More public money being wasted on celebrity culture

Rochdale Borough Council, NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale and  New Heart for Heywood NDC are wasting public money again by paying a celebrity to open a new building in Heywood.

The building will provide a range of health, council and community services and incorporates the existing library and should help to improve access to services for the people of Heywood but the question has to asked should hundreds of pounds taxpayers money be spent on a celebrity?

The Council 'celebrity culture' has seen Sir Steve Redgrave CBE paid £10,000 of public money to 'open' the Middleton Arena and Coronation Street actress Samia Smith paid £300 to 'open' Heywood Library. It is another Coronation Street actress that is being paid public money to 'open' the new building in Heywood.

The Council has, once again, refused to confirm the amount the latest Coronation Street actress to be hired is being paid, they cite "commerical sensitivity" to deny the public the transparency and accountability they claim to be in favour of.

Frank Salt, Independent candidate in Castleton at the next local elections, said: "I have previously said taxpayers’ money should not be frittered in such a way. At a time when community and voluntary organisations are being told their grants have been cut or withdrawn, and at a time when hundreds of council employees are facing pay cuts and redundancy it is simply immoral to be paying 'celebrities' these huge sums of money out of the public purse."

Rochdale Online understands that the Council obsession with hiring Coronation Street actresses has come about due to a member of the Council communications team knowing members of the cast.