageway improvement works, it is necessary to carry out the works at night. It is inevitable that local residents and businesses will experience varying levels of disruption, however Oldham Council will endeavour to keep this disruption to a minimum.

  1. Hopkins (Contractors) Ltd will endeavour to maintain access to your premises throughout the works, however there may be occasions when access may be restricted.

During the carriageway resurfacing works it will be necessary to close Greenfield Lane to allow for resurfacing works to be carried out safely.

Should you have any queries or require further information please telephone Highway Enquiries on 0161 770 4325.  or email: richard.edwards@unitypartnership.com

The council is constantly striving to improve its services to its customers and I am sure you will welcome the improvements these works will bring to the area over the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely

Richard Edwards

Unity Partnership

See Map of who should have got this letter directly: Greenfield Lane Consulation Area