Labour gain seats but remain a minority

The Leader of the Labour group, Councillor Colin Lambert, with successful Labour candidates and the MP for Heywood and Middleton, Jim Dobbin

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The Labour party came within touching distance of gaining an overall majority in the RMBC 2011 Local Election – ending the night with 29 seats.

The party, which took over the Council in December, remain a minority administration and are expected to continue to run Rochdale Council.

The election saw the party, that previously had 22 seats, hold eight existing seats and win a further seven in wards across the borough.

The Conservative Party held on to three seats and gained a further two, leaving them with 15 seats in the Council and making them the second largest party in the Council Chamber.

The Liberal Democrat party, who suffered blows when Councillors quit last year, lost the four seats they were hoping to hold, leaving them with 13 seats on the Council.

The newly formed Independent Alliance Group didn’t win any seats and are left with just three members on the Council. Their Leader, Greg Couzens, who is retiring from politics, signalled this would mean the end for the group.

The full election results can be viewed at:

 http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-results/17 

The Kingsway Ward seat was taken by Karen Burke – the partner of Rochdale’s Labour MP Simon Danczuk.

Ms Burke refused to talk to Rochdale Online.

Sharon Taylor, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Kingsway, said: “This is the first time I have stood. As a whole I have had a really good response but I think nationally we are being let down.

“You won’t see the last of me. I will most probably stand again – I’m mad enough to!”

The Former MP of Rochdale, Paul Rowen, stood in the Balderstone and Kirkholt ward but was unsuccessful winning just 869 votes. He was beaten by Labour’s Philip Bethell.

Mr Rowen did not attend the election count.

Mr Bethell refused to talk to Rochdale Online.

Ted Flynn, a Castleton Councillor of 17 years, who quit the Liberal Democrats and joined the Independent Alliance, lost his seat. He described the loss as “disappointing”

When asked if he thought joining the new party impacted his chance he said: “possibly”

He added: “I am still glad I broke away from the Liberal Democrats. I have no regrets.

“I think I will miss my role at first but I can get my life back now.”

Labour’s Jean Hornby who took the Castleton seat, said: “It is absolutely super. I am really really pleased. Everyone worked so hard for me. I had a brilliant team and they worked their socks off.”

Keith Swift, Lib Dem for Milnrow and Newhey, lost his seat after being a Councillor for 15 years.

He said: “I’m very disappointed to lose in what is a national protest vote.

“People have to realise the Labour government left us with no money and what the coalition is doing is in national interest.

“I would like to thank all those people who have loyally supported me. It has been a pleasure to serve for the past 15 years.”

“I am now going to concentrate on my singing career. I will continue to support the Lib Dems, things will get better and they will come back.”

Martin Rodgers, Labour, won in Milnrow and Newhey, he said: “I feel deeply humbled by the support from the people of Milnrow and Newhey.”

The joy for Labour was clear to see on the faces of many Councillors.

Jacqui Beswick said: “I feel great. I’m really happy and humbled that that many people came out and used their vote.

“I am very much looking forward to carrying on and seeing the projects we have started through to the end.”

She added: “It is looking good for Labour across the country, especially here in the borough.”

Farooq Ahmed of the Central Ward, who retained his seat with a massive majority, said: “I feel exhausted, tired and still quite shocked! When knocking on the doors people have been very positive. I think people like my approach, I am straightforward and direct.”

Susan Emmott of Hopwood Hall added: “I am ecstatic – my heartfelt thanks go to the residents for their support.”

Speaking to Rochdale Online, the Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Colin Lambert, said: “We now have a minority of 29. That has exceeded our expectations. We came close in Littleborough Lakeside and Healey and those two seats would have given us the majority.

“We have a clear mandate to sort out the mess that politics in Rochdale is in and we seek to do that.

“We need to restore confidence and get away from the mudslinging which is the tenure of politics in Rochdale.

“As a minority administration we will consult the public on a further £82million of cuts which will devastate many people across the borough. We will be asking the tax payers and the public of this borough what they want the council to look like in 2014.

“Tonight has been a good night for Labour, 12 months ago I had 16 members, that then became 22 and tonight it is 29. That is a massive rise and we will be building on that for next year to gain an overall majority.”

Irene Davidson said: “I am absolutely devastated that I have just lost some very hard working Liberal Democrat Councillors through no fault of their own but because someone in central government thinks power is more important than members – and his name is Nick Clegg.”

Greg Couzens, the Leader of the Independent Alliance group described the evening as “disastrous” for his party.

He said: “Within six months we had to form a party, write a constitution, a financial structure, register the party and design the logo – that is without even starting canvassing. Six months was not long enough.

“As a group we have gelled but we always knew it would be an uphill struggle.

He said it is “difficult” being an independent when you are up against the “big parties”.

“Labour has done extremely well nationally and locally by the look of things,” he added.

“I have every faith in Colin [Lambert] and the way the Labour party are making their decisions.”

Speaking earlier in the evening, the Leader of the Conservative party, Councillor Ashley Dearnley, said: “We stand a good chance of being the second party in Rochdale – the main opposition.”