Liberal Democrat Councillors on Oldham Council remain bitterly opposed to Labour’s latest version of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework which has just been unveiled and will go before a special Council meeting to be held on Wednesday 28 October, prior to being open to public consultation. 

In this third version of their plan to build new homes, which forms part of the wider Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF), Oldham Council’s Labour Administration has removed proposals to build on Green Belt sites in Royton North Ward, Failsworth East Ward and St James Ward, but have retained plans to build almost 1,000 new homes on Green Belt and green space sites in Cowlishaw and in the Beal Valley.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is the Leader of the Opposition and represents Shaw, said:  “Whilst we welcome the change of heart of this Administration in moving more homes from Green Belt sites elsewhere in the Borough onto Brownfield sites in the town centre or onto former mill sites, which has been something the Liberal Democrats have been advocating from the beginning, it is notable that no effort has been expended in extending this courtesy to Crompton and Shaw.  Building on the Green Belt is deeply unpopular amongst voters, and Labour have clearly one eye on next May’s local elections.”

Liberal Democrat Councillors remain opposed to building on the Green Belt.  As Councillor Sykes explains:  “Thanks to the lack of investment over many years by Oldham’s Labour Council, we have lost our baths, our municipal tip and our youth centre; our primary schools are oversubscribed; our health centre is in desperate need of replacement; and our once-thriving market is on its last legs.” 

“Imagine then building almost 1,000 more homes, mostly for families, on Green Belt sites on the edge of our town centre.  Where will their children go to school and what doctors’ surgery will they be able to attend, if we have insufficient provision for our existing residents?  There is no promise within this plan of a large injection of cash for new school places and a much-needed new health centre.”

The Liberal Democrats believe that there are enough Brownfield sites to accommodate any necessary new housing, and that new homes should be in Oldham town centre and other district centres to help inject some life back into them.”

Councillor Sykes concluded:  “Quite simply it makes more sense to build in Oldham.  Offices and shops there are likely to remain empty and unused following the Covid-19 pandemic as people abandon the daily commute and the high street in increasing numbers, and we are therefore going to see the death of Oldham town centre unless it is revitalised.  Building homes there will not only help sustain the retail economy but it will revive the night-time economy as well.” 

“In addition, the town centre is also far better served by public transport links to enable residents to access employment, education and healthcare, and there are two local colleges on the doorstep, and existing plans to build a new town centre secondary school.”

Oldham Liberal Democrats will be opposing Labour’s Greater Manchester Spatial Framework at the special Council meeting on 28 October.

On Sunday 11th October 2020 at 11:00 hours they have arranged that Manchester Museum will talk to them about their collection of insects including bees. 

Join Dmitri Logunov, and Rachel Webster, as they talk about Manchester Museum’s latest temporary exhibition ‘Beauty and the Beasts, falling in love with insects.’

Dmitri Logunov, Curator of Entomology, cares for the Museum’s worldwide collection of bugs containing a great variety of organisms, such as insects, spiders, centipedes, millipedes and crustaceans. The collection is estimated to house some two and a half million specimens.

Rachel Webster, Curator of Botany cares for the Museum’s extensive botanical collection containing around three-quarters of a million plant specimens, from all over the globe.

This event will be a wonderful ‘Zoom’ opportunity suitable for both Grandparents and Grandchildren and parents and children to access the event. Dmitri and Rachel will be inviting questions during this online event.

All adults with or without children are welcome and children aged 7 – 8 plus accompanied by an adult are welcome.

Please send an E Mail to jeannormanhealthtrainer@gmail.com 

and look at https://www.facebook.com/dunwoodparknordicwalkers/

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW:

https://www.oldham.gov.uk/coronavirus

Over the last seven days Oldham Borough has a Coronavirus rate of 143 per 100,000 population, which has increased from 123 the previous week.

This is now the highest weekly rate recorded during the pandemic, and is the fourth-highest rate across Greater Manchester.

Problems with the national testing system are continuing, resulting in many people struggling to book a test. Local testing centres are still open seven days a week, and people must book an appointment online before going to a testing centre.

To get a test, you must:

• Book online here
• Bring a confirmation email of your appointment (printed out or on your phone) and ID
• Wear a face covering when attending the site

Those who are unable to get a test and have symptoms, or suspect they may have Coronavirus, must self-isolate until they are able to get tested.

Children who have been sent home from school due to contact with a confirmed Coronavirus case, and told to self-isolate for 14 days, must also complete the full 14 days – even if they have a Coronavirus test and it comes back negative.

The new NHS Coronavirus app is now live – have you downloaded it yet?

https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/nhs-covid-19/

Please encourage all those you know to download the app, and also help ensure businesses owners are complying with the new regulations.

Those in hospitality, leisure and tourism or close contact services need to have downloaded and displayed their QR code, and could be fined up to £1,000 if they don’t.

Need to download a QR poster for your business? Find the info here: https://www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster

Yodel have written to the Shaw Ward Councillors informing them that they are looking to relocate within the next five years from the Shaw site to a ‘super hub’. Yodel has advised Councillors that this would still be within the North West.  They have also made a company commitment to protect the current workforce and expand job opportunities. 

Councillor Chris Gloster stated: “This news was not unexpected.  Although home shopping is on the increase, sadly old cotton mills are quickly becoming unsuitable for modern logistical operations.  However, Yodel is an integral part of the Shaw community and the company employs many people from our community.”   

“As local Councillors, we welcome the invitation that Yodel have offered us to work with them to look at how best to protect the existing work force, as well as create further job opportunities.  The challenge will be to keep Yodel local to protect as many existing jobs as possible and to provide more new jobs for residents in Shaw and Crompton.” 

“Amongst other locations, a move to Kingsway Business Park at Milnrow would be ideal.  This is still local to Shaw and Crompton, and accessible by Metrolink.  This option would preserve jobs whilst taking many large goods vehicles off Shaw’s roads.  The heavy traffic is certainly something that many of our residents will not miss.” 

Councillor Gloster added:  “We will meet with Yodel as soon as possible to discuss in detail their plans and to offer them as much assistance as possible to ensure jobs are protected and to ensure this redevelopment enhances job prospects for Shaw residents rather than being a devastating blow to the community and more widely”.

Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy was delighted to hear recently that Oldham Council will be acting on his suggestion that taxi exhaust emissions be properly tested to ensure they do not pose an undue hazard to human health.

Councillor Murphy, who carries out MOT tests in his professional life in the motor vehicle industry, posed a question at the last full meeting of Oldham Council asking why the emissions of private motor vehicles are routinely checked using specialist equipment, yet the assessment on taxis only involved a ‘visual test’.

Councillor Murphy said:  “Taxis are driven many more miles per year than an average motor vehicle, they are on the road for longer and their engines are idled for longer periods of time so a taxi could cause a lot more air pollution.  When we are trying to make sure we have clean air, why should taxis not have the same checks as our cars?”

In her written response, Cabinet Member Councillor Barbara Brownridge confirmed that “full emissions tests” will now be carried out on all vehicles.

“My query has come up trumps” said Councillor Murphy. “With over 1,100 private and public hire taxis licensed to operate on Oldham’s roads, carrying out these checks will make a big contribution to reducing air pollution”.

The question from Cllr Dave Murphy to Councillor Brownridge at Full Council 9 September 2020 read:

Private motor vehicles are subject to an annual emissions test when they have a MOT test, which is carried out by inserting a tube into the exhaust and measuring it using a calibrated emissions tester.  However, when taxis are checked through the taxi test, the emissions are only visually checked. 

Can the relevant Cabinet Member explain why there is this discrepancy between the emissions testing of private cars and taxis?

There are hundreds of taxis on our roads today. They are driven many more miles per year than an average motor vehicle, they are on the road for longer and their engines are idled for longer periods of time so a taxi could cause a lot more air pollution. 

When we are trying to make sure we have clean air, why should taxis not have the same checks as our cars? 

And can the Cabinet Member say exactly how many taxis are licensed to operate in our borough today?

The written email response from Councillor Brownridge to Councillor Murphy, dated 11 September 2020 reads:

These are the answers to the questions you asked in Council as promised:

In terms of vehicles licensed we have 1060 private hire and 85 hackneys.

At the present time testers are performing a visual test on exhausts and, if there is smoke, they then perform a full test on emissions. With the clean air proposals going out to the consultation the licensing manager feels we should have a more stringent test so has asked that full emissions tests commence on all vehicles.

For real time information: https://oldham.roadworks.org/