As the row continues over Oldham Ckuncil’s decision to cut short its meeting g to allow councillors to watch England’s Euro semi final, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes is waiting for a response to his two leader’s questions submitted for the Full Council meeting .
The time allocated to leader’s questions and questions to Cabinet Members was axed by the ruling Labour Group so that the meeting could end in time for councillors to watch England take on the Netherlands in the Euros.
Councillor Sykes said, “I asked two important questions. The first was about cuts made by the administration to the Environmental Services team who look after our parks and green spaces. In recent months the number of complaints about weeds, missing bins and the general state of neglect in our parks has rocketed.”
“My second question was about Greater Manchester Police’s failed IT system, which continues to frustrate officers and slow investigations. I have asked the Leader if she would push Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham not to pass the cost onto the public by hiking his council tax precepts yet again.”
After the decision to cut the meeting short was voted through by Labour and their Shaw and Failsworth Independent coalition partners, it was agreed that questions could be submitted in writing and a written response would be published within a week.
Councillor Sykes said, “It remains to be seen how long we’ll be waiting for a response and the quality of that response. The point of these questions is to question and challenge the administration to provide answers and to put them under the spotlight and hold them to account.”
“I am not surprised that the Labour leadership have tried to hide behind the football. But I do think a lot of people in Oldham will be furious that some Independent councillors have backed them to do it. Is that really why people voted Independent? To make life easier for Labour councillors?”
