Ring and Ride Industrial Action – July 1-7

Ring and Ride Industrial Action – July 1-7.


Drivers who work for Greater Manchester Accessible Transport Ltd (GMATL) – the company which provides Ring and Ride bus services for elderly and disabled passengers – have voted to strike from July 1 to July 7 as part of a dispute over pay.

The Ring and Ride service is funded by TfGM but responsibility for staff pay and conditions sits with the operator.

Ring and Ride is operated under a service level agreement (SLA) with GMATL, and while not currently included, TfGM have ambitions to work with them to include membership of the Good Employment Charter, which includes requirements to ensure all staff receive the real living wage in the SLA in the future.

Council slammed for failing to keep Linney Lane building site promises (former Very site Shaw)  

Council slammed for failing to keep Linney Lane building site promises (former Very site Shaw)  

Shaw councillor and Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has slammed Oldham Council for failing to keep it’s promise to enforce cleanliness at Linney Lane building site – the site of the former Very Group in Shaw. 

Councillor Sykes said, “People expect some disruption while the building work takes place.  But it’s insulting to residents when the Council can’t be bothered to enforce the agreed steps to keep the area around the site clean.”

Trails of mud leading from the site prompted residents to once again complain to councillor Sykes.  Not for the first time, councillor Sykes has taken to contacting council officers to push for the long-promised site cleaning. 

“Despite numerous requests, the council has not enforced sweeping and wheel-washing at Linney Lane, like they had promised to do.”

“People are sick of the council not responding or acting on their complaints.  Oldham Council is failing on the basics time and time again.”

Besom Hill End Farm, 817 Ripponden Road, Oldham

Besom Hill End Farm, 817 Ripponden Road, Oldham.

I can now confirm that the Planning Inspector has dismissed the appeal.

Therefore, Oldham Council have written to the developer and advised that they has eight weeks to remove all non-agricultural machinery, containers and concrete blocks from the site.

If the machinery, containers and concrete blocks are not removed, they will then serve an enforcement notice for their removal.

In addition, they have advised them that the existing enforcement notice to re-instate the original boundary lines, remove the hardcore and re-seed the land has now come back into force and they have six months to comply with that notice.

In relation to the recent burning of material, this is an environmental health matter and, given this is the first time Env Health have been made aware of this particular issue, they have recorded it and will monitor the site. 

If there are any further instances of burning material on the site, residents should report this to envhealth@oldham.gov.uk

Former Very Site on Linney Lane – late night working

Former Very Site on Linney Lane.

Finally got to the bottom of the noise and late night/early hours of the morning noises from the site. This is the reply I have had:

“the site has gone through demolition and remediation exposing a number of trees that were previously sheltered adjacent to the Metrolink. We had started works to construct a retaining wall along this boundary and it was noted that a number of trees had started to lean towards the Metrolink causing a safety issue. After speaking with Metrolink on Monday, an urgent isolation order on the track was agreed for the Wednesday night (outside of operational hours for the Metrolink) to remove the trees as they were deemed unsafe. Unfortunately, this did not give us enough time to notify the council or residents. This was a one time event and no further works of this nature will be required.”

I hope this explains the particular situation experienced on Wednesday night / early hours of Thursday morning 5/6 June.

Hazel Gloster just failed to hold off the challenge of the so-called Independents in Shaw, losing in the face of an aggressive campaign that later saw her opponents row back on a series of promises

Hazel Gloster just failed to hold off the challenge of the so-called Independents in Shaw, losing in the face of an aggressive campaign that later saw her opponents row back on a series of promises.

Hazel said: “I have put my heart and soul into representing the town where I live. I am incredibly grateful to the 961 voters who supported me this time, and the thousands of people who have supported me over the years, and who I have worked to help. It has been an honour, and I hope one day to represent you again.  “I am so sad to have lost by so few votes, and then to have seen my opponent immediately break the promise that they made to get elected – voting a failing Labour administration back into power.”

The results also meant that across the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency, the Liberal Democrats came second, just 200 votes behind Labour – a clear indication of their vulnerability for the forthcoming general election. The Conservatives trailed in fifth, behind the ‘Oldham Group’ and other independents.

Dunwood Park disappearing bins: Council finally replaces missing bins

Dunwood Park disappearing bins: Council finally replaces missing bins.

There has been a breakthrough in the ongoing Dunwood Park disappearing bins saga.  Residents were left exasperated after the public bins were taken away from Dunwood Park with no explanation and no replacement, leaving rubbish to pile up where the bins had been. 

After intervention and questions from Shaw’s Liberal Democrat councillor Howard Sykes MBE, the council has now installed bins at the back entrance end of the park. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Common sense has prevailed and that is good news for people who use Dunwood Park and do the right thing by throwing away their rubbish properly.  The question is, why does it take public intervention from councillors to shame Oldham Council into acting on very basic things?”

After Sykes slammed the council’s inaction last week, efforts have been made to restore the missing bins at one end of the park.  A response to Councillor Sykes from Oldham Council officers reads:

“Staff completed installation of remaining bins within Dunwood (Park) on Friday 14/06/24.  One has now been installed at Jubilee end; this was always proposed to be fitted but required work to the gate for vehicle access.

All main entrances are now covered by bins and overall capacity for litter has gone from 720 litres prior to 1200 litres now.”  

Councillor Sykes said, “The lack of communication with residents and the Park Friends group over this and other similar basic issues is nowhere near good enough.  People deserve a response and an explanation when they report a complaint to their council.”

“I have been saying that Oldham Council is failing to get the basics right for some time.  Here we have another example of the council running its reputation into the ground by failing on very simple communication with residents.”


More on Dunwood Park disappearing bins:
Disappearing bins: Oldham Council blasted for neglecting Dunwood Park – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Full response to Councillor Sykes from Oldham Council

Good morning

Staff completed installation of remaining bins within Dunwood on Friday 14/06/24. One has now been installed at Jubilee end; this was always proposed to be fitted but required work to the gate for vehicle access.

We have installed an additional bin as per the attached image. This location was intended for the relocation of the Bowling Green bin, however as that area remains a heavily used zone particularly in summer, as such we left it in place and added a 5th new XL bin.

All main entrances are now covered by bins and overall capacity for litter has gone from 720 ltrs prior to 1200 ltrs now.  

Best wishes,

Acting District Coordinator