FOR HELP AND ADVICE – Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Surgeries (no appointment necessary) in July 2024.
Pop along for advice, help or to discuss any issue or matter with your local Liberal Democrat councillors.
Shaw and Crompton Advice Surgeries (no appointment necessary) held on the following Thursdays at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre – 7:30pm to 8:30pm.
July 11, 18, and 25.
20 July – Oldham Pride.
Loss of public football pitches could crush grassroots football say Oldham Liberal Democrats
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has warned that of an alarming loss of public football pitches across the north of England could “crush grassroots football”.
The Shaw councillor was speaking as the first stage of the eagerly awaited European Championships in Germany was to conclude this week as it enters the knockout stage. But closer to home, the GMB trade union has found that almost 1,000 council-owned or operated football pitches have been lost across the UK in recent years, with the north of England amongst the worst affected areas.
Councillor Sykes said, “Publicly accessible sport is vital for people at all stages of life but especially for children.”
“What does the disappearance of so many local football pitches mean for the next Phil Foden or Marcus Rashford?”
“Council’s need to take this threat seriously or it could crush grassroots football in large parts of the country. That would be bad news for our national game.”
Sewage fuelling five-fold increase in fish deaths.
No trams 21 July between Rochdale and Freehold.
Metrolink – Sunday 21 July.
Oldham – Rochdale line: 21 July: Due to essential track maintenance work no trams will operate between Freehold and Rochdale Town Centre on 21 July.
A Metrolink replacement bus service is planned to be in place.
Ring and Ride Industrial Action – July 1-7.
Drivers who work for Greater Manchester Accessible Transport Ltd (GMATL) – the company which provides Ring and Ride bus services for elderly and disabled passengers – have voted to strike from July 1 to July 7 as part of a dispute over pay.
The Ring and Ride service is funded by TfGM but responsibility for staff pay and conditions sits with the operator.
Ring and Ride is operated under a service level agreement (SLA) with GMATL, and while not currently included, TfGM have ambitions to work with them to include membership of the Good Employment Charter, which includes requirements to ensure all staff receive the real living wage in the SLA in the future.
Get involved in Holiday Activities and Food programme.
Council slammed for failing to keep Linney Lane building site promises (former Very site Shaw)
Shaw councillor and Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has slammed Oldham Council for failing to keep it’s promise to enforce cleanliness at Linney Lane building site – the site of the former Very Group in Shaw.
Councillor Sykes said, “People expect some disruption while the building work takes place. But it’s insulting to residents when the Council can’t be bothered to enforce the agreed steps to keep the area around the site clean.”
Trails of mud leading from the site prompted residents to once again complain to councillor Sykes. Not for the first time, councillor Sykes has taken to contacting council officers to push for the long-promised site cleaning.
“Despite numerous requests, the council has not enforced sweeping and wheel-washing at Linney Lane, like they had promised to do.”
“People are sick of the council not responding or acting on their complaints. Oldham Council is failing on the basics time and time again.”
Besom Hill End Farm, 817 Ripponden Road, Oldham.
I can now confirm that the Planning Inspector has dismissed the appeal.
Therefore, Oldham Council have written to the developer and advised that they has eight weeks to remove all non-agricultural machinery, containers and concrete blocks from the site.
If the machinery, containers and concrete blocks are not removed, they will then serve an enforcement notice for their removal.
In addition, they have advised them that the existing enforcement notice to re-instate the original boundary lines, remove the hardcore and re-seed the land has now come back into force and they have six months to comply with that notice.
In relation to the recent burning of material, this is an environmental health matter and, given this is the first time Env Health have been made aware of this particular issue, they have recorded it and will monitor the site.
If there are any further instances of burning material on the site, residents should report this to envhealth@oldham.gov.uk
Former Very Site on Linney Lane.
Finally got to the bottom of the noise and late night/early hours of the morning noises from the site. This is the reply I have had:
“the site has gone through demolition and remediation exposing a number of trees that were previously sheltered adjacent to the Metrolink. We had started works to construct a retaining wall along this boundary and it was noted that a number of trees had started to lean towards the Metrolink causing a safety issue. After speaking with Metrolink on Monday, an urgent isolation order on the track was agreed for the Wednesday night (outside of operational hours for the Metrolink) to remove the trees as they were deemed unsafe. Unfortunately, this did not give us enough time to notify the council or residents. This was a one time event and no further works of this nature will be required.”
I hope this explains the particular situation experienced on Wednesday night / early hours of Thursday morning 5/6 June.