Anger as Shaw residents wait years for working speed signs despite the cash having been found

Shaw councillor, Howard Sykes MBE hit out at council complacency today as he called the wait for replacement Vehicle Activated Speed (VAS) signs on Buckstones Road, Shaw “an absolute disgrace”.

Councillor Sykes said, “Speeding on Buckstones Road is a huge concern for Shaw residents.  These signs have been faulty many years.  More than two years ago cash found to replace them and yet the council are still not getting the basic jobs done, like this.  Meanwhile, drivers, horse riders, walkers, church goers and children in Shaw are left with an unnecessarily dangerous road.  Lives are at risk or injury every week these sign are delayed.”

When in operation, VAS signs have proven to be a cost-effective way to tackle speeding in areas where speed cameras have been refused like Buckstones Road.  However, in the latest communication received by councillor Sykes the council was still unable to confirm when these life-saving speed signs would be replaced.

Councillor Sykes said, “The budget for these signs to be replaced was agreed back in the summer of 2020, these signs are top of the list to be replaced and yet the council still cannot tell me this will be.  There are also many other VAS signs elsewhere in the borough also waiting to be replaced.  This is yet another example of Oldham’s Labour council not focusing on what is important.  It’s simply not good enough.”

Ban water company bosses’ bonuses until sewage discharges end say local Liberal Democrats

Water company bosses were awarded £27 million in bonuses while pumping raw sewage into England’s waterways over 1,000 times a day.  Oldham Liberal Democrats demand a “sewage bonus ban” to ban future bonuses until sewage dumps stop.

England’s water company bosses have awarded themselves almost £27 million in bonuses over the past two years despite pumping out raw sewage into waterways 1,000 times a day, the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

Analysis of Companies House records by the Liberal Democrats shows that executives at England’s water and sewage companies were paid £48 million in 2020 and 2021, including £27.6 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives.

The eye-watering executive pay packets and company profits were made despite the Environment Agency reporting nearly 772,000 sewage dumping events taking place in 2020 and 2021 alone, or over 1,000 per day.

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader, councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “Liberal Democrats want the Government to ban new bonuses for water company executives until they put a stop to their sewage offences.”

“In the Northwest, United Utilities paid their executives £5.9 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives and made an operating profit of over £602 million in the last financial year.  United Utilities have been responsible for more than 195,000 sewage dumps in our rivers and waterways over the last two years.  There should be no reward for failing our environment in this way,”  he added.

The Liberal Democrats have previously called for a Sewage Tax on the profits of water companies, to fund the cleaning up of waterways polluted by sewage.  Analysis by the party suggests water companies made a staggering £2.7 billion in operating profits in 2020/21.

Councillor Sykes continued, “The Conservatives are allowing water companies to pump raw sewage into our precious rivers and lakes while awarding themselves obscene bonuses.  Just like the millions paid out to bankers during the financial crisis, the public will find this hard to stomach.”

Liberal Democrat plans for a sewage bonus ban would stop water company executives being paid any more in bonuses until our waterways are protected from sewage dumps. 

New research from the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has shown huge disparities in cancer care across England revealing a crisis in Oldham

The headlines from the research have been branded “horrific” by Oldham’s Liberal Democrats. They show:

  • This winter – from November 2021 to February 2022 – over 3,400 patients covered by the Northern Care Alliance (covering Oldham, Rochdale, Salford and Bury) waited longer than two weeks to see a consultant after an urgent referral from their GP.
  • 4,207 people waited longer than 28 days to get a cancer diagnosis from a specialist after an urgent referral from their GP.
  • Worryingly 602 people were waiting two months or more to start their cancer treatment after a referral.

Nationally, this winter, from November 2021 to February 2022 almost 195,000 patients waited longer than two weeks to see a consultant after an urgent referral from their GP. The NHS target is for 93% of patients to be seen within this time but across England nearly a quarter of people don’t see a consultant for that urgent appointment.

Ahead of the local elections the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to hire more staff, especially specialist cancer nurses. The party is also calling for a comprehensive strategy to ensure all those who have been left behind are offered timely cancer diagnosis and treatment and that targets be met as soon as possible.

Commenting on cancer waiting times in Oldham, Liberal Democrat Sam Al-Hamdani, said: “The Government has been driving our local health services into the ground and taking patients for granted for years. Oldham deserves better.

“Delays to cancer diagnoses and treatments are incredibly distressing for those with cancer and those who fear they may have it. This Conservative Government has its head in the sand over staff shortages and no real plan to fix it, there must be action to fix this horrific crisis. 

“They must get a handle on this crisis so cancer patients get the urgent care they need to give them the best chance of survival and recovery.”