At a meeting of Oldham’s Full Council on Wednesday (07/09/22), a Liberal Democrat initiative to provide food and warmth support for residents of Oldham Borough was passed by councillors.  

The proposal aims to set up ‘warm banks’ across Oldham Borough in libraries and community centres as ‘Warm Banks’ to offer residents a place to stay warm without racking up high energy bills at home.  The Liberal Democrat motion also called for free school meal funding to be reinstated across Oldham after it emerged that the Borough’s schools had faced real terms funding cuts of over £212,000. 

Speaking after Wednesday’s Full Council meeting, Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “It’s shameful that one in every three children live in poverty across our Borough.  Oldham’s primary schools are facing a funding cut of £212,797 from infant free school meals budgets.  Families are also braced for energy price rises of up to 80% in October. Liberal Democrat councillors have set out a plan for food and warmth this evening which will reverse of the cuts to free school meals; and which calls on the Council to step up its cost-of-living support by working with local food banks.    

“Britain is the fifth richest country in the world so it’s a disgrace that we need food banks to begin with.  But local food banks do a brilliant job and are a lifeline for many residents of our borough.  Our local food banks deserve support from Oldham council as we look towards winter and a worsening cost-of-living crisis. 

In a speech outlining the Liberal Democrat plan, Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett said, “To think in the 21^st century, people are struggling with the choice of whether to heat or eat; and gameshows are offering to pay people’s energy bills as a prize.  We can make a real change to our residents by ensuring that public are buildings open, warm, and ready to welcome anyone who needs them.”

Seconding the motion, Councillor Alicia Marland of Saddleworth West and Lees said, “It is vital that the government reinstates the uplift to Universal Credit and returns Free School Meal funds to proper levels.  I want to challenge this Council to do more to champion Oldham Foodbank through communications campaigns.  The nights are getting darker and colder so now is the time to tell our residents that foodbanks are open and available to them in every ward and every district in our borough.”

Leaders Question 1:  Free School Meals

Thank you, Madam Mayor,

Colleagues will not be surprised that my first question tonight relates closely to the cost-of-living crisis, which is causing real anxiety right across our Borough.   

Many families across Oldham are facing tremendous hardship as it becomes more and more expensive to put food on the table. 

It is shameful then, that at a time of unprecedented national hardship, the Conservative government have effectively cut Free School Meals by more than £212,000 in real terms across our Borough. 

Universal Infant Free School Meals were introduced by the Liberal Democrats in government, to support all pupils in reception, Year One and Year Two. 

A healthy meal at lunchtime means that parents save money at the supermarket and children can focus on learning – which is what school is for. 

No child should go hungry in Oldham Borough.  If children are hungry, how are they expected to study and learn? 

However, since the policy was introduced seven years ago, the Conservatives have increased funding per pupil by just 4 pence, yes just 4 pence from £2.30 to £2.34. 

Had the funding increased with inflation, it would currently stand at nearly £2.50 per pupil.

With inflation soaring, these real terms cuts will get worse, meaning that children in our Borough will miss out and fall behind in class.  

So, I ask the Leader, what will Oldham Council do to help schools plug the gap left in their Free School Meals budgets by the Conservatives?

And will she write to the Secretary of State for Education calling on them to reverse cuts to Free School Meals by protecting school budgets against rising inflation.

Leaders Question 2:  Transport Strategy  

Thank you, Madam Mayor, my second question tonight is about transport.

After the months of rigmarole and uncertainty surrounding the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone, it finally looks as though we’ve arrived at something resembling a workable plan.

A small non-charging clean air zone in place of the original daily charge covering the whole of Greater Manchester which would have been a disaster for people and business. 

We’ve gone round the houses to get to this stage, and wasted a shed load of money, but I suppose I should welcome that Mayor Burnham and the 10 GM leaders have finally seen sense and dropped the idea of a daily charge.

But it is not a done deal we still wait for the government to approve the plan before we can know whether the clean air zone is going to be kept free. 

One of the key aims of the Clean Air Zone is to encourage the use of electric vehicles.  But we know that Oldham and GM are miles behind on infrastructure to support electric vehicles. 

We need a much more ambitious target for charging points by 2025.

Planning needs to make sure new developments include electric charging infrastructure.

Another vital pillar of our transport strategy is public transport and for a lot of residents that means bus services.

We have seen that several key services have had to be put out for tender.  What happens if the offers are too expensive, or if new contracts can’t be agreed in a timely manner, or there are no tenders?

With the costs that our residents are having to endure now the last thing they want is for bus services to be reduced or axed.

So, will the Leader agree that it is time to get a firm grip on Transport in Oldham and across Greater Manchester?

• We need a non-charging Clean Air Zone;
• We need proper, sustained investment in electric vehicle charging.
• And we need to give passengers certainty over the future of our bus services?   

After recent chaotic council meetings, Oldham Council bosses have not only beefed up security, but also secretly blacklisted twelve people who are banned from attending council meetings.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Mark Kenyon said: “My colleague noticed security staff with a list of names and photos of 12 people. He was told they were the people banned from Oldham Council meetings.”

The councillor for Grotton, Springhead and Lees has requested a copy of the blacklist from senior council officers only to be turned down.

He continues: “Behaviour at council meetings from some people – both councillors and those watching – has been abhorrent and behaviour does need to improve but banning people and keeping that ban secret is just plain wrong. Me and my colleagues were elected, in part, to ask questions of the council on behalf of the people of the borough. I’ve asked three times – now I want an answer.”

Oldham Liberal Democrats are demanding the Government rescue hundreds of small local businesses in the borough from soaring energy bills, warning that lack of action could see the area’s high streets being further hollowed out.

Since businesses are not covered by the Ofgem energy price cap, many are expecting to see their bills skyrocket by 400% in the coming months.

The Liberal Democrat rescue package would offer grants up to £50,000 to help small businesses cope, giving them a lifeline to keep their doors open. The plans would benefit nearly 4,000 small and medium-sized businesses in Oldham, from family-owned high street shops to hairdressers.

This would include the 255 cafes, restaurants, pubs and other hospitality businesses in the constituency.

Under the proposed Liberal Democrat scheme, small businesses would be able to apply for Government grants covering 80% of the increase in their energy bills for one year, up to a maximum of £50,000. Nationally the proposals would help 1.4 million small businesses across the UK.

The party is also calling on the new Prime Minister to introduce laws to support families and businesses with spiralling energy costs as soon as Parliament returns next week.

The scheme would cost an estimated £10 billion and could be met by reversing the Conservatives’ planned tax cuts for big banks, which are seeing their profits grow with rising interest rates. That would include cancelling the Government’s cut to the Bank Surcharge that is due to take effect in April 2023 and restoring the Bank Levy to 2015 levels, raising £10.6 billion over the next four years.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Oldham’s local high streets risk being devastated by spiralling energy costs. Our high streets have already been hit hard, and this is kicking our remaining businesses while they are down. The Conservatives don’t seem to get this, or even care.

“Local shops, cafes and restaurants that survived through the Coronavirus pandemic, could now be taken down by soaring energy costs and forced to close their doors unless the Government steps up urgently. 

“We need this energy bailout now to save our high streets, rescue small businesses and keep prices down for local families. 

“We’ve known this hike was coming for months and the Government has done nothing. 

“We cannot waste more time. The new Conservative Prime Minister must act immediately to protect families and small businesses in Oldham as soon as Parliament returns.”

The Conservative Government has said it has no plans to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues, despite 26,535 people petitioning it to introduce a ban on their sale in response to wildfires that have devastated Saddleworth Moor and many other sites across the UK.

Oldham Council has already introduced protection orders banning the use of these barbecues in Saddleworth, Shaw and Crompton, the only practical suggestion to help prevent the risk of wildfires contained in the Government response.

Saddleworth West and Lees Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The damage caused by the careless use of these fires is all too easy to see. Saddleworth Moor has an international status as part of a Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation, and this is a real threat. The damage caused to the landscape and the wildlife is immense – with 7cm of peat being lost in previous fires, as well as countless birds and animals being killed.

“We still see people recklessly using these barbecues – and more generally failing to take care of one of the most beautiful and environmentally important parts of the country, which we are fortunate enough to have on our doorstep. Action must be taken.”

The Government’s response did say that it would continue to ‘gather intelligence on the issues raised’, to assess the safety risks presented.

Local campaigner Michael Powell added: “I don’t think anyone would dispute that this Conservative Government does need more intelligence.

“The wildfires we have had have caused so much damage, and have put people’s lives and properties at risk. As well as the harm to area, the smoke from the fires was a substantial problem for people’s health. They can’t just keep batting away these problems.”

The Government’s response to the petition was published at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/618664

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has criticised council leaders for “making all the wrong calls on transparency and trust” but welcomed Civic Centre bosses back tracking over a decision to remove recordings of council meetings. 

Last month the authority stated that it had changed it procedures so that meetings would only be broadcast live and would no longer be available to replay online.  Councillor Sykes wrote the Chief Executive calling on the decision to be reversed in the interest of public “accountability and trust.”  The Liberal Democrat Leader has previously criticised Oldham Council for attempting to cut down on debating time during meetings.

Councillor Sykes said, “We’ve had two council Leaders in as many years.  The public has made it clear that the administration needs to regain trust.  Yet in the time since the last local elections the Council has slashed the amount of meeting time available for opposition councillors to debate issues and has tried to restrict access to council meetings by withholding recordings.”

“I am very pleased that the leadership has climbed down over the broadcasts, but I’m not satisfied with the two different explanations that have been offered.  I see no reason why the recordings needed to be taken down or why the council felt the need to restrict future broadcasts to begin with.  It feels like Labour are making it up as they go along and making all the wrong calls on transparency and trust.”

Councillor Sykes slams Labour bosses for restricting opposition

Oldham’s Labour bosses slammed for gagging councillors under new rules | Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Home Office minister Amanda Solloway MP has ruled out an independent public inquiry into child sex exploitation in Oldham.

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE wrote to the Home Office back in July urging Conservative ministers to open a full and independent public inquiry into the failings of Greater Manchester Police, Oldham Council and other services that resulted in horrendous cases of child sexual abuse.

In his letter to the Home Secretary, councillor Sykes said, “I hope you will use your position to show people in Oldham that failure to protect children can never be accepted in our public institutions.  It is only through meticulously investigating these failings that we can have true accountability and begin to earn back the trust of the people of Oldham.”

But the Home Office has replied stating that “in relation to your request that the Government institute a public inquiry, the Government continues to be clear that it is for the local authorities in individual towns and cities, which are responsible for delivering local services, to commission local inquiries.”

Councillor Sykes said, “It is disappointing that the government is choosing not to act despite clear demand from across Oldham for a government backed inquiry.  Ministers are choosing not to listen and not to lift a finger.  Conservatives say they want a public inquiry, but their colleagues in London say no!”  

Copy of response – attached

Conservative Party members have decided.  It’s Liz Truss who is off to see the Queen as she becomes our new Prime Minister.  But time is running out for millions of British families who are facing unaffordable energy price hikes currently scheduled for October.

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Ofgem have approved an eye-watering £1,578 rise to energy bills.  The new Prime Minister has just three weeks to act.  People simply will not be able to pay their bills.  Liz Truss must scrap this price hikes and step in to protect British families.”

Ofgem’s decision to raise bills will take the average gas and electricity bill from £1,971 to £3,549 each year – a rise of 80%.

Councillor Sykes said, “If things stay as they are, people will be paying three times as much for their energy this October compared with last year.  People are also being hit by soaring inflation and the rising cost of the weekly shop.  The government cannot just sit on their hands.  The only responsible way forward is for the Prime Minister to protect British people by scrapping the October price hikes, stepping in and covering the costs.  Her government must not choose to abandon people during this crisis.”   

Liz Truss will have an early opportunity to tackle runaway energy bills this week, when a bill to scrap the October price hikes is set to be put forward by Liberal Democrats in Parliament. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Liberal Democrats have drafted a Bill to freeze energy bills, which could be brought in on day one by the new Prime Minister.  Liz Truss must make it their first act to cancel this eye-watering energy price rise, to save millions of families from being plunged into poverty.”

On Monday 5 September Oldham Council’s website (www.oldham.gov.uk) is being moved to an external hosting provider to give the website more resilience.

Users should not notice any change to the website and there should be little or no downtime.

However, there will be a content freeze in place throughout Monday while the migration takes place, and some online forms will also be turned off temporarily.