Shaw and Crompton communities have had a bomb shell delivered that the plug has just been pulled on their new Health Centre at the last minute.

Shaw and Crompton councillors have been informed that a new health centre for Shaw and Crompton is now not affordable, and so Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have axed the scheme.

“Shaw and Crompton councillors have worked incredibly hard to reach the position where this was ready to go, with the site ready to go, capital funding allocated, a developer commissioned, and plans developed.  This is a massive kick in the teeth and a great disappointment to our local community and those who use and work in the current Health Centre,” stated Shaw councillor and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Howard Sykes.

Shadow Cabinet Member for Heath & Social Liberal Democrat Crompton councillor Louie Hamblett has written to Oldham CCG’s Accountable Officer Mike Barker about the matter.

“Increased costs; as a result of covid, events in Eastern Europe and the cost-of-living crises, are excuses the CCG uses for it now not being affordable and they quote a figure of an increase of half a million pounds in costs,” stated councillor Hamblett.

“We are demanding an urgent meeting so this decision can be justified and fully explained – Shaw and Crompton demands nothing less.  We will not be fobbed off and we now need to negotiate a plan B to get the Heath Centre Shaw and Crompton so rightly deserves, he added. 

“All six councillors will continue, as we have for many years, to campaign for its replacement and to hold those responsible for our local health services to account and make sure they deliver what the Shaw and Crompton community needs and rightly expects.  That is local health faculties fit for purpose with a range of services people expect in the 21^st century.  This is just not possible in the current patched up building that is well past its sell by date,” pledged councillor Sykes.

“On top of this we have hundreds of new homes being built in the area.  Where are these families supposed to go for primary health care?  Our fight and campaign for facilities that enable increased capacity of quality health services continues until this is delivered,” he stated.

Letter from CCG that broke the news

https://www.theoakgablespartnership.co.uk/index.aspx

LETTER FROM CCG

Re Shaw/Crompton Development

I am writing to you inform you of some fundamental changes that have occurred in relation to the proposed capital development of health facilities in Shaw which impact Oak Gables and The Villages Practices.

As you are aware the CCG undertook an exercise to develop Outline Business Cases to secure capital in order to redevelop General Practice facilities. There were a number of General Practices vying for a limited capital allocation at this time.

Capital is a funding source generally used to support significant physical redevelopment programmes and it is allocated directly by the Department of Health and Social Care to CCGs and providers, such as hospitals.

Following a prioritisation exercise the CCG progressed to the development of an Outline Business Case for a proposal to redevelop land to enable the relocation of Oak Gables and The Villages onto a new site and into a new facility. This redevelopment encompassed the drawdown of an earmarked capital allocation that required significant progress to be made by 31 March 2022. On that basis the CCG progressed the Business Case, working as a partnership with the local Authority – Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, who own the earmarked land, and engaged with the District Valuer and other advisors to support the case.

As you are aware this was completed at a point in time and the recommendation to proceed with the Shaw/Crompton proposal was made in good faith by the CCG. However, I am writing to you today following the decision the CCG has made regarding withdrawing its support for the Shaw/Crompton development yesterday.

As you will no doubt be aware from the daily reports in the national press, our national economy now faces a significant challenge and has major implications in terms of pressure on public finances and dramatic changes in terms of rising prices through inflation. These are now considerable factors impacting our ability to proceed. At the time of developing the Outline Business Case, the organisation was not in a position to foresee what have now become such significant increases, both on cost and inflation. These impacts have materialised over recent weeks as we emerge from the COVID period, and more recently, the impact of the tragic events in eastern Europe. Such was the materiality of the change that this needed to be reported to the CCG senior management team earlier this week. Although the capital allocation remained available and the land continues to be available, the increase in revenue costs, in excess of an additional £500,000, make the proposal unaffordable and hence the decision to halt this particular Outline Business Case.

We recognise that this is not a position which is of the making of any organisation but is unfortunately where we find ourselves. The CCG cannot knowingly or willingly enter into an agreement that would be so materially different from the original business case and accept the withdrawing of funding from other parts of Oldham’s health and care service lines. That would be wholly unfair to other communities and we fear risk leaving some vulnerable people without adequate service and care support.

We have spoken with colleagues in the Council and are satisfied that the Council remain committed to working with us to secure such a facility for Shaw. However, the format of this Business Case cannot and will not proceed within this cost envelope now on the table.  We now need to pause and reflect on next steps and understand what other options we may have available and over what timescale to continue to seek to secure a new facility for Shaw. 

We will be in touch when we are in a position to resume the conversation following consideration of the availability of wider system capital and revenue resources for both this proposal and others in Oldham.G

Your understanding in this matter is appreciated.

This year, Ramadan is expected to begin on Saturday 2nd April 2022, and end on Monday 1st May 2022, depending on the sighting of the moon.

May this Ramadan bring everybody health, wealth and peace!

Upcoming Holiday Activities and Food programme for the Easter holidays.

Residents can now book their children onto a range of fun activities, including everything from growing sessions to cooking lessons and sporting activities, taking place between 9 April and 24 April.

Free places are primarily available for children aged between five and 16, who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals, although others can book at a small additional cost.

For more information on our HAF programme please visit https://www.oldham.gov.uk/haf

This week the council started to issue annual Council Tax bills and included leaflets informing residents about the £150 Council Tax energy rebate they may be entitled to from 1 April.

Households in Council Tax bands A to D are eligible for the one-off payment. They are encouraging eligible households to set up their Council Tax payments by Direct Debit if they haven’t already done so, so they can issue the rebate more quickly. Eligible households who don’t have a Direct Debit for their Council Tax will still receive their rebate, but it may take longer to receive payment.  More information is available here.

Low income households who are not eligible for the £150 payment may yet receive some support, as part of the Government’s £144m of discretionary funding which has been shared nationally.

Residents who are struggling with their finances can check if they are eligible for a Council Tax reduction, along with other support, by visiting www.oldham.gov.uk/wecanhelp

Shaw and Crompton Parish Council Spring Festival.

Located in the Kershaw Street car Park, off Westway, Shaw town Centre.

The Facebook link is www.facebook.com/shawandcromptonfestival

Applications are open until Monday 11 April for people wanting to apply for a grant for a street party, or nominate a torchbearer, for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June.

You are asked to nominate local people who have done something extraordinary to take part in the parade of light on 2 June, as one of 70 Jubilee torch bearers.

Meanwhile, there’s still time to apply for a street party grant of £250. The money can be used for food, drink (but not alcohol), decorations and entertainment.

Before applying, people are advised to speak to their neighbours, find out if there is support in the community for holding a party, and confirm a location, date and time.

Applications are accepted until 5pm on Monday 11 April and we’ll let you know the outcome by Monday 25 April.   To apply online, visit the website here.

Responding to the news that the PoliceWorks system – the failed part of GMPs iOPS computer system costing millions of pounds – will be scrapped, Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “We have waited years for GMP and the police and crime commissioner to finally step up and acknowledge this massive failure. Now they have accepted it, who is going to carry the can?

“We have just seen a substantial increase in the Mayoral precept for every Council Tax payer in Greater Manchester. Is that money going straight from everyone’s pockets to cover this catastrophic investment in a failed IT system?”

Councillor Al-Hamdani, who has raised the iOPS system at the last two Oldham Council meetings after repeated failures to make a decision on it, challenged the huge cost of the system which has failed both victims of crime and the police officers who have been trying to use it.

He continued: “This decision was promised by the new Chief Constable in December, but yet again, we had to wait for another three months, sitting on a failing system while no decision was taken – again.

“In the meantime, GMP has been given yet another scathing report by the Inspectorate in charge (HMICFRS). It has been failure after failure after failure.

“The previous Chief Constable resigned after the force was placed into special measures. Who needs to take responsibility for this failure? Who is left standing? Andy Burnham and Bev Hughes.”

At 12 noon on 23 March, we’ll come together to honour loved ones who have died and reflect on the challenges we’ve overcome by observing a nationwide minute of silence.

For further information:

https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved/day-of-reflection/for-individuals

At 8pm on 23 March 2022, the National Day of Reflection ends with the nation coming together to light up the night.