Are you looking for something to do this half-term?
Oldham Active Sports Coaches are hosting three family fun days next week, where kids can participate in sporting activities from 10 am to 2pm at the following locations:
Free to attend – Perfect half-term entertainment with family and friends!
Oldham Way – overnight closures
Oldham Way will be closed in both directions for three nights on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 21, 22 and 23 of February for resurfacing work.
The closures will be in place from 8pm until 5am between the Manchester Road roundabout up to the junction of Prince Street/Oldham Way.
Signposted diversions will be in place.
United Utilities set to raise water and sewage bills in Oldham by £35
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has slammed United Utilities bosses, branding plans to increase water bills by £35 per year “disgraceful.”
Liberal Democrats in Oldham have called for United Utilities to scrap their water bill hike, arguing that there should be “no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and executive bonuses”.
Councillor Sykes said, “This insulting price hike should be scrapped immediately. There should be no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and executive bonuses.”
“These price hikes are the last thing that families across Oldham need right now. During a cost-of-living crisis, it is a slap in the face to all those in our community who now have to pay more to water companies who have been pumping filthy sewage into our rivers for years.”
“It’s astonishing that the government is allowing water companies to behave like cowboys, jacking up prices with one hand while illegally dumping sewage into our rivers and streams with the other.”
Water UK has released figures which forecast water bill price changes which show that in Oldham, water bills are expected to rise by 8%, or £35, a year for 2024/25.
Single-use plastics still in use at Oldham Council nearly six years after they voted to ban them
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to Civic Centre bosses demanding answers after the Council appears to have rowed back on its policy to ban the use of single-use plastics.
Councillor Sykes said, “Oldham Council supported a Liberal Democrat motion banning single-use plastics in Council buildings back in March 2018.”
“Nearly six years later I am disappointed to see single-use plastic cups are still available at water coolers in the Civic Centre and other single-use plastics are prevalent inside council buildings.”
On October 1st 2023 a wider ban on single-use plastics came into effect, impacting businesses across the UK. Oldham Council is responsible for enforcing this ban locally through trading standards. But the Liberal Democrats say the Council is “not doing enough to lead by example.”
Councillor Sykes said, “How can we hope to encourage businesses in Oldham to do their bit for the environment by cutting out single-use plastics, if the Council can’t even get this right in its own buildings? Just another case of not getting the basics right.”
“I’ve written to the Leader of the Council urging her administration to take serious action to make this ban a reality.”
NOTES:
Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council
Harry Catherall, Chief Executive of Oldham Council
Dear Councillor Shah and Mr Catherall,
Single use plastics
I am writing to you in relation to the council’s use of single-use plastics.
As you will be aware, Oldham Council supported a Liberal Democrat motion banning single-use plastics in council buildings back in March 2018.
Nearly six years later I am disappointed to see single-use plastic cups are still available at water coolers in the Civic Centre and other single-use plastics are prevalent inside council buildings. I understand the need to use up stocks but six years on that is not the case their use has not stopped.
You will also be aware that more recently on October 1st 2023, a wider ban on single-use plastics came into effect, impacting businesses across the UK. Oldham Council is responsible for enforcing this ban through trading standards, yet we are clearly not doing enough to lead by example.
Please can you therefore provide an update on what the council is doing to take this important ban seriously and ensure that we are doing our part for the environment by truly cutting out reliance of single-use plastics.
I look forward to your response.
Best wishes.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE
Liberal Democrat motion on single-use plastics passed by Oldham Council (Mar 2018)
Liberal Democrats call for Oldham to become a Plastic-Free Borough – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)
Former Bulls Head/Vamaski Building Grains Bar
Once again your Lib Dem Team have asked if this building is safe and can the council take any action on the owners. In terms of its re-development there has been no further update since the Council granted planning permission (though that is not unusual, as there is no requirement to keep the Council updated on plans to implement a permission).
Last the Council were aware, the site was being advertised for sale with the residential permission on Rightmove.
Digital Saturdays: Free Arts Workshops for 7-11 year olds across Oldham Libraries
Digital arts charity Peshkar are offering free workshops for 7-11 year olds across Oldham Libraries.
Workshops will be held in February and March at Uppermill, Limehurst and Crompton Libraries and cover a range of art forms such as theatre, photography and soundscaping.
Young people and their parents/carers are welcome to attend as many workshops as they like and the work created will be showcased and celebrated at the ‘Oldham Digital Festival’ on Saturday 16 March 2024 at Oldham Library.
Places are limited and booking is advisable.
Limehurst Library – Free Arts and Photography Workshops
Saturday 10, 17 and 24 February 2024
10am -12 noon
Uppermill Library – Free Theatre Arts Workshops
Saturday 17 & 24 February and 2 March 2024
10am – 12 noon
Crompton Library – Free ‘Sounds of the Library’ Workshops
Saturday 17 & 24 February and 2 March 2024
10am – 12 noon
The applicant submitted an appeal against the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission in September 2023. As such, in accordance with established practice and guidance on planning enforcement, it would not be considered reasonable for the Council to take any enforcement action to require the site owners to restore the site until this appeal has been decided.
Your Lib Dem Team have asked that the on-going expansion of the site is looked at again by planning enforcement.
The application has now been refused. The applicant was requested to demonstrate how they intended to mitigate the impact of the loss of employment use and also, being a major development, they were asked to demonstrate how they would meet the requirement for affordable housing and open space as part of a new residential development.
In relation to the above, they did not provide acceptable details and, subsequently, they advised that they were considering amending the scheme to reduce the number of dwellings proposed so that there would be no requirement for affordable housing and open space.
After waiting for amended plans for many months, and with no sign of these being forthcoming, the applicant was given a deadline by which the amended plans must be submitted, otherwise the application would be determined on the basis of the information previously provided.
On the expiry of the deadline, with no amended plans provided, a decision to refuse the application was made for reasons relating to failure to comply with Policy 14 (related to the loss of an employment use) and no acceptable arrangement for affordable housing and open space as part of the proposed new residential development.
