Council leader's column: Borough must unite in the "politics of hope"

Councillor Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale Council

Neil Emmott is the leader of Rochdale Council and a councillor for West Middleton.

This month he dedicates his column to the borough coming together at a crucial time, to ensure "politics" of hope, not politics of "division and despair."

As the dust settles on this year’s local elections, I want to extend my thanks to everyone who ensured the smooth running of the democratic process. I give my particular thanks, as always, to the council’s election team, returning officers, counters, volunteers and many others who played their part in a well-run operation.

Across the borough of Rochdale, we had 100 polling stations open for voting. It was a challenge to which our teams again rose to magnificently. I would also like to thank residents who took their time to cast a vote, the democratic process is something we should never take for granted.

I would also like to take the opportunity to commiserate with my two colleagues, Ali Ahmed and Shahid Mohammed, who sadly lost their seats a couple of weeks ago. They are both excellent community campaigners, who I have no doubt will be back on the council one day.

On a personal level, I was proud to be unanimously returned as leader of the council at this week’s annual council meeting, held in the stunning surrounds of the newly refurbished Rochdale Town Hall. It is now three years since I became leader and, over that time, our borough has continued to move forward, making our community an even better place to work, live and grow up in. These are not just words, they are matched with a track record of delivery. The transformation of our borough there for all to see across our rich and diverse towns and villages.

Our success stories were underlined recently by The Times newspaper report of council rankings, compiled using data from the Office for Local Government (Oflog). The data showed Rochdale to be the best performing council in Greater Manchester, across areas like waste management; corporate and finance; planning and roads; and adult social care. Our high ranking was a ringing endorsement of our outstanding, value for money services and how they are making a positive difference to the our residents’ lives. It is pleasing to be recognised as one of the strongest performing councils in the country and a testament to our hardworking staff who deliver high-quality public services in often challenging circumstances.

However, this is no time for complacency. To stand still is to go backwards, so over the coming weeks and months we will build on that proud record of delivery, with further regeneration projects, ambitious investment plans, continued cost of living support, and a council that is on your side.

This contrasts with George Galloway’s empty promise that his party would oust us as the controlling group. His macho words ended up ringing hollow. The reality is that, across the borough, residents have again put their trust in me and my colleagues to continue delivering. They backed our decisions to implement a popular council tax discount scheme, to keep all 16 library branches open, to protect community and sure start centres (now Family Hubs), to continue investing In our award-winning parks, to give them a helping hand with their cost of living, to continue with our radical plans to improve transport connectivity and continue to show that our borough means business.

At this important moment it is crucial that, now, more than ever, our borough unites and comes together, ensuring it is the politics of hope that shines through, and the politics of division and despair, espoused by Mr Galloway and his sidekicks, is rejected. That means we work even harder to maintain the trust of voters and yes, in some cases, regain it. It’s a challenge I am looking forward to and, working with my council colleagues, one we are determined to address head on. That means re-doubling our work in the community, to ensure we are listening to our residents and continuing to deliver the bread and butter services they rightly want to see delivered in their community.

There is no doubt that the death of Sir Tony Lloyd MP robbed our town of a tireless servant for ordinary people. We owe it to Sir Tony to build on his lasting legacy. We all miss him and honour his service and, for me and my Labour colleagues, the task of rebuilding trust with voters started the day after the parliamentary by-election. People are looking for something positive to vote for, underlined by the return of so many Labour councillors in the local elections. Our task is to continue to let the people of Rochdale know that we are there for them in good times and bad. That we are on their side – always. Protecting the vulnerable, delivering high-quality frontline services, running a tight ship and keeping costs down, bringing new investment and jobs to our town, that we are champions for Rochdale.

Finally, to end on a really positive note, I was very proud to attend the official opening of our Keswick Gardens extra care scheme, in the heart of my west Middleton ward. The scheme, delivered by adult care, is a huge boost for the Middleton community, underlining our commitment to invest in all parts of the borough. It builds on our many regeneration success stories and is another shining example of the high-quality public services that I promised when I became leader of the council.

At the very heart of the scheme is investment in housing opportunities, the creation of important new local jobs, and the provision of modern, accessible accommodation for older and vulnerable people. This is exactly the kind of investment I want to see, showcasing our caring side at its very best and ensuring our residents can live safely and independently in a place of their choice. Well done to everyone involved on the delivery of this state-of-the-art project.