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: July: 3, 10, 17
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
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
CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) – Europe’s biggest consumer group with over 150,000 members – is calling on the Government to stick to its promise to introduce a Pubs Watchdog to prevent valued pubs from being placed at risk of closure due to unfair practices in the pub sector.
The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council backed this call in the consultation carried out by the department of Business Secretary Dr. Vince Cable MP last year and 96% of those responding also did so. We continue to support this call today.
We need a Pubs Watchdog urgently to govern the behaviour of the large companies which own around a third of UK pubs and ensure publicans are treated fairly.
The Pubs Watchdog would ensure rents and wholesale prices are reasonable.
In a 2013 survey, 57% of publicans renting pubs from the large pub companies reported earning less than £10,000 a year.
Typically these publicans have to buy all their beer from their pub company at around 50p a pint more than if they were allowed to buy on the open market.
Publicans with the large pub companies should be given the option to buy one real ale on the open market – known as a guest beer right. They should also be given the option to choose a market rent only contract that would allow a publican to buy all of their beer on the open market from any brewer they choose.
In 2013 the Government recognised that a change in the law is needed. CAMRA is calling on the Government to stick to its clear promise by introducing a Parliamentary Bill in this year’s Queen’s Speech. A petition will be submitted to the Business Secretary on 14th May – 7 days from now.
Readers can go online to support the petition at http://www.pubscandal.org.uk/
Communities will get greater protection from the blight of bookies after tougher powers were announced to act on betting shop clustering and ensure vibrant local high streets.
The Coalition Government has listened to repeated calls by Lib Dems and is consulting on plans to place betting shops in their own planning class to stop them taking over empty shops without the need for planning permission. In future, betting shops will have to seek permission to open new premises.
Government is also proposing that betting firms make clear to councils how new premises will meet social responsibility requirements in relation to local circumstances. Anyone wishing to spend more than £50 on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) will need authorisation from betting shop managers.
The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said the proposals will help areas desperate to protect high streets at risk of being over-run by betting shops. It will also help councils protect residents at particular risk of harm from problem gambling and FOBTs.
Cllr Howard Sykes, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said:
“The Liberal Democrat opposition group has called on Government to grant Oldham Council tougher powers to address problems caused by the proliferation of betting shops and FOBTs so we are pleased ministers have listened to our concerns and the Government is taking action. This will be a significant step in the right direction. I urge the Government to implement these changes as quickly as possible.
“Liberal Democrat Councillors are not against bookmakers. We understand that betting shops can be an important part of local communities that create jobs for local people. However, we know how concerned people are by clusters of betting shops taking over their local high street, and we also fear that people losing money through Fixed Odds Betting Terminals often turn to payday lenders and loan sharks to pay off debts or fund their gambling habit.
Betting industry firms like William Hill and BetFred have come out in support of tougher powers for councils. The Local Government Association will use its new Betting Commission to work with the betting shops to ensure that these new proposals are workable.
The betting industry needs to respect government’s intentions and the concerns of local leaders, and respond favourably.”
Liberal Democrat Communities Minister Stephen Williams said:
“Across the country many people are concerned about the explosion in the number of betting shops in some high streets. We are determined to build a stronger economy and a fairer society with healthy and diverse high streets that aren’t dominated by betting shops, this is why the government is now giving councils tough new powers to prevent the proliferation of betting shops in their area.
In the current system, a betting shop is in the same category as a bank or estate agent and can open without the need for a planning application where a premises becomes vacant. The changes to the use means that local authorities will have the power to scrutinise applications and refuse them where there are grounds to do so”.
NOTES
1. The LGA has established a Betting Commission with the ‘Big Five’ firms – BetFred, Coral, Ladbrokes, William Hill and Paddy Power – to explore what can and should be done. It is the first time the industry has met with councils to discuss the issues faced by communities and will meet for the second time in June –
http://www.local.gov.uk/media-releases/-/journal_content/56/10180/6066526/NEWS
2. A YouGov survey published last week found that 62 per cent people think there should be tighter restrictions for the gambling industry – http://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/04/23/gambling-industry-needs-tighter-regulation/
3. Research released by Deloitte last month into the future of high streets found 52 per cent of people wanted to see fewer betting shops on their high street.
The Minster of Housing,
The Rt. Hon Kris Hopkins MP,
The Department of Communities and Local Government,
Eland House, Bressenden Pl, London SW1E 5DU
Stephen Williams MP
The Under Secretary of State
The Rt. Hon. Stephen Williams MP
The Department of Communities and Local Government,
Eland House, Bressenden Pl, London SW1E 5DU
21 March 2014
Dear Sir
I am writing to you on behalf of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on Oldham Council to support the call by the Local Government Association that the Government make the necessary legislative changes to enable Councils to be able to more easily use Compulsory Purchase Orders to take possession of long-term empty homes.
According to government statistics there are over 700,000 empty properties in England alone. About a third of these have been empty for six months or more. Bringing them back into use would account for around two and a half years of new build homes at the current rate of housing completions.
Councils currently face overly complex and expensive CPO procedures, and can take up to 18 months to complete.
Consequently, the most recent figures from 2011 show that only 90 CPOs were used by Councils in a year to acquire properties that have lain empty for a decade or more.
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 373 councils in England and Wales, wishes to see changes to enable Councils to use CPO powers more effectively.
In particular that the Government remove the requirement for Councils to seek permission from the Secretary of State to use CPOs and to pay compensation on long-term empty properties (currently 7.5% of the property value, up to £75,000) and enable them to formally share costs and liabilities with a third party.
These proposals would enable Councils to be able to acquire neglected properties faster, refurbish them and once inhabitable let them on a time-limited lease to a needy family.
Local authorities could then recoup their investment through rental income over the set time period, and even acquire nomination rights, returning the properties back to their owners at the end of the lease.
I would be glad to hear the response of the Government, to the LGA’s proposals.
Yours faithfully
Howard Sykes
People can also register their support for the campaign on the Woodland Trust’s website:
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/campaigning/campaigns/protect-ancient-woodland/
The Rt. Hon. Dan Rogerson MP
Parliament Under Secretary of State for
Forestry, Department for Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
18 March 2014
Dear Sir
March 21st is now celebrated by the United Nations as the International Day of Forests and Trees.
At this most opportune time, I am writing to you on behalf of the Oldham Liberal Democrats to ask for your support in ensuring that the Government takes the necessary action to protect Britain’s ancient woodlands.
Ancient woodlands now cover only two per cent of the land mass of the UK. They are much loved and much enjoyed by our citizens, yet contrary to popular belief, they are not fully protected.
More than 400 of our ancient woods are under threat right now from new railway lines, road widening schemes, and planning applications for campsites, car parks and even golf courses.
The Woodland Trust has recently identified a set of proposals to help save what remains and they have made a direct appeal for Government action to the Prime Minister.
The Trust’s proposals include designating ancient woods as Sites of Special Scientific Interest; reviewing relevant planning guidance; and addressing the failings of the National Planning Policy Framework.
Oldham Liberal Democrats are happy to endorse the Trust’s proposals and I hope that you will too.
I look forward to hearing back from you as to how this Government intends to ensure the survival of one of our nation’s most precious and historic resources, so that our future generations can continue to enjoy them as a natural wonder.
Yours faithfully
Howard Sykes
SAVE SHAWSIDE PARK (Cowlishaw)
I have recently learnt that there are currently proposals, out for consultation, about Shawside Park (Off Cowlishaw Lane/rear of Royton and Crompton School) possibly being used for housing development in the future.
These proposals if confirmed by the Planning Inspectorate could mean that Shawside Park will be lost and houses could be built in its place.
Responding to this consultation is about making it impossible/harder for the land to be used for future development and ensuring we keep Shawside Park as a piece of green space for local residents, their children and its recreational use.
If you do want to keep Shawside Park from being used for housing then I urge you to send your objections to the address below BEFORE 21 February 2014.
Below is a suggestion that may give you some ideas about what grounds to object on. Please feel free to expand/use your own words on this. You can of course add your own objections to it as well.
Some 20 years ago local residents ignored a similar consultation process about various pieces of land in Shaw and Crompton. I am afraid to say that a couple of important green spaces from then have now been built upon as a result.
Please do not let the same happen to Shawside Park – I have played in their as a child I want others to have the same opportunity.
Strategic Planning and Information
Neighbourhoods
Oldham Council
Room 310
Civic Centre
Oldham
OL1 1UG
OR: Email: spi@oldham.gov.uk
Dear Sir/Madam
Local Plan 2016 – 2026 Site Allocation Plan Ref No: 1551
I wish to lodge an objection to the use of Shawside Park, Cowlishaw Lane for residential, employment or mixed use.
I would like to see Shawside Park protected as Open Space.
I am concerned about the lack of recreational facilities in Shaw and Crompton and Shawside Park is the nearest park to Shaw Town Centre.
Yours faithfully
etc.
REMEMBER: Please include your name and address, including postcode and email if you have one.