New figures revealed by Oldham Liberal Democrats show a drastic fall in the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) that Oldham Council is issuing for littering and fly-tipping offences.  Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat representative for Shaw councillor Howard Sykes MBE has slammed Oldham Council for “completely failing on the basics.”   

A Freedom of Information answer provided to the Liberal Democrats confirms that the council issued only 64 littering fines in 2022, down from 194 in 2020, when Covid restrictions were still in place.  The Council also confirmed that fewer fly-tipping fines were meted out – 33 in 2022, down from 50 in 2020. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Here we have another stark example of the Labour administration completely failing on the basics.  The Council has issued fewer fines for littering and fly-tipping than it managed to during the worst year of the pandemic.”

“We hear a lot of talk about the success of campaigns like “Don’t Trash Oldham” but the reality is Labour haven’t got a grip on environmental crime.  These numbers are shocking.  Liberal Democrats have proposed practical action and found the cash to crack down on people who blight our communities with these enviro crimes,” stated councillor Sykes.

There is a national one minute’s silence which will take place at 11am on Friday 24 February to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Following the news that an individual has been found guilty in connection to the sorry events at the Full Council meeting on July 22^nd, Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes issued the following statement.

“Abuse of any kind is never acceptable in any walk of life.  Intimidation and assault of staff and members of the council have no place in Oldham Borough.  This individual has been taken to court and punished accordingly, and I welcome that.” 

Leader of Oldham Councils’ Liberal Democrat Opposition councillor Howard Sykes MBE has hit out at Labour’s Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham after government figures confirm that Greater Manchester has 112 fewer Community Support Officers than in 2017, when Mr Burnham took office.  

Councillor Sykes said, “When it comes to policing in Oldham and across Greater Manchester, the buck stops with Mayor Burnham.  He is ultimately responsible for policing.  He has promised a PCSO for every ward in Greater Manchester, and he has failed spectacularly.”

The Conservative government has a target to deliver 20,000 new police officers by 2023.  But analysis of Home Office data commissioned by the Liberal Democrats reveals that Greater Manchester PCSO numbers have fallen by 316 since 2015, a reduction of 39.3%.

Councillor Sykes said, “Far from more officers on the beat, we have 316 less.  This is a total failure of the Tory Government and the Greater Manchester Mayor who are both trying to convince the public they have a handle on policing.  The reality is they don’t, and the results of broken promises are there for everyone to see.  Our communities feel less safe, and crime is going unrecorded and investigated.”

Until October 2022, Greater Manchester Police had been placed in special measures by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC).  But in January, Mayor Burnham announced that he would increase council tax precepts to fund policing across Oldham and Manchester. 

Councillor Sykes said, “It is quite something to ask the public to bail out what was, until very recently, a failing force during a cost-of-living crisis.  But to go cap in hand to residents when you’ve presided over a collapse in front line policing numbers insults local residents.”

NOTES

Home Office, Police Workforce: England and Wales, Jan 2023, Table H7 (various editions) and Table 3. Strength figures include those staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

I have just been informed that due to operational issues, the council has been unable to undertake food and garden collections on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 February from properties on the smaller rural vehicle (country round).

Residents are advised that they will now return on their next scheduled collection dates (Thursday 23 and Friday 24 February).

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Shadow member for Finance councillor Chris Gloster has blasted Conservative councillors after they brought forward plans to cut cost-of-living support in Oldham by £1.29 million. 

Councillor Gloster said, “The Conservative Group is bringing proposals to Council next month that would hammer any hope we have of offering meaningful cost-of-living support to the most vulnerable people in Oldham.  During the worst fall in living standards for decades, the Conservative’s plan is to cut cost-of-living support by £1.29 million is simply callous.”

Oldham Council’s Policy Overview and Scrutiny committee met the other week to consider Opposition budget amendments ahead of March 1^st, when councillors will vote on the council’s budget plans for 2023/24.  Conservative proposals came under fire after it was revealed that their costings included an 86% cut to the council’s cost-of-living support fund.  By contrast, Liberal Democrat proposals set out by councillor Gloster were unanimously recommended by the committee.   

Councillor Gloster said, “As the only meaningful Opposition to Labour in Oldham, the Liberal Democrats have set out an alternative to the administration’s budget plans.”

“We have a plan that will make Oldham a greener, cleaner, and safer place to be and provide fairer futures for the next generation.  Our priorities are improving social care provision, tackling environmental crime, and investing in roads, footpaths and cycleways.”

“Those are the things people want to see the council prioritising.  It’s high time that Oldham Council started getting the basics right.”    

Liberal Democrats set out budget proposals for 2023/24

Liberal Democrats set out budget proposals for fair futures in a safe, clean, and green Oldham Borough | Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Anyone can ask to vote by post.

If you don’t want to vote in person, or cannot due other commitments (work/ill/away etc.) at the elections on Thursday 4 May, 2023, for any reason, then you can apply for a postal vote by writing to:

Elections Office, Oldham Council, West Street, Oldham OL1 1UL. Or calling: 0161 770 4718. Or emailing: elections@oldham.gov.uk

Completed applications need to be returned NO LATER than 5pm on Tuesday 18 April.

The Leader of Oldham Council’s Liberal Democrat Opposition, councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called on Oldham Council bosses to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. 

Councillor Sykes said, “On Friday February 24^th, it will be a year since Putin invaded Ukraine.  I have called on Oldham’s leadership to respectfully mark the date that Putin made war in Europe a terrible reality once again.”  

In a letter to the Oldham’s Chief Executive, councillor Sykes said, “Over the last year, we have seen the horror and hardship that the people of Ukraine have been subjected to at the behest of a tyrant.  But we have also seen the bravery and courage of ordinary Ukrainians in defence of their homeland.”

“Most people I have spoken to expect the Council to lead on an appropriate marking of this very tragic event 12 months ago,” added councillor Sykes.

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader and GM Transport spokesperson councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called on Greater Manchester’s transport bosses to consider a trial period for allowing bicycles on trams. 

Councillor Sykes said, “We should be focused on making public transport as accessible to as many people as possible and as joined up with other forms of active travel as possible.  Greater Manchester’s Transport should explore the possibility of allowing people to bring cycles onto trams on a trial basis.”

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) recently concluded a successful trial for dogs on trams, which resulted in the policy being made permanent earlier in January.

Councillor Sykes said, “I first called for dogs to be allowed on trams more than eight years ago.  Hopefully it doesn’t take TfGM another eight years to bring forward a trial for bikes.  There will be some complications because extra space and storage will be required.  Trams may require some adaptations and we’ll need to see proper dual-carriage services consistently throughout peak times.  They may also have to be a limit at times on the number allowed.”  

“But these are problems we need to be able to solve because demand for Metrolink services has never been higher.  People want choices when they travel, and our public transport system has to reflect that.”