86 candidates target 20 council seats

Local election 2014

The candidates for the 2014 local election on 22 May have been declared and a total of 86 candidates will battle it out for the 20 seats available. Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats contest all 20 seats. UKIP is contesting 13, the Green Party seven, the Respect Party one and there are five Independent candidates.

There are currently 43 Labour, 12 Conservative and five Liberal Democrat councillors on Rochdale Borough Council. Of the 20 seats being contested, 10 are currently Labour held, five Conservative and five Liberal Democrat. It is therefore quite possible, some say even probable, that from a high of 33 seats and control of the council in 2008/09, the Lib Dems will not have a single councillor come the 23 May, though Peter Rush in particular may have something to say about that.

Three current Lib Dem councillors are standing down and not defending their seats, Dale Mulgrew (Balderstone & Kirkholt), Hilary Rodgers (Healey) and Wera Hobhouse (Norden). In their places, the Lib Dems have selected John Swarbrick to contest Balderstone & Kirkholt, former councillor Tom Bailey, who lost his seat coming a very poor last in 2012, in Healey and Mike Holly, currently Conservative councillor for South Middleton, is standing instead in Norden.

Shah Wazir currently Labour, but previously Conservative and prior to that Lib Dem, councillor for Milkstone & Deeplish is not standing. Sameena Zaheer will contest the seat for Labour against five other candidates, including the sole Respect Party candidate, Dave Edler.

Another current Labour councillor who wasn't selected to defend his seat is Labour councillor for Smallbridge & Firgrove, Martin Burke, instead John Blundell will attempt to retain the seat for Labour.

The current Mayor, Lib Dem Peter Rush, is coming to the end of his term as Mayor and will attempt to retain his council seat in North Heywood.

Of the party leaders, only one is due to defend his seat this time, Lib Dem leader Andy Kelly is seeking to retain his Milnrow & Newhey seat, however Councillor Kelly has also already been declared as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Rochdale in the 2015 General Election.

Of the Independents, Carl Faulkner stands again in Spotland & Falinge. No Independent has ever been elected a councillor in Rochdale but Mr Faulkner came close last time coming second to Labour's Shefali Begum. Surinder Biant, Labour councillor and candidate in Spotland & Falinge would be wise not to take re-election for granted.

The Lib Dems put up a number of former councillors as candidates this time round, as already mentioned, Tom Bailey in Healey, plus Peter Clegg in Bamford, Rosemary Jones in Central, David Clayton in Kingsway and Keith Swift in Littleborough Lakeside, all of whom lost their seats in the Lib Dem rout of 2012 when all 19 of their candidates lost, other than Mr Swift who lost in 2011.

Labour candidate Dobir Miah tries again to get elected, having come second in Norden in 2011, Mr Miah this time tries his luck in Bamford. He takes on current incumbent, Ian Duckworth, who won with a comfortable majoirty of 335 in 2010.

Of interest to those who recall the Labour party members expelled following a spat with MP Simon Danczuk, two are standing as Green Party candidates, Mick Coats in Healey and Mark Hollinrake in Kingsway.

UKIPs choice of wards to contest is also interesting, with more Labour strongholds than Conservative; whether they can break the hegemony of the three major parties in the borough remains to be seen.

Spare a thought for perennial loser in Castleton, Ronald Crossley who has stood as a Conservative candidate so many times we have lost count but lost on every occasion.

Whatever the results, the Labour Party will retain a majority and continue to control the council; who will be the leader of the council is the real fight, with Councillor Richard Farnell understood to be intending to challenge Councillor Colin Lambert for the leadership.

The full list of candidates can be found at:

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-summary/21/local-election-2014