The true extent of ‘criminal’ Conservative police cuts in Greater Manchester
have been revealed by local Liberal Democrats.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE comments on a Liberal Democrat analysis of new Home
Office figures released recently. They
revealed that the Conservative Government cut funding to Greater Manchester by
6.3% in real terms between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
According to data from the Home Office statistical bulletin: ‘Police funding
for England and Wales 2015 to 2020,’ total government
funding to all 43 forces in the UK (in 2019-20 prices) fell from £8.48 billion
in 2015-16 to £7.99 billion in 2019-20. 32
of the 43 forces across the country experienced cuts of 6% or more.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said:
“Across the country, we are seeing rising crime and falling police numbers. Far too many people now feel unsafe walking
down their own streets. This is
unacceptable.
Taking 5,000 police off our streets in the last four years and cutting funding
in real-terms by £490 million from 2015-16 to 2019-20 are big Conservative
crimes.”
Councillor Sykes, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition went on to say:
“Inflicting 6.3% cuts on our local police force over the last four years,
given concerns about knife crime, shows just how out of touch the Conservatives
are. This is not what people want.”
“The Liberal Democrats demand better. We
will give police forces the resources they need to recruit more officers and
restore real community policing in our Borough, so that we can make our streets
safer and make people feel safer too.”
Notes:
The data is from the Home Office statistical bulletin Police funding for England and Wales 2015 to 2020, available here.
The 2015-16 figures have been converted to 2019-20 prices using HM Treasury’s latest GDP deflators, available here.
The calculations of real-terms cuts for each police force can be found here.
Carolyn Wilkins OBE, Chief Executive, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
23 July 2019
Dear Dr Wilkinson,
Re: Safety on trams
I
am sure you are very aware of the Liberal Democrat focus on creating safer
journeys for residents using our much loved and highly used TFGM trams,
especially those using the network from the Shaw & Crompton stop.
I
am writing to you to ask what progress has been made to introduce conductors to
our local tram network since Oldham Council, following a Liberal Democrat
suggestion, agreed this was a good idea and the way forward.
A conductors’
presence means that passengers will be able to travel more safely and that fare
dodgers will be caught and deterred increasing revenue. I am sure you will agree that this is a
common-sense solution and has been applied successfully elsewhere – in
Sheffield and Birmingham, for example.
There
has been a long history of anti-social behavior on the trams and people fare
dodging, especially on our tram line.
At
the July 2019 council meeting, Councillor Hazel Gloster asked for an update on
what discussions have taken place since the Council resolved to support this
course of action.
We
asked the relevant cabinet member to inform the Council of progress on this
matter.
Now
I ask you what is being done and if you or other officers have had a meeting
with Transport for Greater Manchester on this issue. The offer of a meeting was reported to
Council some time ago as being offered.
Has this been taken up? If so, what
was the outcome? If not, why not?
I
look forward to receiving your response as soon as possible.
Thoughtless
dog owners are being targeted in fresh calls for max on the spot fines.
Liberal Democrats in Oldham Borough want to charge people the maximum allowed
by law for those who don’t pick up their dog muck. Owners who do not
observe the law could be fined £100.
Councillor
Howard Sykes MBE, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Oldham Council wants
the full force of the law to tackle this issue. He says: “Dog fouling is
horrendous; it can make children go blind. Also, people who fail to
control their dogs can have tragic impacts on local residents.”
Councillor
Sykes added: “I have raised this with the Deputy Leader and portfolio holder
but if nothing happens, like it has before, I will continue to pursue
this. The vast majority of dog owners are responsible. It is the
mindless few that spoil it for everybody. We need to have zero tolerance
with such people”.ENDS/…
Copy of
letter:
12
July 2019
Councillor Arooj Shah, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Justice and Communities, Oldham Council
Dear Arooj
Shah,
Re: Dog
Fouling & Nuisance Motion
It is with sadness that I must bring to
your attention the dog attack that took place on Saturday the 6 July
2019. A woman and two children were attacked by an out of control dog in
Hollinwood, resulting in serious injuries and the on-site destruction of the
animal.
Following this, I must address the
Motion that Liberal Democrat Councillor Gloster and Councillor Murphy passed on
Wednesday on 20 March 2019 at full council. This Motion resolved to increase
the financial penalty for breaching Oldham Borough Council’s Public Spaces
Protection Orders (PSPO) from the historic £80 to the proposed £100.
As you know, PSPO
& Dog Control Orders can be used to control behaviours which are having
or are likely to have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in
the locality. With this in mind, the Council decided to increase the
penalty given to those who make Oldham unsafe for the wider community four
months ago. Can you explain why this matter has not progressed?
The Liberal Democrat group have
recently suggested a range of advancements in enforcing and increasing the
penalty to protect our public spaces, including but not limited to: the defence
of Saddleworth Moor from arson attacks. It goes without saying that in
the lambing season this year, a month after the Council motion passed,
six sheep have been mauled to death near the Wharmton Mast at
Greenfield. Local press reports that Farmers are looking at lethal
alternatives to protect livestock if people cannot control their dogs. Is this
the kind of Borough we want to live in?
Considering the recent problems, myself
and colleagues recently met with the Dogs Trust, a well-known and respected
charity. The purpose of this meeting was to bring the matter to the
attention of the council and its residents, how dogs can improve the physical
wellbeing of Oldhamers through exercise, how to clean up after your dog and the
health importance of being a hygienic owner, when to and when not to let your
dog off the lead and respecting other people and dogs.
Chris Gloster, one of my Shaw Ward
colleagues has been active to place more signs regarding dog fouling around the
area. The aims of Liberal Democrats and Dogs Trust campaign are simple. We want
to encourage the many responsible dog owners recognising the good work they do
but also highlight the irresponsible few to think again about how their
behaviour impacts on others.
I think it’s important to add that
knowing how to look after your dog properly can improve the area and even go as
far as saving someone’s life. I advise the Deputy Leader to give the Council an
update on the timetable for implementation of the Motion, if it has not already
been addressed and ask what advancements have been made upon current
enforcement of the council’s protection orders.
I look forward
to receiving your response as soon as possible.