New era may beckon ‘all out’ fight for your
VOTERS in Rochdale could set the borough on a new political course this week when the polls open for the first ‘all out’ council elections in nearly 20 years,
Labour currently dominates the council, holding 44 of its 60 seats, while the Tories are the second largest group with 11 elected members.
The Lib Dems have four councillors and there is one independent - Kath Nickson - who is not standing for reelection this time round.
The borough is made up of 20 wards, each represented by three councillors who normally serve four year terms before standing down or seeking re-election. any new proposal would be ‘non-charging’.
Controversy raged after CAZ signs went up after Christmas - although a similar outcry over the ‘Places for Everyone’ development plan did little to harm Labour last year. The group emerged from the 2021 elections with a net gain of one extra councillor.
However, opponents - particularly the Conservatives - are sure to look to capitalise on a 3.6pc council tax rise which came into force earlier this month.
The Tories had proposed a blanket freeze of the general element of council tax while Labour opted to target extra financial support at the poorest.
But there will be similar concerns for the Conservatives, who will be nervously waiting to see if voters punish them for the ‘partygate’ scandal and the growing cost of living crisis.
The strength of the Conservative ‘brand’ will certainly be put to the test in Hopwood Hall, where Jacqui Beswick and Alan Mccarthy - last elected as Labour councillors in West Heywood - will be vying for votes. However, it’s not just councillors Beswick and Mccarthy who are switching seats at these elections. Labour has a whole new slate in Milkstone and Deeplish, with former leader Coun Allen Brett popping up in Milnrow and Newhey, while Sameena Zaheer will stand in Central.
Five other Labour councillors are also standing in wards other than those they have represented over the last 12 months or longer.
Thorny issues for Labour locally and the Tories nationally could leave the door open for the Lib Dems, who are fielding more candidates than the Conservatives this time round.
These include former mayor Coun Mohammed Zaman who is standing for the party in Milkstone and Deeplish, following his defection from Labour last month.
The Lib Dems also have high hopes for Rabina Asghar in Spotland and Falinge, after she ran Labour’s Coun Iram Faisal close last year.
North Heywood is shaping up as another key Lib/ Lab battleground and set for a straight shootout between the two groups. Each is fielding three candidates, with no other party involved in the contest.