Council draws up plan to help local businesses

Rochdale Council executives are drawing up a full set of recommendations of how they can support local residents and businesses through the credit crunch.

The proposals will be put before the Council's cabinet on 15 December.

In the mean time the Council is encouraging Rochdale people to spend local over the festive period.

Andy Zuntz, executive director at Rochdale Council, said: “We are doing what we can to help people through the credit crunch and we’re also supporting Rochdale Town Centre Management’s Spend Local campaign and will be encouraging our own staff to support their local retailers in the run up to Christmas.

Andy Zuntz, executive director at Rochdale Council, said: “These are challenging times for everyone – not least those involved in business and in particular the retail sector. It’s important to note that it isn’t just Rochdale affected by the current economic crisis.

"We urge any staff facing redundancy - or those who have already been made redundant - to contact Employment Links, the council’s employment support project. Staff there can help with finding another job, re-training opportunities, and job search skills."

Rochdale's Labour Parliamentary candidate Simon Danczuk is urging local Liberal Democrats to do more to help Rochdale's economy.

“While the Government is reducing taxes, working with the banks to help people keep their homes, protecting people’s savings and continuing to invest in public services, the Lib Dems in Rochdale are considering reducing the wages of the poorest paid council workers under their pay and grading review,” he said.

“They’re introducing above inflation council tax increases – despite getting one of the most generous settlements in Greater Manchester – and they’re cutting business support and threatening to evict council house tenants for being behind on water rates when no such threat is possible for private home dwellers.

"The Lib Dems are happy to let the recession take its course and simply sit on the sidelines and blame others. Rochdale is facing extraordinary times and it is desperately in need of stronger political leadership.”