Rochdale and Oldham Council merger “unworkable”

The collapse of a potential merger between Rochdale and Oldham Councils was a big talking point at a meeting of full council held on Wednesday (20 July) evening.

Rochdale Online reported earlier this week how proposals to fully integrate the two councils, share a Chief Executive and or a joint management team had been thrown out.

Council Leader Colin Lambert was asked if it was his leadership that was a problem and how costs will be reduced.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Dale Mulgrew, said he wanted to “express his despair” after a “massive effort” was put in to forming relationships between Rochdale and Oldham councils.

Councillor Mulgrew claimed reported reasons about losing the borough’s identity and changes costing money, rather than saving, were “preposterous.”

Councillor Mohammed Sharif, was pleased that the council wouldn’t merge, because he too wanted to see Rochdale’s identity protected. 

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Wera Hobhouse, said: “This extreme incompetence leaves a lot of questions to be answered. What happened between Monday when Cabinet decided to go ahead with the merger and the following Monday when it was all cancelled?

“The issue of separate identities while creating joint management teams were at the heart of all discussion.

“Were Labour councillors napping in all those meetings?”

“How are we now going to achieve the massive savings that the merger was to bring to both councils? Was this whole exercise just a public stunt?”

Councillor Lambert told the Council Chamber that the  “death of joint working” had been “greatly exaggerated.”

He said: “We have put to bed the possibility of sharing the Chief Executive and integrated management because the cost financially and democratically would have been too high. We put a full stop at the end of that sentence because it is the only way to end it.”

Councillor Lambert said full integration and sharing a Chief Executive was “unworkable” and therefore it was concluded that it was a “no brainer” which was done in the “best interests of the borough.”

Councillor Lambert said the joint working group will still meet.

He added: “Joint working continues and the savings are in the joint working not in full integration.

“This is a misconception put about by Eric Pickles MP that major savings can be made with little or no impact.

“£64million of cuts already being implemented and another £64million to cut further cannot be made without a serious impact on services.

“That is the reality of these government cuts.”