This
year’s Anti-Bullying Week has the theme “Change Starts With Us”. The awareness event is happening from
Monday 11th November – Friday 15th November 2019.
Oldham
Borough Liberal Democrats are seeking to refresh the Council’s anti bullying policy
and raise awareness at the 6th November 2019 Full Council
Meeting.
People
of all ages are bullied because of their race, culture, faith, appearance, sex
and identity. Councillor Garth Harkness,
who is also a teacher, says this bullying can take place in person but often
happens online. He wants to focus on the
root problem in local schools and at the Council itself.
Councillor
Harkness states: “Bullying infiltrates every level of society. Even in government. This Council needs to communicate with schools in Oldham Borough about the packs
released to schools for anti-bullying week.”
“These
will include lesson plans, and cross curricular activities for students and
teachers. This will go a long way in raising awareness and dealing with the
issue in schools”
Councillor
Louie Hamblett who is seconding the motion is also calling for Anti-Bullying
training for Councillors and Council staff.
Councillor
Hamblett says “Oldham Council needs to adopt the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s
definition of bullying. Oldham Council staff should be encouraged to undertake
the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s online training module, so they can feel more
confident in identifying and calling out or reporting bullying behaviour.”
Councillor
Howard Sykes MBE highlights constant Northern Rail service failures. Councillor
Sykes, who is also Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Transport in Greater
Manchester, says customers are experiencing a poor or non-existent service from
Northern Rail. The Oldham Liberal
Democrats are tabling a resolution about this matter to 6 November Council
Meeting. This is a call to change the
current operator and demand the Government act.
Councillor
Sykes MBE says: “It is a great shame that Northern Rail have failed to resolve a
huge raft of issues. There are always
two sides to every story, but customers are constantly reminded that Northern Rail
dodges responsibility and provides a sloppy service. The fact they have now admitted Pacer Trains
will still be running in 2020 when they promised they would not is the final nail
in their coffin for me.”
North
West Members of Parliament and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also want
to remove the franchise from the current operators.
Northern
recently introduced further penalty fare routes across the network. Councillor
Hazel Gloster who is seconding the motion in November said the additional
penalty routes are an insult to rail users.
Councillor
Gloster stated: “The quality of service has never been poorer. They need to get
their service right before they think about adding extra charges to the public.
It is simply unacceptable and it’s another reminder that the government need to
step in and resolve this rail crisis.”
Hope you can
join me this Sunday, our task being access road drainage (again) / car park
maintenance etc.
The current
weather forecast for Sunday is sunny intervals and a gentle breeze,
likely temperatures of 8º/9º (Not Warm!) and 7/8 mph winds so please ensure you
have your favourite hot & or cold liquids, appropriate clothing &
footwear and a packed lunch if you are up for the day – it may feel colder than
it really is.
If you have any
issues that you may wish to discuss prior to Sunday, please do not hesitate to
email (on either address) or text / phone me on 07961107860.
For those of
you that have not already done so, please could you let me know if you
intend to join us on the day.
I look forward
to seeing you in the Crompton Moor Car Park at 10.30 on Sunday. Thank you. REMEMBER
– THE CLOCKS GO BACK ONE HOUR
Kindest Regards – Edward John Fulton (aka Ed / Eddie). Countryside Volunteer Ranger, (Mob) 07961 107860 [Calls may be recorded], (Text) 07961 107860, (Fax) 01706 61813 (E) edward@edwardjohnfulton.uk , (E) edward.fulton@btinternet.uk
Today I attended the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) meeting at the Civic Centre to discuss the closure of the Trent Road surgery in High Crompton. The surgery not only caters for those in the locality but offers medical care to those living in Royton, Shaw and other parts of Crompton ward, as well as those further afield in Saddleworth and Rochdale.
However,
the meeting that was being held was in public, but not one where I could ask
any questions. I cannot explain how angry I was – although I suspect
those residents and officers present could tell.
Coming
away from that meeting, I felt that the residents who had been vocal in wanting
the surgery to remain open, had expressed their concerns very well – but it
fell on deaf ears.
Yes,
they understood that Dr Pal was retiring and have nothing but kind words,
affection and praise for him and his colleagues at that location, as have
I. I was a former patient when I lived in High Crompton. What they
wanted was to see someone else take his place in that building.
At
the meeting, the reasons for closing it were put forward, some of which were
that they could not perform minor surgery procedures, there was no privacy and
the fact that Parks Medical Practice is not fulfilling their contractual
obligations with the number of hours the surgery is open, which is two mornings
a week.
All
this comes from Parks Medical Practice who have been deemed INADEQUATE in a
recent inspection. When asked whether the building and running of the
Trent Road satellite surgery had impacted on that rating, the answer was a bit
like YES but NO.
My
problem is it all seems a little too convenient with Parks Medical Practice
making the decision to close the surgery, when Dr Pal has announced his
retirement.
This
cannot have been the first inspection where the building was deemed to be
inadequate for its patients. Why did they not spend funds on it,
especially with the ever-changing NHS, GP services and clinics being offered
more locally. These changes have been in the making for years, but they
have missed the boat.
Luckily,
residents have the opportunity to still use the surgery until the end of
January when it closes; just when the flu season is in full swing and elderly
patients will be struggling.
I
am writing to the Chief Executive of Oldham Council, Dr Carolyn Wilkins, who is
the Single Accountable Officer of Oldham Cares, who make the ultimate decision
about the closure, to express my anger and disappointment that such a decision
was made without the input of ward Councillors in this new so-called
partnership approach.
Below
are the words in the letter that I am sending:
Dear Dr Wilkins,
I am writing to you in your capacity as the Chief Executive of Oldham Council and the Single Accountable Officer of Oldham Cares, to express my disappointment that I was not allowed to address the meeting as a Crompton Councillor.
Since this meeting was an extraordinary meeting to discuss one
item and one item only, the closure of the Trent Road satellite surgery to
Parks Medical Practice, I felt that I should have been able to put forward the
Crompton Councillors concerns about the closure of an asset in our ward.
The depth of feeling from residents has been second to none and I would have
liked, as their elected representative, to be more involved and would have
queried some issues about the report whilst offering meaningful suggestions.
The whole process seems to be shambolic for engagement with
local members, so my colleagues and I would welcome the opportunity to meet
with decision makers at Parks Medical Practice to understand more of the
rationale behind the closure.
Yours sincerely, Cllr Diane Williamson, Liberal Democrat – Crompton Ward
My advice to anybody at this surgery is to to register with one of the two medical practices at Crompton Heath Centre, rather than just be transferred back to Royton. Councillor Howard Sykes.
Councillor
Howard Sykes MBE says there is one league table Oldham do not want to rise up the
ranks of which is the Indices of Deprivation.
A
recent report by the Government, the Indices of Deprivation 2019 (IoD 2019) provides
very detailed information on how well an area is doing. This assessment is based on income, employment,
education, health, crime, housing and living environment. In terms of a real change, Oldham Borough has
slid backwards and is not improving. Liberal
Democrat Councillor Sykes is demanding better from the Council in the work that
must be done on local deprivation.
Oldham
Borough has risen from the 27th most deprived local authority in
England to the 16th most deprived area. This is in only four years (2015 to 2019). Oldham Borough is in the top five of places
that have worsened over the four-year period.
Other four areas are Walsall, Blackburn with Darwen, Halton and Burnley. All five authorities have suffered a dramatic
increase of deprivation across all seven parts to the study.
Councillor
Sykes commented: “The Council which has
been dominated by Labour for the best part of a decade has not dealt effectively
with the crippling problems Oldham faces. This will not be the last report about how the
people of Oldham and it’s towns and districts continue to suffer.”
“I
demand better for our Borough. If we ran
the Council, things would be very different. We would not be complacent on this issue.”
More
than twenty thousand police officers have been taken off UK streets over the
last ten years. Now the Government announces that thousands of new Police
Officers will be recruited. Councillor
Howard Sykes MBE wants to make sure Oldham Borough gets a fair share of these replacement
crimefighters. The Liberal Democrat
Leader on Oldham Council contacted Greater Manchester Police to see how many
new officers Oldham Borough will get.
“There
have been many announcements both local and national about recruiting new
Police Officers. I want to make sure
what we are hearing from the Government matches up with local people’s needs
and expectations.”
“As
leader of the opposition on Oldham Borough Council, I want to ensure that we
have enough officers on our streets to deal with the many issues that Oldham
Borough faces. If the UK is getting
20,000 new Officers, we need our fair share.”