The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to see some action to bring speed cameras back into use and more transparency over where they are sited and how they are funded. 

At present officers from GM Councils, the Greater Manchester Police and Transport for Greater Manchester meet to discuss speed cameras, with elected councillors having no say in decision making; a situation that Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has described as “something North Korea would be very proud of.”

Councillor Sykes has written to Eamonn Boylan, the Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, asking him to ensure that all existing speed cameras are functional and recording traffic violations as they happen, and that they be upgraded to incorporate the latest digital technology. 

Councillor Sykes also wants to see more money being made available to site further cameras at accident blackspots.  He last raised the issue in November 2019 and is demanding to know what if any action has been taken.

Councillor Sykes explained:  “Now that people are going back to work or taking children to school, traffic on our roads is increasing, and so drivers, passengers and pedestrians are more likely to be involved in an accident.  Yet we have the situation across Greater Manchester where for many months (or years) traffic cameras have not been working, and so speeding drivers have got off scot-free.  Or there are situations where a speed camera is desperately needed to act as a deterrent to bad driving.” 

In his letter to Mr Boylan, Councillor Sykes also raises a second concern – that there is no input into decision making by elected councillors and no transparency or accountability from the officers who currently make the decisions.

Councillor Sykes hopes that his letter, a copy of which has also been sent to the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, will shake up the system and get some action.

The letter to Mr Eamonn Boylan reads:

16 September 2020

Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Dear Eamonn Boylan,

Re: Roadside safety cameras across Greater Manchester

I am writing to you to urge you and other regional leaders to work together to upgrade roadside safety cameras and make them all functional across Greater Manchester to help tackle speeding.

I first raised this issue a couple of years ago and more recently at the Greater Manchester Transport Committee Meeting held on 8 November 2019.  Simply put, to avoid further unnecessary deaths, injuries and damage to personal property and highways infrastructure, the following action is required:

1. The cash to digitise and upgrade the existing safety camera system should be found as an immediate priority.

• A programme for its completion should be agreed and actioned.

• The inadequacies are not just about the system – a review is also needed as to the criteria for the location and installation of safety cameras.  Including their funding and the option for local funding if local priorities demand.

• The Drive Safety Group/Body needs to have Councillor representation and inclusion as at present it is devoid of both and is just a group of Council Officers/TfGM Officers/Police setting priorities and policies for such matters as speed cameras.

The above should be an immediate priority, it is wrong that defunct safety cameras line our roads allowing drivers to regularly abuse speed limits.   

It is also wrong that Highway Officers from the component 10 Districts (and TfGM) and the Police sit down and decide what the criteria is for safety camera approval and installation without ANY elected Councillor input or scrutiny.

I recently found/allocated money to provide a safety camera and after a very lengthy process I was informed my request does not fit the criteria.  When I asked how to change the criteria, I was informed it was not an elected member right to ask for it to be changed. 

Surely the public that elect us expect, rightly so, that elected members should have a say on the placement of cameras? 

As currently constructed, this is a catch 22 situation and something North Korea would be very proud of.

Given the number of residents that have contacted me about speeding issues and the amount of time that has passed since I originally raised this issue, I would appreciate your response to this letter as soon as possible with hopefully a way forward from the current unsatisfactory situation.

Best wishes and stay safe,

Howard Sykes

CC.  Andy Burnham – Mayor of Greater Manchester 

Application process: Click below for the relevant application form.

£200 Guidance notes and Application form

£1,000 Guidance notes and Application form

Guidance Notes

We recognise community action is taking place across the Borough and we want to encourage and support this action, and help to sustain and maintain our vibrant sector to support Oldham people during a very challenging time. We want to encourage this to be done safely and in line with the most recent Public Health Guidance and Government directives.

We are delighted to let you know that a Community Recovery Fund pot is being made available for Oldham groups supporting Oldham’s COVID-19 Community Recovery whilst we learn to live with the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic (that comply with Public Health Guidance and Government directives).

You can apply for a grant up to

• £1,000 if you are formally constituted and are a member or become a member of Action Together; or
• £200 if you are an informal social action or mutual aid activity.

Please note:

• Mutual Aid is the term we use to describe people giving each other needed support in communities. 
• Social Action is the term we use to describe people coming together (physically or remotely) to help solve the problems that are important in their communities.

What can the funding be used for?

Applications for the Community Recovery Fund should be for projects that meet one or more of the following priorities:

1. Encouraging fit and healthy people and communities
2. Developing people’s skills
3. Changing your local area for the better
4. Encouraging people to get involved in their community and social action
5. Protecting those who are vulnerable and those who are victims of crime or at risk of being victimised, including domestic abuse.
6. Building resilience, feelings of safety and confidence in community safety.
7. Preventing anti-social and criminal behaviour in Oldham
8. Helping to build resilient and resourceful communities in Oldham including online communities and protecting the places where people live, work, socialise or travel.

Funds will enable organisations to adapt their models to ensure they can operate safely according to Covd19 guidelines, and effectively support communities to recover and rebuild.

Applications for the Community Recovery Fund should meet both of the following criteria and link with Oldham Borough’s locality response.

• The project includes ‘Mutual Aid’ or ‘Social Action’ activity
• The project complies with government guidance on helping safely? how to help safely government guidance

Who is the funding for?

Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups working in the borough of Oldham supporting Oldham’s  COVID-19 Community Recovery whilst we learn to live with the effects of the Covid 19 Pandemic that comply with the most recent Public Health Guidance and Government directives

For latest guidance, please check the website https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Only one application for funding will be accepted per organisation. 

If you have already applied to our Community Response Fund, you may also apply the Community Recovery Fund.

Completing the application form

• Please ensure that ALL boxes on this form are completed.
• Submit your application online to  grants@actiontogether.org.uk
• The online panel will aim to make a decision within 5 working-days and you will be notified by email of the outcome of your application.

If you have any queries about the application form or application process, please contact a member of the Oldham development team on 0161 339 2345.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for an extension of the Government’s furlough scheme until the jobs market is “ready to bounce back” in the wake of “staggering job losses” across the country. 

With 9.8% of people now relying on Universal Credit in Oldham, the Party claims that extending furlough would help “stop this crisis getting even worse” and protect jobs for the future. 

Despite the Chancellor promising last month to do “whatever it takes” to support households and businesses through the worst of the coronavirus outbreak, the Government has so far failed to agree a plan beyond the end of the furlough scheme on 31 October.

The Liberal Democrats have also warned some of the worst hit are the country’s self-employed workers, three million of which are still not covered by support. The Party has called for support to be extended and urged the public to join its campaign to protect jobs.

Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, said: “With so many families in crisis, the Government should be doing everything in its power to protect jobs in Oldham and right across the country.

“The fact that 12,960people are now relying Universal Credit in Oldham shows exactly why the Chancellor must extend the furlough scheme, at least until the middle of next year. 

“Ministers need to act now to stop this crisis getting even worse and extend financial support for the millions of people currently excluded from the Government assistance. 

Christine Jardine MP, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, added: “We are seeing staggering job losses, even with the furlough scheme in place.

“People have a right to expect that their Government will stand by them in exactly the way that Rishi Sunak promised when he said he would “do whatever it takes.”

“The Liberal Democrats’ are clear that the Government must extend the furlough scheme until the jobs market is ready to bounce back.”

The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that social care will become a secondary priority if transferred from local authority control to the National Health Service. 

At present, local authorities, like Oldham Council, take the primary role in providing a care service to elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents living at home, but Conservative ministers are rumoured to be considering transferring this responsibility to the NHS.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “I know from recent personal experience that the National Health Service with its excellent medical facilities and dedicated staff do a wonderful job, but, the NHS does so many things and is such a large organisation, that I really fear that social care in its hands would become a Cinderella service, at the bottom of the rung for investment and innovation.”

“Caring for many elderly and vulnerable residents in their own homes is an area of expertise for local authorities.  Councils, like Oldham, can call on incredible carers, who are local people with local knowledge and an understanding of local needs, to provide a responsive, personalised and professional service to those who need them.  We work in partnership with the person being cared for, and with their carers, family, and friends, to ensure they are treated with dignity and encouraged to maintain their independence.”

“It is not perfect and could always be better but transfer to the NHS would be a backward step.  Regrettably the NHS does not have a very good track record of promoting independence, and many NHS services continue to be delivered in institutions rather than out in the community.”

Local Liberal Democrat Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett has written to Oldham’s Clinical Commissioning Group in his capacity as Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care in regards to Royton and Crompton family practice telephone issues.

His letter dated 9th of September asks as to what actions are being taken in regards to Royton and Crompton family practice (based in Royton) being unable to answer their phone lines and their dire ability to correspond with patients, local pharmacies and other health professionals.

Mike Barker Oldham’s Chief Operating Officer for Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group responded to Councillor Hamblett following on from his initial correspondence, in which he asked what actions are being taken to resolve your constituents’ problems contacting their GP by phone following the recent merger of Royton and Crompton Family Practice and The Parks Medical Practice.

Mike Barker said: “I was sorry to learn of this dissatisfaction and I thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention.  Regrettably, following the merger of the two practices on 24 August 2020, there was significant disruption to the telephone lines. This was due to a failure to change and reconfigure the telephone lines which resulted in the number of telephone lines into the merged practice effectively being reduced from six to three.  Clearly this affected the practices ability to answer telephone calls in a timely manner and resulted in many patients and other health professionals finding themselves in a position that they could not be connected.”

Councillor Hamblett is pleased to report: “The reason for the failure to update the lines is being looked into.  However, by 4 September 2020, the total number of telephone lines into the practice was restored to six and the telephone lines are now fully operational.  Hopefully this should help improve the situation.”

“It really is not good enough; people have had the stress of being moved from their practice’s location and then cannot contact or have meaningful communication with the new practice location.  I do hope the situation improves and I will be monitoring it closely.”

For real time information: https://oldham.roadworks.org/

The Oldham Liberal Democrats have lambasted the Conservative Government for delaying once again their long-awaited proposals to overhaul the social care system. Details are not expected to now be released until the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Statement at the earliest; this is scheduled for late November.

The Conservatives first promised to publish a Green Paper on social care for public consultation in the summer of 2017.  This is now more than three years behind schedule.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “This extra delay is yet another example of the prevarication shown by this uncaring Conservative Government in making policy about the future of our under-threat social care system.  Due to consistent underfunding of local government and the National Health Service, the provision of quality care to our elderly is now in jeopardy, and an increasing burden is being placed on unpaid family carers.”

He added: “In 2015, the then-Coalition Government, with the Liberal Democrats as junior partners, agreed in principle to the proposals of the Dilnot Commission which recommended that there be a cap on lifetime social care charges and a more generous means-test.  In July, almost immediately the Conservatives assumed office alone, the new Government postponed the introduction of these sensible measures and decided to adopt a course of prevarication.”

“I would welcome the opportunity to comment on the Government proposals, as I am sure would many others in local government and the caring professions, but these constant delays deny us that opportunity, and suggest increasingly that when it comes to social care this Government just hasn’t a clue.”

“Our older citizens deserve quality, affordable care and we should all be sure as to how we will pay for it – this is not the time for further delay, we just need to get on with it!”

Oldham Council’s Health and Well-being Board has failed to meet four times in the last twelve months, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member, is not impressed.

Councillor Sykes has written to Board Chair, Councillor Jean Stretton, to point out this represents a serious democratic deficit especially when the Health and Well-being Board is charged with providing oversight to social care and NHS services. 

Councillor Sykes says that: “At a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.” His hope is that the Chair will agree that the Board should: “not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.”

The email to Councillor Stretton sent today (14 September 2020) reads:

From: Howard Sykes <howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk>
Sent: 14 September 2020 16:43
To: Cllr J Stretton <jean.stretton@oldham.gov.uk>
Cc: Howard Sykes <howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk>
Subject: Oldham Health and Well Being Board cancelled again

Councillor Jean Stretton, Chair, Health and Well-being Board, Oldham Council

Dear Jean,

I was disappointed to see that once more the next Health and Well-being Board meeting scheduled for tomorrow (15 September) has been cancelled.

In the last twelve months, four of the five Board meetings (10 December 2019, 17 March 2020, 23 June 2020 and tomorrow) have been cancelled.  Let me be clear there were understandable reasons for a couple of those which I was happy to support at the time.

However, at a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider. 

Surely there are issues around both the response of the Council and its partners to the Covid-19 emergency and the provision of non-Covid health services to those denied treatment during the Lockdown that should command the attention of the members?

Across all service areas: Acute, Primary, GPs, Nursing and other support service to the elderly and vulnerable (district nurses, chiropody, aid and adaptions – to name just three) have all been functioning at a lower capacity and some services reduced or dropped altogether. 

The health legacy for our citizens will be massive and life reducing.  And that is before we even consider the mental well-being of our citizens due to lock down and continuing restrictions. 

To date a lot of the health service decisions and service reductions or service terminations have had no or little democratic scrutiny or over-sight to date and look like to continue for the foreseeable future.

The Health and Well-being Board has a defined constitutional role within the governance structure, and it is my view that it should not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.

I look forward to receiving your comments.

Best wishes and stay safe.

Howard

Latest information on orginsating events – re posted in full.

Thank you for patiently waiting for an update regarding how the new Covid-19 restrictions and the soon to be implemented ‘Rule of Six’ will be affecting events in Oldham.

I’m pleased to report that all events that we currently have booked in will still be able to operate under the new guidance coming into effect on Monday 14^th September.

All current confirmed events are either educational activities or youth group activities and are exempt from the new restrictions, as stated on the .gov website under section 2.10

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

This is still under the condition that there are less than 30 people present, social distancing can be reasonably implemented and a robust Covid-19 secure risk assessment is in place.

Unfortunately, we are still in a position in which we are unable to accommodate most events. Stricter measures are being implemented to combat the spread of the virus and the situation is changing regularly.

It’s tough to gauge how exactly events will be affected in the coming weeks and months, but I will endeavour to keep you all posted as information becomes available.  

For those wishing to host events in the Borough, I implore you to review the current Government Guidance and check the eligibility of your event in the current climate.

Events have been suspended in Oldham until 31^st December 2020. The situation is rapidly changing, so it’s likely that this date could be extended to incorporate subsequent months if required. Any event requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and must comply with current Government advice. All events must:

• Have less than 30 people present
• Be situated at an outdoor location where social distancing can be reasonably implemented
• Have a robust Covid-19 secure risk assessment
• Comply with current Government guidance (including local restrictions)

Although all event submissions are reviewed, many may be denied due to public safety concerns and the risk that Covid-19 presents. Oldham Council reserves the right to cancel any events on public safety grounds should the need arise.

Thank you for the hard work you have all devoted to keeping Oldham residents safe in these past months. I understand times have been tough for many, but I feel an overwhelming sense of pride in the response that allof Oldham has had to the pandemic.

If I can assist in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or my mobile phone.

Events Coordinator, Sir Robert Peacock House, Vulcan Street, Derker, Oldham OL1 4LA. Tel: 0161 770 1691. Jack.Child@oldham.gov.uk