The Liberal Democrat Deputy Group Leader on Oldham Council, Shaw Councillor Chris Gloster, is fuming at the cost of a letter sent to every household in the borough. The controversial letter, jointly signed by the Labour Leader of Oldham Council, councillor Sean Fielding, and Oldham Council’s Chief Executive, Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, relays what the […]

With no funding for disabled parking spaces for three years, and a backlog of applications still to be assessed, disabled drivers have been left stranded by Oldham Council. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness queried the lack of funding at the March Council meeting. He said: “It’s unfair that this Council has singled out disabled […]

Diggle Parking, Heywood Fold and Child Food campaign Diggle parking Liberal Democrat councillor Garth Harkness has restored common sense to proposed parking restrictions near the new school in Diggle.  Despite residents’ protests, officials proposed to allow ‘overnight’ parking only until 6am on weekdays.  “That is way in excess of the school’s needs and of normal […]

Honest campaigning. I will campaign strongly for Saddleworth’s interests, from green spaces to bus services, as I always have.  I will not vaguely ‘call for’ matters to be remedied but will tell you what I am doing about it.  If a scheme needs money, I will say where it is coming from. Making things better. […]

I asked questions on disabled parking bays and Universal credit/no child should go hungry Disabled parking bays Information recently received from officers by my colleague, Councillor Sykes, has revealed that no new money has been found to provide much-needed disabled parking bays for the last three years and that work to progress the applications made […]

At Wednesday’s full meeting of Oldham Council (24 March), the Oldham Liberal Democrats will be proposing all Councillors give a big vote of thanks to Oldham’s school and education staff after a year in which they have been hard at work delivering tuition in the most trying post-war circumstances. Saddleworth North Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth […]

Garth Harkness, local Liberal Democrat spokesperson on education and a senior teacher himself, gained Oldham Council’s support to fight child food poverty.  The council passed unanimously his proposal to lobby government to adopt the recommendations of the National Food Strategy.  The strategy, put forward by national charities and Marcus Rashford MBE, extends and makes permanent […]

Thank you for your many messages of congratulation about the 20mph limits coming to Dobcross and Delph.  “Don’t forget to thank your village associations too,” says Garth Harkness. “We worked together.”  Garth and Liberal Democrat colleague Sam Al-Hamdani have achieved the same for Den Lane Springhead as well. Meanwhile Garth has been working with local […]

Don’t forget that Garth and the team are here to help with anything from covid-related problems to potholes.  For your safety, we are not making our usual doorstep calls but keeping in touch by Focus and phone only. Research shows that paper is safe, hence we get newspapers and post, and our volunteer deliverers take […]

The withdrawal of the tenth version of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) in December was no Christmas present.  It is now held back until after the local elections, including the one for Greater Manchester Mayor, and previous experience suggests that keeping it hidden does not promise good news.  The climbdown this time was forced […]