A decision on the failing multi-million pound iOPS system has still not taken, despite Manchester’s chief constable saying that one was due to be made in December.

The computer system, which has cost over £29 million to implement – although the exact figure may never be known – still has major flaws, particularly in the “Police Works” system, which is used to track investigations. Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who was landed with the unenviable task of managing the problems when he took over in 2021, organised an ‘Options Review’ of the system earlier this year, and had stated that a decision would be taken in December.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “This whole thing has been shambolic. Delay after delay, review after review, problem after problem.

“We keep getting the excuse that many police forces have problems bringing in new IT systems. Well, I asked at the last Oldham Council meeting how many police forces had had as many problems as GMP, and it’s a very simple answer. None.

“Deputy Mayor Bev Hughes has again said that PoliceWorks continues to be a very serious problem for the police. It’s not just a problem for the police – it’s a problem for every victim of crime who has been let down because this system is not fit for purpose.”

A new report – delayed from October – is now due to be presented to the GMCA on February 7.

Councillor Al-Hamdani continued: “It has taken years to get to this point, and the decision making process is being dragged out further and further. Bev Hughes said in 2020 that ‘no stone would be unturned’ in looking into this. Well, it seems too long has been spent turning stones over, and not enough time making decisions.

“I feel sorry for the officers and staff who want to help people, but have been left struggling because of this expensive failure. More than that, I feel sorry for the people who currently feel there is no point reporting crimes because nothing will happen. We need systems that work, so that people regain confidence in the Police.

“PoliceWorks Doesn’tWork.”

Councillor Howard Sykes as welcomed the recent re-think about the Clean Air Zone and called for this on 11 January.

Burnham must keep his promises: clean air and no job losses | Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Below is a statement about the matter from TfGM which is posted in full.

“GM Clean Air Plan – latest position Further to last week’s update, a press release has been issued to update on the recommendation going to the Greater Manchester Air Quality Administration Committee next week on 20 January. The press release can be read in full.

https://cleanairgm.com/news/emerging-evidence-about-vehicle-supply-chain-highlights-need-for-government/

The report going to the Committee will be published

https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=409&MId=4782&Ver=4

In summary, emerging evidence from businesses and trade has highlighted significant challenges related to supply chain issues and inflation. Based on this evidence, there is a fundamental concern that these global and national factors may impact on the ability of local businesses and individuals to upgrade, and whether the current financial support package agreed with government is sufficient.

The Committee will therefore be recommended to seek permission from the Secretary of State to pause opening of phase two Clean Air funding support at the end of January 2022 – which was due to open for vans, and GM-licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.

This is to enable an urgent and fundamental joint policy review with government to identify how a revised policy can be agreed to deal with the supply issues and local businesses’ ability to comply with the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan.

The report confirms that the first phase of the Clean Air Zone due to launch in May 2022 – applying to buses, coaches, HGVs and taxi and Private Hire vehicles which are not registered in Greater Manchester – should go ahead, including the ongoing provision of funding support for HGVs and buses to upgrade. Ahead of the press release, a statement from Eamonn Boylan was issued which you can read here. An update will follow on latest status following the Committee meeting.”

The final two reports of the Home Office-sponsored Independent Investigation into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) are due to be released on February 1 (Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks) and March 1 (Residential Schools).

Following conversations between Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, senior Council management, and the Managing Director of Children & Young People, it has been agreed that following the publication of the report into CSE in Oldham at the end of this month, the Oldham Children’s Safeguarding Partnership will undertake a joint workshop with the Adult Safeguarding Partnership, which will include learning from IICSA, and inform the development of Oldham’s Complex Safeguarding Strategy.

Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “The Council must be ready to accept the outcome of the report into CSE in Oldham. This is just one of the ways in which it will take practical action to ensure that children in the borough are better protected in future.

“The evidence presented to IICSA has been harrowing, and it is vital that every Council in the country learns from the mistakes of the past.”

Councillor Al-Hamdani has written again to Oldham Council’s Managing Director for Children and Young People to ensure that the final reports will be taken into consideration at the workshop. The Liberal Democrat group on Oldham Council ensured that any relevant recommendations from the IICSA reports would be implemented in the borough.

 “We expect the report into historic CSE in Oldham to be extremely thorough, and from seeing previous similar reports elsewhere, it is likely to be sobering reading,” continued Councillor Al-Hamdani.

“These crimes cut to the heart of a community. They break down trust, and leave people feeling betrayed. We have been working to ensure that the Council is changing its practices for the better, even before the report is issued, and will continue to do so long after this report has come out. Everyone must be vigilant to ensure we are protecting survivors of abuse, and ensuring more people are protected from this in the future.”

You are all invited to attend Shaw and Crompton’s Holocaust Memorial Day which is being held on Thursday 27 January, 9.30am at Crompton War Memorial.

The theme this year is ‘One day’ Holocaust Memorial Day is One Day that we put aside to come together to remember, to learn about the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, in the hope that there may be One Day in the future with no genocide. We learn more about the past, we empathise with others today, and we take action for a better future.

All are welcome at the service. The service only lasts 30 minutes; there are some readings by local councillors and a faith leader from Shaw and Crompton. To finish the service, we lay stones as is customary within the Jewish faith.

I have just been informed by First Bus the following.

Unite have confirmed two further days of industrial action at our Oldham depot next week.

First Bus are now advising customers to plan for alternative travel arrangements on Tuesday 18 & Thursday 20 January 2022 when no services will operate on both days. This includes school services and the Yellow School Bus. Some routes will be covered by alternative services and details can be found on the Transport for Greater Manchester website www.tfgm.com. The Vantage V1 and V2 services, based at a depot in Bolton for routes from Leigh and Atherton to Manchester Royal Infirmary, are unaffected.

First say they are actively communicating the latest position with regards travel and refunds. Customers with pre-bought tickets for both dates will be given a refund or replacement tickets to use for future travel. Further information can be found on www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-manchester/news-and-service-updates/planned-changes/industrial-action-18th-20th-jan

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani has challenged Andy Burnham’s assertion to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (11/01/22) that the Clean Air Zone was not aimed at raising funds, and that the intention was that people should see that it was fair.

He said: “The money raised from the Clean Air Zone has to go into projects to address transport issues and reduce pollution. If Andy Burnham means it when he says that this charge is not for fundraising, he should get the ten local authorities to commit that every penny raised goes into helping businesses to pay for the upgraded vehicles that they need to avoid the charge.

“He is calling on the Government to commit the money to pay for this hardship fund. Well, I think we shouldn’t be telling the Government what to do, we should be showing them.”

Burnham’s manifesto committed Greater Manchester to implementing the Clean Air Zone, while promising that not a single job or business would be lost as a result.

Councillor Al-Hamdani continued: “I believe in a fairer way. I believe that if the Labour-run local authorities were really committed to this not being a ‘stealth tax’, they would plough all of that money back into helping local businesses to thrive and be environmentally friendly at the same time.

“If that can’t be delivered, then this unfair implementation of a Clean Air Zone needs to be scrapped before another penny is wasted, and other ways found to cut air pollution.

“People in our region work hard. They are fair. They can see when someone else is doing the same. At the moment, they don’t see it in Andy Burnham’s Clean Air Zone proposals.”

Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care and Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett as written to the Joint Scrutiny Committee for Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Chair Councillor Colin McLaren to ask for an agenda item regarding the coroner’s report last year after multiple opportunities were missed to help the patient needs to be placed on the 18th January meeting. 

This is in regards to the community Eating Disorder Service to ensure what measure has and will be in place to prevent future deaths and what powers has been taken to ensure such actions.

This comes after the news the trust had been ordered to take urgent action after a woman with anorexia died after opportunities to engage with health services were missed, following a coroner’s report last year.

Councillor Hamblett added “Pennine Care take on a lot of responsibility by covering six different towns but that should be no reason for allowing standards to slip, we should hold them to account for this and for allowing seriously ill patients to discharged when deep down they know they could do something to ensure that person could potentially live.”

He finally added with “The Scrutiny Committee is a place where we as elected members who represent our residents and in some cases patients of Pennine Care need to hold the Trust to account to ensure they are getting the best service possible”

Oldham businesses can now apply for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.  The latest coronavirus business grant will see eligible businesses receive one off grants of up to £6,000.  Businesses in the leisure, hospitality and accommodation sectors can apply including pubs, restaurants and cafes, soft play, wedding and event venues and more. Accommodation businesses such as B&Bs, hotels and guest houses are also eligible.  The grants are being distributed by Oldham Council and applications can be made at www.oldham.gov.uk/omicrongrant  We will also be writing to local businesses within the leisure, hospitality and accommodation sectors to tell them about the scheme and how to apply.   The latest grant scheme is available for hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses which pay business rates with grants awarded as follows:  Rateable Value of business:      £15,000 or below – one off grant of £2,667 £15,001–£50,999 – one off grant of £4,000  £51,000 or over – one off grant of £6,000  Businesses must apply for the grant before Thursday 24 February 2022, when the scheme will close.  Eligible businesses Hospitality Food courts  Public houses/pub restaurants  Restaurants  Roadside restaurants  Wine bars  Cafés  Leisure Casinos and gambling clubs  Cinemas  Museums and art galleries  Stately homes and historic houses  Theatres  Zoos and safari parks  Amusement parks  Wedding venues  Events venues  Night clubs and discotheques  Arenas  Concert halls  Tourist attractions  Theme parks  Amusement arcades  Soft play centres or areas  Indoor riding centres  Clubs and institutions  Village halls and scout huts,  cadet huts, etc.  Accommodation    Caravan parks  Caravan sites and pitches  Chalet parks  Coaching inns  Country house hotels  Guesthouses  Hostels  Hotels  Lodge  Holiday apartments,  Cottages or bungalows  Campsites  Boarding houses  Canal boats or other vessels  B&Bs  Catered holiday homes  Holiday homes Ineligible businesses include those: Not on the rating list In administration, insolvent or where a striking off notice has been made That have already received grant payments that equal the maximum permitted subsidy allowances Not trading on 30 December 2021 Not in the Hospitality, Leisure or Accommodation sectors and/or where 50% or more of the overall business does not fall into one of these categories  The guidance issued by the Government also excludes the following businesses: All retail businesses Coach tour operators, and tour operators Private dwellings Education accommodation, Food kiosks and businesses whose main service (generating 50% or more of income) is a takeaway (not applicable to those that have adapted to offer takeaways during periods of restrictions, in alignment with previous COVID-19 business grant schemes) Residential homes, care homes and residential family centres  For more information, full eligibility criteria and to make an application, visit www.oldham.gov.uk/omicrongrant  When applying you must answer all the questions on the form and include a recent copy of your bank statement.

Andy Burnham must keep his manifesto promise to clean up air pollution in Greater Manchester without “the loss of a single job or business”.

His plans to implement a Clean Air Zone – following the instructions of the Conservative Government – were clear in his manifesto but have come under withering public attack as the implementation date nears.

“The Liberal Democrats have a simple message for Mayor Burnham,” said Oldham’s Opposition Leader and Transport Spokesperson for Greater Manchester, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE.  “Keep your promises, or admit you were elected on a platform you couldn’t stick to.  You need to pause and re-think the whole scheme, and you need to do it now!”

The Clean Air Zone is being  introduced because there are an estimated 1,200 deaths a year in Greater Manchester because of air pollution, and that must be dealt with.  Mayor Burnham claimed that his Clean Air Zone would do that, and that it would be managed to ensure no business would be damaged. 

“Those lost lives need to be addressed but not at the expense of lost jobs,” stated Councillor Sykes.  “This is a Conservative Government instruction being implemented without thought and in a rush by a Labour Mayor and the 10 local authority Leaders.”

 “Even if people wanted to comply, they cannot as the supply chain is not robust enough to deliver the conversions or new complainant vehicles in time and that assumes people can afford them!”  He added.

Councillor Sykes continued: “We know that people’s jobs are under threat, with this coming on the back of the Conservative’s record-breaking taxes, with businesses still restricted by the coronavirus pandemic, and the botched trading arrangements with the EU that the Government is now abdicating responsibility for.”

“Air quality monitoring across Greater Manchester is patently inadequate. Government funding to help businesses upgrade is insufficient.  The Mayor promised to speed up the introduction of electric charging points, and has completely failed,” he stated.

“Think again, the scheme needs a radical re-think.  Failing to tackle air pollution is failing the thousands of people who are dying because of it every year.  We need a clean air strategy that works, not a Mayor driving blind, and risking thousands of jobs in Oldham and across the region.”