Labour in chaos while Liberal Democrats are the only party to field a full slate of candidates in crucial Oldham local elections on 2 May

The Liberal Democrats are the only political party in Oldham to field a full slate of candidates in this year’s local elections.  The Labour Party has suffered the loss of two of its councillors even before a single vote has been cast. 

Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has said that the local elections will be a “real opportunity for change after 13 years of failure under Labour.  If they cannot run their party; they do not deserve to run Oldham Borough.”

Now that the deadline has passed for the nomination of candidates, Sykes’s Liberal Democrats have emerged as the only party which has submitted a full slate 20 candidates.  Oldham Labour have been mired by scandal after two Werneth Ward councillors resigned from the party (Shoab Akthar and Nyla Ibrahim), leaving Labour without a candidate in that ward.

Councillor Sykes said, “The Liberal Democrats are the real alternative to Labour in Oldham.  People want a Council that will finally start listening and delivering change in every corner of Oldham Borough, as well as finally getting the basics right on our roads, parks and environmental crimes.”

The elections will be held on Thursday May 2^nd.  Voters are reminded that they will need to bring valid photo ID to the polling station in order to vote. 

Labour Party left without a candidate in Werneth Ward after resignation fiasco

Local elections – the issues and the big picture.

Click on the link to find out more:

Vote Liberal Democrat on 2 May (youtube.com)

Oldham Council failed to renew dog fouling enforcement order leading to years of missed fines and being able to crack down on this anti-social behaviour

Oldham Council has been blasted for failing to renew several enforcement orders for environmental crime.  Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Opposition councillors have revealed that the Council has failed to issue a single Fixed Penalty Notice for dog fouling since 2021. 

Details uncovered by Liberal Democrat representative for Saddleworth West and Lees councillor Mark Kenyon confirm that no fines were issued for dog fouling in the years 2022 to 2024.  When pushed by Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Oldham Council was forced to confirm that it failed to renew its enforcement orders for dog fouling, leading to years of missed fines despite hundreds of reported offences they were not able to crack down on.

Councillor Sykes said, “This is an unforgivable and basic error for the Council to be making.  By failing to get the basics right like this, the Council has missed hundreds of opportunities to prosecute an environmental crime and tackle this anti-social behaviour.”

This follows on from the news that Oldham Council allowed public space protection orders (PSPO) covering green spaces and moor lands to lapse in late 2023, meaning that the Council has been unable to prosecute environmental crime in those areas for more than six months. 

Councillor Sykes said, “People will be appalled to learn that the Council has failed to protect our moors and green spaces.  Over the years we’ve had fires on the moors started by disposable BBQs and alike.  This is exactly the sort of crime we would currently be unable to prosecute because the Labour administration has left our green spaces without proper legal protection.  We now find we our powerless about dog-fouling, makes you wonder what else has not been done doesn’t it.”  

Liberal Democrats announce full list of candidates for Oldham local elections

Oldham Liberal Democrats have announced their full list of candidates covering the 20 wards of Oldham ahead of the local elections on May 2^nd.

The Liberal Democrats are currently the second largest group on Oldham Council and will be looking to build on the 10 seats they currently hold.  This year’s local elections are set to be a tense affair as the ruling Labour Group sets out to defend its slim majority of just two seats and avoid a fourth consecutive year of losses. 

Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “These elections are a real opportunity for change in Oldham.  People want a council that gets the basics right on our roads, for our parks and on children’s services.  That’s what the Liberal Democrats offer.”

The Liberal Democrat Leader said that in power his party would remove Oldham from the controversial ‘Places for Everyone’ development scheme, which contains plans to build housing on green belt sites like Beal Valley.  The party has also pledged to do everything possible to restore Oldham Coliseum to its Fairbottom Street home by redirecting town centre regeneration funding so that the historic venue can be restored.

Councillor Sykes said, “Under Labour, the council has become obsessed with flashy projects in Oldham town centre.  Districts like Shaw and Crompton, Lees and the Saddleworth villages have been left out in the cold.  We would invest in our districts.”

“Oldham Labour have run out of ideas and its time to replace them and start delivering the improvements that the people of Oldham expect and deserve.”

The elections will be held on Thursday May 2^nd.  Voters are reminded that they will need to bring valid photo ID to the polling station in order to vote. 

FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES BELOW:

CROMPTON – Diane Williamson

SADDLEWORTH NORTH – Garth Harkness

SADDLEWORTH SOUTH – Amy Wrigley

SADDLEWORTH WEST AND LEES – Mark Kenyon

SHAW – Hazel Gloster

ALEXANDRA – Martin Dinoff

CHADDERTON CENTRAL – Abdul Malik       

CHADDERTON NORTH – Dominic Cadman

CHADDERTON SOUTH – Mick Scholes

COLDHURST – Rachel Pendlebury

FAILSWORTH EAST – Barbara Beeley

FAILSWORTH WEST – Lynne Thompson

HOLLINWOOD – Roger Blackmore

MEDLOCK VALE – Shona Farnworth

ROYTON NORTH – Jeff Garner

ROYTON SOUTH – Tom Penketh

ST JAMES – Roger Hindle

ST MARY’S – Mohammed Hussain

WATERHEAD – Joe Beeston

WERNETH – Hamza Uddin       

Oldham Council DBS fiasco continues as Liberal Democrat Leader demands answers

The Leader of Oldham Council’s Liberal Democrat Opposition councillor Howard Sykes MBE has once again blasted Oldham Council bosses after Council officers confirmed that less than half of the Borough’s councillors have up to date DBS checks. 

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service.  A DBS check is a way for employers check your criminal record, to help decide whether you are a suitable person to work for them. This includes deciding whether it is suitable for you to work with children or vulnerable adults.  Something you would think Oldham Council would be very keen on!

Responding to questions from councillor Sykes, the Council originally stated that the number of councillors with current DBS checks was 13 out of 60.  The Council later revised that number to 26. 

Councillor Sykes said, “It has taken weeks to get answers to very basic questioning on this issue and even then, no one has followed it up with me as promised and I last reminded them on 23 February 24.  The Council clearly does not have a handle on this at all.  This is basic due diligence and to have less than half of the councillors without a current DBS check is just unacceptable.”

“I have written to the Chief Executive and the Council Leader about this, and I have had to chase officers for weeks on end to get answers.  It is not good enough.  I want to know what the Council is doing to bring the outstanding councillors up to date and when they aim to have that work completed.”

NOTES:

More from Councillor Sykes on Councillor DBS checks

Council bosses slammed as only 13 of 60 Oldham Councillors found to have a valid DBS check – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Letter from Councillor Sykes to Oldham’s Chief Executive – 1^st Feb 24

RE: DBS checks for elected members

Dear Mr Catherall and councillor Shah, 
I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding the number of elected members without an up-to-date DBS check. 
As you will be aware, just 13 of Oldham’s 60 councillors have current DBS checks.  
This is completely unacceptable and must be addressed immediately. 
Therefore, what actions will you take to ensure due diligence is carried out and by what date can we expect completed DBS checks on all elected members?
I look forward to your response.  
Yours – Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Reply from Oldham Council 02/02/24 – despite a

I will provide a further update next week about the issues you have raised and how we will respond to them.It is not a legal requirement that councillors have a DBS check. However, Oldham Council expects serving elected members to have a check and provides them with information about how to apply for these as part of its councillor induction programme.

Unfortunately, the information that the council provided to Councillor Sykes earlier this week was inaccurate.  

According to the council’s records 26 councillors have had a check since May 2023. Another three councillors have an existing check on the council’s system but dated before May 2023.

Reminder 23/02/24 – still no response

Three weeks now, not the one promised and not aware of any further response?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Best wishes – Councillor Howard Sykes MBE 

Police – street safe

GMP have shared the following link: https://www.police.uk/pu/notices/streetsafe/street-safe/

This is a link to Street Safe – a service that allows people to report safety concerns in public places anonymously.

This includes issues like poorly lit streets, abandoned buildings, broken equipment, or vandalism as well as instances where you feel unsafe due to someone following you or verbally abusing you.

Buckstones Road closure – impact on bus services

The closure will be operative from 02/04/2024 until 16^th April 2024. The closure is for Cadent to carry out gas connection works.

Service	Operator	From	To	Diversion details
402	Stagecoach Oldham	Oldham	Buckstones	Normal route to Hillside Avenue turning circle. Omit Buckstones Road.
402	Stagecoach Oldham	Buckstones	Oldham	From Hillside Avenue turning circle right Hillside Avenue, right Scarr Lane, continue Linney Lane, left Milnrow Road to resume normal route.
435	First Rochdale	Rochdale	Rochdale	Normal route to Milnrow Road, do not turn left Buckstones Rd, continue Milnrow Road, left Linney Lane continue Scarr Lane, left Hillside Ave into turning circle to resume normal route.

Development at Moss Hey Street, Shaw.

The construction is moving well and they are anticipating to have the first residents move in during late Summer/Autumn. They have progressed with 50 plots in total so far and are moving at a good pace on the programme.

There is a number of planning, building warranty etc conditions to discharge before they move the first residents in.  

Terra Nova have worked with the local bowling club to provide repairs to their car park which is now complete and are collecting for the local community centre food-bank on a monthly basis. They are also utilising local labour currently consisting of a labourer and bricklaying gang.

Great Places have brought to the attention of the contractor the parking situation on Moss Hey Street. With the increase of operatives travelling to site they are looking into options for additional parking facilities.

Buckstones Road – closed from Tuesday 2 April 24 for two weeks

The closure is made to allow Cadent gas connect works and will be in force from Tuesday 2 April for two weeks or until the works are completed.

These works have been delayed from when first requested to be undertaken during the school holidays.

It will prohibit vehicles from proceeding along that part of Buckstones Road B6197 from Milnrow Road for 15 metres south easterly.

Alternative route (see map below)

Southbound– Milnrow Road, Crompton Way, Oldham Road, Heyside, Higginshaw Lane, Shaw Road, Huddersfield Road and Ripponden Road.

Northbound – Milnrow Road, Newhey Road and turn back at the roundabout to approach Buckstones Road to then follow the southbound diversion.