Liberal Democrats want more council money to go towards fixing Oldham's roads

Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

The Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council are set to propose an amendment to the Labour budget to find a further £423,000 in savings at the Civic Centre to provide more money to fix our pot hole ridden roads, provide more youth services, and tackle crime and fly-tipping.

Ahead of next Wednesday's Oldham Council budget meeting, the Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “The Labour administration is once more being forced to make savings and raise Council T]tax by a further 3.99% as a result of another cut to Oldham Council’s grant by a miserly Conservative Government wedded to austerity.

“With regret, we will vote to support most of the administration’s proposals and the Council Tax rise – but we believe that the pain will be reduced if the Council agrees to the further back-office savings identified in our Amendment.

"This will free up over £400,000 to invest on fixing our roads and other basic services that are valued my local residents."

The Liberal Democrats have identified a further £423,000 in annual savings by improving disciplinary procedures, tackling absenteeism, reducing staff car allowances for low-mileage users, cutting spending on agency staff and consultants, significantly reducing expenditure on communications and marketing, scrapping Borough Life, and making Council meetings paperless. 

They would also invest in bus lane enforcement to fine selfish drivers who illegally use them.

The Liberal Democrats would use this money to service a £5 million loan to invest in improving our Borough’s highways in 2019/2020, doubling the investment proposed by Labour; to reversing the £100,000 cut in youth services proposed by Labour; and to invest £650,000 over two years in further measures to tackle fly-tipping and install alley-gates, CCTV cameras and other crime busting measures to make communities cleaner and safer.

Councillor Sykes added: “We recognise that our savings represent only a relatively small amount compared to the many millions that this Council has been forced to save, but this modest amount would nonetheless make a real difference to local citizens.

“Once again we are the only group to present an alternative to Labour’s proposals. The Conservatives and others talk hot air but fail to offer any alternative and if I was a betting man I would bet they will vote with Labour as they usually do."