Howard Sykes MBE

Cllr Howard Sykes – ShawWard                                     

My Ward priorities

• Delivered a new Health Centre for Shaw and Crompton
• Bus and tram services
• Highways, footways, and speeding traffic
• Protecting Green Belt/spaces
• Public Rights of Way
• Litter, fly-tipping, and dog fouling
• Environmental improvements
• Local policing ASB/crime
• Listening to residents

Training Completed

·         Safeguarding Refresher

·         Prevent Refresher

·         ALDC training and briefings

·         LGA training and briefings

·         LGA conferences/workshops

·         Diversity Workshop

·         Community Engagement

·         Social media

Work in thecommunity

This Annual Report gives an account of some of my activities. I am proud to say along with my Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat colleagues I have remained fiercely dedicated to representing Shaw and Crompton Ward residents and we have continued to champion them and their issues.

Listening to residents:

·         I keep up to date with residents’ concerns by offering regular face to face Ward Surgeries, door knocking, walkabouts and community meetings.

·         I keep communication open with residents I am contactable.

·         I reach out to the community and share important information on Twitter, Facebook, and my Web Site.

Some examples of my work:

·         My colleagues and I were instrumental in achieving a new Health Centre for Shaw and Crompton. Construction started in 2023 and it is due to open in summer 2024.

·         I manage a range of issues on behalf of residents such as, road repairs, housing repairs, rehousing requests, public rights of way, school applications, healthcare complaints, council bins and rubbish removal, dog waste and street litter, and grit bins.

·         I work closely with our local Police, the District Partnership, Voluntary Sector, Faith Groups, residents, and businesses of Shaw to resolve the problem of anti-social behaviour.

·         I continue to challenge the Places for All framework that is going to force building on Green Belt and our green spaces. We do need new homes but not at any price and not in the numbers suggested which will result in the appalling loss of our green spaces.

·         I am a member of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (Bee Network Committee). It is a constant battle to maintain key bus services for residents and to make our trams safer by the introduction of conductors. I will be keeping a close eye on bus franchising as it is rolled out to Oldham later this year.

·         I formally object to planning applications if I believe they are inappropriate or not a benefit to residents.

·         I work constructively with developers who wish to build new homes or other developments in Shaw Ward. However, such building projects require infrastructure improvements for them to work for example, new schools, better highways, and more health provision. Achieving these provisions is an ongoing battle for myself and my colleagues.

·         I continue to request regular vehicle speed monitoring on roads such as Buckstones Road, Crompton Way, Hillside Avenue and elsewhere.

·         I work with the Highways Department and regularly request to have the potholes, blocked grids and poor footpaths resurfaced or repaired. Many of our roads urgently need repairs and resurfacing and I will continue to push for them.

·         I regularly pursue complaints of fly tipping around Shaw, and I work very closely with the Environmental Health Department on this matter.

·         As Chair of the Crompton Moor Users Group and in my role as Ward Councillor, I meet regularly with the group, working closely for this area of countryside that within our community remains very important. I continue to ensure that this area is maintained and safe to use by all.

·         I am a Governor at St Joseph’s school and as a parent myself I strive for our children’s right to receive an education appropriate to their needs.

·         I am Chair of the A V Davies Charity which works to help those in need and financial difficulty in specifically in Shaw and Crompton.

·         I am a member of the LGA Councillors Forum, the LGA Audit Committee, LGA General Assembly and a member of the Local Partnerships.

·         On Oldham Council I serve on Full Council, Health & Wellbeing Board, Selection Committee, Appointments Committee. I also serve on Corporate Safeguarding, Group Leaders, Mayor’s briefings, Elected Member CSE Steering Group, Oldham Community Leisure Board.

Contact me:-

E: howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk

T:   0161 7704016

Team Oldham Helpline: 0161 770 7007

Website: http://howardsykes.mycouncillor.org.uk

Twitter: @Howard_Sykes

Facebook: @Councillor.Howard.Sykes