As the referendum on the £3 Billion transport plan draws near, Oldham Labour Group have submitted proposals to scrap the congestion charge for local journeys.

Under the original proposals drivers would have been charged to cross the M60 into Failsworth. Under plans put forward by Labour those simply crossing the M60 for local journeys would not be charged.

The impact of the proposal would mean that unless you then drove on to the inner ring (currently Queens Road) you would not be charged a penny.

There are currently forty-nine alley gating schemes waiting for funding in Failsworth, but the new Liberal Democrat administration who now control the Council withdrew all the funding in July as part of their new budget.

Last year in Failsworth, over £300,000 was spent on alley gating and CCTV to help reduce crime and antisocial behaviour.

Councillor Peter Dean said, “Top of the requests I have received from residents is for action against crime and anti-social behaviour. To cut this budget, as the Lib-Dems have, is wrong. The people of Failsworth want to feel that crime and anti-social behaviour are being tackled. The Council should be supporting the Police in crime reduction strategies not cutting funding.”

We are putting together a record of the career, academic and family successes of Failsworth students. Would you be prepared to share your experiences? We’d love to hear about your certificates, diplomas, awards, cups and trophies. Have you travelled to exotic places? Have you rubbed shoulders with royalty, shaken hands with celebrities, featured in the news?

Why not drop us a line? Who knows, your picture could go up on a wall, your name appear on our Honours Board or on one of the plaques we are using to decorate our stunningly new but rather bare walls.

If you are the proud grand-parent, parent, brother, sister, son or daughter of an ex-student who has done well, we’d be delighted to hear from you, too.