Liberal Democrat councillors Diane Williamson and Garth Harkness were left baffled when Labour councillors voted against their motion at the full meeting of Oldham Council on Wednesday 15th July 2020.
Councillor Harkness’s and Williamson’s motion asked Oldham Council to work with representatives from the clothing manufacturers and retailers; the trades unions in these sectors; and campaign groups to develop a strategy to end clothing waste, meet clothing need and tackle the exploitation of garment workers in this Borough.
Councillor Williamson said: “Across the country there are schemes where people donate clothing and the third sector and local authorities then direct people, who are in need, to these places so that they can get clothing for a special occasion, as well as job interviews. People are given vouchers and some organisations put a price on items so that anyone can come in and perhaps buy items and all funds go back into the scheme.”
Councillor Garth Harkness said: “The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group has previously proposed motions to take action on food poverty, fuel poverty, water poverty, and period poverty. Now we are turning our spotlight on clothing poverty.
“We have only in the last week seen Boohoo involved in claims of exploitation and unsafe working practices. This follows a Sunday Times report claiming workers at a Leicester factory were paid £3.50 an hour, while being offered no protection from coronavirus.
“In November 2019, a survey on the Greater Manchester textile and garment industry that included 182 companies operating across the region, also found evidence that workers were being paid as little as £3-4 an hour.”
No Labour councillors or Conservative councillors decided to speak on the motion. All Labour councillors voted against the motion. One Conservative voted for the motion, one against and two did not vote.
Councillor Diane Williamson said:
“The Labour administration did not even deem it to be worthy of someone to explain why they would not support this motion; I would take on any comments about what was in the motion, but there was deafening silence and they voted against it.
So why are they voting against tackling sweatshops, supporting low-paid workers and setting up an organisation to support those in need?”
Councillor Garth Harkness said: “Of course, we do not always agree, and I have had motions that have not passed before. In this case I am genuinely baffled. I cannot understand why Labour councillors did not want to address poverty or modern slavery. They all chose to vote against this and not one decided to request to speak. That probably gives an indication of what they think about these important issues.”
The numbers of people testing positive for coronavirus in Oldham has increased significantly over the last week.
We have seen 119 cases in the seven days to 25 July. By comparison the week ending 17 July saw just 26 positive cases.
This means a current rate 50.2 positive tests per 100,000 versus 10.2 per 100,000 the week before.
Coronavirus is circulating throughout the Borough with positive cases in all areas of Oldham, however:
We are seeing increasing numbers of younger people (those in their twenties and thirties) testing positive over the last seven days.
A significant proportion of recent cases involve multiple individuals testing positive within a household, showing that household spread is a real issue – especially in households with large families
A large number of recent cases were in our Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities (just over 65% of cases in the last seven days).
We’ve seen a small number of cases in care homes this week – the first for a number of weeks.
While this increase in cases locally is worrying it’s important to note that we are not yet seeing the numbers of cases that saw a local lockdown imposed elsewhere in the country. What we are seeking to do is act early to avoid the possibility of a future local lockdown.
Later today we will be announcing new local public health guidelines for residents and businesses.
These are intended to reduce the spread of the virus and avoid a local lockdown.
Updated guidance
From today people in Oldham must ensure they:
Do not make social visits to friends or family, or have visitors to their home
Do not visit friends or family in care homes or sheltered accommodation
Stick to social distancing guidelines, keeping two metres away from people not in their household or support bubble – meaning no hand shaking or hugging
Stay shielded for a further two weeks if they are on the shielding register
Businesses must ensure they:
Are doing all they can to protect employees and customers by encouraging social distancing, promoting wearing of masks where required and enabling good hygiene
Supporting NHS Test and Trace in containing the virus by gathering customer and visitor information
These local guidelines will remain in place for a period of two weeks and will be reviewed no later than Tuesday 11 August.
We know that effective testing is at the heart of tackling the spread of the virus. We are urging anyone who shows symptoms that may be coronavirus to book a test online.
We have good availability for testing at our sites at Southgate Street and home testing kits are available. We are working to increase the amount of testing available to Oldham residents by establishing new mobile and pop-up testing sites.
This information will be updated by Wednesday lunchtime each week and allows residents the chance to be aware of the latest picture.
This is part of the Council’s wider communications to ensure all key stakeholders have the latest information and can play their part in doing the following:
Staying at home as much as possible
Maintaining social distancing
Avoiding large gatherings
Washing hands regularly
Wearing a face cover on public transport and in other buildings such as shops, banks and supermarkets
Self-isolating if we, or someone in our household, develops COVID symptoms or if we have had close contact with someone who has tested positive
Booking a Coronavirus test if we have any symptoms.
The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Leader of Oldham Council to ask once more for a special meeting of the full Council to be convened to consider a one-item agenda – the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and its impact on the Oldham Borough.
Councillor Sykes first asked the Leader for such a meeting in the Full Council meeting in September 2018, and again in December of that year. Council minutes have since recorded that the matter is ‘in progress’. After almost two years of waiting for a meeting, Councillor Sykes’ patience has worn thin and he is concerned that time for further meaningful debate on the issue is fast running out.
Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework will, aside from Coronavirus, have one of the greatest impact of any issue on Oldham and its people, and this impact will be felt for twenty – thirty years. Under the current plans of Labour’s Greater Manchester Mayor and the Leaders of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities, thousands of new homes will be built across the Oldham Borough over two decades.”
“Many of the Borough’s residents were rightly up-in-arms about the proposals to build most of these new homes on our precious and irreplaceable Green Belt, and Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Councillors joined them on protest marches and by objecting strongly in writing in response to every consultation and by raising questions in Full Council. I now feel it is time for Oldham’s Labour Administration to bring the latest proposals before the elected members who represent the people, and it must be at a one-item Council meeting as this is such an important issue there should be time for proper debate without the distraction of other business.”
The letter from Councillor Sykes to the Leader of Oldham Council, Councillor Sean Fielding, is shown below.
22 July 2020
Councillor Sean Fielding, Leader of Oldham Borough Council
Dear Sean Fielding,
Re: Meeting to discuss Greater Manchester Spatial Framework
I am writing to you to follow up on my question to you at the full meeting of Oldham Council on 12th September 2018 requesting that a special meeting of the Council be convened with a one-off agenda item to discuss the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.
In your response, you indicated that you were mindful to have an extraordinary meeting with this single item agenda and I would request that this be in addition to the agreed meeting cycle.
In ‘Update on Actions’ at last Council (page 133) there was a short note to say this was ‘in progress’ with Constitutional Services.
I hope that we are not being left behind, and I would appreciate it if you could give me an indication of when this meeting will be held?
Will it be in the current municipal year or in the 2021/22 Council meeting cycle?
Are there any provisional dates under consideration which you can share?
As always, happy to discuss before a formal response is sent.
Yours sincerely,
Howard Sykes
The question Councillor Sykes asked the Leader in Full Council on 12 September 2018 is shown below
Mr Mayor, my first question tonight relates to a future decision which will be one of the most momentous in its impact on many of our Borough’s residents over the next two plus decades.
Namely the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) – the adoption of a 20-year housing and industrial land use development plan for Greater Manchester.
The revised proposals have been some time coming, but I understand that they will now be available for so called public consultation in October.
I also understand that a decision has recently been made by the ten Labour Council leaders and the Mayor of Greater Manchester who have decided that the ultimate decision to adopt, or not to adopt the final plans, will rest solely with them.
There will be NO requirement to bring the plan to a full meeting of each of the ten Councils for debate and a full vote on formal adoption by all councillors.
This is a complete reversal of democracy.
Members will recall that many of our residents were outraged when the initial plans to build thousands of new homes on Green Belt land in Shaw, Crompton, Saddleworth, Royton and Chadderton were first unveiled.
Liberal Democrat colleagues, I and members from the seats opposite, joined them in opposing the proposals when responding to the consultation or attending demonstrations in Tandle Hill Country Park and in Albert Square.
Mr Mayor, public sentiment is still the same across Greater Manchester – NO to building new homes on our Green Belt and YES to local Councillors as the people’s representatives ultimately making the decision where new homes are built.
Ward members are elected to lead, but also to represent the constituents and the communities we serve. How can we do this if we are denied the final vote on the plan?
If we get this wrong, it will represent a disaster for our communities and for our Green Belt. Yet the ten Labour Council Leaders and GM Mayor are saying ‘leave it to us, we know what is best for you’.
It is simply not right that such an important decision can be taken by so few people.
It is certainly not what I and many others envisaged but perhaps it is a sign of things to come with so called devolution to Greater Manchester.
Mr Mayor, I would like to ask the Leader tonight, whether despite this backroom deal, he will still be doing the honourable thing by bringing the final plan back to a meeting of the full Council for debate and adoption.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council has written to the local MP over his concerns over the likely impact of a No-Deal Brexit, when combined with the Covid pandemic, on public safety.
On Friday 12th June, the UK government decided not to seek an extension of the existing transition period before exiting the European Union. The UK will leave the European Union entirely on 31 December 2020.
Councillor Sykes worries for the most vulnerable in society if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal whilst still reeling from the impact of Covid-19.
Commenting he said: “A No-Deal Brexit combined with Covid would represent a double whammy. Progress made so far on securing a future trade deal between the UK and the rest of Europe has been painfully slow. Council, medical, key and care workers across our borough are already fully engaged in battling the impact of Covid-19. The disease is impacting those who are most vulnerable in our society.”
“I have real concerns that if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal then we may also face food and medical shortages in 2021, and these too will hit our poorest and most vulnerable residents,” said Councillor Sykes.
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are asking a local MP to press the Government to publish impact assessments that were first carried out in the autumn of 2019.
Councillor Sykes hopes that these assessments will provide clarity in four key areas:
The impact on food prices and food availability.
The availability of medicine and drug stockpiles.
The ability of essential products, materials, and chemicals to be imported from the EU.
The ability of British businesses to prepare for a potential no deal, and any negative impact on employment.
Councillor Sykes said: “In April alone, the country’s economy shrank by 20.4%. This has never been seen before. The full devastation of the pandemic is yet to be revealed: widespread job losses, reduced living standards, and debt are certain.”
“The Prime Minister refuses extend the EU transition period. We need to know what this will mean for Oldham. A No-Deal Brexit combined with Covid will mean that yet more Oldham people’s lives will be in the balance.”
Copy of letter to: Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, no reply or acknowledgement to date
10 July 2020
Debbie Abrahams MP, Lord Chambers, 9 Church Lane, Oldham OL1 3AN
Dear Debbie Abrahams,
Re: Covid-19 safety guarantees amidst a No-Deal exit from the European Union
On Friday 12th June, at the second Joint Committee meeting, the Government formally rejected the option to extend the transition period. The European Union have made it clear that they would still be open to an extension and that the progress made so far on key areas of the Brexit negotiations is insufficient.
The deadline for requesting an extension is 1st July 2020, after which point the UK faces the possibility of crashing out of the EU if a deal is not secured before the end of the year.
Oldham Borough’s services and its economy are already battling Covid-19. Our resources are stretched and the most vulnerable in our society have been those most affected by the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
In April alone, the country’s economy shrank by 20.4% in April. This is the largest monthly narrowing on record. The full devastation of the pandemic is yet to be revealed: widespread job losses, reduced living standards, and debt are certain.
In light of this, and in light of your position, the Oldham Liberal Democrats are calling for you to support our calls for the Government to publish a review of the impact assessments done in Autumn of 2019, to understand full the impact Covid-19 has had, particularly in the following areas:
The availability of food products and any subsequent impact on food prices
The availability of medicines and the impact coronavirus has had on medicine stockpiles
The ability of essential products, materials, and chemicals to be imported from the EU
The ability of British businesses to prepare for a potential no deal, and any subsequent impact on employment
The Liberal Democrats would also like to see the government undertake an economic assessment on the impact of a no deal exit from the European Union. The Government refused to initiate such an assessment in Autumn 2019, but this is crucial considering the financial situation the UK is in due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
The Government must demonstrate that they have fully assessed the impact of leaving without a deal, considering the pandemic. Tackling the pandemic must be their priority, yet the threat of a no-deal exit looms large. This could deliver another devastating blow to our already weakened economy and public services.
The Prime Minister refuses to rethink his position on accepting an extension to the transition period. It is therefore high time the facts were laid bare about what this will mean for Oldham, and the rest of the United Kingdom.
I hope you support the contents of this letter and I anticipate your thoughts on the matter.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has written once more to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham with his concerns about the continued shortcomings of the new iOPS (Integrated Operating Policing System).
Councillor Sykes originally wrote to Mayor Burnham on this issue in October 2019 after a number of police officers contacted him about the failings of the new system, and he also met recently with the Mayor and raised the issue with him in person.
iOPS replaced three existing computer systems in July 2019 after a 16-month delay and at an unknown cost, stated at various times to be between £27 and £60 million. The system has been plagued with technical faults and has so far failed to deliver on its promise to improve the efficiency of the Greater Manchester Police Service by aiding its officers in their duties.
Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “The fact that police officers contacted me with their concerns rather than simply keeping them within the force shows that they have real worries about the system. There have been documented situations in which it has been impossible to charge suspects on arrival at a police station or to proceed with court cases because the system has failed to deliver. Most worryingly the response times to 999 emergency calls made by the public, sometimes in life-threatening situations, have quadrupled and domestic violence and child abuse victims have been badly let down.”
A HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report published in March 2020 also found iOPS reduced force performance’ with staff having ‘very little confidence’ in and being ‘frustrated’ by a system that does not always return ‘accurate results’. Yet in October 2019, it was claimed that: ‘The system has remained stable overall’ and is performing as it should’.
Seeking answers on behalf of the ‘many frustrated’ police officers who have contacted him, Councillor Sykes ends his letter with a pointed question to Mayor Burnham: “When will IOPS truly be an asset to aid policing in Greater Manchester, rather than an ongoing liability, and what progress has been made since the report of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in March?”
The text of the letter below
21 July 2020
Mayor Andy Burnham, Metropolitan Mayor of Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Dear Mayor Burnham,
Re: Failures in the IOPS (Integrated Operating Policing System)
Further to our recent meeting when I spoke of my concerns about the continued failings of the IOPS (Integrated Operating Policing System), I am now writing to you to seek reassurance on the effectiveness of the computer system and an update on progress since the damning report of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in March of this year.
I first wrote to you about the inadequacies of the system in October of last year, after I had received complaints from numerous police officers about its effectiveness. The system was meant to replace three previous IT systems and to create a seamless interface to respond to calls from the public and improve force performance by enabling officers to access, process and act on information more efficiently.
In the response received from Deputy Mayor, Baroness Beverley Hughes, on your behalf, Assistant Chief Constable Sykes reported that: ‘the system has remained stable overall’ and “is performing as it should’.
This assessment does not tally with the more recent findings of the Inspectorate in March which reported the introduction led to ‘reduced force performance’ with staff having ‘very little confidence’ in and being ‘frustrated’ by a system that does not always return ‘accurate results’. More worryingly, the Inspectorate also found that vulnerable people were being failed by the system, with ‘serious’ backlogs in dealing with domestic abuse and child protection cases and a significant delay in response times to 999 calls (up to 48 seconds, instead of 12).
Lawyers have also reported that court cases have been unable to proceed because of failures in the system preventing papers being filed with the court and many suspects have been released after arrest because the system has not enabled officers to charge them.
In February, Greater Manchester Police declared a ‘critical incident’ when the entire Police Works system, a system within IOPS, collapsed following a failed upgrade. GMP in its public statement said that ‘contingency plans are in place for the capture of data’, an euphemism to describe the reality that officers had to use old-fashioned pen and paper!
IOPS was delivered 16 months late at a human cost to the taxpayer, yet to be identified; figures quoted in media reports range from £27 million to £60 million.
The Inspectorate found there were technical faults in the system which were ‘worse than anticipated’ and these were clearly still present in March. Mr Mayor, when will IOPS truly be an asset to aid policing in Greater Manchester, rather than an ongoing liability, and what progress has been made since the report of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in March?
The many frustrated police officers who have been in contact with me about this would like to know.
