If you want this in a clearer format please email me.

howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk

Liberal Democrats strike extra parking deal for Shaw town centre during health centre build

Liberal Democrat councillors in Shaw have announced new plans, subject to consultation with traders, to provide extra parking spaces at the Westway and Kershaw Street carparks in Shaw, as well as additional on-street parking on Market Street and Farrow Street East, during the construction of the town’s new health centre. 

Shaw Liberal Democrat councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Shaw desperately needs its first-rate new health centre and the Liberal Democrats have worked non-stop to make sure the redevelopment got off the ground.  But people need parking spaces.  We have listened and we’ve delivered a plan that will allow Shaw residents to continue to use our local businesses and town centre.”

“I have been working with officers for months to try and find more parking spaces while the health centre is being built.  We now have a proposal to create more spaces in the Westway and Kershaw Street carparks as well as to create some more on-street spaces on Farrow Street East, and in a couple of locations and on Market Street, which is currently for loading only.” 

Councillor Sykes said, “Shaw businesses deserve all the support we can give them and that’s why we’ve left no stone unturned in providing the maximum number of parking spaces possible while construction is underway at the health centre.  We’ve worked hard to make sure that people can access our town centre despite this important work.” 

“Subject to consultation, we can hopefully get these extra spaces up and running in a few weeks time,” he added.

More on Shaw and Crompton Health Centre:
Great news Shaw and Crompton Health Centre redevelopment now back on track  – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Excellent event after at the QEII Hall, thanks to all involved and especially Cllr Louie Hamblett who was in charge of the event this year.

323 children in Greater Manchester on waiting lists for specialised dental care

323 children in Greater Manchester are stuck on NHS waiting lists for specialised dental care, including some with severe tooth decay or other serious dental problems, shocking new figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

On average, children in the area are waiting for five months (23 weeks) for specialised dental treatment under General Anaesthetic after a referral.

The Liberal Democrats said the figures were “heartbreaking” and called for urgent action to tackle long waiting times and ensure children can access the emergency dental care they need.

The figures were released by the NHS in response to a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats. They show that across the country, 27,000 children were waiting for a routine assessment for community dental services in January 2023. 

Community Dental Services provide treatments to a range of patients that need specialised care because they have specific needs. This can include children with severe untreated tooth decay, those with physical or learning disabilities and those who need specific treatment for complex dental problems.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to take immediate steps to address this dental crisis. The party is calling for the £400 million of NHS dental services funding that went unspent last year to be immediately deployed to bring waiting times for community dental services down, and increase the number of NHS dental appointments.

The party’s plans also include providing additional resources for mobile dental units to visit schools, community centres and care homes, and the removal of VAT on children’s toothbrushes and children’s toothpaste.

Liberal Democrat Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It is heartbreaking to think that children in our community are being left waiting in pain for the specialised dental care they need. 

“We need urgent action to give every child access to the dental care they need.

“NHS community dental services are a crucial lifeline for vulnerable patients across our society, from children to older people.

“The government must take urgent action to address this dental crisis, including tackling staff shortages and reforming the broken system that has driven dentists away from offering NHS appointments.” 

Liberal Democrats slam Oldham Council over weeds contractor failure – its like Day of the Triffids

Oldham’s Labour controlled Council has come under fire from Liberal Democrat opposition councillors as it emerged this that the council will be without a weed maintenance contract until at least September this year.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “It is already like Day of The Triffids in many parts of Oldham.  Shaw town centre is a good example, I dread to think what it will be like by September!”

“This is the worst possible time of year for the Council not to have a weeds contract in place.  Left unattended, weeds can block and damage footpaths, not to mention the fact that they are an eyesore, encourage litter and just make our streets look unloved.  This is the latest in a long and growing list of examples of the Labour administration failing to get the basics right.”

Councillor Sykes has written to Council chiefs demanding that the Council take some urgent temporary measures to battle the weeds, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

The Council has confirmed that no such temporary measures are currently planned. Councillor Sykes said, “It’s just not good enough, we must have the cash, and the Council thinks it is OK to do nothing until a new contract is let in September.  Then there will be a massive catch-up job to do.  Parts of our Borough will look more like jungle by then.  There should be a proactive programme to tackle these weeds instead of just waiting for complaints.  Just walk round with your eyes open and the weeds are not hard to find!  Residents really expect things like this to be taken care of and not just kicked off into the long grass.”

Rail ticket office closures

The rail industry and Government have announced proposals to close rail station ticket offices or reduce their operating hours.

The changes would come into effect over an 18-month period, following the conclusion of the consultation process on Wednesday 26 July.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Greater Manchester Combined Authority will be raising “significant concerns with the plans” through the formal consultation process, and are inviting local elected members to contribute.

In GM there are 58 ticket offices and in Oldham there is one, in Greenfield. These proposals would see 50 ticket offices closed – including Greenfield, which is operated by Northern – and eight remaining open, but with reduced operating hours.

To have your say on the proposals, please contact Transport Focus, the independent transport user watchdog, with your views and the name(s) of the stations.

You can email ticketoffice.Northern@transportfocus.org.uk or write to them at: Freepost: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9PZ

So they can incorporate it into their formal response, you are also invited to forward on any feedback to TfGM by email on engagement@tfgm.com 

Everyone deserves a fair funeral

Oldham Council must change the way it delivers funeral services, say the local Liberal Democrat group, after a motion to improve funeral provision was rejected by the Labour Party.

Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Sam Al-Hamdani said: “This motion highlighted the unfairness and inequality that many people face when trying to organise a funeral – already one of the most traumatic times that people can face. 

“As an example, only one of Oldham’s seven public cemeteries has available space allocated for Muslim graves; one of the faiths that requires people to be buried as soon as possible after death. That’s before you even consider the additional costs that are incurred by organising a funeral at short notice.”

The Liberal Democrat group tried to keep the motion alive by referring it to the Council’s scrutiny committees, which would also have allowed it to review the out-of-date asset transfer policy, as well as the council’s charges for funerals, and planning implications, which failed to be addressed by the original Conservative motion.

Cllr Al-Hamdani continued: “There are a whole range of issues that need to be properly talked through: the Council’s asset transfer policy which currently still requires people to apply to Unity Partnership even though it has been folded back in to the Council; opportunities to adopt the new technique of water cremation, which has environmental benefits; the charges that are in place for funerals and much more; none of which were explored in the motion to Council.

“This needs a proper report, and deserves proper attention to detail. Everyone, of all faiths and none, deserves dignity in death, and we owe it to everyone to look at this properly.”