Labour Government’s PfE refusal branded a “betrayal of democracy”

Responding to the news that the Government has overturned Oldham Council’s request to be removed from Places for Everyone, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “The Labour Government’s decision to go against the democratic decision of Oldham Council is a betrayal that the people of Oldham Borough will not forget or forgive.” 

Oldham councillors voted twice to write to the Government requesting that the Borough be removed from Places for Everyone.  A letter was then sent to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP.  A letter from her junior Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP has today (08/04) confirmed that the Government will ignore Oldham Council’s wishes that a majority of councillors voted for.

Councillor Sykes, who successfully led cross party opposition to Places for Everyone in Oldham, continued, “This is now clearly the end of the road and Oldham Borough is stuck with PfE.  We and others have taken this as far as we can.  Time, I think will show we were right, and I predict that we will be forced to provide more land including Green Belt for development in the very near future.”