Time for Government to Fully Fund Council Tax Relief for Dementia Sufferers

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the Minister responsible for the care of dementia sufferers calling on the Government to “provide 100% reimbursement by central government” to Councils exempting those with dementia from Council Tax.

Under Council Tax regulations, Dementia is classed as a ‘severe mental impairment’ meaning that sufferers living alone are entitled to a 100 percent exemption from Council Tax, whilst a household with a dementia sufferer and a carer will still receive a 25% discount.

A recent report by the website, Money Saving Expert, found that up to 100,000 people with dementia or similar conditions could be wrongly paying Council Tax because they are unaware that they qualify for an exemption.  Money Saving Expert found that two thirds of Councils surveyed by mystery shoppers were unable to provide accurate information about the exemption and how to apply for it.

Councillor Sykes immediately wrote to the Borough Treasurer asking for assurance that Oldham Council was following best practice and is offering every assistance to dementia sufferers to access the exemption.  In her response, Mrs. Anne Ryans indicated that, although Oldham takes a pro-active approach, Councils are not reimbursed by central government for the revenue they lose in applying exemptions.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said:  “It is good that, as a Council committed to being dementia friendly, Oldham are ahead of the game on this, but it is perverse that Councils are dis-incentivised from promoting and applying the discount as they have to meet the cost themselves.”

“I have written to the Minister responsible asking her quite simply to match the rhetoric of former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron MP that he would make ‘England the best country in the world for dementia care and support’ with hard cash,” added Councillor Sykes.  “It is both tragic and immoral that dementia sufferers are in many instances still suffering the additional indignity of paying a charge for which they are not legally liable, whilst local Councils, whose finances are already under severe strain, are perversely dis-incentivised from offering them a helping hand.”

 The letter to the Minister below:

The Rt. Hon. Jackie Doyle-Price MP, Under Secretary of State (Care and Mental Health), c/o Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries Unit, Department of Health and Social Care, 39, Victoria Street, London SW1H 0EU

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you as government minister with responsibility for dementia issues.

Under Council Tax regulations, Dementia is classed as a ‘severe mental impairment’ meaning that sufferers living alone are entitled to a 100 percent exemption from Council Tax, whilst a household with a dementia sufferer and a carer will still receive a 25% discount.

Yet in December of last year, the website, Money Saving Expert, reported findings that up to 100,000 people with dementia or similar conditions could be wrongly paying Council Tax because they are unaware that they qualify for an exemption. Money Saving Expert found that two thirds of Councils surveyed by mystery shoppers were unable to provide accurate information about the exemption and how to apply for it.

On hearing the news, I immediately contacted the Borough Treasurer of Oldham Council to ask her to undertake a local review to ensure we follow exemplary practice. In her response, Mrs Ryans brought to my attention one particularly interesting point – that, although Oldham takes a pro-active approach, Councils are not incentivised to seek out eligible recipients of the Severe Mentally Impaired Disregard as central government does not reimburse them for their lost revenue.

In March 2012, then Prime Minister David Cameron MP launched a national challenge to fight dementia stating that: “I want England to be the best country in the world for dementia care and support.”

Minister, I am sure that you will agree with me that, almost six years on from that bold statement, it is both tragic and immoral that dementia sufferers are in many instances suffering the additional indignity of paying a charge for which they are not legally liable, whilst local Councils, whose finances are already under severe strain, are perversely disincentivised from offering them a helping hand.

Can I therefore please ask you to do the right thing for dementia sufferers and make representations to your Treasury colleagues to provide for the 100% reimbursement by central government to local Councils of all of the Severe Mentally Impaired Disregards they award, so we can then go ahead and identify those persons that are eligible?

I shall look forward to receiving your reply.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Time to Tackle Oldham’s Shocking Teacher Stress Levels, say Liberal Democrats

Oldham has the highest number of teachers on long-term leave for stress in Greater Manchester.  According to figures sourced by the Liberal Democrats under the Freedom of Information Act, during 2016 – 17 there were 61 teachers absent for more than one month for stress.

The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is especially worried because the trend is increasing with the figures up from 42 in 2015-16.

He has written to the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Education, Councillor Amanda Chadderton, and the Director of Education, Andrew Sutherland, asking them to identify the urgent measures necessary to address this issue.

Councillor Sykes said:  “At a time when Oldham still faces a great many challenges to put into place an education offer that ensures that our young people can do their best, we are faced with a new crisis in our classrooms – teachers who are so stressed that they can no longer face another day at the chalk-face.”

“Across the UK we are seeing older, more experienced teachers leaving the profession in despair and newly-qualified younger professionals finding themselves unable to cope with the long hours and the relentless pressure,” added Councillor Sykes.  “In Oldham we also appear to have a particular problem with stress; contrast our figure with that of neighbouring Rochdale where there were only 37 teachers on long-term absence for stress.”

“Without motivated teachers in place, our children will be failed once again by our education system and the improvements promised from the Oldham Education Commission and Opportunity Area initiative will most likely come to nothing,” he added.  “We need to take action and the time to do so is now.”

From: Howard Sykes
Sent: 26 January 2018 16:12
To: Cllr A Chadderton; Andrew Sutherland
Cc: (A) Kay Gibson (kay.gibson@oldham.gov.uk)
Subject: Oldham has the highest number of teachers on long-term leave for stress in Greater Manchester

To Cllr Amanda Chadderton, Cabinet Member for Education, and Andrew Sutherland, Director of Education

 Dear Councillor Chadderton and Mr Sutherland,

I am sure that you are aware of the recent figures published that show that Oldham has the highest number of teachers on long-term leave for stress in Greater Manchester.

According to figures sourced by the Liberal Democrats under the Freedom of Information Act, during 2016 – 17 there were 61 teachers absent from our Borough’s schools for more than one month for stress.

The trend is especially worrying because the figures are increasing – being up from 42 in 2015-16 – and far higher than neighbouring Rochdale – where there were 37 teachers effected.

As we all know, Oldham still faces a great many challenges to put into place an education offer which will ensure that our young people can do their best, but these figures reveal that we are faced with a new crisis in our classrooms – teachers who are so stressed that they can no longer face another day at the chalk-face.

Across the UK we are seeing older, more experienced teachers leaving the profession in despair and newly-qualified younger professionals finding themselves unable to cope with the long hours and the relentless pressure, but in Oldham we also appear to have a particular problem with stress.

My real fear is that, without motivated teachers in place, our children will be failed once again by our education system and the improvements promised from the Oldham Education Commission and Opportunity Area initiative will largely come to nothing.

It is therefore my contention that we need to take action to tackle this head-on and the time to do so is now.

I am therefore writing to you to ask what urgent action is being proposed by this Administration, and, if one is not already in plan, to suggest that an officer group should be charged with creating and managing an action plan specifically to tackle stress amongst our teachers.  The Oldham Liberal Democrats stand ready to support you in this.

I shall look forward to receiving your reply.

Best wishes

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Liberal Democrat Leader Disappointed Bulky Bobs Free Service Still a Secret

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Jean Stretton, to express his disappointment that the new Council website still fails to mention that Bulky Bobs provides a free collection service to many of the Borough’s most disadvantaged residents.

Councillor Sykes said: “Last year, I discovered in a report that went to the Council’s Cabinet a hidden provision in the contract between Bulky Bobs and Oldham Council in which the elderly, disabled and pregnant residents can still access one free bulky waste collection every year.

“That this provision existed was a surprise to me and a surprise also to the Leader of the Council when I asked her at the September 2017 meeting of the full Council to promote it.  Councillor Stretton kindly agreed to do so and I was disappointed to see that there is still no mention of the free service on the Council’s website despite it being recently revamped to improve its accessibility to residents.

“Many of our elderly, disabled and pregnant residents are struggling day to day on a low income and being faced with a charge to remove their bulky waste makes it harder for them to be able to act responsibility and dispose of their bulky items properly.  If no one eligible knows about this free service how can they take it up?  I have written again to the Leader asking her to ensure that officers take action to rectify this as a matter of urgency.”

Liberal Democrat Welcome Crackdown on ‘Van and Man’ Fly-tipping

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed a recent government announcement the new powers and guidance will be given to Councils to enable them to crack down further on fly-tipping.

As part of a consultation, the Government has announced plans to allow Councils to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 to householders who are found to have ‘failed to take all reasonable measures’ to ensure that anyone they employ to take away their household waste has a proper licence.  Local authorities will also be told not to charge householders who dispose of their DIY waste at municipal tips.

Councillor Sykes said:  “Fly-tipping is the bane of the lives of my constituents and an issue that features highly in the letters and emails of complaint I receive as a Councillor.  The same is true for my Liberal Democrat colleagues.  In the UK there are now over one million instances of fly-tipping every year.  It is a blight on people’s lives and a blight on our environment, and it costs local authorities big money to clear it up; money that could be better spent on elderly care and fixing roads.”

“Many instances of fly-tipping occur because inconsiderate householders try to dispose of their bulky items on the cheap by employing shadowy ‘van and man’ operators without the proper bona fides to do the job properly for them, said Councillor Sykes.  “These reckless and selfish individuals have no hesitation in disposing of the items alongside the public highway or in our Borough’s beauty spots, rather than paying the required fees to dispose of them at a public tip.”

“Householders need to be aware that if waste is illegally dumped by the cowboy operators they employ that there will be consequences.  Our enforcement officers rigorously investigate any instance of fly-tipping and if a connection is made to a householder they – as well as the operator – will also be prosecuted for their irresponsibility,” he added.  “The government’s proposal gives Councils more power to fine householders who fail to make any reasonable checks that the person they are employing to remove their waste has the necessary authorisation.”

“My advice to householders is to ask to see their licence before employing them.  You can also check the Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers register held by the Environment Agency online at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index , advised Councillor Sykes.  “If you are in any doubt, please do yourself and everyone else a favour and just don’t do it.”

408 bus service protected with minor routing changes

As people are aware this is a subsidised service that is important to many local residents.

This change will take effect from 28 January 2018.

The current contract for this service expires in January 2018 and has been reviewed to ensure the continued best use of TfGM funds and to ensure a service continues.

To ensure best value for money is achieved and to maintain an hourly service, the route of the Monday to Saturday day-time service will revert to that prior to September 2016, operating as a clockwise loop via Wren’s Nest, Buckstones and Shaw Metrolink Stop.

Although the bus will show Shaw, Wren’s Nest as the destination, the majority of passengers wishing to travel to Buckstones or Shaw Metrolink Stop will be able to remain on the bus at Wren’s Nest (there will be a 2 min layover), and continue on the return journey via Buckstones to reach their destination.

Passengers wishing to travel from Shaw Metrolink Stop or Buckstones towards Wren’s Nest will be able to use service 435 which continues to serve this section of route in both directions.

New rout map follow the link: Proposed service 408 route map

New timetable below:

The evening and Sunday journeys which continue from Oldham to Stalybridge will continue to follow the existing route.