A free family friendly event featuring circus skills, den building and challenge games. Children under 8 must be accompanied. Brought to you by Friends of Dunwood Park , in partnership with Oldham Play Action Group and Oldham Council.
Liberal Democrat Common Sense Prevails in Oldham EU Brexit Debate
At last night’ Oldham Council meeting, in the debate on the report about the local impact of the EU referendum, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition, urged Council to take action rather than simply noting the report presented to members.
Councillor Sykes had previously written to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Jean Stretton, requesting that a special report on the impact of Brexit be prepared by officers and brought to Council for debate.
Councillor Sykes said: “Although disappointed by the result, I am a democrat and accept that the UK and Oldham voted to leave. However we should not bury our heads in the sand; as elected members, it is incumbent and expected of us to inform ourselves what the ramifications of Brexit are in terms of the impact on our local economy, Council and people, and that we take action to mitigate them or maximise the opportunities.”
Rather than resorting to rhetoric and the report was just to note, Councillor Sykes proposed two common sense suggestions to take forward.
The first was that the Administration writes to the new Prime Minister Theresa May seeking a guarantee that the Government will make up any shortfall in European funding once Brexit takes effect.
Councillor Sykes stressed that many other Councils, Cornwall, Farmers and the Local Government Association were already ahead in the queue making this demand and Oldham should join them as soon as possible. Graciously, the Leader of the Council Councillor Jean Stretton assented and agreed to Councillor Sykes’s suggestion that both she and he should write this letter.
The second was that the Council Leader assign specific responsibility for EU exit issues to a cabinet member with the expectation that this cabinet member consult from time to time with Group Leaders and with other elected members, and that reports be brought back to Council periodically. The Council Leader agreed on the spot to assign this responsibility to the Cabinet Member for Finance, her Deputy Leader Councillor Abdul Jabbar.
All Oldham Councillors approved both suggestions.
Theft of Royal Mail Post Boxes – Councillor Howard Sykes
WARD QUESTION I SUBMITTED TO LAST NIGHT’S MEETING OF OLDHAM COUNCIL AND WOULD HAVE ASKED BUT it WAS RULED OUT OF TIME.
In Shaw and Crompton a large number of Royal Mail post boxes have been removed or stolen, greatly inconveniencing many of my constituents and those of Crompton colleagues, particularly constituents who are elderly or infirm.
I am sure Councillors in other wards in our borough have also experienced this.
I am also concerned about the amount of time that it takes Royal Mail to provide a replacement post box. The delay is certainly several months and in one case in my ward we are still waiting some 8 months after Royal Mail removed it.
Does the appropriate cabinet member share my concerns about post boxes being removed or stolen in our borough and the time taken to replace them, and will the Cabinet Member make representations on this matter to Royal Mail?
Removal of market stalls from former site
Presently sat in the Council meeting and two of my colleagues have asked questions in relation to Shaw Town Centre – in particular the cages behind Tesco Express and what is happening with the old market ground.
Interestingly enough work to remove the old market stalls will start on 25 July and will take approximately two weeks. Then on 8 August, weather permitting, work on the new car park will start. However this will mean that the car park will be closed for two weeks.
I am seeking clarification whether that is the full site – ie all the way down to Rochdale Road or just the old market ground.
My two allowed Questions to the Leader of Oldham Council for tonight’s (13/07/16) Full Council meeting
Council 13th July – Leaders Question 1 – The Oldham Education Commission
Mr Mayor, the end of the current school year is very nearly upon us.
My first question to the Leader tonight concerns the Oldham Education Commission and the pathetically slow progress made so far in implementing its recommendations.
In fact the story of the Commission seems to have unveiled at the pace of a lethargic tortoise from inception.
The Commission was established over two years ago by our former Leader at a launch in June 2014.
An interim report promised in January 2015 failed to materialise.
A second interim report promised in September 2015 failed to materialise.
Then, when we on this side of the Chamber called for immediate publication, the December 2015 by-election was cited as reason to hold it up still further.
Finally in early 2016, the report saw the light of day. Given the delay, anyone would have thought we were trying to compete with the Chilcott Enquiry.
Now, Mr Mayor, you would have thought that, armed with its nineteen recommendations, our political and educational establishment would have been chomping on the bit to get going and make our schools great?
Like the mobile phone ad which urges us to be more dog, you would have thought that everyone involved would be saying we want to see the back of that lethargic tortoise and bring on the energetic hare. But no, the tortoise seemingly prevails.
Mr Mayor, two years have passed.
Two years in which the children of our Borough have been failed.
Two years during which the Head of Ofsted reported that only a third of our children are able to study at ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools, less than half the national average.
Two years in which too many of our primary pupils have been taught in classes over 30.
Two years in which one in five children have not got a place at their first choice of secondary school.
And two years in which our level of educational achievement has languished below the national average.
Even last month I was disappointed when a report about Oldham’s Education Provision Strategy 2016 – 2020 was withdrawn from the agenda of an Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting.
A report that constituted over half the business; and the meatier half at that running to more than 100 pages, but as I said withdrawn!
Mr Mayor, like the Chair of the Commission, Baroness Estelle Morris, I share the view that “a good education is crucial to the future success of Oldham.”
My first question to the Leader tonight is therefore when is she going to set that hare running – when are things going to happen to make education in Oldham better and then hopefully great for all our children?
After all they deserve nothing less!
Council 13th July – Leaders Question 2 – College Merger may Jeopardise Student Prospects
Mr Mayor, my second question tonight is also concerns education.
And if I were still permitted three questions I would have made them all on ‘education, education, education’ – for it should be an issue at the forefront of the minds of all of us in the Chamber.
My question concerns the future prospects for the older students in our Borough, students looking to study at Oldham College on a vocational course.
We are aware of the discussions that are ongoing between Oldham, Tameside and Stockport Colleges to create a new single entity covering East Manchester.
Oldham College seeks to provide a range of technical and professional courses in our Borough to local students.
And we are aspiring as a Borough to create a highly skilled workforce for the future.
So surely having a local educational offer of vocational courses for our Borough’s students must surely feature within our strategy?
Is this merger more about the survival of these three currently independent colleges in the on-going so called Area Review?
Whose interest is it really in?
My fear is that the merger will lead to the courses that we need being taken away from our students who need them – and that many will find it difficult to access provision in Tameside and Stockport.
A merger must surely then reduce our students’ choices and erect un-necessary barriers to students continuing their education and training?
And why Tameside and Stockport? Metrolink links us directly to Rochdale.
So my second question to the Leader tonight is what reassurance can she give me that the Council is working at the highest level to ensure that the vocational offer available to students living, and wishing to study, in our Borough will be maintained in a local centre based in our Borough, come what may?
Or will local provision go the way of the courts and tax office – I sincerely hope not!
Roadworks Bulletin W/C Monday, 18 July 16
For details click on the link: Bulletin_18 July
Bus changes by First Manchester effective from 24 July 16
First Manchester have advised TfGM of a number of changes to their network which affect the Oldham area. All will be effective from Sunday 24 July brief details below:
| Service | Route | Notes |
| 24 | Rochdale/Thornham – Royton – Chadderton – Manchester | Daytime journeys operating between Thornham and Manchester withdrawn. Monday to Friday Peak journeys (4AM/5 PM) operating through to Rochdale maintained.
Rossendale have looked at diverting service 408 but there isn’t enough time in the current or revised schedule and they have expressed concern about running on Springfield Lane having witnessed two buses getting stuck. Patronage is low. |
| 59 | Rushcroft – Shaw – Oldham – Manchester | · Monday to Saturday daytime service between Oldham and Rushcroft reduced from 4 buses an hour to 2 buses an hour.
· Daily evening service revised – every 30 minutes between Manchester and Oldham, extending hourly to Rushcroft. During the daytime services 58 and 59 will combine to provide a 10 minute service between Middleton and Oldham and every 15 minutes between Oldham and Shaw, Wren Nest. |
| 83 | Sholver – Oldham – Manchester | Monday to Saturday evening service reduced to operate every 30 minutes between Sholver and Manchester. Short Oldham to Manchester journeys (every half hour) withdrawn.
Services 83/180/184 will combine to provide a bus every 15 minutes between Oldham and Manchester. |
| 149 | Oldham – Cheetham Hill – Manchester | Daytime service curtailed to operate between Oldham and Cheetham Hill (via North Manchester General Hospital).
This service is tendered between Oldham and Cheetham Hill – First extend to Manchester commercially. This action should improve service punctuality as delays in the city centre cause issues along the route. |
| 181 | Shaw – Chadderton – Manchester | Route revised to serve St Mary’s Road and Nuthurst Road (New Moston) instead of Broadway.
This leaves one pair of stops (near Park Avenue) that is not within 400m of existing stops on Nuthurst Road or Oldham Road. |
| 182 | Shaw – Chadderton – Manchester | Daily daytime journeys curtailed to operate between Shaw and Manchester. Some peak journeys extend to Milnrow and evening journeys continue to serve Rochdale.
Service 58 will maintain a 30 minute daytime service between Shaw, Milnrow and Rochdale. |
| 184 | Huddersfield/Uppermill/Grotton – Oldham – Manchester | Monday to Saturday journeys that terminate in Diggle revised to terminate at Grotton. Dobcross and the Diggle terminus (Sam Road) will lose their link with Oldham.
Services 353/354 will maintain an hourly daytime link with Uppermill where connections can be made to service 184. |
| 409 | Rochdale – Oldham – Ashton | Monday to Saturday evening service reduced from every 20 to every 30 minutes. |
| 415 | Oldham – Middleton | Sunday daytime service withdrawn.
We’ve tendered for replacement and will recommend award of the new contract, replacing all journeys. |
Officer response from TfGM after I raised concerns about some of these changes.
First of all please let me apologise for the delay in responding.
In terms of the changes, most of the 182 journeys will turn short at Shaw Wrens Nest as opposed to continuing to Rochdale. First will continue to provide a service between Shaw and Rochdale on service 58 every 30 minutes and service 181/182 will continue to run through to Rochdale at times when service 58 doesn’t. In addition, peak journeys on 182 will continue to Milnrow.
I appreciate that service 59 will operate to a reduced frequency in the evenings that I agree will have an impact on the local community.
All of the changes that have been registered for implementation are fully commercial changes which First have determined will maintain a commercially viable service; First will continue to provide services to all of the affected routes albeit to reduced frequencies.
It is fair to say that the medium term effects of the introduction of the tram between Oldham and Rochdale will now be fully felt and will no doubt have had a bearing on their decision.
We would not be in a position to tender for services to enhance this service as it would in effect be competing with, and undermining, a commercially provided service which would ultimately lead to a further reduction in frequency.
Notwithstanding this, we are fully committed on our budget; any commercial services that are withdrawn that TfGM needs to reinstate must be funded from the withdrawal of other services. It would therefore be extremely difficult to justify the withdrawal of an entire service to one community to enhance the service to another.
I would add that as part of the changes First have been able to co-ordinate all of the services through Shaw and as a consequence the combined 58/59 will offer an approximate 15 minute combined service to Oldham.
I hope that this provides some additional information.
Michael Moore, Service Planning Officer, Transport for Greater Manchester, 2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG.
Giant Rats a Real-life Horror Story
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is calling for action to combat giant rats in Oldham Borough.
Councillor Sykes is proposing a motion on this issue to Wednesday’s full Council (13/07/16) and he explained why:
“The image of giant rats in our Borough may sound like a vision of horror from a James Herbert novel but the industry’s professional body, the British Pest Control Association, has recently issued a report identifying rats of increased size and with an increasing resistance to conventional poisons as a real problem in urban Britain.”
Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “In our motion we recognise that sometimes residents can inadvertently make the situation worse by resorting to ineffective off-the-shelf poisons.”
“This means that the rat problem is often not eliminated and repeatedly exposure to these poisons enables rats to become more resistant to them.”
Councillor Sykes is proposing that Oldham Council promotes the services of its professional pest controllers to residents, and the Chief Executive is asked to write to local MPs asking them to call for Government action in Parliament.
He explained: “Only a pest-control specialist has access to the most toxic poisons with the proven ability to eliminate even the most-troublesome and largest rodents.”
“Whilst calling the rat-catcher costs money it does provide a guarantee that the treatment will be effective and can be carried out without harm to family members and pets.”
Concluding Councillor Sykes said: “We have to recognise that Oldham Council and its residents can only do so much. This is a national problem and our national Government needs to take action.”
The motion to Council reads:
Council 13th July 2016 – Notice of Opposition Business –
Combatting Super Rats
This Council notes that:
The British Pest Control Association (the BPCA) has said that rats are becoming immune to traditional pellets used by homeowners and that the poisons which can be purchased in supermarkets may actually be turning the rodents into ‘super rats’.
The Chief Executive of BPCA has said, “The rodents have become resistant and, in some cases, immune to off- the-shelf poisons to the point where they’re actually feeding off the toxic pellets, which means their size and strength is increasing.”
Genetic testing by Huddersfield University has revealed that the rodents have developed a mutation that allows them to survive conventional poisons. In counties such as Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Wiltshire, a Suffolk, and Kent, all the rats tested were found to have immunity to poison.
Rodents are difficult to kill with poisons because their feeding habits reflect their place as scavengers. Rats will eat a small amount of food and wait, and if they don’t get sick, they then continue to eat.
Council further notes that.
Stronger rodenticides can be more effective, but most are subject to strict legislation and must only be used by professional pest controllers.
The BPCA is now predicting that rats are likely to seek to enter homes for warmth and food during the winter months
Rats can squeeze themselves through gaps as small as three-quarters of an inch and are often found living under floorboards, in the walls or in the loft.
In 2015, rats measuring 50-60 cm (2ft) have been captured in places as far apart as Cornwall, Kent and Liverpool.
Rats can carry illnesses which can be passed to humans, including Weil’s disease, which has flu-like symptoms initially but can lead to jaundice and kidney failure.
Rats chew on wood and electrical wires causing significant property damage and posing a fire hazard.
Council believes:
That rats are a danger to the health and wellbeing of residents
That the problem of an increasing rat population, which is immune to many standard poisons, must be addressed
Inexpert use of poison can make the problem worse
Council resolves to:
Ask the relevant Cabinet Member(s) to request officers publicise the risk posed by poison resistant rats and offer advice as to how residents can ‘rat proof’ their homes, by for example fitting strips to the bottoms of doors, filling small gaps in exterior walls, repairing roof damage and covering drains to prevent entry via pipes.
Ask the Chief Executive to write to our three local Members of Parliament asking them to lobby the Government for national action on the problem of super rats.
Shaw and Crompton planning decisions 4 July 16
Click on the link for details: Shaw and Crompton planning decisions 4 July 16
Pingot Stream Widening / Bridleway Repair Project in Pingot Quarry
The widening of the stream in Pingot Quarry will start week commencing the 11th of July 2016.
During this time please be aware of work in progress, and keep dogs under close control when in the quarry area.
Volunteers needed to restore and plant the banks of the stream, once the widening is complete. Please see contact details below for anyone interested in helping.
For further information, please contact: Marian Herod, Secretary – Friends of Crompton Moor. Mobile: 07792 156295 www.cromptonmoor.co.uk