Council Candidate Statement: Phil Sewell (Conservative, Saddleworth North)

Conservative Phil Sewell pictured during last Thursday's debate in Dobcross.

Conservative Phil Sewell has said improving local roads and winter gritting would be among his top priorities, if he’s elected to represent Saddleworth North on Oldham Council.

He also used his opening statement at last Thursday’s hustings debate at The Swan to say that, in his view, Saddleworth hasn’t been getting “the essentials” from the borough.

He said: “If you look at the state of the roads, in winter the gritting is absolutely atrocious. We’re promoting tourism, but round the back streets you can’t drive your car.”

Mr Sewell, a businessman who works as an operations director, added: “I’m in business, and I control a lot of money, and sometimes I have to make difficult decisions and deliver essentials and not nice-to-haves.”

He continued: “Sometimes I’m not very popular. But I’m sure that the people of Saddleworth want a decent road to drive on, if it snows come and grit the damn roads. When I phoned up at Christmas and asked why weren’t they gritting the roads, it was because the plough was too big… just buy smaller gritters, do something about it.”

Mr Sewell went on: “Sometimes you see nice things being done, and essentials being neglected. And I think if you can only do the basics, then tell the public ‘sorry we’ve no money to have an extension on the library’ or whatever, because we’re doing the roads, keeping the grit, etc.”

He continued: “Get your priorities right, we’ll have the nice things when we can afford it. That’s my frustration, I just want good basic services that we all pay taxes for.”

On the general relationship between the council and Saddleworth, Mr Sewell commented: “I feel that we all pay a lot of tax over to Oldham Council. Saddleworth contributes a lot of its wealth, its a huge part of Oldham. And I feel as though we’re not getting the essentials.”

Mr Sewell also told the audience at the debate that he wasn’t a comer-inner, having lived in Saddleworth 47 years, first in Uppermill and now in Diggle.

To listen to Mr Sewell’s opening statement in full, click here.

The debate took place at The Swan in Dobcross last Thursday, and a Saddleworth News article about it can be read here.

The Saddleworth North ward covers Dobcross, Diggle, Delph, Denshaw, Scouthead and Austerlands. There are three other candidates, and you can hear from Labour’s Sean Fielding here, Liberal Democrat Derek Heffernan here and Independent candidate Ken Hulme here.

Mr Sewell is also standing in the Dobcross ward on Saddleworth Parish Council, which covers Dobcross and Diggle. There are six candidates competing for three seats. You can hear from Lib Dems Royce Franklin here and Dorothy Shaw here. Also standing are Independent Lesley Brown, Lib Dem Mike Buckley and Conservative Barbara Jackson.

Polling day is 5 May. For full Saddleworth News coverage of the Saddleworth Parish Council election go here, and articles about the Oldham Council election are here.

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

If you would like to share an interesting story, achievement, photo or something you just want to happily shout about please send it in an email to hello@saddleworthlife.com We'd ❤ to hear from you!!