Free monthly activity sessions for the 75+.
Re-engage are starting a new social activity group for people aged 75+ in Shaw and Crompton. The new group will be held at St Andrew’s Methodist Church, High Crompton, starting on the 19th of September 2-4 pm.
These sessions will run every third Thursday of the month and are free.
Above is their leaflet and the link to their website https://reengage.org.uk/
Sykes welcomes government pensions credit campaign but calls on Oldham Council to act
Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has welcomed the government’s decision to launch a campaign to encourage pensioners to apply for universal credit.
Labour Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner are to launch a campaign to encourage pensioners to apply for Pension Credit. The move comes after substantial push back against the new Labour government’s plans to scrap winter fuel payments from those pensioners not in receipt of pension credit. The announcement was met with heavy criticism by the Liberal Democrats, as well as charities like Age UK and Independent Age.
Councillor Sykes said, “I welcome the government’s decision to launch a campaign to improve the uptake of pension credit. It’s wrong to look at axing winter fuel payments before making sure that those who should be on pension credit are accessing support.”
According to ‘Policy in Practice’ research, a staggering £8.5 million in pension credit went unclaimed last year.
Councillor Sykes said, “All eyes are now on Oldham Council. I wrote to the council leader last week (13 Aug) calling on Oldham to launch its own awareness campaign to support pensioners across our communities. Oldham Council needs to act quickly, but to date, I have had no response.”
Letter from Councillor Sykes to Leader of Oldham Council Arooj Shah (Sent 13 Aug)
Dear Councillor Shah,
I write with concern following the Chancellors decision to remove winter fuel support from an estimated 10 million pensioners nation-wide, choosing only to support those pensioners who are already in receipt of benefits. In Oldham, a staggering 85% of pensioners stand to lose out as a result of this choice.
Across the country, only 63% of those entitled receive pension credit. According to Policy in Practice, as much as £8.5 million per year goes unclaimed.
You will note that many charities including Age UK and Independent Age have criticised the Chancellor’s decision and called on her to pause until a meaningful national effort is made to increase the take up of pension credit. Respected public figures like Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert have also stated that support under the Chancellor’s new policy will be too narrow; and too many people will miss out.
Oldham Council has a duty to help residents understand their entitlements and access support. I am writing to ask your administration to launch a campaign to improve awareness, access and uptake of unclaimed pension credit in Oldham ahead of what will be a difficult winter for many of our elderly residents, made worse by the government decision to heavily limit winter fuel support.
I look forward to your considered response.
Best wishes.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE
For help and advice.
Sunday 18 August – Dunwood Fest.
Parents “without options” as nearly 400 childcare places lost across Oldham since 2019 reveal Liberal Democrats
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has warned of working age families being “left without options” after new research revealed that 393 childcare places have been lost across Oldham since 2019.
Councillor Sykes said, “The 15 hours free childcare that parents are entitled to for children over the age of nine months was introduced to help working families and help give peace of mind over childcare pressures. But free hours are no use to anyone if there are no local providers available to take your child.”
House of Commons Library research revealed by the Liberal Democrats shows that the number of available places for children has dropped by 20% across the country since 2019. Oldham lost 393 places in the same period, a 21% reduction across the borough.
In April this year, the National Audit Office criticised the Government’s roll out saying that dates for the scheme were decided without the DfE or the Treasury understanding whether the sector would be able to provide the number of places needed. It recommended the DfE continuously review the expansion in case it needs to relook at the timeline due to concerns about place numbers and staffing.
Councillor Sykes said, “The government urgently needs to review the rates it pays providers to ensure they cover the actual costs of delivering high-quality childcare and early years education.”
House of Commons Library research can be found here.
NAO Report can be found here.
Please note that provider figures change estimates reflect net change in the number of registered providers – this might not equate to closures as such. For example, a nursery in a given area may have closed but another provider opened a nursery in the same year, childminders may have left the register, but others join to offset changes etc.
Childcare on non-domestic premises: nurseries and other day care groups Childcare on domestic premises: Working with three or more other adults on premises that are also used entirely or mainly as a private home.
Childminders; caring for children in an individual’s home (or someone else’s home) for payment or reward. Working alone or with up to 2 other childminders.
Changes in the number of providers may not equate to changes in early years childcare places.
The local authority figures may not always sum to the regional and national totals, as elements of estimation may be included in the aggregated totals to account for missing data at local level.
Sykes warns Conservative cuts will hit nurseries in poorest areas hardest (June 2019)
Nurseries in poorest areas under threat from Conservative cuts – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)
More from councillor Sykes on local childcare in Oldham (March 2023)
Childcare costs rise by an average £225 in the North West in a single year – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)
Trams start to run again on Monday 19 August
This is only a temporary fix, there still remains a risk of further movement, but Metrolink haven’t seen any in the past two weeks.
They are continuing to work on a permanent fix as well which will require a closure of the line to do these works. The ideal situation is that the permanent fix can be well planned in to reduce the impact. This is reliant on there not being any further movement.
A big congratulations to all students receiving their A-Level, T Level and Level 3 VTQ results in Oldham Borough yesterday
Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has congratulated students in Oldham who received their A-Level, T Levels and Level 3 VTQ (vocational technical qualifications) exams results yesterday.
Councillor Sykes said, “Well done to every single young person and good luck with what comes next, whether you’re off to university, entering work or going on to further training.”
Early reports indicate a record-breaking year for results across the country with four out of five young people securing their first-choice university.
Councillor Sykes said, “No matter how you’ve done today, remember that you have options and there are services out there to help you decide on your next steps. There are thousands of courses out there with spaces available through clearing. So, if things aren’t straightforward for you today, don’t panic. Speak to an advisor and find out your options.”
UCAS Clearing is open today. Click here.
“It’s there for a reason”: Oldham Liberal Democrats step up campaign on unclaimed pension credit
The Liberal Democrats have joined a growing list of charities including Independent Age and Age UK in calling on the new government to hold back on planned cuts to winter fuel payments and instead launch a campaign helping pensioners access unclaimed benefits.
Councillor Sykes said, “Across the country, take up of pension credit is as low as 63%. In Oldham, an eye-watering £8.5 million is going unclaimed. Oldham Council has a role to play in helping to raise awareness around unclaimed benefits.”
“I urge all pensioners in Oldham Borough to look again at what they are entitled to. It’s there for a reason.”
The Liberal Democrat Leader has written to Oldham Council bosses calling on the council to launch its own awareness campaign about unclaimed benefits.
In his letter to Labour Leader Arooj Shah, councillor Sykes said, “The council has a duty to help residents understand their entitlements and access support. I am writing to ask your administration to launch a campaign to improve awareness, access and uptake of unclaimed pension credit in Oldham ahead of what will be a difficult winter for many of our elderly residents, made worse by the government decision to heavily limit winter fuel support.”
Analysis of the chancellors winter fuel payment policy by Matin Lewis of Money Saving Expert
Martin Lewis: Winter Fuel Payment targeting ‘too narrow’ (moneysavingexpert.com)
Councillor Arooj Shah
Leader of the Council
Dear Councillor Shah,
I write with concern following the Chancellors decision to remove winter fuel support from an estimated 10 million pensioners nation-wide, choosing only to support those pensioners who are already in receipt of benefits. In Oldham, a staggering 85% of pensioners stand to lose out as a result of this choice.
Across the country, only 63% of those entitled receive pension credit. According to Policy in Practice, as much as £8.5 million per year goes unclaimed.
You will note that many charities including Age UK and Independent Age have criticised the Chancellor’s decision and called on her to pause until a meaningful national effort is made to increase the take up of pension credit. Respected public figures like Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert have also stated that support under the Chancellor’s new policy will be too narrow; and too many people will miss out.
Oldham Council has a duty to help residents understand their entitlements and access support. I am writing to ask your administration to launch a campaign to improve awareness, access and uptake of unclaimed pension credit in Oldham ahead of what will be a difficult winter for many of our elderly residents, made worse by the government decision to heavily limit winter fuel support.
I look forward to your considered response.
Best wishes.
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE
Fun in the Park.
“Let’s keep our area Beautiful: Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrats seek questions and answers regarding the barrier planters.”.
Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrats seek questions and answers regarding the barrier planters.
For a number of years Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrats Borough Councillors have funded the barrier planters both by the memorial and along Crompton by-pass. However, this has been left unplanted between the recent winter and summer season and for well over near two months they have been left empty with litter and weeds growing out of them as if a metaphor of the Labour/Independent controlled council who have ran our services down and cut our environmental services to the bone.
The money hasn’t dried up but the issue seems to have been in the stock of plants that were purchased over a year ago that have seemingly vanished and despite our repeated questions to the Director of Environment and the former Head Environmental Services and Parks.
We are still very much keen to continue our funding contribution out of our ward budgets towards keeping our area looking clean, green and beautiful as we all love where we live.
Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat councillors have always championed this and will continue to do so.