Call for local election reform

Cllr Andy Kelly, Liberal Democrat Group Leader

"A slim line, slicker and fitter council will save over £1m", says Liberal Democrat group leader, Councillor Andy Kelly.

"Saving will help pay for the reopening of homeless provision in the borough."

The Liberal Democrat Group in Rochdale is calling for the total number of councillors to be reduced from 60 to 40, and for elections to be held every 2 or 4 years instead of having 3 local elections in that same period.

“Reduce the number of councillors from 60 to 40 across the borough and have fewer elections” said Lib Dem Group Leader, Councillor Andy Kelly, “it’s a very simple equation, we would save up to £1.1m over 4 years and that’s not adjusting for inflation either.

"Councillors have a golden opportunity to make effective and realistic savings here.

"The council has reduced its services substantially during the efficiencies process; does it really need the same number of councillors to govern a smaller service? I think the general public would be glad to lose a number of less effective councillors and an all out election in 2014 would be the way to do that.

"By reducing the number of councillors and cabinet post by a third (roughly the same proportion of council cuts made across the board) Rochdale Council would achieve saving of about £200,000 per year in basic and special allowances. Furthermore savings of £170,000-£340,000 would be saved by holding either one or two (instead of three) local elections in a four year period."

Councillor Dale Mulgrew, shadow portfolio holder for Economic Development and Customer Services, added: “This proposal was originally made in the first round of efficiencies, but seems to have been lost by the wayside.

"An all out election in 2014 with elections every two or four year would be great move for the borough.

"At a time when hard choices need to be made, decisive leadership is called for, I am calling on the Labour administration to get this ball rolling as we need to be talking tothe Central Government and the Electoral Commission as soon as possible, otherwise we could be wasting a £1m unnecessarily.”