Christmas message from Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale Council

A Christmas message from Councillor Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale Council.

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The last 12 months have been tough for everyone, with the national cost of living crisis continuing to bite. However, by working together we have once again delivered many success stories and achievements in our borough. As always, our spirit of cooperation has shone brightly throughout the year with many positive things to report.

As I said on the first day I became leader, residents want to see high quality, value for money, public services delivered in their community. There is a lot to be proud about, in a year of delivery.

Once again, we swept the board at the North West In Bloom awards, and, working with the many volunteer groups, our borough gained an outstanding 25 gold awards across our Middleton, Heywood, Rochdale and Pennines townships. I know how much time, effort and commitment goes into making our towns, parks and green spaces look so magnificent. This is thanks to our first-class teams, who work alongside dedicated In Bloom volunteer groups, and local businesses who we must credit for their outstanding contributions to each township that make our community such a great place to live, work and socialise. A huge thanks go to every person who has made this a bumper year of awards, proving once again that by working together, we achieve great things.

In a timely boost, multi million pound plans to transform Heywood Civic Centre into a first class arts and performance venue have moved a step closer with the submission of a planning application to re-develop the site. The changes will enable the venue to build on the success of its popular events programme, with new opportunities for the community to participate in the arts, as well as the relocation of local arts organisation, Cartwheel Arts, to a new base in the centre. The plans are part of an £8.5 million investment into arts and culture in the borough over the next three years.

In a further boost, a state-of-the-art extra care housing project in Middleton, that will provide affordable apartments for residents aged 55 and over, is to open soon. The development, delivered by our adult care service in partnership with The Riverside Group housing association, will enable scores of people with care needs to live independently.

This year also saw the opening of the new 146-room Hampton by Hilton Hotel in Rochdale town centre. Bringing a huge global name like Hampton by Hilton to our borough for the first time is another major step forward in our ongoing regeneration programme. The hotel will bring in considerable investment for our borough and it’s a really strong addition to Rochdale’s rapidly changing town centre.

As this year draws to a close, we’ve reached an important milestone, with the restoration of many of the incredible heritage spaces within Rochdale Town Hall now complete. Of course, this building belongs to our residents and I’m pleased to say that they will be able to see Rochdale Town Hall for themselves in just a few short months, with the opening date now set for Sunday 3 March 2024.

A vital lifeline for older and vulnerable residents is the excellent HMR Circle volunteer driving scheme, that helps transport older people across the borough and beyond to hospital, doctors and other medical based appointments, as well as social activities, shopping or visits to the barbers or hairdressers. At my recent meeting with pensioner representatives I underlined my support for this vital service. Further information on the volunteer driving scheme, and how to become a volunteer driver, can be found at www.hmrcircle.org.uk 

There have been many other highlights that showcased our borough at its brilliant best. One shining example was during Remembrance commemorations, when the community really came together to pay its respects to the fallen, with moving services at war memorials across our borough. I would like to thank everyone who played their part in making Remembrance Sunday run so smoothly and, as always, a huge thanks to everyone in our Armed Forces community for what you do. Our support will remain steadfast throughout 2024 and beyond.

Please remember our Helping Hand cost of living support remains in place and will do into next year. I am committed to ensuring our most vulnerable residents are supported and protected during these tough times. Our package includes school holiday vouchers, which support over 13,000 young families, help with energy bills, household essentials, signposting to services and our warm homes scheme. Information on all our cost of living support can be found at www.rochdale.gov.uk/costofliving.

As always, I want to pay tribute to our council staff, health workers, carers, the voluntary sector and countless others who are the heartbeat of our borough. You have all done a brilliant job to look after older residents, children and young people, ensuring the most vulnerable in our community have been supported, protected and cared for round the clock. Thank you.

Best wishes for the Christmas break, cherish those precious moments with your nearest and dearest. Please take a moment to knock on the door or call a neighbour or friend. A simple ‘how are you?’ really can go a long way.

Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all.