Labour’s Candidate is Shy About Living in Royton

Labour’s campaign material is heavy on ridiculing Howard and light about what they would do for the residents and the area of Shaw and Crompton as emerged earlier.

It seems one reason for this is that the candidate is a resident of Royton, although you’d never know it from his election material.

So he has no plans to stop the closure of our local swimming pool and has nothing to say about the closure of Beal Hey Tip.

Wonder if there’s anything else he’s staying silent about?

Howard Sykes: Your Local Candidate for Shaw

Shaw Calling Card April 2012

The link above shows you why Howard Sykes is the candidate who is working hard to earn your vote at the local elections on 3rd May.

Howard has a track record in fighting for and getting improvements for Shaw and Crompton.

Recent achievements have included:

Highways Improvement Works, including making sure diversions are correctly sign posted and cleared away at the conclusion of the works, at Beal Lane, Grains Road, Manchester Road, Queen Street, Longley Street, Sumner Street, Lyon Street, Kershaw Street, Victoria Street and Chapel Street to name just a few!

Acted upon the responses of the Shaw Focus survey, which have included alleygating projects to respond to pockets of antisocial behaviour; and helped attract investment in local open spaces, including £1M for Dunwood Park and investment in Crompton Moor and Brushes Clough.

But he knows there is more to do, in particular fighting the Labour proposals to move investment and facilities out of Shaw, in particular:

Protest at the closure of Beal Hey Tip and working to ensure that Oldham Council deals satisfactorily with the subsequent rise in litter and fly tipping in the Shaw and Crompton area;

Fighting to keep Shaw Baths open for local residents and their children and grandchildren to use and enjoy;

and maintaining pressure for the provision of a new health centre for Shaw and Crompton.

Your vote for Howard Sykes on 3rd May will mean continued positive ACTION to deal with these, and other, important local issues and DELIVER improvements for the Shaw and Crompton communities.

Outrage at Labour Election Campaign Literature

Indignation has been expressed by many local residents at the purile material included in the Labour election campaign.

Howard Sykes, the target of this material, seemed resigned to the nature of this saying, “When you enter public life sometimes people say things about you that are both untruths and half truths and you have to be prepared for this, although it isn’t nice for family and friends to have to endure.”

A Shaw resident said,” Labour’s material attempting to ridicule Howard in charachature is an outrage and an example of the sort of negative campaigning which does the Labour Party no credit at all. All it does is slag Howard and his team off. It says nothing about what the Labour candidate will do for us residents of Shaw.”

If you happen to bump into the Labour campaign people or their candidate from Royton, perhaps you could take the opportunity to ask them exactly what they are going to do for you and for Shaw?

Conservative Disingenuousness Over Shaw Baths

A key issue with the people who have spoken to Howard Sykes on the door step and their families is the proposed closure of Shaw Baths.

If you feel strongly enough please sign the petition hosted by Howard Sykes and your Liberal Democrat Focus Team at
www.SaveShawBaths.co.uk

Howard and your Focus Team are fighting to keep the pool open and your support through signing the petition means the Labour adminstration at Oldham Council will have to listen. The stronger the protest expressed through the number of signatures, the better the chance of fighting the proposed closure.

Howard and your Focus Team are the only party fighting to retain this well used service in Shaw.

Labour’s position to close the pool is well known and a clear majority of Conservatives voted in support of Labour’s stance in the Council Chamber earlier this year.

This is your service paid for by your taxes so ensure your voice is heard through supporting Howard on 3rd May and by adding your name to the hundreds who have already signed the petition.

Put Shaw and Crompton First

When considering how to use your vote on 3rd May, consider that you are voting for a representative who will champion your interests as a Shaw resident and the interests of other citizens of Shaw.

The Conservatives and Labour both pay lipservice to the notion of faithfully representing Shaw and the interests of the people of Shaw, but let’s have a look at the evidence. Take Shaw Baths for example.

The current plans to close the pool were put forward by a Labour administration, as were the plans to close the pool some 10 years ago. In fact, this is the third time Labour have tried to close our swimming pool. And the Conservatives have supported Labour in attempting to do so in the Council Chamber in Oldham.

There are other examples of the interests of Shaw being ignored. The recent closure of Beal Hey Tip by Labour and the absence of any support from either the Conservatives or Labour in relation to a new Health Centre for Shaw and Crompton.

Howard Sykes and your Liberal Democrat Focus Team have always worked hard to represent your interests and the interests of Shaw. Howard and the Team actively seek out your views on Shaw and the area all year, every year, and fight to get you the improvements you want. Howard, being a lifelong local resident, understands the issues and challenges facing local people.

So use your vote for yourself and for Shaw.

Beal Hey Tip Legacy

Howard and the Shaw Focus Team Protest at Closure of Beal Hey Tip

Only a few months after Labour closed our local tip at Beal Hey, Chandos Street, everybody can see how much more litter and fly tipping we now have in Shaw.

“Your Shaw Focus Team and I now spend vast amounts of time trying to get the Council to move fly tipped materials and to try to make an impact on the massive increase in litter we now have in the area,” said Howard Sykes.

“This is just what we said would happen when we fought Labour’s tip closure plans. We will continue to press for improvements and to try to keep Shaw clean. How can Labour say they care for Shaw and do this? Words fail me,” continued an exasperated Howard.

Beal Lane Metrolink Station

Howard at the Site of the New Tram Stop in Shaw

“The completion of last weekend’s roadworks on Beal Lane brings nearer the completion of Shaw and Crompton’s new Metrolink station,” reports Howard Sykes.

“People will now have noticed that the actual stop is on the other side of Beal Lane from where the rail stop used to be. This was a battle we won many years ago when the plans were being finalised and is key to keeping the traffic moving on Beal Lane,” continued Howard.

As well as Shaw residents benefitting from a more frequent service, every other tram will terminate at the new Shaw stop, now requiring no road closure. Additionally, those trams passing through to and from Rochdale will require the road to be closed for much less time than was the case with the former railway barriers.

“This is another example of our long term planning and persistence to improve things for Shaw and its community,” said Howard. “Talk and promises are cheap. Your Shaw Focus Team and I have a record of action.”

Celebrate St George’s Day at Royton and Crompton School

St George’s Day Poster

As a member of the Shaw, Crompton and Royton District Partnership, Councillor Howard Sykes welcomed the celebrations being organised funded by the District Partnership. The fun starts at 12 noon on Saturday 21st April and everybody is very welcome. For more details about the attractions and contact details about the event please click on the link above.

Leisure Review – Worst Kept Secret Out in the Open

On 30th January 2012, the Labour administration finally went public on the new swimming pool/leisure facility to replace the current Crompton and Royton facilities. Despite the massive chorus of opposition from over 700 Shaw and Crompton residents, the sham consultation by Labour concluded that the facility was to be built in Royton at the expense of Shaw.

Howard and the Liberal Democrat Group responded by calling in the decision to examine it further. The “call-in” asked Overview and Scrutiny to examine consultation flaws; why Cabinet made its controversial decision of 30th January 2012 to build the replacement Pool in Royton and, very importantly, why the huge number of responses from Shaw and Crompton were completely and utterly ignored.

Scrutiny of the decision took place on 1st March 2012 in the Civic Centre and was nothing short of chaotic. There were no protocols in place for the conduct of the meeting (a set of rules were hastily acquired from Rochdale MBC), inconsistent advice given by Council Officers, people in attendance who were not required and members of the Scrutiny Panel were being denied opportunities to question witnesses in order to properly scrutinise the evidence supporting the decision.

But the story doesn’t end there – barely three weeks after the swimming pool decision, and despite the call to examine the decision further, the Labour administration announce an agreement with a developer for a replacement Royton Precinct, which includes provision of a Leisure/swimming pool complex!

A chain of events which bear all the classic hallmarks of Labour deceit, dressed up as consultation. It seems the cries of ‘done deal’ and ‘sham’ were indeed accurate. Howard, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council said, “Labour’s contempt firstly and most importantly for the people of Shaw and the democratic process is self- evident. I can honestly feel satisfied that this shambles would never happen under a Liberal Democrat administration.”