Cannes you believe it?  £10,000 would be better spent fixing our crumbling roads or providing care for our vulnerable children or elderly citizens rather than on French Seaside Spree, says Liberal Democrat Leader

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, has questioned the value of Oldham Council spending more than £10,000 + VAT to send two Council officers to the French Riviera resort of Cannes at a time when Council services have been cut to the bone.

The two officers were representing Oldham Council at the three day Marché International des Professionnels d’Immobilier (MIPIM) property conference earlier this month.  Oldham Council was one of at least nine around the UK that the national press reported were sending representatives at public expense.

Commenting Councillor Sykes stated:  “The attendance by these Council officers at this conference at this time; at such expense sends; out all of the totally wrong signals when the Council is cutting services to the bone or just stopping them because of swingeing cuts in central government funding.”

He added:  “I am not suggesting that this simply amounted to three days of sunshine and champagne.  I am sure these officers were also meeting with potential investors in Oldham, but many residents in our Borough; who are struggling to pay their Council Tax bills; will rightly ask why this money could not have been spent on fixing potholes on our crumbling roads or providing care for our vulnerable children or elderly citizens rather than on jet travel and hotel bills for staff going to the French Riviera.”

Councillor Sykes is also still investigating whether this £10,000 bill represents the full cost to the Council, and he has an outstanding enquiry with officers in the Chief Executive’s team.

Crown Street Shaw between Brunswick Street and Tudor Street emergency sewer repairs commencing Monday 19 March

CROWN STREET SHAW – TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING NOTICE

The Oldham Borough Council hereby gives Notice that no person shall cause any vehicle to proceed along Crown Street between Brunswick Street and Tudor Street

The restrictions are required to allow emergency sewer repairs and will be in force for a period of 21 days from the date of this notice or until the works are completed whichever is the lesser period.  The works are expected to take 5 days

The alternative route for Vehicles affected by the restriction shall be via Brunswick Street/Fern common/Tudor Street.

Tax Land to Pay for Council Services, say Oldham Liberal Democrats

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Saddleworth South Councillor John McCann, will be proposing at the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 28 March) that the Council back calls for the introduction of Land Value Taxation to help pay for public services.

Councillor McCann said: “Land Value Taxes work successfully in over 30 countries across the world.  Landowners are charged an amount every year based upon the rental value of their land.  This amount is based upon the unimproved value of the land, in other words the amount is not increased if the land is developed upon with buildings or other infrastructure.  Two advantages to a Land Value Tax is that it is very cheap to collect and very difficult to evade.”

“Land Value Taxes can be revenue-neutral, by this we mean that they could replace other local taxation raised through the Council Tax and Business Rates,” stated Councillor McCann.  “This would reduce the financial burden placed upon our residents, particularly our lower-income households, and our small businesses in paying for Council services.”

Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Gloster is seconding the motion. Commenting he said: “A Land Value Tax also has other benefits.  It would discourage land-banking, where owners simply hold onto vacant land in the hope that they can make more profit in the future if its value rises, and instead encourages them to develop them with homes or businesses more quickly, once planning permission is granted, to generate an income to help pay the charge.  This would provide more homes and jobs for people in our Borough, and, as many of these homes would be on brown-field sites, it will give us a greater chance to spare more of our precious and irreplaceable Green Belt from unwanted development.”

Council 28 March 2018 – Notice of Opposition Business –

Motion 2 – Land Value Taxation

This Council believes that Land Value Taxation (LVT) offers a credible means for local authorities to raise public revenue to fund local public services by making an annual charge upon landowners, based on the rental value of their land. This is typically levied against the unimproved value of that land, not taking into account any buildings, services or on-site infrastructure.

Council notes that:

  • LVT could be revenue-neutral; that is the revenue raised could replace taxation levied through Council Tax and Business Rates. This would lift some of the burden of meeting the cost of Council services from our Borough’s low-income households and small businesses;
  • LVT would encourage owners of vacant sites, particularly brown-field sites, to develop them for business or residential use more quickly, where planning permission has been granted, so as to generate an income rather than paying an annual charge on the unused land;
  • This would discourage developers from land-banking and lead to more house building and the creation of more businesses and jobs, meaning a more vibrant Borough and less pressure to build new homes on our irreplaceable green belt;
  • LVT is cheap to collect and very difficult to evade.

Council further notes that:

  • Some form of LVT is already successfully in operation in over 30 countries (including Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and several US states);
  • The International Monetary Fund, the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development have all come out in favour of the tax;
  • A Private Members Bill was introduced in Parliament by Caroline Lucas MP supporting LVT, and the proposal has cross-party support in principle;
  • The Scottish and Welsh Governments are currently investigating the options for implementing such a tax;
  • The Parliamentary Communities and Local Government Committee have just conducted an enquiry into the efficacy of various taxation methods to ‘capture’ increases in land value;
  • The Government has appointed a panel of experts, chaired by Sir Oliver Letwin, charged with carrying out a review to ‘explain the gap between the number of planning permissions being granted (for houses) against those built in areas of high-demand.’

Let’s Celebrate: Liberal Democrat Leader backs Royal Wedding Street Parties

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, has written to the Council Leader Councillor Jean Stretton asking her to ensure that Oldham Council waives charges for road closures so local people can celebrate the forthcoming wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Harry to Miss Meghan Markle on Saturday May 19 2018.

Councillor Sykes said: “I am sure that many citizens will wish to mark the royal wedding to holding a street party. The Royal Family is held in high esteem across the nation and the sentiment in our Borough is no different.  Street parties are a great way for people from all backgrounds to come together to celebrate this special occasion.”

“In 2011, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding was celebrated by the great British public at street parties across the land, including one held on Downing Street.  I want to see Oldham Council doing its bit by not imposing a fee on the public for closing a road. The public will still need to secure Council permission to close a road but we shouldn’t be charging for it,” he added.

“The Government is also urging councils to waive their charges for road closures on May 19.  Many councils; from Bromley to Salford; have already agreed to do so, so it is my hope that Oldham Council will not be a party pooper, but will follow suit,” stated Councillor Sykes.

The organisation Street Party – www.streetparty.org.uk  – provides guidance on throwing a safe and enjoyable street party.  The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has also just published its own on-line guidance, ‘Your guide to organising a street party’.

Councillor Sykes added: “I have also asked the Council Leader to create links from the Council’s web page to these websites.”