Keep Whitehall mandarins out of Peak District Park, say Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats have urged the government not to transfer the management of the country’s National Parks from local elected authorities to Whitehall mandarins.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the responsible government minister, Lord Benyon, with a plea to keep control in local hands after plans leaked that National Parks Authorities could be abolished and a new National Landscapes Service created instead.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “Part of Saddleworth falls within the Peak District National Park, and Oldham Council has a representative on the Authority through which local councillors, and their constituents, can raise issues.  If the Authority is abolished and control reverts to Whitehall, we will no longer have any say in how the park is managed.”

“The Liberal Democrats believe that local public organisations, like our National Parks, should be managed locally and be accountable locally.  We are convinced that transferring management of our National Park from local organisations to Whitehall civil servants would be a retrograde step, both for our environment and for our democracy.” 

“We shall see if the Minister is able to reassure me that this will not happen, but, as this government is already poised to remove local accountability in planning through its Planning for the Future legislation, I am not hopeful.”

Irony of Labour call for “residents first” planning approach

The call for a “residents first” planning approach by new council leader Arooj Shah has been called “deeply ironic” by local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani.

In recent years the Labour Council has changed the rules around being able to challenge planning applications, making it increasingly difficult for them to be heard in public.

With just one resident allowed three minutes to speak, it has left residents feeling more and more excluded from the planning process, especially on contentious applications, such as the recent application from 256 houses at Knowls Lane in Lees and Springhead.

Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “I would love for there to be a ‘residents first’ planning approach in Oldham. That would mean changing the system to better engage with residents, and to make sure their voices are heard.

“Time and again, I have heard from residents responding to the Knowls Lane application that they just want a fair, transparent decision. They certainly don’t feel that we have a ‘residents first’ planning approach.”

With constant pressure on Councils to meet national targets for housebuilding, and less funding for brownfield developments, people increasingly feel that they are locked out of a planning system which ignores their interests.

“It’s not good enough to call for a ‘residents first’ planning approach only when it suits the Labour councillors. People must have a forum to be part of the planning process all the time.”

“The recent proposals to change the planning process by the Conservative Government will strip the public of its voice even further.

“When it comes to giving people the chance to speak, Labour and the Conservatives are both the same. We need a planning system which builds in the public voice, and makes fair, transparent decisions with the public, in full view.”

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader calls for reinstatement of Dovestones volunteer rangers

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Chair and Chief Executive of the Peak District National Park Authority calling upon them to reinstate the volunteer ranger service at Dovestones Reservoir.

Commenting councillor Sykes said:  “The volunteer rangers freely gave their time and commitment to looking after our countryside and wildlife, and keeping visitors safe.  At a time when we have seen more moorland fires and increasing visitor numbers at Dovestones, it must defy common sense to abolish a service, which must cost the Parks Authority very little financially, but which represents a lot of extra  ‘boots on the ground’ looking out for fires and for people.  I hope that my letter provokes a rethink and that we shall see the volunteer rangers back in post soon.”

Liberal Democrats delivery on transparency promise

The introduction of new standing orders for Saddleworth Parish Council has delivered a promise from Saddleworth’s Liberal Democrats to increase public involvement and transparency in the way the Council works.

They have scrapped a clause from the previous standing orders which required members of the public to submit questions to the Council in writing two working days before the date of a meeting. With Council meetings taking place on Mondays, that meant that questions would in practice have to be submitted on the Wednesday of the week before.

This meant that it was virtually impossible for urgent matters to be brought to the Council to be addressed.

Sam Al-Hamdani, the leader of Liberal Democrats on the Parish Council, said; “Councils must be as close to the communities they serve as possible. They should be accessible, and allow members of the public to ask questions about what is happening.

“This shows what happens when Liberal Democrats are in a position to control a Council. While others talk about transparency and openness, we deliver. We said that we would increase public participation and we have put that in place.”

The new standing orders were introduced at the Annual Meeting which took place on May 24.

Sykes seeks immediate publication of damning police report

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to Andy Burnham asking the Mayor of Greater Manchester to immediately publish a long-awaited report into the management and performance of Greater Manchester Police.

Mayor Burnham delayed publishing the report before his mayoral re-election, claiming that it would be inappropriate to do so before the new Police chief was in post.  Chief Constable Stephen Watson QPM has now been sworn in, and councillor Sykes wants the Mayor to keep his promise.

“Now the new Chief Constable is in post, there really is no longer an excuse to delay the publication of this report,” said councillor Sykes.  From what I have heard the report is damning, with serious criticisms about the culture, management and performance of Greater Manchester Police that go to the very top.  Now it is ready, it is only right that the public should be able to see it as they paid for it.”

Councillor Sykes added: “This is not the first time Greater Manchester Police has come in for criticism.  Last year, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary was also condemnatory in its findings, particularly about the failure to record over 80,000 reported crimes. We have also seen the fiasco over the new Police computer system, iOPs.”

“The new Chief Constable and Mayor Burnham, as Police and Crime Commissioner, must now come up with a credible plan of action to bring about radical improvements at Greater Manchester Police and restore public confidence in their police service.”