Nowhere to go: Conservative planning reforms fail 25,300 Oldham households on Council waiting list, say Oldham Liberal Democrats

Oldham Liberal Democrats have condemned the Conservative Government for focusing on reforming the planning system instead of forcing developers to build at least 100,000 new homes a year in the UK for families to rent.

The Liberal Democrats believe the Conservatives’ proposals will fail those stuck on waiting lists and zoning proposals risk “leaving whole areas behind”. Instead, the Party is calling for “an urgent house building programme”, with proposals to build 100,000 social homes for rent every year. 

Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “The Conservatives are once more failing the poorest residents of this Borough.  Their plans to reform the planning system will do nothing to alleviate the housing crisis in Oldham borough.  25,357 families are stuck on Oldham Council’s housing waiting list with no-where to go.  This is outrageous and it is completely unacceptable. 

“I despair that once again Conservative ministers are falsely blaming councils for failing to grant planning permission for new housing, but in fact it is the housing developers who are failing to deliver.  Councils grant planning permission for nine out of ten housing applications, and they only refuse to do so when there are good grounds under planning law.”

Data from the Local Government Association in March this year shows that planning permission was given for the construction of over one million new homes over the last decade which have yet to be built by developers. 

Councillor Sykes added: “Instead of trying to change councils, government ministers should force the hand of housebuilders to make them build the affordable homes we so desperately need.  There are literally thousands of housing applications which have been granted planning permission where not a brick has been laid.  Reforming planning laws does not help people languishing on waiting lists or struggling to afford a home in our borough or anywhere else.
 
“The Liberal Democrats want 100,000 new environmentally-friendly social homes built in the UK every year, and for all councils to be granted the power to suspend the right to buy, so that we can finally start tackling the housing crisis in our borough.  Not only will this provide new homes, but it will also provide new jobs in building them – jobs we need in an economy hit hard by the impact of Covid-19”.

Liberal Democrats say follow guidance to stay safe, help stop Coronavirus spreading, and save Oldham Borough from a local lockdown

With the number of people testing positive for Coronavirus increasing in Oldham, Liberal Democrat Councillors are urging residents of the Borough to follow national and local guidance to stay safe, help stop Covid-19 spreading, and save Oldham from the possibility of the reintroduction of a local lockdown.

New cases detected in Oldham have almost doubled in just one week.  The latest figures, for the week ending 8 August, show there were 255 new cases detected in Oldham, a rate of 107.5 new cases per 100,000 people.  During week prior to this ending 1 August, there were 137 cases or 57.8 per 100,000.  Leicester was placed into lockdown when it had 135 new cases per 100,000 of population. 

The Liberal Democrats are concerned that if the present rate of increase is not checked immediately that not only will public health be seriously jeopardised, but the local economy too, as the imposition of a new local lockdown will be inevitable in the next few days.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “Many people have been following the local and national guidance, but unfortunately some do not.  Now is the time when we all need to pull together.  We all need to follow this guidance to stop people getting infected and ultimately to beat this disease.  The guidance is there for a reason – it works.  If we all follow the rules, we can reduce the rate of infection and avoid the prospect of a local lockdown, which will be necessary to save lives, but which will have a further devastating impact on Oldham businesses and Oldham jobs”.

The guidance issued recently:

  • Limit the number of people you have contact with and work from home where possible
  • DO NOT have visitors to your home or garden
  • If you must meet people from outside your household, you must do so in an outdoor location, maintaining social distancing and avoiding physical contact
  • When visiting shops and when on public transport or in other enclosed or crowded spaces, you should wear a mask.
  • Avoid touching your face and wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. 
  • People are also being asked to help protect those who are more vulnerable.

Although those who are younger, or without underlying health conditions, may feel that Coronavirus does not present a major risk to their health, their actions could put others at risk.

If you have Coronavirus, you must isolate and book a test as soon as possible. People who test positive must isolate for ten days, while others in the household must isolate for 14 days as symptoms can take a while to appear.

Visit www.oldham.gov.uk/coronavirus for our most up to date guidance, or call the dedicated Coronavirus helpline, available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on 0161 770 7007.

To book a Coronavirus test go to https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or call NHS 119.

Great to be out delivering after my longest break EVER! August Shaw Focus starting to hit the streets

This is the longest time; since 1985 when I first started delivering Focus leaflets in Shaw; I have gone without delivering any due to illness and lockdown.

As you can see we take precautions of wearing a mask and regular hand sanitiser while on travels.

Can I say what a warm welcome I have received from residents and passers by. It was good to see many of you and stop and chat (socially distanced of course) with some of you.

Hopefully you should get your Focus soon, if not let me know.

As always if you wish to help in our work for Shaw and Crompton and its community do get in touch.

Equally so, get in touch if there is a problem I or my colleagues might be able to help with.

Best wishes and stay safe.

Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes water help for customers affected by Covid-19

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the renewal of financial support by regional water supplier United Utilities for Oldham customers suffering financially during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Councillor Sykes said:  “At this time of rising unemployment and financial uncertainty, many people in Oldham will be struggling to meet their bills.  Any help from utility companies to ease their budget is very welcome.”

“The Oldham Liberal Democrats have always been concerned about poverty issues in our borough.  We have campaigned on food, fuel, period and, most recently, clothing poverty and over five years ago we raised the issue of water poverty in a motion we took to a meeting of the full council in July 2015.”

“Liberal Democrat Councillors then hosted a seminar later that same month, where senior staff from United Utilities outlined their support schemes to thirty professionals from a range of local agencies.  Participants also received a bespoke handbook that we jointly produced about these schemes, and this booklet was later sent out to Councillors and one hundred and twenty local agencies.”

Councillor Sykes added:  “Sadly, despite our call to the Conservative Government to recognise water poverty, five years on they have failed to do so.  The Oldham Liberal Democrats would be happy to work again with United Utilities to take the message out once more that help is available to water customers affected by Covid-19.”

United Utilities offers the following help for customers in financial difficulties:

  • Back on Track – to reduce water bills for customers on low incomes, benefits or tax credits, and to establish an affordable payment plan
  • Help to Pay – to cap bills for customers receiving Pension Credit
  • Payment matching plus – where United Utilities matches the payments of heavily-indebted customers made to an agreed regular plan pound-for-pound
  • A Restart grant – a one-off payment to help clear customers in real financial difficulty
  • WaterSure – to cap the bills of customers with a water meter, where they have a larger family or use more water because of a health condition
  • Universal Credit – applicants for Universal Credit can apply to have their bills delayed for eight weeks until they are in receipt of benefit
  • Payment breaks – customers in difficulties can ask for a payment break

More information can be found at

https://www.unitedutilities.com/my-account/your-bill/difficulty-paying-your-bill/

Or customers can call the United Utilities affordability team on 0800 912 7247.

£400 million Brownfield Fund ‘welcome but not enough’, says Liberal Democrat Leader

 “Welcome, but not enough” says the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, in response to the recent Government’s announcement that £400 million will be made available to Mayoral Combined Authority areas, such as Greater Manchester, through a new Brownfield Fund. 

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said:  “As the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group adamantly favours building new homes on brownfield sites, and as we have previously called on this government to provide the cash to do this, it would be churlish of me not to welcome any announcement of government money to make this happen, but we have yet to see how much of this money comes to Oldham and in any case Oldham’s share will not be nearly enough.” 

Councillor Sykes is also only all too aware that the Conservative Government has previously reneged on a promise to give the ten Greater Manchester local authorities £50 million for brownfield remediation.  He said:  “The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group condemned this betrayal in a motion we took to a meeting of the full Council in July 2019; for the reality is that, for Greater Manchester, this ‘new’ fund is not ‘new’ at all.  When the government insisted that Greater Manchester build tens of thousands of new homes over twenty-five years.  The ten, then exclusively, Labour controlled Greater Manchester authorities agreed, the government sweetened the pill by promising £50 million to help build on brownfield land.  Then the government reneged on the deal.  

“We have no idea whether Greater Manchester will get at least £50 million under this new arrangement, and until we actually see the cash whether this government will really deliver.” 

In any case, Councillor Sykes is all too aware that any brownfield money will not be enough.  “There are estimates that decontaminating land sites to make them safe for new housing costs on average £250,000 per acre and that in the UK there are approximately 1 million acres of such sites.  Decontaminating a former cotton mill to make it available for housing takes several million pounds.  Though every little helps, £400 million, whilst welcome, is not therefore nearly enough.”

Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes promise of special council meeting on Labour’s green belt homes plan

The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed confirmation from the Leader of Oldham Council that a special meeting of the full Council will be called with a one-item agenda to discuss Labour’s green belt homes plan, called the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, and its impact on the Oldham Borough.

Responding to a letter sent from Councillor Sykes 22 July asking once more if such a meeting would be convened soon, and when, the Leader has replied in writing confirming that ‘an extraordinary meeting of the full council (will be held) with a single item agenda to discuss the plans, and that it will take place as an addition to this year’s council meeting cycle’.  The Council Leader also indicated that this meeting will ‘take place on a date this side of the council meeting scheduled for 4th November’.  

Councillor Sykes first asked the Leader for the special meeting at the Full Council meeting in September 2018, and again in December of that year. 

Commenting Councillor Sykes said:  “The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework will, aside from Coronavirus, have the greatest impact of any issue on Oldham and its people, for twenty years.  Under the current plans of the Labour Greater Manchester Mayor and the leaders of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities, thousands of new homes will be built on green belt over two decades.  This is an issue that has galvanised many of this Borough’s residents to march and protest to save the green belt.  They can be sure that Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Councillors will be on their side when this issue is debated at this special meeting – we want no development on our irreplaceable Green Belt”.

Liberal Democrat Leader welcomes 95% drop in single-use plastic bags

The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed recent news that sales of single-plastic bags at major supermarkets in England has dropped 95% since the 5 pence charge was brought in.

The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has published date that shows that the main supermarket retailers sold 226 million bags in the 2019/20 financial year compared to an estimated 7.6 billion bags handed out for free in 2015.

Commenting Councillor Sykes said:  “The introduction of a 5p charge for disposable single-use plastic bags was a Liberal Democrat policy in the Coalition Government.  We wanted to introduce this to tackle the culture of shoppers routinely asking for a free bag and then disposing of it after just one use.  Unfortunately, these bags have a devastating impact on our environment.  Many of these bags ended up in landfill or, worse, on our beaches or in our rivers and seas, presenting a mortal hazard to marine life.”

“The 5p charge has had a marked impact on the behaviour of shoppers.  Most shoppers now take reusable bags with them to the supermarket.  An average shopper now buys only four single-use bags a year; horrifyingly, in 2014 the year before the charge was brought in, it was 140.”

The UK Government has recently consulted on extending the charge to all retail business, rather than only those with more than 250 employees, and to increasing the charge to 10p.  The results of the consultation will shortly be published.

Councillor Sykes thinks these changes cannot come soon enough:  “I hope that the government will introduce these changes soon.  The more retailers that apply them the better and a doubling of the charge will act as a further deterrent to the purchase of a single-bag.  We need to drive single-use bags out of existence.  Their production represents a waste of precious resources and a blight on our environment.”

The Liberal Democrat Group proposed a motion to a meeting of Oldham Council in March 2018 calling for the authority to ban the use of single-use plastics.  This policy was subsequently adopted.

The government’s announcement on the reduction in bag sales can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plastic-carrier-bag-sales-slashed-by-more-than-95-since-5p-charge-introduced