Area Forum decisions rejected

Frank Salt

What is the point of the area forums? A question being asked by Castleton residents after their democratically agreed and voted on decisions on improvements to the Village, with funds allocated to the area forum, were overturned without consultation with the Forum.

Castleton Forum decided to fund the following projects at their meeting in December:

1. Installation of a bench on Manchester Road on the canal bridge. 
2. Two notice boards to be sited on Manchester Road outside the Community Centre and on the canal bridge. 
3. Paint Heywood Road allotment palisade fencing green. 
4. Two Castleton village signs. 
5. Three solid planters. 
6. Environmental improvements and landscaping.

The majority of these improvements will not now be implemented.

Frank Salt, who will be standing as an independent candidate in the May local elections, spoke to Rochdale Online of his anger at the ward action group overturning the democratically arrived at decision.

Mr Salt said: "The manipulation of the rules of the Forum, seemingly to have the wishes of the councillors implemented against the majority of the Forum members, is leaving people wondering whether it is worth attending the quarterly meetings. I understand that the 'ward action group vote was 3 against 1 abstention and 1 councillor not attending.

"A less charitable person could conclude that the replacement of the bollards and the railings to Lawnswood had been promised by the councillors earlier in the year without the knowledge of the Forum."

"I hope that future Forum meetings are attended by more Castleton residents and that they are not put off by this blatant dismissal of the Forum's aspirations."