Council begin screening for People’s Champion

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 14/06/2007

Rochdale Council appear set be the first in the country to employ a "People’s Champion’. It was made public on Wednesday 13 June that the council has begun the screening process for the job of People’s Champion by the leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Alan Taylor.

Councillor Taylor described the number of applicants to the post, over 100 from across Britain in total, as "remarkable’ given that typically "only three or four applications will be received for a specific role’.

The applicants are now undergoing a screening process, with the People’s Champion set to be unveiled later in the summer.

Mr Taylor said: "We have created the post of People’s Champion for people who have felt as though they are banging their head against a brick wall and getting frustrated with the council when are going through the complaints procedure. There will now be someone here who can take up complaints and help Rochdale residents. The People’s Champion will specialise in getting any problems people have to the Council quickly. The People’s Champion will be able to get things done and will help the Council to improve its service to local people.

"This is an exciting prospect for Rochdale and the Liberal Democrats believe it is the right thing to do, as it was part of our election programme. The post has generated huge interest as it is the first of its kind in Britain."

However, the new post has been the subject of fierce debate in Council, with the Labour and Conservative parties both strongly opposed to the creation of the People’s Champion job. Leader of the Conservatives, Councillor Ashley Dearnley, whose concerns have been echoed by his Conservative colleagues and by Labour Councillors, said:  "This post is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money; we have 60 well paid Councillors to champion the public as well as an independent Standards Board and Audit Commission to deal with complaints.

"It is all a matter of priorities and at a time when cuts are having to be made in areas such as Social Services and we can not afford to properly repair our roads and pavements, we should not be wasting the public’s money on more managers and empire building. We need to get back to providing high quality services that people want.

"The Conservatives will continue to oppose this crazy scheme."

The People’s Champion will head a team of two clerical assistants and will act as the first point of appeal for Rochdale residents’ complaints and will be the leading body in relating those complaints to the Council. Councillor Taylor continued: "The People’s Champion will help to improve our Support Services and ultimately will make the council better at dealing with complaints."

As part of his council portfolio, cabinet member Councillor Keith Swift has pushed hard to ensure that the role of People’s Champion comes into being. He said: "As a result of the team’s investigations, the People’s Champion will have the power to make recommendations to the Council’s executive leadership team. In that way the council will be able to improve its services. Having an independent body for complaints will help the Council to learn and improve."