Sykes calls for report on Assessing the Impact of Brexit on Oldham Council and our Economy

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Cllr Jean Stretton, Leader of Oldham Council

Dear Cllr Stretton,

Re: Assessing the Impact of Brexit on Oldham Council and our Economy

I am sure that like me you were shocked and saddened by the Leave Vote in last Thursday’s referendum and fearful of the likely impact on our Council and our local economy.

In Oldham, we witnessed 61% of our local electorate choosing to vote Leave, a far higher percentage than nationally; as democrats, we have of course to accept the will of the people but, as practical politicians, we also now have to prepare for the consequences.

Given that Oldham Council has benefitted in the past from monies made available to it from the European Union to support both capital projects and revenue streams, I would be keen to find out from you what will be the impact of the withdrawal of this funding in money and in practical terms upon the delivery of both our regeneration programmes and our services.

Of course this analysis will not fully account for the impact as Oldham benefits indirectly from EU investment elsewhere in Greater Manchester; for example, in my own area of interest, as a committee member representing Oldham on Transport for Greater Manchester, I am very conscious that a £10.8 million grant secured from the European Regional Development Fund has helped improve Metrolink services in the conurbation.

It has been estimated that up to 3,000,000 jobs in the United Kingdom depend upon British businesses being able to have unfettered access to the Single European Market.

Business leaders and economists have expressed concern at the prospect that this market may now be subject to the imposition of red tape and tariffs, even assuming that there is a satisfactory conclusion to the protracted bi-lateral trade negotiations, that may take up to two years, between London and Brussels. This could lead to businesses in the UK ceasing to trade or relocating to countries which remain within the EU.

Furthermore, withdrawal from the European Union may mean the imposition of quotas or restrictions on the number of Europeans permitted to enter the UK to secure employment.

Oldham’s economy will not be immune from the impact of the new situation in which we find ourselves. For example J D Williams and Shop Direct, both large employers in my own ward, are reliant upon being able to recruit workers from European nations to fulfil their labour requirements; this brings in revenue to our borough as these workers settle here and contribute to our local economy. I am concerned that these employers may soon struggle to fill vacancies unless these can be attractively marketed to local residents.

I would like therefore to ask you for an assessment of the likely impact on Oldham’s economy, both immediate and long-term, of the Leave vote.

Given the importance of this matter and the immediacy of full Council on 13th July, I would like to request that a report be prepared by officers for circulation to elected members within the Green Book and that time be made available within the agenda to debate it.

Yours Sincerely – Howard Sykes

Missing Post Boxes

royalmail24 June 2016

Mr Steve Buckley, Chairman & Chief Executive Office, Royal Mail Plc, 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ

Dear Mr Buckley,

Re: Disappearance of Royal Mail Post Box on Glebe Street/ Salts Street, Longley Street, Hillside Avenue, Milnrow Road, Long Rushes (High Crompton), Shaw, Oldham.

Further to your recent letter which I received today; 23 June I would like to thank you for the update for the Post Boxes on Glebe Street/ Salts Street and Longley Street.  However, whilst I have received correspondence, I have not actually received any kind of update or time line for the Post Box on Milnrow Road.

This Post Box has now been missing for almost seven months.  I have received numerous complaints from concerned constituents; the majority of which are elderly, who have to travel to simply post a letter.

Whilst I understand from your letter that a large number of Post Boxes have gone missing in the Oldham area, seven months is a long time with still no scheduled date for re-installation.

I would welcome a dialog and some information about this matter as soon as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely – Howard Sykes

Family Weekend – Saturday & Sunday 25th and 26th June 2016

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Shaw & Crompton Parish Council have provided a plethora of entertainment for all the family.

Saturday on Market Street there are a Boot Camp assault course, Surf Machine, Space Ball, Punch & Judy a Charity Market and Street entertainers, Fire Eaters, The Mainiax, Team BeeGee, and Circus Training amongst others.

On the Kershaw Street East Car Park there is a Fairground with many attractions for all.

Sunday on Market Street there is a vintage vehicle display and a rally around Shaw and Crompton plus street entertainers and the fun fair on the car park.

Click on link for the programme: Programme and timings

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OLDHAM DOES NOT NEED MORE CUTS AND JOB LOSSES – SYKES

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More cuts in key local services are likely to be a consequence if voters call for Britain to leave the European Union in the referendum next Thursday, a senior Oldham Councillor has warned.

Howard Sykes, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, says that hospitals and schools will be affected as well as services directly provided by the Council.

“This is not scaremongering, it’s just spelling out the reality,” stated Councillor Sykes.  “Our community does not need more cuts in services but that will be what happens if the ‘Leave’ side wins.”

“The government has still not balanced the books and is borrowing the best part of £200 million more every single day.  All the leading economic forecasters say that leaving the EU would be bad for Britain’s economy for years to come, so the consequences are inevitable.  Cuts in spending will follow quickly followed by job losses in both the private and public sectors.”

Sykes claims that even supporters of Brexit admit that any economic benefits could only come after years have passed, and he says that they are offering no guarantees at all that there will be a long term improvement.

“The fact is that Britain created the EU single market and has done very well out of it.  To leave something we devised for our own benefit would be like shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Fears about immigration are said to be a major reason why people might vote to leave the EU, but Sykes argues that Oldham Borough’s major concern is not EU citizens working locally but the need to provide for asylum seekers and that other areas have a fair share.

He says: “Pulling out of the EU won’t help us in any way to deal with the problem and it could make the situation worse.

“A Britain isolated and alone can’t deal with the problems of people fleeing Syria or Libya.  There are no easy solutions but the only way forward lies through partnership with our European colleagues.

“It would be madness to decide that we didn’t want to be in the rooms where decisions will be taken that are bound to affect our future and that of our children and grandchildren.  Britain will be smaller and weaker if it opts for isolation.  We will be bigger, stronger and have more influence if we remain IN.”