Question: Reform and Regeneration – Councillor Howard Sykes Shadow cabinet member

In light of Mayor Burnham’s announcement on the Clean Air Zone, does the Leader think it is appropriate that cameras put in place for the original zone should be handed over to Greater Manchester Police without proper scrutiny or consultation? 

Would they not be put to better use if Council’s repurposed them for safer streets initiatives?

And how does the Combined Authority plan to recoup the more than £3 million plus it spent putting CAZ signs up which turned out never to be needed and the even more cash which will be needed to remove them?

And how much public money has been wasted exploring unwanted and undeliverable versions of the Clean Air Zone, only for the scheme to be scaled back at the eleventh hour.  Not to mention the stress and distress to original scheme caused small business and the self-employed. 

And does she agree with me there has been a significant lack of political oversight of this key Greater Manchester project and can we assured it will not happen again with future transport schemes?

Consequences for CSE failings 

Thank you, Mr Mayor. 

It is almost 18 months since the publication of the Newsam & Ridgeway report into historical child safeguarding failures in Oldham. 

The harrowing accounts of victims detailed in its’ pages are the most shameful and disturbing thing I have ever read in my time on this Council.  The report’s findings deeply shocked and angered the people of Oldham. 

What still shocks and angers people 18 months later is the failure of those in positions of authority and trust to be held to account.

Those who’s responsibility was to safeguard and protect the vulnerable.  Those who could have stepped in to prevent harm and those whose job it was to stop and prosecute the criminals.

These are not just shortcomings or lessons to be learned. 
These are unforgiveable failings.  And unforgiveable failings deserve consequences. 

So, 18 months on I want to ask the Leader if she thinks there have been any consequences for those who failed children in Oldham? 

18 months on from the report… how many officers from Greater Manchester Police have faced disciplinary action and how many officers are still in post?

18 months on from the report… how many from social services, licensing and elsewhere in Oldham Council from that time have faced disciplinary action and how many are still in post? 

Councillors, members of the public, and those directly impacted by this deserve a detailed answer to these questions. 

Anything less is not acceptable.

Oldham Coliseum

Thank you, Mr Mayor. 

Oldham Coliseum Theatre has been failed time and time and again. 

In 2013, proposals for a new building fell through.  In 2019, the same happened again.  Then in 2022, a third set of plans reduced the options to a much smaller 260 seat theatre.  Down from the Fairbottom Street capacity of 550.  One which would not open until at least 2026, and that is now in doubt.

There have been 10 wasted years and the window to do something to protect the Fairbottom Street Venue and its 135-year history was slammed shut at the start of this year when the Arts Council pulled the rug out from under the Coliseum. 

A decade of missed opportunities from the Government and the Labour Council have brought us to this situation.  

Earlier this year, the then Leader of the Council Amanda Chadderton said that the Fairbottom Building was “at the end of its life.”

But a report commissioned in September by the Board of Trustees clearly concludes that this is not the case. 

According to inspectors, the Fairbottom sight is “not beyond repair and could be used again.”

Does the Leader not think it would be best to invest in making Fairbottom Street fit for purpose rather than run the much greater risk of losing Coliseum performances for good?

And given there is now professional evidence which makes it clear that Fairbottom Street is not beyond repair. 

It’s clear that this Administration either took bad advice on the state of the building or was economical with the facts when it came to the cost and feasibility of the repairs.

Which is it?  

Oldham Liberal Democrats slam green belt building plans as final ‘Places for Everyone’ consultation closes 

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has once more hit out at plans to build on green belt sites in Oldham.  The Greater Manchester housing masterplan – overseen by Mayor Andy Burnham and known as ‘Places for Everyone’ – has sparked years of controversy for its heavy use of green belt land. 

The proposals for ‘Places for Everyone’ went out for a final public consultation which closed on Wednesday December 6^th. 

In his official response to the consultation councillor Sykes said, “Our green spaces are precious.  Once they are gone, they are gone for good.  The Liberal Democrats remain unconvinced that ‘Places for Everyone’ will serve the interests of Oldham.  It will deliver the wrong homes, in the wrong places, for the wrong reasons.”

In an Oldham Council meeting in November, councillor Sykes challenged the boroughs Labour Leader over ‘Places for Everyone’, stating, “Virtually every commitment on infrastructure development and community-building has been watered down or abandoned.” 

“Labour is asking the people of Oldham to surrender our green spaces in return for… No new investment in roads.  No proportionate contribution to new health care services.  No new school places.”

The Leader of Oldham Council admitted she did have some misgivings about ‘Places for Everyone’ but said her Labour Group remained committed to the plan. 

Councillor Sykes said, “With the public consultation now closed, we wait for the final plans to be brought before the council.  So far, the only Greater Manchester council to free itself from ‘Places for Everyone’ and protect its’ local green belt has been Liberal Democrat controlled Stockport Council.”

“We want to see Oldham follow that example and withdraw from this unwanted scheme.”

Copy of Liberal Democrat submission to the consultation.

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HMO licensing on the agenda for round table

Council bosses have put greater oversight of HMO licensing on the agenda for a housing roundtable in February following pressure from Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani.

Following repeated challenges over a substantial number of HMOs in Oldham which had expired licences, and the discovery that none of the Council’s oversight and scrutiny committees were reviewing the licences, the situation is now going to be reviewed with input from councillors.

Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “HMOs are vital to provide housing in our borough, but if they are poorly run, they can leave vulnerable people in insecure and appalling conditions.

“Often people only complain at the planning process, but it is at licensing where the current conditions of the buildings are checked, along with meeting any terms such as around antisocial behaviour and security.

“That was why I was horrified to find out that there was no public oversight of the process, and that several HMOs were still in use despite their licences having expired as much as six months earlier.

“It is vital that the licensing process is far more robust. There should be more powers from central government to allow us to challenge owners, but the Council can and should be already be doing more.

“We can’t end up in a situation again where this number of HMOs are allowed to carry on running without the proper licences in place. I’m glad the Council has started to listen to my concerns – I’ll be happier when they’ve actually done something to give us greater opportunity to challenge poor quality housing.”

“20 is plenty for safer streets” say Oldham Liberal Democrats

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Opposition have tabled proposals for safer residential streets across Oldham in a Full Council meeting later this month.  The Liberal Democrat motion calls for a roll-out of 20mph zones on the Borough’s residential roads. 

Saddleworth West and Lees representative councillor Mark Kenyon, who will move the motion on December 13^th said, “More than half of all accident casualties occur on roads with 30mph limits.  A pedestrian is seven times more likely to die if they are hit by a vehicle travelling at 30mph than they are at 20mph.  And it is the elderly and young who are most at risk.”

Shaw Liberal Democrat councillor Hazel Gloster said, “Safer communities is a top priority for our residents.  People want to see the Council take action to make it safer to get about.  It’s about getting the basics right.”

The Liberal Democrats have consistently backed campaigns aimed at improving road safety, most notably with the “20 is Plenty” campaign for reduced speed limits on residential streets. 

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader and Leader of Oldham Council’s main opposition group councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Speed limits are just one tool available to the Council.  We also want to see more speed cameras, and preferably ones that actually work.  The minority of people who make our streets unsafe should be prosecuted.”

“We have brought motions to Council in the past and we have asked numerous questions of every Council Leader we’ve had over the last few years.  It shouldn’t take serious incidents or even fatalities before the Council’s Leadership starts to listen.  Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for safer streets until meaningful action is taken.”   

More from Oldham Liberal Democrats on safer streets:

Support for change on speed cameras is a start, but 20s plenty is still needed – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

20’s Plenty for Us in 2020 – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Liberal Democrat Alternative Budget 2023/24 tonight meeting of Oldham Council – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Liberal Democrat Motion in full:

Motion: 20 is plenty

Proposed by: Councillor Mark Kenyon
Seconded by: Councillor Hazel Gloster

Council notes that:

• Speed limits on Britain’s Roads are 60% higher than in Europe.
• More than half of all accident casualties occur on roads with 30mph limits.
• A pedestrian is 7 times more likely to die if they are hit by a vehicle travelling at 30mph than they are at 20mph, rising to 10 times more likely if aged 60 or older.
• Reducing speed limits on residential roads has been found to reduce air pollution, the incidents of accidents, and the numbers of fatalities and serious injuries that result. 
• Over 20 million citizens live in local authorities in the UK which have adopted or are adopting a default speed limit of 20mph on residential roads. 
• The default speed limit of 20mph has been adopted by other local authorities without the need for the implementation of physical calming measures. 
• Road safety experts from 130 countries adopted the ‘Stockholm Declaration’ recommending 20mph as the preferred default speed limit on residential roads in February 2020, and this was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in August 2020. 

Council further recognises that:

•Covid-19 and the challenges that have come with building back from it demonstrate that one of our key concerns must be to address all aspects of public health. 
• This should include lowering the default speed of motor vehicles on residential roads to reduce the danger they pose to residents and the pollution they emit. 
• Such a measure should be comprehensive and cover all residential roads in the Council Area – unless there are specific and unique exceptions that necessitate a faster speed limit. 

Council therefore resolves to:

•Establish an all-group working party to seek to implement a Council-wide 20mph speed limit on residential roads as soon as possible. This should include identifying roads where the lower speed limit may not be appropriate and exploring enforcement measures such as average speed cameras and Community Speedwatch initiatives. 
• Ask the Chief Executive to write to the leaders of all other Councils in the region that haven’t already implemented 20mph speed limits as the default in their authority area, and to write to Highways England requesting that speeds are reduced on sections of the motorway network in our Council area to tackle pollution.

The path as you leave Crompton moor carpark walking up onto the moor has been identified as unsafe (see image), therefore it has been closed off until repairs are able to be made.

L S Lowry masterpiece comes to Oldham – come along and see it

L S Lowry’s masterpiece Going to the Match is going on public display in Gallery Oldham from 2 December 2023 to 24 February 2024.

This hugely important and much-loved work of art had been on public display at The Lowry since it opened in 2000, courtesy of a loan by then owners the Professional Footballers Association.

For more information, click here