Crompton Pool 1st July

001456_Swimming-Pool

After being fobbed off for weeks since it’s closure in early May the council finally get round to issuing a press release saying it will not re- open.

The people of Shaw deserve better than to be treated like this.

Just £50k could have kept the Pool open for the hundreds of users, the swimming club and schools plus others.

Most people would regard that as good value and if this was elsewhere in Oldham Borough the cash would have been spent and the facility kept open.

However this is Shaw and Crompton and our Labour Council (and that is who have made this decision in secret) appear to not give two hoots about Shaw and Crompton and have just proved that again.

Crompton Pool Latest 16 June

001456_Swimming-Pool
Crompton Pool Latest 16 June

My most recent correspondence on the matter, and extracts of just some of my earlier correspondence

Dear Ms McManus,

Can I formally request a copy of the papers/reports/email or any other information that has gone to the members of the CIPB about this matter, either under my right to know as a councillor or leader of the opposition or under a Freedom of information request.

Also under the above please inform me which councillors are on the Board and therefore making this decision/recommendation.

Also please confirm when the information was submitted to them for consideration.

I do hope the above will be supplied promptly, by return or within 24 hours at the very latest, and I will not have to chase this matter up as I have with every other email I have sent since the Pool closed on the 6th May.

I await your comments with interest as do thousands of residents in Shaw and Crompton and further afield who use Crompton Pool.

Regards.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

NOTES:
Capital Investment Programme Board – CIPB is a Board of Cabinet members, which meets to coordinate /discuss all capital projects and programmes within the council. It is an advisory board, which assists either a delegated decision, or a decision which needs to go on to cabinet/ Council for approval.

I was promised some clarity on this issue on the 15th May – I am still waiting and on every occasion I have to chase the Council.

From: Heather McManus
Sent: 14 June 2014 12:31

The matter is still with CIPB for consideration. As soon as I hear from members I will let you know.

From: Howard Sykes
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 12:22 PM GMT Standard Time

Now the 13 June.

Hopefully you will now have some clarity about this matter over a week after your email 5 June.

Users, groups and the people of Shaw need and expect to be kept informed about this issue.

You must know what the problem is now and an idea of what it will cost to fix and who might do that work.

I cannot understand the delay.

It is well over a week since I last asked about this (3 June) as still no information for the public, swim club, schools, etc. etc.

When will we have a time frame for getting the pool open again?

Or is it as people suspect you want to keep it closed to save money?

I and thousands of people await your response with interest.

Howard Sykes

From: Neil Consterdine
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 11:01 AM

Consideration of the options will be considered this week via CIPB. We are hopeful to have a decision by the end of the week.

Neil Consterdine
Oldham Council
Head of Youth and Leisure

From: Howard Sykes
Sent: 29 May 2014 18:25

What is the timescale for the decision please?

I.e. tomorrow, next couple of days, next week, next month?

Many thanks in anticipation.

Howard

From: Neil Consterdine
Sent: 21 May 2014 16:24

The facility had to be closed because of damage to the hot water tank. This meant the pool water could not be kept at the correct temperature.

We are committed to keeping the pool open and are now assessing a repair option to ensure this happens. We will issue an update on this as soon as we possibly can to service users, partners and residents.

Neil Consterdine
Oldham Council
Head of Youth and Leisure

From: Howard Sykes
Sent: 20 May 2014 18:48

Dear Mr Consterdine,

So it is now a week on from your last email and considerably longer since the pool was closed (Tuesday 6th May).

No update or any additional information I am aware of.

Can you please let me and colleagues know the latest situation please and when the pool will re-open.

I await your comments with interest as do hundreds of my constituents, many of which have been in contact with me and colleagues.

Best wishes.
Councillor Howard Sykes

Oldham Liberal Democrats opposed to waiting day changes that hurt claimants

Oldham Liberal Democrats opposed to Waiting Day Changes that hurt Claimants

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes, has expressed his opposition and that of colleagues to changes proposed by Tory Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Ian Duncan-Smith that benefit claimants should wait seven days for benefits rather than three at present.

The changes if implemented will mean that from October 2014 new claimants for Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) to wait seven days rather than three days before being paid any benefit.

A similar proposal to save money was also made by the then Labour Government in 1998, but following representations the proposal was withdrawn.

Cllr Sykes has written to the Secretary of the Social Security Advisory Committee, an important parliamentary body that advises the Government on social security matters.

The committee has been asked to conduct a public consultation on the proposed waiting days’ amendment, with a closing date for responses of Friday 13th June, prior to making a recommendation to the Secretary of State as to how to proceed.

In his letter, Cllr Sykes expresses his hope that our representations in this instance will help lead the committee to recommend to the Secretary of State that this proposed amendment also be abandoned.

The Liberal Democrat Group is concerned that JSA claimants will lose £40 on average, while disabled people claiming ESA will lose £50.

The Government’s own estimates indicate that 1.3 million people a year will lose out.

Claimants leaving work through dismissal or made redundant after short periods of employment will receive no statutory compensation from their employer on the termination of their contract; they may therefore have no immediate sources of ready cash to meet day to day needs.

In Oldham, a significant number of claimants already report that delays in processing their claim for benefit place them in financial hardship.

The Liberal Democrats are concerned that this change in policy may oblige newly-unemployed people to turn to ‘loan sharks’ or short-term sub-prime lenders to borrow money to survive, paying exorbitant rates of interest, or to food banks in order to eat.

The Liberal Democrats are convinced that this change will in no way assist unemployed people to find employment; on the contrary evidence suggests that where unemployed people have no income for immediate needs they focus on securing that income rather than on job-seeking.

As Cllr Sykes also believes the new measure will be counterproductive:

“This change will make it less likely that jobseekers will accept offers of short-term employment as they may be penalised twice when they sign back on”.

Nor does it reward those who as employees make National Insurance contributions.

Cllr Sykes added:

“The change is grossly unfair on new claimants making a claim on the basis of National Insurance contributions. These claimants are only entitled to benefit for a maximum of six months and are thereafter disbarred from receiving benefits because of savings or spousal earnings.

This change will eat into this entitlement by a further four days, providing yet more evidence that National Insurance is in fact a tax in all but name rather than a real passport to benefit entitlement”.

Copy of Cllr Sykes’ response below:

Sent: 12 June 2014 09:50
To: ssac@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Cc: Howard Sykes
Subject: FW: FAO Ms Denise Whitehead, The Committee Secretary Re: Consultation on the Social Security (Waiting Days) Amendment Regulations 2014

Dear Mrs Whitehead

I am writing to you as Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council.

The Liberal Democrat Group notes with great concern the recent proposal by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, The Rt. Hon Ian Duncan Smith MP, to require new claimants for Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) to wait seven days rather than three days before being paid any benefit from October 2014.

We note that a similar proposal was made by the then Labour Government in 1998 in order to save money, but following representations the proposal was withdrawn.
We hope that our representations in this instance will help lead the committee to recommend to the Secretary of State that this proposed amendment also be abandoned.

The Liberal Democrat Group is concerned that JSA claimants will lose £40 on average, while disabled people claiming ESA will lose £50.

The Government’s own estimates indicate that 1.3 million people a year will lose out.

Claimants leaving work through dismissal or made redundant after short periods of employment will receive no statutory compensation from their employer on the termination of their contract; they may therefore have no immediate sources of ready cash to meet day to day needs.

In Oldham, a significant number of claimants already report that delays in processing their claim for benefit place them in financial hardship. By obliging new claimants to wait longer, this policy has the potential to make newly unemployed people turn to ‘loan sharks’ or short-term sub-prime lenders to borrow money to survive, paying exorbitant rates of interest, or to food banks in order to eat.

The Secretary of State’s proposed amendment will in no way assist unemployed people to find employment; on the contrary evidence from a number of sources indicates that where unemployed people have no income for immediate needs they focus on securing that income rather than on job-seeking.

This change also has the potential to deter jobseekers from accepting offers of short-term employment for who is going to take short-term employment contracts if they are obliged to serve another 7-day waiting period on resubmitting their claim (‘signing back on’)?

Furthermore the change is grossly unfair on new claimants making a claim on the basis of National Insurance contributions. These claimants are only entitled to benefit for a maximum of six months and are thereafter disbarred from receiving benefits because of savings or spousal earnings.

This change will eat into this entitlement by a further four days, providing yet more evidence that National Insurance is in fact a tax in all but name rather than a real passport to benefit entitlement.

I trust that the Committee will take the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group’s views into account when making its recommendations to the Secretary of State, and in due course we look forward to hearing further from you about your deliberations.
Yours sincerely

Councillor Howard Sykes

Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group Oldham Council
Member for Shaw Ward
Member for East Ward Shaw & Crompton Parish Council
Home: 5 Ballard Way, Shaw, Oldham OL2 8DU
T: 0161 770 4016
F: 0161 770 4026
E: howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk
W: http://howardsykes.mycouncillor.org.uk
Twitter: @Howard_Sykes

Liberal Democrat Leader “exceptionally concerned” at Oldham Council Staff Sickness Absences

sickness

Liberal Democrat Leader “exceptionally concerned” at Oldham Council Staff Sickness Absences

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes, has written to the newly-appointed Chief Executive of Oldham Council, Dr Carolyn Wilkins, to inform her that he is “exceptionally concerned” at the level of sickness absences amongst Council staff.

Information recently made publicly available shows that in the last year 19,059 days of absences were recorded amongst 3,560 Council staff; an average of almost 5.5 days each. This is higher than the UK national average; in February, the Office of National Statistics reported that overall absences across the UK have dropped from 7.3 days per annum to 4.4 days per annum over the last decade.

In his letter, Cllr Sykes says that the cost of sickness absences represent “big figures at a time when the authority must look to squeeze best value out of every penny of its expenditure”.

Cllr Sykes states that not only do staff absences put more pressure on “conscientious and hard-working staff that remain at their posts,” but they cost the authority – and ultimately Oldham’s Council Tax payers – £3.85million per annum extra in employing agency staff to provide cover.

Cllr Sykes says that he is “as one” with Council Leader Cllr Jim McMahon in seeking to “clamp down” on sickness absence, but cannot understand why – when the Labour Administration has agreed with trades unions that sickness would be more pro-actively and routinely managed – “almost 58% of employees were not obliged to attend a Back to Work interview – a measure designed specifically to identify the underlying reasons for absence and to address unacceptably persistent absenteeism?”

In closing, Cllr Sykes states in his letter that he seeks early comments and an in-depth discussion with the Chief Executive on this issue “as to what further immediate measures are now to be put in place to reduce sickness absences in the current financial year”.

Text of email (06/06/14) below.

Dear Dr Wilkins,

Now the dust has settled after the elections.

I was exceptionally concerned to read a report on recent sickness absences.

I understand from information made available in the public domain that in the last year 19,059 days of absences were recorded amongst 3,560 staff; an average of almost 5.5 days each.

Not only does this in turn mean lost productivity, a reduction in service, and further undue pressure on those conscientious and hard-working staff who remain at their posts, but this situation costs the authority a double financial whammy – paying these staff to stay at home whilst employing agency staff to provide cover at a cost of £3.85 million per annum.

I know that there will be no need to tell you that these are big figures at a time when the authority must look to squeeze best value out of every penny of its expenditure.

Last year, Cllr Jim McMahon made great play of his desire to clamp down on sickness absence – an aspiration with which I am with him as one. This message featured prominently in the staff conference via a specially commissioned video of the Leader.

The Administration subsequently agreed a way forward with trades unions where sickness absence would be more pro-actively managed and management intervention more routine.

Why is it then that we see in the released statistics that almost 58% of employees were not obliged to attend a Back to Work interview – a measure designed specifically to identify the underlying reasons for absence and to address unacceptably persistent absenteeism?

In February, the Office of National Statistics reported that overall absences across the UK have dropped from 7.3 days per annum to 4.4 days per annum over the last decade.

I know that Oldham’s figures have also dropped, but we are still higher than average. Worryingly ONS reported that public sector workers have an average sickness rate of 2.9 % compared to 1.8 % in the private sector, so this is an issue on which we simply have to do more.

I would welcome an in-depth discussion upon this issue at our next scheduled meeting, but in the interim I would ask for your comments as to what further immediate measures are now to be put in place to reduce sickness absences in the current financial year.

I look forward to your comments with interest.

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes Promise of Statutory Code and Pubs Adjudicator in Queens Speech

00014130Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes Promise of Statutory Code and Pubs Adjudicator in Queens Speech

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes, has welcomed the announcement in last week’s Queens Speech that the Coalition Government intends to establish a new Statutory Code and Pubs Adjudicator to reform the big pub companies and support hard-pressed landlords.

The announcement was in direct response to the call for the introduction of these measures by the Campaign for Real Ale and many others to a Government consultation last June.

As part of this consultation, Cllr Rod Blyth wrote on behalf of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group to the Business Secretary, Lib Dem Dr Vince Cable, supporting the proposal to establish a Statutory Code and a Pubs Adjudicator and also to express “strong support” for Dr Cable’s stated position that “a tied tenant should be no worse off than a free-of-tie tenant”.

In welcoming the announcement, Cllr Sykes said: “This will ensure that publicans are treated fairly and will crack down on the sky-high rents and beer prices that are often charged by the big pub companies.

If the Adjudicator forces the big pub companies to reduce the wholesale prices they charge publicans to match open market prices, this could result in a price fall by up to 60p a pint. As a result we should see cheaper pub prices for customers, more investment in pubs and ultimately fewer pub closures.

This campaign success is testament to the relentless campaigning by CAMRA members and branches and by members of the Fair Deal for Your Local campaign, chaired by Leeds North West Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland”.

Cllr Sykes added: “This announcement adds to the support already shown by this Government for the licensed trade. Support that has included:

– The abolition of the beer duty escalator, introduced by Labour, from 2014
– Two reductions in beer duty in successive budgets
– The creation of the ‘Community Right to Buy’ permitting local communities to purchase and save pubs coming onto the market
– The introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework with pro-pub policies”

FOR HELP AND ADVICE – SHAW WARD SURGERIES

advice-signpost2

Councillors Rod Blyth, Mark Alcock and Howard Sykes.

Also Parish Councillors Aspinall, Farrell, Duffy, Hall, Stephens, Dodd, Robinson, Murphy and Wood will also attend.

7.30pm – 8.30pm, Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw, OL2 8TB.

Thursday: June: 5, 12, 19.
NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED

Why bother on May 22 and what really matters?

Ballot_Box_online1
Voting in these local elections will not change who runs Oldham Council, who runs the Government or whether Britain stays in Europe.

Instead these local elections are about electing councillors who, instead of posturing, will face the challenges in local government head on – delivering services you expect whilst squeezing better value from your Council Tax.

When the Liberal Democrats ran the council, we delivered award-winning local services whilst averting imminent financial disaster; in opposition, we have acted responsibly, challenging Labour where necessary and working with them whenever we can.

In contrast, what have the Conservatives done as an opposition party? The answer is simple: nothing – apart from voting with Labour!

We believe that the council must:

Get the basics right.

• Oldham people want clean streets, potholes filled and bins collected.

• Under the Liberal Democrats, Oldham officially had the cleanest streets in Greater Manchester – under Labour they are only getting dirtier.

• Under the Lib Dems, £10 million was found for highway improvements – under Labour only £2 million.

Save money on bureaucracy whilst protecting front-line services.

• In our last two alternative budgets, we found money to keep the Bulky Bob household collection service free, for more gully cleaning, and for better care for our elderly and looked-after children – ideas all dismissed by Labour and Conservatives.

Devolve real power and budgets to local communities

• Lib Dem councillors have always championed independent district partnerships. We also serve enthusiastically on two Parish Councils.

Find ways to generate new income.

• Liberal Democrats want council investment in renewable energy projects. This is good for our environment and the council’s finances too – bringing in sustainable income for at least the next quarter century.

Labour will no doubt blame the Liberal Democrats for ‘the cuts’.

They won’t tell you that cuts were only necessary because they left the country in financial ruin or that Oldham Liberal Democrats successfully lobbied minsters to stop further cuts in our finances.

Labour say they support the poor and make great play of their Council Tax freeze (paid for by Coalition Government money).

Labour last year hit everyone with a 3.7% Council Tax increase and forced our poorest citizens to pay Council Tax for the first time.

And they have only spent a third of the extra money given to them by this government to help the poor.

Liberal Democrats championed a plan to reduce the impact of welfare reform on the disabled and proposed a Council Tax hardship fund paid for by the airport dividend.

Labour say they support workers.

Yet they imposed a three year pay freeze on lower-paid Council workers

Instead the Liberal Democrats demanded that council jobs went to local people and that the council should become a National Living Wage employer.

Voting Liberal Democrat means supporting sound finance and reliable public services, and a party putting people and communities first.

It means you will elect a local councillor who will champion your community and area, and be on your side!

Cllr Howard Sykes
Lib Dem Group Leader Oldham Council
16th May 2014