Lib Dem Leader seeks Oldham delay in deciding on Green Belt homes plan

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Salford and Stockport Councils have this week postponed their meetings where councillors will decide on whether to adopt the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and the Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Leader of Oldham Council suggesting it would be wise to do the same.

Liberal Democrat Councillors in Stockport were ready and keen to speak against the Labour-led plans at the meeting last Tuesday (17 November), but at the last minute, the Labour, Conservative and Independent Group leaders backed an adjournment for two to three weeks to enable a backroom deal to be made between them.  In Salford the Conservatives have called in the plans for further scrutiny before a final decision is made.

With these new developments, Councillor Sykes has now written to the Leader of the Council requesting that the Oldham Council meeting on 25 November be deferred.

Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “When Oldham Councillors meet, we will not be making our decision in isolation.  What will now be changed in Salford and Stockport could have an impact on the residents of this Borough as housing numbers may be displaced.  The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is a plan to deliver tens of thousands of new homes across the whole of the city region and so we need to know about the changes before we make our minds up here.

“I have written to the Leader asking for the Oldham Council meeting scheduled for 25 November to be deferred until after these discussions have been concluded and we are aware of the conclusions.  After the many delays amounting to years that have already occurred in making the final decision on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, an extra delay at this point to provide time for the situation in Salford and Stockport to become clearer would be common-sense.”

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