Liberal Democrats request debate on Child Sexual Exploitation review at July Council

The Liberal Democrats want to see the promised report from the review on historic allegations of child sexual exploitation to be published in advance of the 14 July meeting of the Full Council and for time to be set aside to debate the report at the meeting.

The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has sent his request to the Leader of Oldham Council and the Chief Executive on 25 May and yet has had no response or acknowledgement (a response has now arrived).

In November 2019, Oldham Council and the Oldham Safeguarding Partnership commissioned the independent review from the Mayor of Greater Manchester.  Two experienced investigators, Malcolm Newsam MBE, a childcare expert, and Gary Ridgeway, formerly a senior police officer specialising in public protection, are now working to finalise their report. 

In December 2020, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, who has just been re-appointed, promised to publish the findings in the ‘middle of 2021’ and councillor Sykes wants to see that promise fulfilled.

“We are now almost ‘in the middle of 2021’ so it is my hope that the report will soon be published and that an agenda item can be tabled for the 14 July Council meeting so we can debate it”, said councillor Sykes.  “If there is a further delay, I have asked for a special council meeting to be held to discuss the report.”

Keep Whitehall mandarins out of Peak District Park, say Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats have urged the government not to transfer the management of the country’s National Parks from local elected authorities to Whitehall mandarins.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the responsible government minister, Lord Benyon, with a plea to keep control in local hands after plans leaked that National Parks Authorities could be abolished and a new National Landscapes Service created instead.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “Part of Saddleworth falls within the Peak District National Park, and Oldham Council has a representative on the Authority through which local councillors, and their constituents, can raise issues.  If the Authority is abolished and control reverts to Whitehall, we will no longer have any say in how the park is managed.”

“The Liberal Democrats believe that local public organisations, like our National Parks, should be managed locally and be accountable locally.  We are convinced that transferring management of our National Park from local organisations to Whitehall civil servants would be a retrograde step, both for our environment and for our democracy.” 

“We shall see if the Minister is able to reassure me that this will not happen, but, as this government is already poised to remove local accountability in planning through its Planning for the Future legislation, I am not hopeful.”

Irony of Labour call for “residents first” planning approach

The call for a “residents first” planning approach by new council leader Arooj Shah has been called “deeply ironic” by local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani.

In recent years the Labour Council has changed the rules around being able to challenge planning applications, making it increasingly difficult for them to be heard in public.

With just one resident allowed three minutes to speak, it has left residents feeling more and more excluded from the planning process, especially on contentious applications, such as the recent application from 256 houses at Knowls Lane in Lees and Springhead.

Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “I would love for there to be a ‘residents first’ planning approach in Oldham. That would mean changing the system to better engage with residents, and to make sure their voices are heard.

“Time and again, I have heard from residents responding to the Knowls Lane application that they just want a fair, transparent decision. They certainly don’t feel that we have a ‘residents first’ planning approach.”

With constant pressure on Councils to meet national targets for housebuilding, and less funding for brownfield developments, people increasingly feel that they are locked out of a planning system which ignores their interests.

“It’s not good enough to call for a ‘residents first’ planning approach only when it suits the Labour councillors. People must have a forum to be part of the planning process all the time.”

“The recent proposals to change the planning process by the Conservative Government will strip the public of its voice even further.

“When it comes to giving people the chance to speak, Labour and the Conservatives are both the same. We need a planning system which builds in the public voice, and makes fair, transparent decisions with the public, in full view.”

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader calls for reinstatement of Dovestones volunteer rangers

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Chair and Chief Executive of the Peak District National Park Authority calling upon them to reinstate the volunteer ranger service at Dovestones Reservoir.

Commenting councillor Sykes said:  “The volunteer rangers freely gave their time and commitment to looking after our countryside and wildlife, and keeping visitors safe.  At a time when we have seen more moorland fires and increasing visitor numbers at Dovestones, it must defy common sense to abolish a service, which must cost the Parks Authority very little financially, but which represents a lot of extra  ‘boots on the ground’ looking out for fires and for people.  I hope that my letter provokes a rethink and that we shall see the volunteer rangers back in post soon.”

Liberal Democrats delivery on transparency promise

The introduction of new standing orders for Saddleworth Parish Council has delivered a promise from Saddleworth’s Liberal Democrats to increase public involvement and transparency in the way the Council works.

They have scrapped a clause from the previous standing orders which required members of the public to submit questions to the Council in writing two working days before the date of a meeting. With Council meetings taking place on Mondays, that meant that questions would in practice have to be submitted on the Wednesday of the week before.

This meant that it was virtually impossible for urgent matters to be brought to the Council to be addressed.

Sam Al-Hamdani, the leader of Liberal Democrats on the Parish Council, said; “Councils must be as close to the communities they serve as possible. They should be accessible, and allow members of the public to ask questions about what is happening.

“This shows what happens when Liberal Democrats are in a position to control a Council. While others talk about transparency and openness, we deliver. We said that we would increase public participation and we have put that in place.”

The new standing orders were introduced at the Annual Meeting which took place on May 24.