Shaw and Crompton Christmas Lights Switch On Competition

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Friday 27th November 2015 Market Street, Shaw

An opportunity for one lucky winner (Primary School aged child from schools in Shaw and Crompton) to switch on Shaw and Crompton Christmas Lights with Bouncy Ben.

Find the form at Cissie Barlow’s Traditional Sweet Shop, Interiors, Robert Glass, Pamper your Princess, J D Williams, Playhouse 2, Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre and Crompton Library.

Or email: shawandcromptonlights@gmail.com or use the link below:

APPROVED Xmas Comp application slips

Include: Child’s Name, Address, Age, Primary School and Telephone number. Competition closes at 5pm on Friday 20th November 2015.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Labour and Conservative councillors join up to block Lib Dem proposal to allow a trial for dogs on trams

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The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who sits on the Committee of Transport for Greater Manchester, has condemned Labour and Conservative Councillors for blocking a proposal to allow dogs on trams.

“Constituents have told me that they would like to see dogs allowed on trams, and TfGM’s own polling shows most people are in favour.  Dogs are allowed on buses and on trains without any problems so why not on trams?  This would enable responsible dog owners to take the tram across Greater Manchester to walk with their pet, or just use the tram to link into main line train services when visiting relatives or going on holiday,” claimed Councillor Sykes

“The Lib Dem proposal was a modest first step – a trial to allow dogs on trams.  Why the Labour and the Conservative councillors would gang up together to block even a trial, against the wishes of the public, beggars belief,” he added.

The decision was taken at the TfGM Policy sub-committee last Friday.  The Chair did not permit any discussion and moved directly to a vote.  A final decision will be made on Friday 13th November at the full TfGM Committee.

“We are not giving up,” Cllr Sykes said. “The Liberal Democrats will make the case next Friday – I will try to speak on this if I am allowed to.”

 The TfGM report proposing a limited trial of dogs on trams can be found here: http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/tfgmc/downloads/download/1104/capital_projects_and_policy_sub_committee_-_friday_6_november_2015_-_meeting_paper

Oldham Council 4 November 2015 – leaders questions from Councillor Howard Sykes

questions-to-ask-your-LASIK-doctorQ1 – Talk Talk Cyber Attack

The Leader will be aware of the cyber-attack conducted on 21st October against one of Britain’s biggest internet service providers, Talk Talk.

As a consequence of this attack, a significant amount of individual customer data was stolen, including bank account numbers, sort codes, credit and debit card details, dates of birth and the names, email addresses and phone numbers of customers.

To their credit, according to a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police Cyber Crime Unit: “TalkTalk have done everything right in bringing this matter to our attention as soon as possible,” and they are co-operating fully with an ongoing criminal investigation, which has now led to an arrest.

Nonetheless this news will still be very worrying for our residents who pay their bills with the Council electronically on-line or who choose to pay via a debit or credit card.

What information can the Leader provide us about the impact, if any, of the Talk Talk attack on the Council’s operations and its customers – the residents of this borough – and what reassurance can he provide them that the Council has the most rigorous safeguards in place to keep the personal and payment details of our residents safe from prying eyes?

Q2 – Conservative threat to Generation Oldham

My second question concerns a clear and present danger to a plan that has enjoyed cross-party support in this Chamber – namely the proposal to generate our own green energy through the Generation Oldham project.

The Leader may be aware that the new Tory Government has recently proposed changes that will make it difficult if not impossible to continue to develop community owned renewable energy schemes.

When the Liberal Democrats controlled the Department of Energy and Climate Change whilst in coalition, a favourable regime was put in place to provide a generous subsidy by the payment of a Feed in Tariff (or FIT) to community energy projects.

As a result over 5,500 community energy projects were established over the lifetime of the Coalition Government – making a major contribution to our country’s energy needs without creating a carbon footprint.

The new Government intends to unravel this regime by cutting the FIT by up to 90% in January 2016. Under their proposals FIT payments to roof mounted solar schemes will be reduced from 12.47p for every kilowatt hour of electricity they produce to 1.63p.

I have recently responded – as I am sure many others have – to the Government consultation on this matter opposing the changes but I have no doubt they will still go ahead.

Given that this Council’s Generation Oldham proposals are based on the generation by roof mounted solar panels of 1 megawatt of electricity, can the Leader please tell me whether these proposals would make this scheme unviable and whether any solar panels can be installed before January to enable us to claim the existing subsidy and salvage what we can from this Conservative inspired train wreck?