The council freeze on recruitment goes ahead

Labour councillors Ian Robertson and Lil Murphy 'called in' the decision by the Liberal Democrats to freeze all council recruitment, however, the Lib Dems with the support of the Conservatives have rejected the 'Call In' and the freeze on council recruitment will go ahead.

At the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Monday 26 June, the voting was four Labour against and five Liberal Democrats and two Conservatives for the freeze.

Ian Robertson, Middleton's new Township Chairman said: "The feeble justifications of the Portfolio Holder, Cllr William Hobhouse, were sufficient to ensure the boot goes in on the service chiefs desperately trying to find people to ensure service quality is maintained. And of course we can say bye bye for the time being to the Lib Dem promises of devolution with the Town Centre Manager's post being blocked. Lib Dem Rochdale will remain the only Township with this essential post filled.

"Progress on devolution from Rochdale that was initiated and supported by Labour is being thwarted by the Rochdale majority of Lib Dems, aided and abetted by an alliance of their single Middleton councillor and the newly-arrived Tory in South Middleton showing just where his allegiances lie.

"But Middleton's Labour team are determined to defend services and get this freeze ditched. Labour will fight this issue every inch of the way."