Oldham Council 9 November 2016 – leaders questions from Councillor Howard Sykes

questions-to-ask-your-LASIK-doctorCouncil 9 November 2016 – Leader’s Question – 3000+ Home Threat to Shaw and Crompton Green Belt

Mr Mayor, My first question to the Leader this evening concerns the recently launched public consultation on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Not a very catchy title I am sure you will agree, but nonetheless a document that should command the attention of every member in this Chamber – and particularly any with an interest in the future of our Borough’s Green Belt.

The ten local authorities in Greater Manchester have drawn up plans to meet the projected future need for 227,000 new homes in the county, some 13,700 of them in this Borough.

This may seem an awful lot for Oldham, but Shaw & Crompton and Royton is really being targeted by the developers and may be even Oldham Council as we shall be expected to accommodate almost three thousand new homes plus vast tracks of land for industrial development.

These plans represent a massive land grab in our area and the devastation of our local Green Belt as new properties will be built at Cowlishaw, in the Beal Valley, Rushcroft, the Whitefield Farm area over to Newhey and around Gravelhole and Low Crompton.

Oldham Liberal Democrats firmly believe that our precious Green Belt should be protected.

Our Green Belt and open spaces are one of the things that makes us unique in Greater Manchester.  Some of us are old enough to remember those posters ‘Oldham a town in the country’ – it was true 20 odd years ago and is even truer now.

New homes should first be built on former industrial Brownfield sites.

Existing planning permissions need to be actioned.

We should first look to build on derelict and unloved sites in our town centres and districts, convert every empty mill and factory into housing, force developers to build on sites already given planning permission, and bring Empty Homes back into use.

Only when all of these things have been done should we even consider developing vast tracks of our Green Belt.

We miles away from that stage yet.

And we also need to take account of the massive additional burden this will place on our local services and infrastructure.  These new houses will mean a lot more cars on our busy roads, many more children needing local school places, more demand for medical centres, shops, and leisure facilities.

I recognise that everyone has the right to live in their own home and be adequately housed but the local burden seems to have been placed disproportionately on Shaw and Crompton and to be fair Royton.

So can the Leader please tell me tonight what this Council will be doing to fight to protect our precious Green Belt from wanton development and what representations will be made to press the demand that there will be sufficient advanced investment to meet the increased demand placed onto our facilities and infrastructure in Shaw and Crompton and elsewhere in our Borough?

Council 9 November 2016 – Leader’s Question – Student Travel to Stockport College

Mr Mayor, my second question relates to an issue that I have raised with the Leader and her predecessor on many occasions – the education of this Borough’s young people.

This time I want to address the proposed merger between Oldham College and Stockport College.  The proposed marriage with Tameside College is seemingly now off, Oldham and Stockport Colleges are apparently now the only two dancers still on the floor.

The key question is how is this in the best interests of our young people and Oldham’s potential students?  Just one of my worries is the inconvenience that such a merger will cause to local students without access to private transport.

Here are two examples.

Joe travelling from Denshaw to Stockport College faces a two hour journey there and a similar journey back.  He starts college at 9am.  He catches the 407 Stotts bus from the Junction Inn at 6.36 and is just fortunate to connect with the 6.59 83 service operated by First Manchester from Mumps.

This gets him on time to Piccadilly by 7.45 and he is able to connect with the 192 Stagecoach service 10 minutes later.  This drops him off on Wellington Road near Stockport College for 8.40am.

As Joe needs to use three bus services – all run by different operators he needs to buy a System One Student Bus Saver ticket.  This costs £13.10 a week or £45.50 for a month.

If cost were not an issue, Joe could roughly halve his journey time if he caught the Metrolink tram from Mumps to Piccadilly Station, via Victoria (£3.40 return, half-hour approx.) and then caught the train to Stockport (£5.30 return, 10mins followed by a 10min walk).

If he were aged 16 to 19 he could get a Scholars Permit to enable him to travel for half the single fare each way.

Emma travelling from Oozewood, Royton to Stockport College, also starting at 9am.  Emma’s journey is about as long as Joes.  She walks to Rochdale Road (10mins) and catches the 6.48am 24 First Manchester Bus to Manchester.

This gets her there on time at 7.44, which is unusual as the bus is generally delayed by peak traffic approaching the city centre.  Emma joins Joe in catching the 192 bus and they sit together on the Stagecoach service, both alighting on Wellington Road.

Emma would also need to buy a System One Student Bus Saver ticket.  Emma would probably not save any time going into Oldham to catch a tram as she would have to catch a 409 bus and then wait at a tram stop.

However she could join Joe in getting the train from Piccadilly to Stockport and back (£5.30 return, 10mins followed by a 10mins walk).

This is surely a far from ideal arrangement in a Borough where we aspire to drive up educational attainment and make the best choices available to all of our students.

Can the Leader tell me tonight, what is being done to ensure that the vocational courses that remain on offer in Oldham will remain attractive to local students and relevant to the needs of our local employers?

And what help and support will this Council seek to put in place for those students who are forced to travel to Stockport because of the merger and struggle to do so?

Oldham Lib Dems call for Action on Haulage Tractors on Public Highways

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At next Wednesday’s Council meeting (Wednesday 9 November), Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillors Rod Blyth and Howard Sykes MBE will propose a motion calling on the Government to regulate the use of agricultural tractors hauling loads on public highways and for urgent action to curb this practice in Shaw and Crompton and elsewhere in Oldham Borough.

Councillor Blyth, proposing the motion, explained: “For many months, our constituents, and those of my Liberal Democrat colleagues in Crompton, have been complaining about the noise and disturbance caused by large agricultural tractors pulling large trailers containing spoil along the roads of Shaw and Crompton.”

“These tractors are travelling constantly backwards and forwards from early in the morning until late at night making a racket and putting the fear of God into people.

They should be in fields and not in our streets.  They are often seen speeding and being driven recklessly and local Councillors are worried that the lives of local people are being needlessly put at danger.”

Councillor Blyth added: “We have asked the Police for action, but nothing so far seems to be happening.  This motion is a call for action and we want it now.”

The motion specifically calls for roadside checks to be carried out by the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency to make sure tractor operators in Oldham are operating safe and road worthy vehicles.

Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader and Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes MBE is backing the motion. He explained that the real solution to the problem lies with the Government:

“If these tractors and trailers were Heavy Good Vehicles they would be covered by a commercial vehicle operator’s licence and other legislation that would control their environmental impact on local residents; but at present agricultural tractors are exempt.  Irresponsible operators clearly know of this loophole and are exploiting it. They do not care about the inconvenience and danger caused by their actions.  So our motion also calls on the Government to make tractors used for road haulage subject to the same rules that apply to trucks and we are asking our local MPs and the Local Government Association to back us in this.”

Council 9 November 2016 – Notice of Opposition Business – Motion 1 – The Licensing of Agricultural Tractors used for Road Haulage

This Council notes that:

  • Over many months, residents in this borough, particularly residents in Shaw and Crompton, have experienced noise and disturbance from large agricultural tractors pulling large trailers containing spoil on public highways from early in the morning until late at night
  • In addition, these vehicles are at times driven recklessly and at speed, posing at danger to other road users and pedestrians
  • If these tractors and trailers were HGV’s they would be covered by a commercial vehicle operator’s licence and other legislation that would control their environmental impact on local residents
  • At present they are exempted from licensing requirements

Council believes that tractors used for the purpose of road haulage should be covered by the same licensing requirements as apply to other goods vehicles.

Council resolves to:

  • Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State asking the Government to sponsor a change in the Goods Vehicle (Licensing of Operators) Act to make tractors used for this purpose subject to the same licensing and legislative requirements as apply to other good vehicles.
  • Ask the Chief Executive to copy in the Local Government Association and the three Members of Parliament for this borough and request that they also make representations to the Secretary of State on this matter.

Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executive of the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency asking for any assistance they can provide in carrying out road side checks to make sure operators in Oldham are operating safe and road worthy vehicles.

Draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework – Shaw and Crompton Public Drop-in Session: Monday 14th November 16

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Draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework

Public Drop-in Session: 5pm – 6.30pm, Monday 14th November, Shaw Lifelong learning Centre, High Street, Shaw

Public consultation on the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework

Consultation open: 31 October to 23 December 2016

Over the next twenty years there is a need to deliver continued sustainable economic growth, creating more jobs and new homes for the people of Greater Manchester.

The draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework sets out:

  • How much housing and employment land is needed up to 2035;
  • A number of strategic sites across Greater Manchester to assist in meeting these requirements;
  • The importance of infrastructure such as, health, education, transport, green spaces and utilities to support neighbourhoods and employment; and
  • Ways to protect and improve the natural environment.

For further information on the consultation please visit www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/GMSF or call the Greater Manchester Planning Team on 0161 237 4636

Paper copies of the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework may also be viewed at local libraries in Oldham and at the Oldham Civic Centre Planning Reception.

A paper copy of the Integrated Assessment may be viewed at the Civic Centre Planning Reception, West Street, Oldham, OL1 IUG (for Sat Navs use OL1 1NL).

Other ways to have your say:

PO Box 532, Town Hall, Manchester M60 2LA.

All comments must be received by 17:00 on 23rd December 2016.

If you would like to discuss one of the Oldham allocations in detail then please contact a member of the Strategic Planning and Information team on 0161 770 1672, 4163 and 4061 or email spi@oldham.gov.uk.

Please note all comments will be held by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and will be available to view publicly. Comments cannot be treated as confidential. Your personal information, such as your postal and e-mail address will not be published, but your name and organisation (if relevant) will.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority maintains a database of consultees who wish to be kept informed about the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework. In responding to this consultation your contact details will automatically be added to the consultation database. If you do not want to be contacted about future Greater Manchester Spatial Framework consultations please state this in your response.

Metrolink Oldham Rochdale line – essential overnight maintenance works between Derker and Rochdale Town Centre Metrolink stops

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I have also asked and been assured any use of the Metrolink car parks in Shaw will be in the car park on the tram stop side of Beal Lane away from local residents on Beal Lane and Britaina Avenue.

COPY RESIDENTS LETTER

Dear Resident,

Metrolink Oldham Rochdale line – essential overnight maintenance works between Derker and Rochdale Town Centre Metrolink stops

 I am writing to inform you that we will be carrying out essential overnight maintenance work to the Metrolink tracks between Derker and Rochdale Town Centre stops over five nights between the approximate hours of midnight and 04:30 between the following dates:

  • Sunday 30 October to Friday 4 November

 This work, which is being carried out by the Metrolink contractor M-Pact Thales, will involve the use of a tamping machine to compact the track ballast which will create some noise.  However, the workforce will minimise noise where possible in accordance with the safe operation of the works.  Head torches will be used as an alternative to floodlighting.

This work can only take place outside normal working hours when the trams are not in operation.  Please note that this does not mean that work will be continuous at any one location for the duration of the programme of works.  The completion of these works will help to reduce tram noise and improve the quality of the ride.

We apologise for any inconvenience this work may cause you.

How to find out more

Should you require any further information, our Customer Relations teams can be contacted on Twitter, by emailing customer.relations@tfgm.com or by calling 0161 244 1000 between 07:00 and 20:00 Monday to Friday or 08:00 and 20:00 hours on weekends.

To report urgent issues or incidents relating to this work, please call 0161 205 2000.

Yours faithfully – Peter Cushing, Metrolink Director, Transport for Greater Manchester

Do not ban Council Bus Companies, says Liberal Democrat Leader

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The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has condemned a Government proposal under new legislation to prevent councils creating and operating their own bus company if they feel that best helps deliver public transport in their areas.

Councillor Sykes, who also serves as one of Oldham’s representatives on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, particularly objects to Clause 21 of the Bus Services Bill which is currently going through the House of Lords.

Councillor Sykes said: “Although many of the provisions of the Bus Bill enjoy cross-party support, the Conservative Government’s proposal under Clause 21 to stop local councils from forming a company to operate bus services is most unwelcome.”

“The clause should be opposed as it defies common-sense.  Council-owned bus companies have a track record of attracting more passengers and providing excellent, value-for-money services.”

“And, as a Liberal Democrat, I believe this clause should be opposed as it denies democratically-elected local authorities the choice over how best to run bus services in their area; and this part of the legislation also rolls back powers granted to councils under the 2011 Localism Act.”

“In surveys this view has been backed by the public; most of whom oppose a ban.”

The Bus Bill comes before the House of Lords for its third reading on the 24 October. The Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Baroness Randerson, has tabled her opposition to Clause 21 in the Lords, and her efforts are backed by colleagues in the cross-party Local Government Association.

“I spoke at length to Baroness Randerson about Bus Bill matters on behalf of TfGM at two meetings with her at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton in September, added Councillor Sykes.

“I welcome the opposition to Clause 21 from Liberal Democrat peers and wish them every success in forcing the Conservative Government to back down on this measure which seems solely to be driven by an ideology that is opposed to bus services being provided by public bodies rather than private operators.”