Agenda item
Public Questions
(time limit 15 mins)
Minutes:
The Mayor advised that the next item on the agenda was Public Question Time. Questions had been received from members of the public and would be taken in the order in which they had been received. Council was advised that if the questioner was not present, then the question would be read out by the Deputy Mayor.
The following questions were submitted:
1. Question received from Ben Hibbs via email:
“How much do you consider cyclists when resurfacing roads in the Oldham area? Some roads have flat smooth surfaces (Oldham Rd out of Shaw; Grains Rd out of Delph) while others have loose gravel (Oldham Rd past Albion Farm Cafe; Milnrow Rd out of Shaw; Oldham Rd out Uppermill - all key local cycling routes). The loose gravel is dangerous and uninviting for road cyclists. It seems to be prioritising cars and trucks. We need to be much bolder and embrace active travel. Oldham has a huge opportunity to be a cycling (and active travel) haven... attracting new people, businesses, boosting the local economy and making the area an even more desirable place to live, its people healthier, its air cleaner and the area more environmentally friendly.”
Councillor Ali, Deputy Cabinet Member for Neighbouhoods Services, responded that with regard to road surfacing within Oldham, all road users were considered when selecting and specifying the use of the different and most optimum materials for different situations and locations. All materials and treatments complied with national codes of practice and standards and were recommended by both the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Road Surface Treatment Association (RSTA). All materials were suitable when laid correctly and any materials laid where there was an issue of workmanship were resolved at the appropriate specialist contractors’ own expense as soon as was practicable. The Council was currently in the process of trying to secure additional central funding for the implementation and promotion of active modes of travel in and around the borough, which if successful, would add to and complement schemes which sought to regenerate the area to bring in investment to boost the local economy. If successful, dedicated schemes that delivered routes for walking and cycling would enhance connectivity, offer an alternative to the car achieving modal shift which would aid health improvement, wellbeing and air quality.
2. Question received from Jackie Stanton via email:
“The reputation of OMBC appears to be at an all time low with residents describing this council as the worst in the history of the Borough. Some of the dissatisfaction can be traced back to the planning function of the council and the appalling Planning Committee Meeting held in July earlier this year. It continues with the extremely serious allegation of Child Sexual Exploitation There are allegations appearing daily on social media relating to alleged mis management and poor decision making by senior officers of the council There are suggestions that the councillors code of conduct has been breached by the leader and his deputies, this compounded by the leader refusing to answer a valid question submitted to a recent cabinet meeting. Would the Leader agree all these allegations are extremely serious and damaging to the Borough, will he tell us how he intends dealing with them and will he tell us if he is capable of restoring confidence in the council. Does he further agree that Oldham and its residents deserve better?”
Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Enterprise responded that the question submitted to the Cabinet meeting had been ruled out by the Monitoring Officer. Over the last few months, there had been daily postings on social media about planning and historic safeguarding incidents. These allegations had been combined with a series of personal online attacks on councillors, residents, MPs and council officers and often came from people with a clear political agenda. The Council would always take action where appropriate, which included the recently announced review into historic safeguarding by Dr. Mark Peel. However, too often, the allegations and claims made online were barefaced lies designed to purely stoke fears and score political points. Mrs. Stanton was correct to say that this was damaging to the borough. Day in and day out in Oldham, police officers, social workers, health workers, teachers, community groups, doctors, nurses and youth workers worked hard to protect children and vulnerable adults. Day in and day out staff cleaned the streets, cared for elderly residents or planted trees. Staff and residents saw the comments that never missed the opportunity to talk Oldham down. Like most places, Oldham had its fair share of challenges. The Leader’s Statement just made highlighted some of the many ways the Council was stepping up to address those challenges with a positive, energetic and innovative approach that stood in stark contrast to the online debate where nothing was ever good enough, everyone was corrupt and afraid of their neighbours. That was not the Oldham the Leader knew. The Oldham the Leader grew up in and lived in was one where people supported each other such as community clean ups, play in the Saddleworth Brass Band contest, raised money for charity or had a chat with stallholders in Tommyfield Market. The Leader encouraged anyone who had concerns about anything which was happening in the borough to raise them through the appropriate channels. The Leader also encouraged people to think twice about the things read online and the motivations of many of the people who did the posting.
3. Question received from Syed Maruf Ali via Facebook:
“Oldham Council has designated eight areas for selective licensing of private landlords on the grounds of low housing demand. The areas are Alexandra, Coldhurst, Hathershaw, Hollinwood, Oldham Edge, Primrose Bank, St Mary’s and Waterhead. We need a solution which will root out rogue landlords and not one where good landlords face a complex array of licensing schemes and escalating costs. Many landlords are already on tight budget. Use existing powers to deal with bad landlords. This sort of approach tars all with the same brush. What does the decent landlord get for his £490? Do you have the Oldham council officers report why licensing of private landlords have been extended to Primrose Bank and Werneth?”
Councillor Roberts, Cabinet Member for Housing, responded that the Council currently utilised its powers to deal with poor standards within the private rented sector. However, the only current provisions to be able to deal with poor management was through the use of Selective Licensing and this had enabled a large number of issues to be dealt with through a multi-agency approach. To 6 November 2019, there had been 1,169 condition audits of homes completed and 83 warrants executed. This resulted in 20 Emergency Prohibition Orders being served, 922 properties identified with licence condition breaches and a total of 3,126 defects identified. A review had been carried out recently regarding the current Selective Licensing Scheme. The review and future options would be discussed at Cabinet and then made available followed by consultation. The decent landlord got reassurance that they provided a safe home in good repair which met the legal obligations to tenants – all for less than £2 per week. Rogue landlords had to put defects right and bring homes up to standard and often costed far more if the landlord evaded registering and taken to court as a result.
4. Question received from Joshua Charters via email:
Councillor Mushtaq, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, responded that the Council was working hard supporting the Department for Education (DfE) who was responsible for delivering and developing the school. The Council was focussed on ensure that a new school delivered for Oldham’s children was state of the art and something to be proud of. Work had started to ensure all the necessary legal and procurement processes were in place and it was anticipated that the school would be ready for handover during the 2021/22 academic year.
5. Question received from Mark Rooney via email:
“This time last year the Leader said that Oldham Council would apply for living wage accreditation. We have heard very little detail on this since. Can the Council confirm where this is up to? Everybody deserves to be paid a wage on which they can live and Oldham Council should set an example.”
Councillor Jabbar, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services responded that the Council was firmly committed to becoming an accredited Living Wage employer and welcomed the opportunity to provide an update on progress. Oldham Council had paid the Foundation Living Wage since April 2015 which had benefited around 500 employees within the Council. Before that date, the Council was already paying far higher than the national minimum hourly rate for Council workers, as a commitment to pay the Oldham Living Wage since April 2012. Since then the Council had encouraged other businesses and organisations in the Borough to sign up to the Council’s Fair Employment Charter as part of building a fair and prosperous local economy, linked to the Council’s co-operative values. Part of the Charter was to pay a Living Wage which the Council had championed by paying the Foundation Living Wage, encouraged other organisations and businesses across Oldham to do the same. Paying the Foundation Living Wage had huge benefits both for staff and their employers, helped to motivate staff and increased staff retention, as well as rewarding employees fairly for their work. The Council had also been working with schools to ensure all maintained schools in Oldham paid the Foundation Living Wage, increasing staff wages across the education sector. The Council had also supported partner organisations, Unity Partnership and MioCare ensuring they also pay the Foundation Living Wage to all their staff while work continued to work with all suppliers to encourage them to pay the Foundation Living Wage, helping even more people in Oldham earn a fair days pay. Over the last twelve months the Council had been working with the Living Wage Foundation to ensure that the application for the formal Foundation Living Wage accreditation would be compliant with requirements which included demonstrating how the Council would work with all suppliers to encourage them to pay the Foundation Living Wage. The Council had been able to send through the application, evidencing progress for consideration. It was hoped to announce the outcome of the application very soon.
6. Question received from Huma Bibi received via email:
Councillor Roberts, Cabinet Member for Housing, responded that the National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) set out standard methodology for identifying local housing need. The methodology stipulated that the baseline should be set using the 2014-based household projections for England. Central Government considered using this baseline would provide stability for planning authorities and communities, ensured that historic under-delivery and declining affordability were reflected and consistent with the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes. NPPG stated that any method which relied on using the 2016-based household projections would not be considered to be following the standard method as those projections were not considered to provide an appropriate basis. The GMCA had lobbied to get this policy changed and had become more ridiculous as the 2018 figures showed a further slow-down in population growth. The borough breakdown would be published next year. Current planning policy reduced decision-making powers to make decisions which met the needs of residents and reduce the need for development on green belt.
At this point in the meeting the Deputy Mayor advised that the time limit for this item had expired.
RESOLVED that the questions and responses provided be noted.
At this point in the proceedings, the meeting was interrupted by a member of the public. The Deputy Mayor, as Chair of the meeting, gave repeated warnings.
The meeting was adjourned at 18:44 and reconvened at 19:46.
NOTE: Councillors F. Hussain and Ahmad left the meeting during this item.
Supporting documents:
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