Don’t lose your vote: Liberal Democrats warn that new Conservative laws may prevent people in Oldham Borough from voting in the General Election  

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has warned that new Conservative laws may prevent people in Oldham from voting in the upcoming General Election. 

Councillor Sykes said, “This is the first General Election since the Conservatives changed the law.  You now need to show a form of photo ID before you will be allowed to vote in the polling station.  Don’t lose out on your right to vote.  If you don’t have a passport or driving license you can apply to the council and they will give you a free form of photo ID to use on the day.”

The Elections Act 2022 means that for the first time, voters are required to provide proof of identification before elections staff will hand over their ballot paper.  The rules have been in place since the 2023 local elections, but this is the first General Election since the law change and many will be voting for the first time under these rules. 

Councillor Sykes said, “The best way to protect your right to vote is to register for a postal vote.  It’s much easier and it means you can get it all sorted before polling day.  It also means if you have family issues, holiday, work or illness you will not lose your right to vote.”

The deadline to register for a postal vote ahead of the General Election is Wednesday 19^th June.  You can register to vote by post by visiting www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

More from Oldham Liberal Democrats on voter ID laws
Voter ID – ensure you can vote – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Lib Dems set out legal right to timely cancer care. 

Lib Dems set out legal right to timely cancer care as figures show 1,354 patients under the Northern Care Alliance (covering Oldham, Rochdale and Bury) waiting more than two months to start treatment

The Liberal Democrats have called for a new legal right for cancer patients to start treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral, as part of a plan to boost survival rates and improve treatment for those affected by the disease.

The latest NHS figures show that, in the last year, over 100,000 cancer patients in England were left waiting more than 62 days to start treatment after an urgent referral. This includes 1,354 cancer patients under the Northern Care Alliance (Oldham, Rochdale and Bury.

This means only 62% of patients in the area were treated within two months, below the government target of 85%.

Launching the Liberal Democrat election manifesto this week, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has set out proposals to invest an extra £8.4 billion a year in the NHS and social care.

The Liberal Democrat plan to boost cancer survival rates includes increasing the number of radiotherapy machines across the country, cutting the time for groundbreaking new medicines to reach patients, a new cancer research law, and improved support for cancer patients and their families. 

The policy builds on existing proposals from the party on health, including introducing a right to see a GP within a week and expanding NHS dentistry so people aren’t forced to pay for private dental treatment.

Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Oldham East and Saddleworth, Sam Al-Hamdani, said: “Everyone knows someone whose life has been turned upside down by cancer. 

“Far too many people are waiting far too long for a diagnosis, or to start treatment after being diagnosed. We must do right by them and get them the care they need when they need it.

“The Liberal Democrats would give cancer patients a new, legal right to treatment within two months of an urgent referral, to make sure they get the timely care they deserve. This forms part of our ambitious plan to end unacceptable cancer delays and boost survival rates.”

Shaw and Crompton Family Hub is opened.

Very pleased to have been at the launch of the Shaw and Crompton Hub earlier today (12 June).

It is located on High Street near Aldi in the Town Centre.

Please call in if you have any queries or requirements for you and your children.

If YOU need help or know someone in Shaw and Crompton that does the A V Davies Charity could help – please apply.

Oldham Pride 20 July 24.

Disappearing bins: Oldham Council blasted for neglecting Dunwood Park

Liberal Democrat councillors and residents have been left appalled after Oldham Council removed a number of public bins from Dunwood Park in Shaw, without providing replacements or offering an explanation some weeks ago. 

Shaw representative and Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “The Council have left the place looking like a tip.  Rubbish is piling up and people who use the park are rightly furious.”

“We had two perfectly good bins in the park.  Where have they gone?  And when are we getting them back?  These are very simple questions, but Oldham Council have just been silent.  I have contacted a number of different Council Officers about this, but it is a wall of silence.  People in Shaw are getting a disgraceful service from Oldham Council at the moment.”

After receiving complaints from local residents last month, councillor Sykes took the issue up with Council Officers, but has been left appalled by the lack of interest or response.

“This is not good enough and people who use Dunwood Park deserve better,” stated councillor Sykes.

More from Oldham Liberal Democrats on waste management in Oldham
Dunwood Park missing/removed bins – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Lack of replacement bins leads to dirty streets
Lack of replacement bins leads to dirty streets – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Liberal Democrats demand protected status for rivers in Oldham as sewage dumped more than 1,500 times last year  

The Liberal Democrats have called for a new protected status for local rivers and marine protected areas, after shocking figures reveal that United Utilities dumped sewage 1,574 times in across Oldham in 2023 according to Environment Agency data.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, the Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats, has welcomed the party’s General Election pledge to introduce ‘Blue Flag’ protected status for rivers and waterways in England.  He called for new punishment taxes on the “profits of polluting water firms”.

Councillor Sykes said, “The Conservative government has allowed water firms to get away with destroying our environment.  Across Oldham, sewage was dumped into waterways more than 1,500 times last year.  That’s more than four times a day.” 

“This is disgusting vandalism of our natural environment, and we have to put a stop to it.”

The Liberal Democrats have supported new taxes on the profits of water companies who dump sewage since 2022 and have now launched their new ‘Blue Flag’ status policy ahead of the General Election on July 4^th.

The introduction of Blue Flag status would set legally binding targets to prevent sewage dumping in those sites, giving special protected status for swimmers and wildlife.

Councillor Sykes said, “We need to flush the Conservatives out of government.  They have voted time and again to block new taxes on polluting water companies.  The next government must get serious about cracking down on this destruction of English rivers.”

Liberal Democrat analysis of Environment Agency data of sewage discharges in bathing water sites can be found here. Figures for Oldham are taken by combining the Oldham West and Royton and Oldham East and Saddleworth constituencies.

More for councillor Sykes on rivers and sewage dumping
Sewage dumping hits unprecedented levels – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Liberal Democrats slam government as 73% of burglary cases go unsolved in Oldham Borough

New data uncovered by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that a staggering 73% of burglary cases across Oldham went unsolved in 2023, up 7% on 2022.  The party have called for a new ‘police response guarantee’ to ensure all domestic burglaries are attended by a police officer and properly investigated.

Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “People have lost faith in both the Conservatives and Labour over crime and policing.  Empty promises come and go with each passing Prime Minister, but the lack of frontline policing stays the same.” 

“The Liberal Democrats would deliver a Burglary Response Guarantee, to ensure that police attend and properly investigate every incident of domestic burglary.  This is hardly radical; it’s what people expect and deserve.  People are sick of seeing the community plagued by crime.  We need to kick out this failed government and start getting a grip on basic policing.”

The guarantee will appear in the Liberal Democrat Manifesto for the general election.  The party is also calling for a new online crime agency to better protect people against fraud and scams. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Unfortunately, online fraudsters and scammers are becoming increasingly common.  People need protection from this sort of crime, and they deserve support if they are a victim.  But this can be provided by specialist officers and staff, meaning that frontline officers can be kept free to tackle crime on the streets, like the worrying rise in unsolved burglaries we are currently seeing.”

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) released a report in 2022 that said that most victims of burglary were “not getting the justice they deserve.” 

More from Oldham Liberal Democrats on policing and crime
Greater Manchester Police taking nearly 16 hours to attend burglary calls – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

The data was uncovered in an FOI request to all police forces in England and Wales. 

33 of 43 police forces across England and Wales provided full responses with data provided for 329 local areas.
Their responses, which can be accessed here, provided the following data:
How many burglary cases were recorded, broken down by Local Policing Area, in the following calendar years: 2023, 2022 and 2021.
How many of those cases were closed without a suspect being identified, also broken down by Local Policing Area, in the following calendar years: 2023, 2022 and 2021. 
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new statutory guarantee that all domestic burglaries must be attended by the police and properly investigated. 

To implement this guarantee, we are calling on the Government to: 

Return to proper community policing, where officers have the time and resources, they need to focus on preventing and solving crime;

Urgently draw up a strategy to tackle the shortage of detectives;

Set up a new national Online Crime Agency, to better protect people from online crime while freeing up local forces’ time to tackle burglars. 

Standing up for carers.

Tour of Britain races through Shaw earlier today.