Reckless Oldham council to remove grit bins despite the listening promise
Garth Harkness
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North Ward on Oldham Council Learn more
Oldham Liberal Democrats lead calls for new protections for private renters
Residents not considered in new housing development in Diggle,says Lib Dems
Reckless Oldham council to remove grit bins despite the listening promise
Oldham Liberal Democrats lead calls for new protections for private renters
Residents not considered in new housing development in Diggle,says Lib Dems
No Grit bins for Saddleworth
by Garth Harkness on 23 August, 2023
*UPDATE -OLDHAM COUNCIL NOW LOOKING AGAIN
MY COMMENT
It may be a legacy plan but that plan was put to the current leadership who signed off on this process giving councillors till 1st September to respond. To do this during recess when some councillors are on holiday is poor form. The process was put to us as “opportunities to save money” .Residents need to be able to get to the primary gritting routes so even if a bin is placed on a primary gritting route then side streets might use that bin If this is now being retracted then I welcome this but it needs to be an actual listening exercise and not a pause and plough on with the original plan.
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North, Garth Harkness, has hit out at the council for their plan to remove some of some of the grit bins in Saddleworth. It will put the public at risk, he says.
Councillor Garth Harkness said “Saddleworth residents rely on grit bins during the winter months and this plan disproportionately affects our villages. I am not sure council leaders who live in other areas understand how difficult it can be to get to work on a snowy winter morning.”
The council plans to remove several grit bins in Delph, two in Diggle and one in Denshaw. It claims that some are on gritting routes and others are not used enough.
Councillor Garth Harkness said “They use figures for a mild winter, which is not appropriate. Many residents in Saddleworth need to dig themselves out and they really need more grit bins to service housing areas, not fewer. People have to get to the primary gritting routes to use them.
“This is Oldham Council’s cynical attempt to blame local councillors for Labour cuts
by demanding they pay for bins they say are essential.”
Councillor Garth Harkness added “They are trying to put more and more things onto local councillors. We have very little funding and it is for things like community projects that matter to residents.”
“I of course am opposing these cuts”, said Councillor Harkness. “Road safety is not an optional add-on.”
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply