Liberal Democrats outline 12-Point Plan to help disabled facing welfare reform in Oldham Borough

Last month, Oldham became a pilot area for a whole raft of sweeping reforms to welfare benefits introduced by the Government.

Welfare reform has led to several benefits being merged into one new Universal Credit claimed on-line, on the introduction of a new Local Council Tax Support Scheme, in a reduction in housing benefit for many in under-occupancy, and on the creation of Local Welfare Provision.

In Oldham, it is estimated that welfare reform will affect up to 17,000 citizens of ‘working age’ who depend wholly or in part on welfare benefits for their income; many of these residents will have a disability or a serious health condition.

Oldham Council will be a key player in the administration of welfare reform.

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes has today published a paper to Cabinet member for Finance, Councillor Abdul Jabbar, and senior Council officers outlining 12 practical measures that the Liberal Democrat Group believes the Labour Administration should adopt to mitigate the impact of welfare reform on one particularly vulnerable group – the disabled.

In issuing this document, Councillor Howard Sykes said:

“Disabled people are a particularly vulnerable group and amongst those most likely to be worst hit by welfare reform.

Liberal Democrats in Oldham would like to see disabled people exempted from many of the provisions of welfare reform, as pensioners have, and we will lobby Government to make this so .

However, whatever the rights and wrongs of welfare reform, the reality is that it is here to stay in one form or other as any Government in power will need to address the ever spiralling benefits bill.

One of my concerns is that, in the rush to prepare for the introduction of welfare reform, agencies and officers may have paid insufficient attention to the needs of the disabled.

Oldham is a pilot authority for welfare reform – by establishing best practice here we can set a standard for other authorities introducing welfare reform from October.

The Liberal Democrat Group has issued a policy paper to Councillor Jabbar, Cabinet Member for Finance, and the Labour Administration outlining 12 practical measures that the authority should adopt to support disabled people in our borough faced with welfare reform.

I hope that, after a period of reflection, we will have the opportunity to meet with them to discuss the document and identify how we can take these measures forward.

This bi-partisan approach is identical to that which we have taken as a party in supporting the Administration on a number of issues, most recently the campaign to combat loan sharks”.

A Summary of the Liberal Democrat 12-Point Plan follows.

Oldham Council can support disabled people faced by welfare reform:

1. By ensuring that those disabled social tenants who ‘under-occupy’ and who require overnight care from non-resident carers are granted an additional bedroom under the size criteria.

2. By awarding housing benefit for an extra bedroom for a disabled child unable to share.

3. By adopting a new Discretionary Housing Payment policy that provides for indefinite payments to make up rent shortfalls where social tenants with disabilities occupy ‘significantly adapted properties’.

4. By ensuring the DHP also meets rent shortfalls for disabled people requiring an extra room for medical equipment.

5. By exploring the creation of a Hardship Fund to support disabled people with rent shortfalls who are not able to access additional bedroom entitlement or the DHP.

6. By developing a support package for disabled people moving home.

7. By offering the 12-month instalment scheme for Council Tax as a default scheme to new payers.

8. By promoting the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme to those occupying adapted properties.

9. By promoting the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme to those who are ‘severely mentally impaired’ or their careers, support workers and family members.

10. By exploring the creation of a Hardship Fund to support disabled people with Council Tax arrears.

11. By arranging direct payments of rent and Council Tax for disabled and ‘vulnerable’ clients eligible for this facility.

12. By ensuring that Local Welfare Provision meets the needs of the disabled and vulnerable.

If anybody would like a copy of the full report please email me directly.

Struggling to pay your Council Tax?

Get payment advice at your local event

If you are worried about paying your Council Tax or struggling to make payments, don’t ignore the problem.

At your local drop-in session you can get advice and support, as well as discussing payment options that will help make it easier for you to manage your budget.

At the events we can help you to:

Set up a Council Tax direct debit.
We will help you fill in a form so that the payment is made each month directly from your bank account. Remember to bring your bank details with you.
Open a Council Tax Jam Jar Account with Oldham Credit Union.

A Jam Jar Account helps you to manage your budget and prioritise your spending. Opening an account will also give you access to fair loans and savings. To set up an account you will need to bring two forms of identification with you, which must include your name, address and signature.

Acceptable documents are:

Rent book
Tenancy agreement
Mortgage letter or statement
Passport
Birth Certificate
Utility Bill, i.e. gas, water, electricity, telephone
Driving Licence
Union membership card
Work’s identity card
Wage slip
Bank card
Bus pass with photograph
Medical card

The two nearest events are taking place on:

Tuesday 7 May:
2pm – 5pm
Crompton Library
Farrow Street East, Shaw OL2 8QY

Wednesday 8 May:
9am – 12noon
Oldham Library
Greaves Street, Oldham OL1 1AL

If you are struggling to pay your Council Tax, don’t ignore the problem. Contact us urgently to discuss payment options T: 0161 770 6622 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.

Visit: Access Oldham, Civic Centre, Oldham 8.40am and 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.30am to 5pm Wednesday

Crompton Moor – walkers take care

I have been asked to circulate this by a regular user of the Moor.

During the last few weeks I have noticed a increasing number of mine workings coming to light along the old tramway at the coal limits at the rear of the masts.

This tramway runs along the route of Pylon ZPA 41 to ZPA 42. It runs to Huddersfield Road under the cables. If you walk on this route it’s advisable to keep to the path and any dogs under control.

These workings are shafts, and are 3ft to 6ft wide and range from a sink up to 6ft. There is one about 100ft or so on your right as you walk down towards Huddersfield Road, its flooded I nearly lost one of my dogs in it this afternoon.

I have no way yet of knowing how deep the water is I will wait until it starts to dry out and see. The water stinks like aluminium sulphates, but this shaft was not there last year.

I will log them all over the next few weeks and report them to OMBC and the Coal Authority

PARENTS URGED TO TAKE MMR JAB FOR CHILDREN

Oldham’s Director of Public Health is encouraging parents across the Borough to vaccinate their children against Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Alan Higgins is urging parents who have not yet had their children vaccinated and young adults who missed out on their vaccinations to contact their GP to arrange their MMR vaccinations as soon as possible.

The move is part of a new national campaign aimed at getting as many 10-16 year olds as possible vaccinated before the next school year.

New figures show that measles cases nationwide are at their highest level for 18 years with almost 2,000 cases during 2012 and 159 in Greater Manchester alone.

There have been no confirmed cases of measles in Oldham this year and only one last year: the lowest rates in Greater Manchester.

However, the recent outbreak in Swansea, where more than 900 cases have been confirmed since November, shows that measles is still a problem.

Parents can ensure their children and teenagers are fully protected against measles, mumps and rubella with two doses of the MMR vaccine. Most children get the first dose of MMR at 13 months old and the second dose is offered to children when they reach 3 years and 4 months. The two doses together offer almost complete protection from the disease.

Over the last two years more than 95 per cent of Oldham children have been given the MMR vaccine. However, following the coverage of the now discredited link between MMR and Autism in the late 1990s take-up of vaccinations was lower at around 80 per cent.

We are now encouraging any parents and young people who missed out on their vaccinations to speak to their GP.

Alan Higgins, Oldham’s Director of Public Health, said: “Oldham has a good take-up rate of the MMR vaccination at present but there is an historical problem.”

“In the late 1990s and early 2000s many parents had concerns about what is a now discredited link between MMR and autism.

“As a result the take-up of vaccinations then was lower and, given the recent outbreak in Swansea, we’d like to encourage those parents who didn’t have their child vaccinated at the time to contact their GP to arrange for an MMR jab as soon as possible.

“Even if those children are now young adults it is not too late for them to be vaccinated.

“The key message to parents is that MMR is safe – it’s free and it can save lives.”

Parents and young adults wanting to know more about MMR should contact their GP or visit www.nhs.uk

Work to help and support blast victims continues

Copy of a letter delivered to residents in the blast area.

I am pleased we have managed to do this for local residents again.

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Dear Residents

As a lot of the building works are coming to completion and more residents are returning to their homes, Oldham Council will be providing another opportunity for residents to dispose of unwanted items.

To continue with our support of the local community to return to normality, we propose to supply 3 large skips for the use of the residents which will be placed at the following locations:

• Edmond Street
• Corner of Chancery and Buckley Street
• Oak Street – section directly to the rear of Buckley Street.

These will be in place from Friday 3 May with a planned removal on Tuesday 7 May. However, should there still be spare capacity for more items, this period will be extended.

Once these skips have been removed, no additional skips will be provided by the Council.

Should you have any further large items that need to be removed, these should be booked through the normal process of Bulky Bobs Service on 770 6644. Please note that this may incur a fee.

As usual all general household black bag waste should be placed in the normal refuse bins provided.

Oldham Council fully appreciates your support in this matter.

Regulation of Scrap Metal Dealers

This note has been produced in repose to the question I asked at the Council meeting on 17th April 2013, I hope residents find it of interest.

BRIEFING FOR COUNCILLORS APRIL 2013

Purpose:
The purpose of this briefing note is to explain the role of the Council and its partners in the regulation of Scrap Metal businesses.

Current Regime:
At the present time dealers in scrap metal, whether scrap yards or mobile itinerant traders, are required to register their business with the Council’s Licensing Authority whose area they are operating in. This is a requirement under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964. Powers are very limited with the only offences being not registering and not keeping a record book.

Those who salvage metal/car parts from vehicles are licensed under another piece of legislation – the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001. This more recent legislation allows for licences to be refused or revoked when an individual was convicted of certain offences.

Enforcement Activity:
Due to the rise around the country in scrap metal theft a national scrap metal task force was set up and Greater Manchester Police have established a central unit in order to liaise with Councils and other partners. Each Division also has a dedicated police officer who deals with all inspections and enforcement activity. Likewise, the Council has a Licensing Officer who spends some of her time working alongside our Divisional Police lead.

At the start of 2011 regular inspections of scrap yards and of mobile traders was commenced. Since that date the numbers of persons registered or licensed under either piece of legislation have grown significantly, 2012 – Scrap Metal Dealers 14, Motor Salvage Licences 12, Total 26. 2013 – Scrap Metal Dealers 82, Motor Salvage Licences 36, Total 118.

The biggest rise has been in the itinerant scrap metal dealers who do not have a scrap yard themselves but drive round in trucks, collect scrap and take it to weigh in at other scrap yards. These individuals are often driving without insurance on their vehicles and operate without an environmental permit for waste carrying. When these vehicles are stopped by the Police and Council officers, the result is the seizing of the vehicle by the Police and the issuing of fixed penalties for not having an environmental permit by the Council.

As part of the on-going ‘Operation Alloy’ project across Greater Manchester the Police in conjunction with AGMA Officers have now devised a new application form which asks further questions of the applicant to widen the information gathered to share with partners as other issues such as false benefits claims and housing issues have arisen.

New legislation:
In February 2013 the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 received Royal Assent. It is expected to commence in October 2013 and will replace both the 1964 and 2001 Acts referred to above with one modern piece of legislation.
This legislation has built into it tougher and wider powers for both the Police and Councils. There will be two categories of licence. One will be for scrap yards and the other for itinerant collectors.

The powers contained within Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 include:

• Refusal of a licence when certain convictions are held;
• Revocation for giving false details or the licence holder is not fit to hold a licence;
• The adding of conditions to licences;
• Powers to close un-licensed sites;
• An offence of buying scrap metal for cash
• An offence of failing to keep records
• Wider powers of entry and inspection

Secondary regulations and supplementary guidance from the Home Office is awaited in order to commence a rollout plan. Officers from within the Licensing Unit of the Council will be ready to implement the powers of the new Act from the date of commencement in October 2013.

Until the new Act is commenced, and beyond, Operation Alloy, the current project name, will continue.

Contact Officer: John Garforth, Licensing Unit Manager, 0161 770 5026

SMALLBROOK ROAD, SHAW – EMERGENCY ROAD CLOSURE

As residents may be aware it was necessary to temporarily close part of Smallbrook Road, Shaw due to subsidence in the road.

It was also necessary to introduce two way traffic on a section of Smallbrook Road that was previously one way out onto Milnrow Road.

This temporary system has allowed the Council us to maintain two way traffic serving the Duchess Street area.

I have been informed this morning by the contractor that the original problem was located and repaired, however, a further water main burst has occurred which is being worked on at present.

The contractor has indicated that by Wednesday evening / Thursday they hope to have the road open again.

If this changes significantly I will update this posting accordingly.

TEMPORARY TRAFFIC SIGNALS ON BEAL LANE, SHAW (at Metrolink crossing)

The signals will be in operation on four consecutive Sundays commencing 5 May 2013, between 01.00am – 05.30am. These are the only times that the work can be carried out without impacting on the Metrolink services.

Description of Work: Cleaning out Level Crossing Panels and Inserting Flat Irons to Close Gaps in Level Crossing

Emergency Contact & Telephone Number in the Event of Traffic Signal Failure: Brian Birmingham 07899 906 814