Councillors clash over bid to save market

Senior councillors have clashed over an eleventh-hour bid to save Rochdale’s centuries-old market.

Earlier this month the council took the decision to close the market – which moved to The Butts last summer – on the grounds it had not proven financially viable.

Both the outdoor market and the indoor foodhall are scheduled to close in mid-October – but Conservative leader Ashley Dearnley, who says the decision was undemocratic, is calling for a stay of execution.

His Conservative group intends to table a motion at the next full council meeting pleading for a six-month pause to allow traders to come up with a plan to run it themselves.

But Labour’s Councillor John Blundell – cabinet member for regeneration, business, skills and employment – has hit out Councillor Dearnley, accusing him of ‘the worst kind of political opportunism’.

His criticism centres on the fact Councillor Dearnley is – like him – a director of Rochdale Development Agency (RDA), the body which has run the market with the council since September last year.

He said: “It is baffling that Councillor Dearnley, and the Tory group, are preparing to send a motion to full council about saving the market when he sits on the board of the company that has been running it.

“If he and his group are so concerned why have they not raised concerns before the difficult decision to close the market was taken? I cannot recall this ever happening.”

He continued: “Earlier in the year I ensured that the traders were given time to produce a business plan, but it was, unfortunately, deemed unviable by officers. I am unaware Councillor Dearnley did anything.

“In effect, Councillor Dearnley is accusing the board he sits on of deliberately running down the market. Either that or he is unaware who was running the market – neither reflect very well on him.”

However, the Conservative leader has hit back, saying he has ‘no problem whatsoever with RDA’ – but does question the decision to hand it responsibility for the relocated market.

“I don’t think it was appropriate for them to manage this and what I have said on a number of occasions – and repeat again – is that we should have let traders run it,” he said.

“I find it sad that they (Labour) have taken the whole thing to such extremes, all I’m asking for is a period of consideration for this to be looked into to see if market traders can run it.

“I fully understand the financial implications, and if that doesn’t work, I would accept that decision.”

Councillor Dearnley is of the opinion that all councillors should have had input into the decision on the future of the 768-year-old market and he believes it could receive a significant boost once the new Riverside shopping centre opens next Easter.

“More people will be coming in shopping and it may be that the whole thing could take off at that point,” he said.

“I’m surprised they find someone putting an alternative view almost offensive as that’s not my intention.”

The council has reported that several regular Rochdale Market stallholders have been found ‘alternative locations’.

These include Peter Jordan, affectionately known as ‘the egg man’, who has been offered a space in the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre.

Alison Melia’s watch batteries stall and Geoff Taylor’s fruit and veg stand have options in Middleton and Heywood respectively.

Traders selling Asian goods have been offered spaces at a new Asian Bazaar market which will be operating in Ashton

Rochdale market is due to close on Monday 14 October.

The next full meeting of Rochdale council takes place on Wednesday 16 October.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter