Rochdale tops national list of the country’s most struggling economies

Steve Rumbelow, Chief Executive of RMBC, says the data used in the research is outdated

Rochdale has the country’s most declining and most struggling local economy, according to a damning new report.

An index which shows 12 of the country’s most economically struggling towns not only places them all in the north of England, but Rochdale takes the top spot, followed by Burnley, Bolton, Blackburn and Hull.

The report was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) following a study of employment and migration rates in the areas, numbers of highly qualified workers and types of jobs.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Allen Brett commented: “Well of course this isn’t good news, what with the government cutting grants and making it even worse than it could be. There has been £200m cut from the local economy and it’s no surprise that Rochdale is struggling.”

Steve Rumbelow, the chief executive of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The outdated data used in this piece of research does not show what is happening in Rochdale right now. It does not take into account that we have seen hundreds of new jobs created and safeguarded in the past 12 months and our growth strategy and ambitions are creating new and better opportunities.

“Nor does it show that more than £100 million of investment was made in Rochdale last year and companies are locating here because they know it’s the best connected and most ambitious place in Greater Manchester. Rochdale was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution and will be at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse.”

Josh Stott, policy and research manager at JRF, told the national media: "Britain has the potential to become a more prosperous country, with George Osborne's Northern Powerhouse playing a key role in rebalancing the economy, but it must reach all parts of the North to ensure prosperity is shared."

The index is employment rates, levels of highly-qualified workers, the number and type of full time jobs, net migration rates and population change.

The 12 worst towns in the country were listed as:

1. Rochdale
2. Burnley
3. Bolton
4. Blackburn
5. Kingston upon Hull
6. Grimsby
7. Dundee
8. Middlesbrough
9. Bradford
10. Blackpool
11. Stoke on Trent
12. Wigan