Council Leader gives historic report to the Council

Rochdale Council Leader, Councillor Alan Taylor, made history when he submitted his maiden report to the Council as the first Leader of Rochdale Council with a Liberal Democrat Cabinet.

In his report Councillor Taylor explained new Cabinet members are becoming familiar with their roles and very good working relationships have been established with the Council Executive Leadership Team and Heads of Service.

Reiterating the Liberal Party Manifesto commitment in May's local elections, he added that proposals to devolve more power to the Townships - Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton and Littleborough - were being finalised. Labour Councillor Colin Lambert insisted that: "decisions should also be devolved along with the money" and he hoped that: "Township chairs will involve opposition parties".

Other major Lib Dem policies, Councillor Taylor said, would include a commitment to high quality services and a cut down in bureaucracy, along with an attempt to keep Council tax rises low.

Councillor Taylor also gave his justification for the controversial Cabinet decision to freeze recruitment and non-essential expenditure. He said: "public perception of the council is wrong and we have got to show that the council is prepared to listen and lead by example".

The Conservatives were sceptical and Councillor Robert Clegg used terms such as "presumptuous", "arrogant" and "taking the public for granted", of Councillor Taylor.

Councillor Ashley Dearnley was particularly scathing of the decision to ban opposition councillors, in a break with the last council administration's example, from attending informal Cabinet meetings. He accused Councillor Taylor and the Lib Dems of "running scared" and taking the decision because they did not want the opposition parties to see what a "shambles" the Lib Dem's are.

Refusing to be rattled, Councillor Taylor calmly explained that it was easy to "snipe" from the sidelines. He explained that both opposition parties received all the papers relating to the informal Cabinet meetings and could meet with Portfolio Holders on request.

He added: "As Leader of the Opposition in last years administration I attended the meetings and it was a waste of time, it was clear decisions had already been taken elsewhere prior to the meetings."

Councillor Taylor also reminded Councillor Dearnley that Formal Cabinet meetings are public, attended by all parties and at which Councillor Dearnley is at liberty to speak.