A staggering 69% of burglaries went unsolved in Greater Manchester in the 2022/2023 financial year – an average of 41 a day, new analysis has revealed. 

The figures, from official Home Office statistics, show that in 2022/2023, a total of 15,020 burglaries in Greater Manchester were closed without a suspect being identified, accounting for 69% of all cases. Meanwhile, just 7% of Greater Manchester burglaries resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed.

Oldham’s Liberal Democrats have slammed the Government for these figures. Since 2015, the Conservatives have taken over 4,000 Police Community Support Officers off the streets. And as of last year, just 12% of officers across England and Wales were assigned to frontline neighbourhood policing teams.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are trusted and visible in their neighbourhoods, with the time and resources to focus on tackling local crimes like burglaries. The party is also calling for a new “Burglary Response Guarantee” under which all domestic burglaries would be attended by the police and properly investigated. 

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their own homes. But under this terrible Government, so many burglars are getting off scot-free. I feel for the officers we have, who work incredibly hard, but who have been left without enough support with posts left vacant for too long.

“It’s a disgrace that our local communities are paying the price for the Conservative Government’s failures to get tough on burglaries.

“The Conservatives must finally bring back proper community policing and back the Liberal Democrats Burglary Response Guarantee so all burglaries are attended by the police. It’s the only way to reverse these shocking figures.”

Shuttleworth’s Building Linney Lane Rutland Way

Councillor Hazel Gloster was happy to propose approval of the redevelopment of this derelict site at the Oldham Planning Committee recently.

The developer proposes to clear the site and build new industrial premises with ample car parking in its place. The Committee voted unanimously to accept Hazel’s proposal which will see a significant change to this location which is currently an eyesore.

A Defibrillator for all!

Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Louie Hamblett has put forward a motion to the upcoming Shaw and Crompton Parish Council meeting (25/7/23) to have an Automated External Defibrillator affixed to the wall of the parish council building, Cllr Hamblett who is also a Parish Councillor for Crompton North Ward said “The aim of this motion is to increase the number of defibrillators available to the residents of Shaw and Crompton, A defibrillator, or AED, is an emergency medical device which can deliver a controlled electric shock to try and get the heart beating normally again in the event of a cardiac arrest. As a congenital cardiac patient, myself who has unfortunately had to have lifesaving intervention by a defibrillator I know that time is precious and ensuring we have as many as possible in the community is vital.

Supporting the motion Crompton West Ward Councillor Tom Penketh said: “This isn’t just for older people who are greatly susceptible to heart attacks younger and fitter people are also at risk and we are wanting to ensure that any life saving treatments can be made available to those who need it so they get the best fighting chance before an ambulance or first aid arrives.”

Cllr Penketh added “When you call 999, the call handler will instruct the caller to begin CPR immediately – you will be told how – and to send someone else to bring a defibrillator. You will be asked for the postcode for your location and informed of the nearest publicly available defibrillator and the entry code for the defibrillator box would be given.”

“However, if you are not automatically provided this information but you know where your nearest defibrillator machine is, you can ask the ambulance call handler for the code saying that it is within a short distance from your location.”

In closing Cllr Hamblett said “I hope that all members cross party support this as when it comes to ensuring lifesaving equipment can be made available for the benefit of all”

The proposal was agreed, any external funding will be explored but if that is not successful it will be funded by the Parish Council.

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.”