Cllr Howard Sykes MBE

First elected in 1987, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE has 30 years’ Local Government service, and has held a range of senior roles including Leader, Deputy Leader of the Council, Executive Member for Regeneration, Chair of Licensing and now Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council. In addition he is a member of the Greater Manchester Transport Authority and was Vice Chair of the Association of Greater Manchester Councils.

From 1997 to 2006 he was the Chief Executive of the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors. 
 
In recent years he held the roles of Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrat Group at the LGA and LGA National Peer, where he helped support Liberal Democrat council groups and managing the pool of Liberal Democrat peers.

He was awarded an MBE in 2014 for services to local government, and was elected LGA Liberal Democrat Group Leader in 2017.