Letter to Mayor of Oldham re appalling acts carried out in Paris recently

14 January 2015

Cllr Fida Hussain, Mayor
Oldham Metropolitan Borough
Mayor’s Office
Civic Centre, West St
Oldham OL1 1UJ

In light of the appalling acts carried out over the last few days in Paris, I would like to ask you as our Mayor to convey as a matter of urgency by email and in writing to the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, the horror and revulsion felt by the elected Members and citizens of the Borough of Oldham, and to assure the Mayor of Paris and the people of France that we stand shoulder to shoulder with her and with them in defending liberty, democracy and the right to free expression.

With thanks for your consideration in this regard.

Yours sincerely

Howard Sykes

cc: Carolyn Wilkins, Chief Executive
Cllr J McMahon, Leader

Unemptied bins update – Shaw

refusecollector

I have been informed of the following.

Due to exceptionally high tonnages presented following the Christmas break there are two pockets of outstanding work on brown bin/black box collections in the following areas.

Kershaw Street / Farrow Street

Dunwood Park estate

Residents are advised to leave their bins/boxes out and they will be collected tomorrow (weather permitting) i.e. Saturday 10 January

Oldham Lib Dems seek Better Bus Driving Standards in Government Consultation

analysis229_1_first_Temsa-busThe Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group Cllr Howard Sykes has made four suggestions to improve the conduct of bus drivers as part of a Department of Transport consultation.

Cllr Sykes, who serves on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said:

“The vast majority of bus drivers carry out their duties in a conscientious, courteous and professional manner, but unfortunately a few do not conduct themselves to these high standards. I have received many complaints from bus passengers about their misconduct.”

In response to the Consultation on the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations, Cllr Sykes has proposed four new obligations be placed on bus drivers:

1) To stop where it is clear that a passenger is running for a bus stop and has indicated that they want the bus.

Cllr Sykes said: “Bus passengers complain bitterly that some drivers simply drive past the stop if the passenger is not actually physically stood at the stop.

“They can see a passenger running for the bus, often burdened with baggage and maybe not in the best of health, but rather than showing the courtesy of waiting a few more seconds choose to drive off.

“This is an especial annoyance and inconvenience to passengers where services are infrequent and the location isolated and without shelter.”

2) To prevent drivers driving away from a stop where a disabled or elderly person or someone burdened with luggage, shopping or a buggy has boarded, until such time as that passenger has taken their seat.

Cllr Sykes said: “This is both common sense and common courtesy, and the safety of bus passengers should always in my view be the overriding consideration in the mind of every bus driver.

“Unfortunately there have been instances where this has not happened and as a result some passengers have been injured, sometimes seriously, when the vehicle starts off.”

3) To ensure that the correct destination is shown on the vehicle.

Cllr Sykes said: “This is a real irritant to passengers. The display of incorrect destinations confuses and inconveniences passengers, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the route and with local geography.”

4) To ensure that drivers do not put up ‘Out of Service’ signs when they are approaching their end of their route and hours of duty.

Cllr Sykes said: “Where this happens, drivers chose only to allow passengers to alight and not to allow any more to board. This practice is for the convenience of the driver, not the passenger.”

Cllr Sykes feels that this should not occur until such time as the bus has arrived at its final destination and the driver has finished his/her contracted hours.

Cllr Sykes has called on the Department of Transport to include these additional regulations within the revised regulations.

Cllr Sykes added: “Bus companies would then be responsible for ensuring their drivers adhered to them and irresponsible drivers disregarding them could be subjected to disciplinary action.

“I hope that the inclusion of these additional regulations will improve the customer service experience of bus passengers and I am sure that all professional bus drivers will welcome them”.

FOR HELP AND ADVICE – SHAW WARD SURGERIES

advice-signpost2
Councillors Rod Blyth, Mark Alcock and Howard Sykes.

Also Parish Councillors Aspinall, Farrell, Duffy, Hall, Stephens, Dodd, Robinson, Murphy and Wood will also attend.

7.30pm – 8.30pm, Lifelong Learning Centre, High Street, Shaw, OL2 8TB.

Thursday: January: 8, 15, 22, 29

NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED

‘Come to Oldham’ Invite to Community Shop from Lib Dems

The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr Howard Sykes, has written to the Community Shop with an invite to come to Oldham to open a branch of their innovative social enterprise.

Cllr Sykes said in his letter to Sarah Dunwell, Director of Community Affairs, how impressed he was by news of the recent opening of the Community Shop’s second outlet in West Norwood, London on Monday.

The shop is a social enterprise that helps benefit claimants by providing them with the opportunity to purchase heavily-discounted ‘surplus’ food sourced from commercial supermarkets and the support they need to get back into employment.

Other than the prices, to all intents and purposes, the shop looks just like a regular supermarket with all food in date and fit to eat; it is cheaper because this is surplus food discarded by other retailers because it is misshapen or it has damaged packaging.

Describing the Community Shop concept as “worthy and practical”, Cllr Sykes also describes his impressions of the merits of the project:

“Not only are you reducing food waste by selling ‘surplus food’ supplied by commercial retail supermarkets at discounted prices to local people on a low income, but you are also addressing the waste of human potential and talent by engaging your co-operative members in productive training and activity that will lead them into employment.

“I believe that your project provides participants with dignity, because they are able to purchase a range of quality goods at low prices, rather than receiving donations; with continuity, because they are able to access such food purchases on an ongoing basis as required; and with hope, because alongside this retail offer they are able to access support to move into work”.

When the first Community Shop store was opened in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire, a year ago, it was announced that the project had ambitious targets to expand to a network of twenty one.

The enterprise is seeking partners across the country with a potential site in which to establish new stores.

Cllr Sykes has contacted Ms Dunwell because he believes “Oldham has that potential” and offers his services “as a facilitator to open a dialogue with the Council and our local food retail businesses”.

Copy of letter below:

OLDHAM COUNCIL
Councillor Howard Sykes
Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group Oldham Council, Member for Shaw Ward, Member for East Ward Shaw & Crompton Parish Council.

5 Ballard Way
Shaw
Oldham
OL2 8DU

Please address all correspondence to:
Room 343, Level 3
Civic Centre
West Street
Oldham
OL1 1UL
E: howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk
W: www.howardsykes.co.uk
Twitter: @Howard_Sykes

Ms Sarah Dunwell
Director of Social Affairs
Community Shop
Wentworth Way
Wentworth Industrial Estate
Tankersley
Barnsley
S75 3DH

T: 0161 770 4016
F: 0161 770 4026

Our ref: HDS/sb/148/2635
Date: 18 December 2014

Dear Ms Dunwell

Re: Oldham – a potential location

Congratulations on the opening of your second outlet in West Norwood, London on Monday.

Having read the positive coverage in yesterday’s quality press and visited your website, I am immediately impressed by how worthy and practical the Community Shop concept is.

Not only are you reducing food waste by selling ‘surplus food’ supplied by commercial retail supermarkets at discounted prices to local people on a low income, but you are also addressing the waste of human potential and talent by engaging your co-operative members in productive training and activity that will lead them into employment.

I believe that your project provides participants with dignity, because they are able to purchase a range of quality goods at low prices, rather than receiving donations; with continuity, because they are able to access such food purchases on an on-going basis as required; and with hope, because alongside this retail offer they are able to access support to move into work.

On your website, you ask anyone with a potential site to contact you.

I am contacting you because I believe that Oldham has that potential, and I would like to offer my assistance as a facilitator to open a dialogue with the Council and our local food retail businesses.

In Oldham, you will find not only a need for a project such as yours, but a local authority that has strategic goals which compliment yours; namely to become a co-operative borough and to get Oldham Working. We also have a voluntary and business sector with whom we work hard to address poverty and worklessness.

I look forward to hearing from you and to starting our partnership to bring the Community Shop concept to Oldham.

Yours Sincerely

Howard Sykes