Come and watch the Tour of Britain then pay a visit to High Crompton Park – Sunday 9 June.

Burglary response times.

Liberal Democrats announce plans for free school meals for 9,000 more primary school children in Oldham Borough.

The Liberal Democrats have announced their new plan to extend free school meals to all primary school children, beginning with all children from low-income households across both primary and secondary schools.

This would mean an extra 9,250 primary school children in Oldham receiving free school meals.

While welcoming the announcement, Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE said the Conservatives had “failed families in Oldham by underfunding free school meals.”

Councillor Sykes said, “School meals should be free for all children.  It is as simple as that.  This is about creating a level playing field at school so that every child has a fair opportunity to thrive.  No child should be going hungry in Britain in 2024.”

“We will start by targeting the children most in need.  In Oldham, that means an additional 9,250 children receiving a nutritional meal at lunchtime, for free.”

The Liberal Democrats will pay for their new proposals by introducing a new tax on share buybacks of FTSE 100 listed corporations, similar to a move made by US President, Joe Biden.

Share buybacks occur when companies use their profits to inflate their own share price, a practice that critics have warned can damage the economy.  The industries who use share buybacks the most are the oil and gas giants, banks, and large corporations who own food and consumer goods brands. 

Councillor Sykes said, “Free school meals help children succeed at school and beyond.”

“When you give children a healthy start in life, every pound you spend saves money

on healthcare and benefits in the long run.  This is the right move for families in Oldham who have been failed by the Conservatives in government during the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.”  

Source for Primary School Children Data: Department for Education Statistics, 2022-23
Source for Children in Poverty Data: Child Poverty Action Group, July 2023

More from Oldham Liberal Democrats on free school meals: Liberal Democrats call for free school meals for all primary school children – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Happy pride month.

Metrolink – Sunday 21 July.

Oldham – Rochdale line: 21 July: Due to essential track maintenance work no trams will operate between Freehold and Rochdale Town Centre on 21 July.

A Metrolink replacement bus service is planned to be in place.

Grains Road (part), Shaw closed for 2 days – 6am – 2pm from Thursday 6 June.

Grains Road is closed between Hannerton Road & Buckstones Road.

The restrictions are required to allow carriageway repairs in preparation for the Women’s Tour of Britain Race on Sunday 9^th June 2024.

The works will take place over 2 days between 6am and 2pm starting on Thursday 6^th June.

The alternative route for those affected by the restriction shall be Buckstones Road and Hillside Avenue.

“Perhaps the Women’s Tour of Britain can ride some other streets in Shaw and Crompton if it gets them repaired,” stated Liberal Democrat councillor Howard Sykes. 🙂

Supporting parents.

Volunteers are invited to help halt the progress of Himalayan balsam, an invasive plant on Crompton Moor.

The pink-flowered non-native species smothers riverside/stream habitats; harms native plants, and leaves banks bare and subject to erosion when it dies down.

It has to be pulled up or ‘bashed’ before seed pods explode and spread.

Himalayan balsam was introduced to the UK for ornamental gardens but spread into the wild.

If you can spare a couple of hours to help, we will be meeting in….

Brushes Clough Car Park

On the following dates:

MONDAY 3^RD OF JUNE 2024  11AM – 2PM

THURSDAY 6^TH OF JUNE 5:30PM – 7:30PM

SUNDAY 9^TH OF JUNE 10:30AM – 1PM

FRIDAY 14^TH OF JUNE – 10:30AM – 1PM

For further information please contact:

Marian Herod, Secretary, Friends of Crompton Moor

marian.herod@btinternet.com     Tel: 07792 156295  OR Margaret Bluer on 07725 335840

Plan for policing.

Get ready as Oldham hosts the Tour of Britain Women 2024 on Sunday 9 June 2024.

Residents are invited to line the streets and watch the top female riders compete through Failsworth, Oldham town centre, Saddleworth, and Shaw. You can see the full route here

Greater Manchester, named the first ever European Capital of Cycling for 2024, will welcome stage four of the race. Some of the biggest names in women’s cycling will compete over 99km and 1,615m of elevation. The winner of the first ever Tour of Britain Women will be determined at the end of this stage.

The final stage of the race will start at Greater Manchester: National Cycling Centre and finish in Leigh.

This event will be watched by millions across the country, highlighting Oldham’s beautiful landscape and hopefully inspiring more people to get active in our borough.

This event follows the success of the Tour of Britain 2023, which featured the men’s competition in our borough.