Important: Getting Our Message Across

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Diego and I have been making a few 'phone calls over the last day or so to various people and offices.

 

We are a little depressed as it seems that despite the best efforts of the fans, our email messages are not getting through. I've been copied into loads of emails but what I have been told is that only a handful of mails have reached the right people. Also, I've heard that only one "non-Planning Committee" Councillor has received an email so far.

 

I know that is wrong and it appears that somewhere along the line, there is a "breakdown in communication" and we need to put that right. We know we have been sending hundreds of emails but we can't have this argument used against us come 11 December - particularly as we know it is not right. Perhaps the Council's email System wasn't able to cope as we heard it was undergoing maintenance a couple of weekends ago?

 

As you know, our voice is loud and we can make a difference. I for one don't want someone wriggling out of this by saying that there is no real opinion in Support of the Development. What I would ask is that everyone visits their "Sent Mails" folder and forwards those sent to Councillors (and received from them) to the email addresses below marked "for your information". By using facts "Spin" will be defeated by "Substance".

 

What is done is done and I'm not really bothered about the rights and wrongs so far regarding whether emails have been received or not. We can however make sure of what happens in the future and if I receive copies, then I can provide a summary/ tally of the mails that we have sent which I can send to OAFC prior to 11 December for information.

 

Please use the suggested lists below for your messages of support for the Application. Hopefully you can just copy the list and paste it onto your email To and/ or CC box:-

 

planning@oldham.gov.uk, regeneration@oldham.gov.uk, andrew.kilburn@oldham.gov.uk, jim.bennett@oldham.gov.uk, tom.flanagan@oldham.gov.uk, battyej@hotmail.co.uk, asaf.ali@oldham.gov.uk, hugh.mcdonald@oldham.gov.uk, glynis.shaw@oldham.gov.uk, j.greenwood@oldham.gov.uk, eileen.hulme@oldham.gov.uk, colin.mclaren@oldham.gov.uk, len.quinn@oldham.gov.uk, jeremy.sutcliffe@oldham.gov.uk, david.hibbert@oldham.gov.uk, david.r.jones@oldham.gov.uk, joy.wrigglesworth@oldham.gov.uk, abdul.jabbar@oldham.gov.uk, jilad.miah@oldham.gov.uk, mohib.uddin@oldham.gov.uk, john.dillon@oldham.gov.uk, philomena.dillon@oldham.gov.uk, ann.wingate@oldham.gov.uk, peter.dean@oldham.gov.uk, barbara.dawson@oldham.gov.uk, james.mcmahon@oldham.gov.uk, aileen.bell@oldham.gov.uk, glenys.butterworth@oldham.gov.uk, john.johnson@oldham.gov.uk, stephen.barrow@oldham.gov.uk, jean.stretton@oldham.gov.uk, gerald.ball@oldham.gov.uk, jean.jones@oldham.gov.uk, ateeque.urrehman@oldham.gov.uk, olwen.chadderton@oldham.gov.uk, bernard.judge@oldham.gov.uk, david.shaw@oldham.gov.uk, riaz.ahmad@oldham.gov.uk, shadab.qumer@oldham.gov.uk, a.a.salamat@oldham.gov.uk, jim.mcardle@oldham.gov.uk, jackie.stanton@oldham.gov.uk, mike.buckley@oldham.gov.uk, derek.heffernan@oldham.gov.uk, alanroughley@talktalk.net, richard.knowles@oldham.gov.uk, john.mccann@oldham.gov.uk, barbara.beeley@oldham.gov.uk, brian.lord@oldham.gov.uk, val.sedgwick@oldham.gov.uk, mark.alcock@oldham.gov.uk, rod.blyth@oldham.gov.uk, howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk, john.anchor@oldham.gov.uk, kay.knox@oldham.gov.uk, lynne.thompson@oldham.gov.uk, shoab.akhtar@oldham.gov.uk, fida.hussain@oldham.gov.uk, inspiral_carpet@owtb.co.uk.

 

Email addresses of those against either via vote or action (those who voted for the Application last time are included in previous list):-

 

philip.rogers@oldham.gov.uk, keith.pendlebury@oldham.gov.uk, tony.larkin@oldham.gov.uk, steven.bashforth@oldham.gov.uk, roger.hindle@oldham.gov.uk, christine.wheeler@oldham.gov.uk, javid.iqbal@oldham.gov.uk, philip.harrison@oldham.gov.uk.

 

Also, it is important that Oldham's MPs are aware of what is going on. The only guaranteed way that they will get your feedback is by filling in a form at www.parliament.uk and the links are here for MPs Woolas; Meacher and Heyes:-

 

Phil Woolas

Michael Meacher

David Heyes

 

There is only space for 4000 characters of comment so I'd suggest that you let them know what you have done and also let them know the details of those you have emailed.

 

Ok so all this is a bit of a bind but all I can say is that is is absolutely vital for our Club. From conversations that I have had, feedback is massively important. The Planning Committee is made up of less than 20% of Oldham's Councillors. It does however represent them all. Consequently, the recent backlash against Oldham Council from a variety of sources tarnishes them all in a way - no matter how unjust that may be.

 

The Councillors talk though. While we are told there are no party whips, peer pressure will count for a lot. As we saw from the letter in yesterday's Chron, Tom Flanagan has felt the need to publicise what the Regeneration Team are doing to counter the negative publicity. We know ourselves from mails and discussions with Councillors that some (not on The Planning Committee) feel hurt, let down and embarrassed. Even The Oldham Chronicle itself is showing support for the Plans and it does seem to have been running a lot of negative stories about The Council since the Planning Application was rejected (Water Fountains; Selling off assets; closure of The Theatre Workshop; state of Roads, closure of Catering College restaurant etc.).

 

This isn't meant as a nuisance campaign. The intention is not to fill email inboxes or bring down the Council's Server. It is simply to ensure that our message is getting through to the right people - the Councillors representing the whole of Oldham and not just those on the Planning Committee; he people charged with running our Town from executive positions whether that be Regeneration; Planning or overall and last but not least, the 3 Members of Parliament representing Oldham.

 

So please take a little time if you can to send a few more mails. Hopefully, I've made it relatively simple for you but if there is anything further that will help, then let me know.

 

People are probably getting a bit jaded from all this campaigning. I would hope that this is the last request for written action that you will be asked to undertake but I'll leave you with the thought that this is vitally important for our Club and its future and we know that we can make the difference!

[Guest sheridans_world]

For outlook friendly addresses in a batch:

 

planning@oldham.gov.uk; regeneration@oldham.gov.uk; andrew.kilburn@oldham.gov.uk; jim.bennett@oldham.gov.uk; tom.flanagan@oldham.gov.uk; battyej@hotmail.co.uk; asaf.ali@oldham.gov.uk; hugh.mcdonald@oldham.gov.uk; glynis.shaw@oldham.gov.uk; j.greenwood@oldham.gov.uk; eileen.hulme@oldham.gov.uk; colin.mclaren@oldham.gov.uk; len.quinn@oldham.gov.uk; jeremy.sutcliffe@oldham.gov.uk; david.hibbert@oldham.gov.uk; david.r.jones@oldham.gov.uk; joy.wrigglesworth@oldham.gov.uk; abdul.jabbar@oldham.gov.uk; jilad.miah@oldham.gov.uk; mohib.uddin@oldham.gov.uk; john.dillon@oldham.gov.uk; philomena.dillon@oldham.gov.uk; ann.wingate@oldham.gov.uk; peter.dean@oldham.gov.uk; barbara.dawson@oldham.gov.uk; james.mcmahon@oldham.gov.uk; aileen.bell@oldham.gov.uk; glenys.butterworth@oldham.gov.uk; john.johnson@oldham.gov.uk; stephen.barrow@oldham.gov.uk; jean.stretton@oldham.gov.uk; gerald.ball@oldham.gov.uk; jean.jones@oldham.gov.uk; ateeque.urrehman@oldham.gov.uk; olwen.chadderton@oldham.gov.uk; bernard.judge@oldham.gov.uk; david.shaw@oldham.gov.uk; riaz.ahmad@oldham.gov.uk; shadab.qumer@oldham.gov.uk; a.a.salamat@oldham.gov.uk; jim.mcardle@oldham.gov.uk; jackie.stanton@oldham.gov.uk; mike.buckley@oldham.gov.uk; derek.heffernan@oldham.gov.uk; alanroughley@talktalk.net; richard.knowles@oldham.gov.uk; john.mccann@oldham.gov.uk; barbara.beeley@oldham.gov.uk; brian.lord@oldham.gov.uk; val.sedgwick@oldham.gov.uk; mark.alcock@oldham.gov.uk; rod.blyth@oldham.gov.uk; howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk; john.anchor@oldham.gov.uk; kay.knox@oldham.gov.uk; lynne.thompson@oldham.gov.uk; shoab.akhtar@oldham.gov.uk; fida.hussain@oldham.gov.uk; inspiral_carpet@owtb.co.uk

 

and the other lot

 

philip.rogers@oldham.gov.uk; keith.pendlebury@oldham.gov.uk; tony.larkin@oldham.gov.uk; steven.bashforth@oldham.gov.uk; roger.hindle@oldham.gov.uk; christine.wheeler@oldham.gov.uk; javid.iqbal@oldham.gov.uk; philip.harrison@oldham.gov.uk

[Jac]

Just to confirm and stop me from getting confused can I ask you what you think I should do. I have sent the same email to all councillors who voted against. I have had replies from a handful. I have then sent personal responses to these. So my question is do I just resend another blanket email, or would you like me to collate all emails sent and received and email to the addresses? I have one email that may cause an argument between Bashforth and whoever sent it (I have a rubbish memory) as he disagreed with him chairing the meeting.

 

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense, hope it does. I don't know what good would come of emailing everything round as I'm not sure I would get responses, but then maybe that isn't the point?

 

Sorry again. Been up since 5 and my brain aint working!!

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Just to confirm and stop me from getting confused can I ask you what you think I should do. I have sent the same email to all councillors who voted against. I have had replies from a handful. I have then sent personal responses to these. So my question is do I just resend another blanket email, or would you like me to collate all emails sent and received and email to the addresses? I have one email that may cause an argument between Bashforth and whoever sent it (I have a rubbish memory) as he disagreed with him chairing the meeting.

 

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense, hope it does. I don't know what good would come of emailing everything round as I'm not sure I would get responses, but then maybe that isn't the point?

 

Sorry again. Been up since 5 and my brain aint working!!

 

No probs Jac. Funnily enough, I didn't get to bed until 4.30am so my brain is mushed like yours!

 

I'd suggest that you just forward emails that you have already sent and received to the main batch of email addresses marked "for your information". Also, use the list and copy them into any future emails of support that you may send to the Planning people.

 

That will just show the rest of the Councillors (plus others) just what you have been up to.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[Jac]

It most certainly does. Think I'll just copy everything into one big email and get that sent out.

[Jac]

And for those using Hotmail, you can only have a maximum of 50 addresses in there, so I've done up to Roughley for the first batch and the rest for the second.

[philliggi]

And for those using Hotmail, you can only have a maximum of 50 addresses in there, so I've done up to Roughley for the first batch and the rest for the second.

 

Done, and that 50 recipients thing is annoyin

[The Chaplain]

It's more expensive, but I do know that old fashioned letters (you know envelope, stamp all that sort of stuff) are still very effective and harder to delete. How about a letter saying that we know the council email system has found it hard to cope, so here is a hard copy of what I wrote too, for information? All the councillors home addresses are on the Oldham Council website.

 

Just a thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jac]

Cllrs Blyth and Shaw have replied and sound quite positive. Just thought I would let you know!

[oafc_ok]

Cllrs Blyth and Shaw have replied and sound quite positive. Just thought I would let you know!

 

 

Councillor Hibbert has also replied positively as follows:

 

 

Dear Mr. Doran,

Speaking personally, you are pushing at an open door!

Regards,

Dave Hibbert

[Diego_Sideburns]

Cllrs Blyth and Shaw have replied and sound quite positive. Just thought I would let you know!

 

Councillor Hibbert has also replied positively as follows:

Dear Mr. Doran,

Speaking personally, you are pushing at an open door!

Regards,

Dave Hibbert

 

Cllr Blyth is on the Planning Committee and he voted in favour at the last meeting. Cllrs Shaw and Hibbert are not.

 

The ones who have a vote on the revised outline application are:

Councillors Bashforth (Chairman), Blyth, Dawson, Hindle, J. Jones, Iqbal, Larkin, Pendlebury, Rogers, Sutcliffe and Wheeler.

 

Those in bold type voted against last time. It's unlikely that they would indicate how they'll vote next time, because they're supposed to not make up their minds in advance and consider the revised application with an open mind.

 

All we can do is keep plugging away at them to point out all the benefits of the proposed development and hope their non-voting Councillor colleagues also advise them about the benefits. Then we have to hope that the penny drops about the traffic survey findings with a fuller explanation than they had at the last meeting.

[Diego_Sideburns]

I have one email that may cause an argument between Bashforth and whoever sent it (I have a rubbish memory) as he disagreed with him chairing the meeting.

 

Jac, it was Cllr Rogers.

 

I am repeatedly sending the link to the Advertiser article asking for opinion. I have had a dodge from a few councillors, to which I simply send the link again asking for a response. This is what I had from Cllr Rogers:

 

Good Morning if that was me who had done those leaflets and said that to the press then i would have declaired an interest of personal and predudicial and walked out of the meeting, however i presume steven took legal advice on what to do from the brough solicitior and her advice was its only a pesonal interest and this is what he declaired. I reittterate though if it was me i would have left the room Cheers Mr Rogers

 

Hmmm

[OminousPoultry]

All we can do is keep plugging away at them to point out all the benefits of the proposed development and hope their non-voting Councillor colleagues also advise them about the benefits. Then we have to hope that the penny drops about the traffic survey findings with a fuller explanation than they had at the last meeting.

 

Just for the record, thus far, Ahmad and Sedgwick have deleted my email without reading it.

[Diego_Sideburns]

Just for the record, thus far, Ahmad and Sedgwick have deleted my email without reading it.

 

OMBC's Customer Charter requires emails to be answered within 24 hours. Complaints should be sent to:

johanne.parsons@oldham.gov.uk

 

http://www.oldham.gov.uk/ocfs/ocfs-strat-spit-cc1.pdf

[garcon]

Keep it up folks.

 

I've had a couple of indications that the message is getting across. Please don't be put out if the replies you receive from some councillors are non-committal - that doesn't always mean they don't care, just that they are habitually careful what the put in print!

[Ted]

as an oldham exile I,ve sent the following (to give a slightly different slant)

To: steven.bashforth@oldham.gov.uk; roger.hindle@oldham.gov.uk; javid.iqbal@oldham.gov.uk; tony.larkin@oldham.gov.uk; keith.pendlebury@oldham.gov.uk; philip.rogers@oldham.gov.uk; christine.wheeler@oldham.gov.uk; david.r.jones@oldham.gov.uk; andrew.kilburn@oldham.gov.uk; alan.hardy@oldhamathletic.co.uk; woolasp@parliament.uk; meacherm@parliament.uk; hodgem@parliament.uk; purnellj@parliament.uk; sutcliffeg@parliament.uk; planning@oldham.gov.uk;

 

I urge support of the proposed development on the grounds of the need to demonstrate that Oldham is a town which is proud of its heritage and in order to send a message to the townsfolk and, particularly, to potential investors that there is an ambition to become something other than a sink estate on the outskirts of Manchester.

[Jac]

I just received the following from Cllr Ball:

 

As a councillor we are advised that we should not comment on any single planning application as this would debar you from voting on this application at planning committee.

 

However I would think I would be debarred from voting anyway as I have been a season ticket holder at the Latics for the last 25 years!

 

Ged Ball

 

Interesting..... all these people emailing us and making comments....... Diego?

[Diego_Sideburns]

I just received the following from Cllr Ball:

Interesting..... all these people emailing us and making comments....... Diego?

 

As I said earlier, it's unlikely that the Planning Committee members would indicate how they'll vote next time, because they're supposed to not make up their minds in advance and consider the revised application with an open mind.

 

Keep bombarding them with positive facts in support of the application. Even though they remain silent, it will be like water dripping on a stone.

[philliggi]

I just received the following from Cllr Ball:

Interesting..... all these people emailing us and making comments....... Diego?

 

yeah i got the same email

[Inspiral_Carpet]

I've been copied in to the emails of 13 posters so far.

[Hometownclub]

I've been copied in to the emails of 13 posters so far.

 

Surely with all the members we have on OWTB, we can do better than 13 letters of support to the council on what is a make or break situation for the Club.

 

COME ON MAKE THE EFFORT.

 

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Surely with all the members we have on OWTB, we can do better than 13 letters of support to the council on what is a make or break situation for the Club.

 

COME ON MAKE THE EFFORT.

 

 

I know that some people will be sending mails to their own mailing list but after being off-line since Friday, I had expected to see more copied to me. There are more than 13 mails (as some have sent a few) but only 13 unique names.

 

As you sat Htc, it really is make or break time and this is a free way to show support for our Club.

[leeslover]

Finally got round to it. Would have done it earlier but was thinking it ought to be War and Peace - but really something short and sweet is just as good. Something simple is certainly better than nothing at all! It's a numbers game at the end of the day

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Finally got round to it. Would have done it earlier but was thinking it ought to be War and Peace - but really something short and sweet is just as good. Something simple is certainly better than nothing at all! It's a numbers game at the end of the day

 

What does environtal mean please?

 

[garcon]

It's a less mental environmentalist...