Council cuts bloated PR department by more than half

Cuts were made to Rochdale Council’s large public relations department before Christmas, leaving three to work there.

As part of wholesale changes throughout the council, departments are being reduced in size.

Such changes, however, have led people to ask whether the departments were too bloated in size in the first place.

“We are in a time where a lot of staff are leaving or taking early redundancy,” Lib Dem Group Leader Councillor Andy Kelly said.

“We have been led to believe the PR/Communications department has been reduced from seven to three.

“It points to a kind of general question of whether most things were needed in the first place.

“It is a matter of opinion as to whether people would rather their money was spent on PR or collecting bins.”