Oldham Liberal Democrats say food premises should be required to display hygiene certificates by law

Recent revelations from the Food Standards Agency show that eleven food premises in Oldham were given a 1 rating for hygiene, yet over half of food business in England do not even display their food hygiene ratings certificates on their premises or online.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, is giving the backing of his Group to the campaign by the Food Standards Agency and the Local Government Association for the Government to change the law so that all food businesses are obliged to display their ratings.

Council environmental health officers award a score of zero to five to food outlets, based on factors such as kitchen cleanliness, cooking methods and food safety management. The ratings are intended to inform customers when they are choosing to purchase a meal about the hygiene practices in that business, but only 49 percent of businesses in England display their rating.

Councillor Sykes, who is also the Leader of the Liberal Democrat councillors’ group on the Local Government Association, said: “We have all heard the horror stories about unhygienic food outlets with kitchens over run with vermin, filthy work surfaces and dirty cooking implements. Sometimes inspectors are forced to immediately close food premises because their practices are so bad and in Oldham we are active in prosecuting offenders. Customers need reassurances that any premises are safe for them to purchase food from.”

The Local Government Association is calling for the Government to change the law so that the display of hygiene ratings becomes mandatory on premises or on on-line apps, as it is in Wales and Northern Ireland, with offenders who fail to do so being prosecuted.

Councillor Sykes added: “Food hygiene inspections clearly help drive up standards and protect people from being served unsafe food. Isn’t it common sense then to have the ratings that result from these inspections on display? It is only right that customers can see these ratings as they enter a premises or order food online in order that they can make informed choices. I would ask customers to question why a food business does not have its rating on display – I would never purchase food from an outlet which fails to do so.”

NOTES

According to the 2018 Food Standards Agency report, ‘Display of food hygiene ratings in England, Northern Ireland and Wales’, the rating is visible outside 49 per cent of premises in England, compared to 84 per cent in Wales and 82 per cent in Northern Ireland.

Under the food hygiene rating scheme, a business is given one of the six hygiene ratings from 0-5 as follows: 5 (very good); 4 (good); 3 (generally satisfactory); 2 (improvement necessary); 1 (major improvement necessary); 0 (urgent improvement necessary).

Mandatory display of food hygiene ratings is supported by The Food Standards Agency, consumer organisation Which? and the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health.

Environmental health officers can serve enforcement notices, prosecute and close food establishments where conditions are found to be poor.

FOR HELP AND ADVICE – Shaw and Crompton Ward Surgeries (no appointment necessary) in October 2018

Shaw and Crompton Advice Surgeries (no appointment necessary) held on the following Thursdays at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre – 7:30pm to 8:30pm.

October 4, 11, 18 and 25

Oldham Liberal Democrats call for End to Bailiff Action against Poorest Council Tax Debtors

The Deputy Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, and Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Chris Gloster, has today written to the Council Deputy Leader, Councillor Abdul Jabbar, asking the Council to sign up to best practice standards in debt collection identified by the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and Money Advice Trust. These include ending the use of bailiffs and enforcement agents to collect debts from the poorest Council Tax payers.

Councillor Gloster explained: “on the 6th September 2018 the National Audit Office published a report highlighting the fact that the debt collection practices in local and central government fall in many instances well behind the standards applied in the commercial lending sector. I want to see Oldham Council become a standard bearer for good practice in this field, especially as many of our residents are amongst the poorest in the country, being forced to live on a very limited income day-by-day whilst facing multiple debt problems.”

He added: “We all want to ensure that the Council’s Council Tax revenue is collected, but aggressive Council Tax collection practices have a cost to local authorities and to the individuals concerned. The use of bailiffs and collection agents rapidly add costs to debts and debtors are then likely to experience a decline in their mental or physical health, which in turn means they are more likely to call upon local authority or public health services. They are also increasingly likely to resort to more risky behaviours to settle the debt, for example, by taking out costly payday or door step loans.”

Councillor Gloster is asking Oldham Council to sign up to Citizen Advice Bureaux’s and LGA’s Council Tax Protocol to reduce the use of bailiffs and improve collection practices, and also to the ‘six steps for local authorities’ outlined in the Stop the Knock campaign of the Money Advice Trust.

Councillor Gloster has also asked Councillor Jabbar to look specifically at the example of best practice set by Lambeth Council when dealing with the debts of its poorest residents.

“In 2015/16, Lambeth chose not to use bailiffs or enforcement agents where debtors were in receipt of Council Tax Support. In 2016, a report from the Child Poverty Action Group found that Lambeth’s collection rate for Council Tax Support claimants went up by 13%, taking Lambeth from being a borough with one of the lowest collection rates to one of the highest!”

Small cash grants for local groups and people

The grants have been made available through the Thriving Communities programme which focuses on building on the strengths, people and groups that already exist within our communities. It highlights how by using our community resources we can tackle problems earlier, rather than dealing with the symptoms later. It helps residents make better choices about their health and wellbeing by linking them to community groups and networks at a grass roots level.

Fast grants enable access to smaller amounts of funding for good ideas without the red tape.

Amounts available range from £50 – £500 and can be spent on:

Improving a local area
Running activities such as stay and play groups, and arts and craft groups
Developing local talent and skills
Encouraging the community to be fit and healthy

Fast Grants Flyer 2018 V7 NCM

These grants are designed to bring communities together and anyone with an idea which will have a benefit for Oldham residents can apply.

Applicants can apply for a Fast Grant by visiting www.oldhamcares.com/fast-grants or by emailing thriving.communities@oldhamcares.com

Countryside Volunteer Rangers Crompton Moor 29 September 18

Meet in the car park as normal and take a short walk to the top quarry perimeter fence for some much needed maintenance – I hope you can join me for a couple of hours.

The weather forecast for Sunday is a light cloud and a gentle breeze, likely high / low of 14º/7º and 6 mph winds so ensure you have your favourite hot & or cold liquids, the appropriate clothing, footwear and a packed lunch if you are up for the day.

Meantime, 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, so that I can make the appropriate plan of work, and to ensure the correct material and or tools are available on the day.

I look forward to seeing you in the Crompton Moor Car Park ~ 10.30 on Sunday. Thank you.

Kindest Regards – Edward John Fulton (aka Ed / Eddie). Countryside Volunteer Ranger, (Mob) 07961 107860 [Calls may be recorded], (Text) 07961 107860, (Fax) 01706 661813, (E) edward@edwardjohnfulton.uk , (E) edward.fulton@btinternet.uk

Oldham Council Roadworks Bulletin – w/c 1 October 2018

Oldham MBC Roadworks Bulletin 01 October

Liberal Democrats publish plans to cut taxes for businesses by 26% in Oldham

The Liberal Democrats have published a comprehensive blueprint for replacing the broken business rates system, cutting taxes for businesses by 26% in Oldham.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, has described the plans as “exactly the sort of policy we need to boost local investment and ensure businesses in Oldham thrive”.

The report – Taxing Land, Not Investment – calls for the abolition of business rates and its replacement with a tax on land values, the Commercial Landowner Levy (CLL).

The levy would remove buildings and machinery from calculations and tax only the land value of commercial sites, boosting investment and cutting taxes for businesses.

Liberal Democrat members, including councillor Sykes, voted to support the proposals at their party’s Autumn Conference in Brighton last week.

Councillor Sykes added: “Time and again I have heard concerns about the devastating impact of business rates is having on struggling high streets and the wider local economy.

“It is the responsibility of the current Conservative Government to ensure that our businesses are able to thrive, but ministers are not doing anywhere near enough.

“Liberal Democrats demand better. That is why we are campaigning to create the environment needed for local businesses to grow and create jobs in Oldham.”
Notes:

The full report can be found at https://www.libdems.org.uk/taxingland-notinvestment

Key recommendations from the report include:

Business rates should be abolished and replaced by a Commercial Landowner Levy based on the value of commercial land only
The levy should be paid by owners rather than tenants
Non-residential stamp duty should be scrapped to improve the efficiency of the commercial property market
Commercial land should be taxed regardless of whether the buildings above it are occupied; the tax should also apply to unused and derelict commercial land

The report also finds:

The manufacturing and technology sectors would be the most significant beneficiaries of the CLL, receiving tax cuts of over 20%. Retailers in struggling areas would also receive a boost.
The CLL would represent a tax cut initially, but is likely to be at least revenue-neutral in the long-term. Redistribution between local authorities would be adjusted to ensure no change in local funding.

By taxing landowners rather than businesses, half a million SMEs would be spared the bureaucratic burden of property taxation. With far fewer plots of land than individual businesses, the CLL would save councils both time and money.

Chamber Road Shaw from Church Road to Rochdale Road – carriageway resurfacing works for five days starting Monday 24 September

The restrictions are required to facilitate carriageway resurfacing works and will be in force for 5 days from Monday 24^th September 2018 or until the works are completed whichever is the lesser period.