C-charge waiver stuck in traffic

OLDHAM FULL COUNCIL Reporting team: Beatriz Ayala, Marina Berry and Jennifer Hollamby

A 40-MINUTE debate on congestion charges ended in stalemate when an attempt by the Labour group for fees to be scrapped on local routes hit a brick wall.

Labour councillors wanted their colleagues to back their proposal for congestion charges to be waived for local journeys, and reserved instead for motorists crossing both the proposed inner and outer charging rings.

But a deadlock of 30 votes for and 30 against meant the issue reached no conclusion when the Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar, declined to exercise his right as chairman to throw a casting vote.

The issue was further complicated when the Tories threw their views into the pot, in a bid to get backing for plans for the controversial congestion charge to be dropped altogether, and instead press the Government to pay for desperately needed public transport improvements.

Tory councillor Jack Hulme said if it went ahead, the congestion charge for Greater Manchester would be the 112th indirect tax imposed by the Government, and said it was nothing other than a “stealth tax” unfairly metered out to people purely because of where they live and work.

Labour Councillor Jim McMahon said investment in public transport was “absolutely vital,” but the proposed congestion charge with an M60 boundary was unfair.

Defending the charge, the council’s Lib-Dem leader Howard Sykes, described the nation’s public transport system as an “embarrassment” when compared with Europe, and said no government would ever pay to solve local transport issues.

He said: “It is not a perfect solution, but we are going to ask the people what they want on December 12 (the referendum deadline). But if it doesn’t go ahead, we will limp on with what we currently have for the next 10 or 15 years.”




Future looks bright for education — debate



THE future of secondary education in the borough and the Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) was debated at last night’s meeting.



During Cabinet question time, Councillor Kay Knox, Cabinet member for children, young people and families, highlighted the benefits of building a new academy on the Brook Mill site instead of the former Oak Colliery site in Hollinwood.

She said the site was bigger, building there would protect recreational facilities in the area and the land was safer to build on.

But councillor David Jones said the new plan would cost more and fencing off facilities would stop people accessing that land.

Councillor Jim McMahon, Labour leader, said: “Can you be confident that a Cabinet member who marched against academies will sign off academies in Oldham?” Councillor Knox (pictured) admitted that, in principle, she was opposed to academies but would be very happy signing the programme off.

She said: “In 20 years as a councillor, I have always done what I feel is the best for young people in the borough to raise attainment.

I will be very happy to sign off a £230m investment project for our young people.”

Council leader Howard Sykes said the focus of the debate should be on the 3,000 surplus places in Oldham’s secondary schools and that five schools were not delivering to their pupils.

He said no detailed costings had been made so far and he wanted local facilities to work for and be used by the local community.

He said: “Let’s try and move that programme forward together.

“That does mean some of this might change, either because we have to or because it’s better. We’ll do what we think is best.”




Crime plan ‘victory for common sense’



HUNDREDS of neighbourhood crime-fighting schemes could be back on track after the council voted to plough in £1million across the borough.



Together with money given by the police, the outgoing Labour council spent £1m on crime prevention initiatives last year, and they expect the Liberal Democrats to follow suit.

Forwarding the motion, Councillor Peter Dean, said: “This year, the police have invested an extra £350,000 into community safety, but the council funding is the missing link.”

Speaking after the meeting, leader of the Labour Party, Councillor Jim McMahon (pictured) hailed the vote as a victory for common sense and for the people of Oldham.

He said: “If you go to any area of Oldham and speak to people, their number one concern is always crime and anti-social behaviour. The council can’t just sit back and say everything will be alright.

“Thousands of people in the borough have put their names down for alleygating schemes.

“The Lib-Dems think there are more effective crime prevention options, but whether they agree with alleygating or not, they have not allocated money for anything else.”




Best laid plans vetoed



A BID to create area planning committees responsible for determining local minor planning applications was quashed by a single vote.



The ruling Lib-Dem party wanted to honour an election pledge and give the option to all area committees which cover more than one ward — leaving out just five area committees which cover a single ward.

Casting

But the £100,000 proposal was lost by the casting vote from council chairman, Oldham Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar.

Former planning committee chairman Councillor Steven Bashforth warned that the move could end up with councillors feeling intimidated into voting a certain way if they were in a small room crowded with objectors
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Post office proposal



A MOTION for the council to consider using post offices to provide some of its services was sent to another committee.



Councillor John Hudson moved a motion for local post offices to provide services currently available at the council’s One Stop Shops.

He said this would ensure services were provided to various districts and would help keep local post offices open.

Lack of time meant the matter was not debated.

But councillor David Jones said the issue was under investigation by the Overview and Scrutiny panel and the matter should be sent to them.