Support grows for Pennines Council idea

Saddleworth Finance and General Purposes Committee reports by GEOFF WOOD

Saddleworth is getting a positive response to suggestions for the idea of a South Pennine Council.

Councillor Ken Hulme said that Ripponden was interested and so too was Meltham.

Other parish councils including Holme Valley and Erringden urged Saddleworth to join the South Pennine branch of the Yorkshire Councils’ Association.

Councillor Hulme said there were many items of mutual interests the councils could discuss, for example planning.

Councillor Brian Lord said they had been members of alliances of councils in the past.

He said they needed to look very carefully at what the benefits would be.

Councillor Dorothy Shaw said they could well benefit from an interchange of ideas.

Members agreed to keep in touch with potential local government partners in the South Pennines.




Recycling service to improve



Improvements in facilities for recycling were being made in Saddleworth, Oldham Council official Jo Stanley told the meeting.



In October, she said, households in Saddleworth would be provided with two additional bins.

This, said Ms Stanley, would allow them to increase the volume of material which could be recycled.

They were also getting a new vehicle which would make it easier to reach many of the rural areas currently inaccessible.




Shaping future of Saddleworth



A pilot scheme to help formulate a parish plan in Saddleworth is near completion.



Councillor Barbara Beeley said a full questionnaire would be distributed around Saddleworth by the end of October.

The clerk, Tony Marlor, said the completed questionnaire could be dropped off at local libraries and post offices.

The parish plan is designed to gather information from residents on what facilities they would like to see in Saddleworth in the future.




C-charge show



A roadshow on congestion charging would be held at Saddleworth Museum on August 6, between 10am and 7.30pm.



As a spin-off from the exhibition, Councillor Ken Hulme said he wanted to see a serious debate on the issue locally.

Councillor Brian Lord said more publicity was planned to draw attention to the roadshow.




Councillors on mend



Two parish councillors — Councillor Phil Baguley and Councillor Phil Davenport — who have been in hospital are making a gradual recovery, the meeting was told.