64 candidates target 20 council seats
Date published: 06 April 2012
A total of 64 candidates will battle it out for 20 seats up for grabs in next month’s local council elections.
Labour, which has a majority on Rochdale Council, will field a candidate in each of the 20 borough wards, as will the Conservatives.
The Liberal Democrats will contest all seats apart from Littleborough Lakeside.
There are two independent candidates, one English Democrat and one UK Independence Party candidate.
Labour is seeking to bring back two former council leaders, Richard Farnell will contest Balderstone & Kirkholt, Allen Brett seeks to unseat Liberal Democrat former leader of the Council Irene Davidson in Milnrow & Newhey.
Former Liberal Democrat Jean Ashworth, who recently switched to the Conservatives, seeks to retain her Smallbridge & Firgrove seat under her new colours.
Former councillor Liz Thirsk is a surprise candidate for the Liberal Democrats in Milkstone & Deeplish given her comments when she previously stood down as a councillor.
Three of the Conservatives long serving councillors are defending their seats, Ashley Dearnley in Wardle & West Littleborough, Jane Gartside in Bamford and James Gartside in Norden.
www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-summary/19/local-election-2012
Comments
Don't forget the expenses that the Gartsides will be claiming for this 'fantastic' representation.
Lookout, what are expenses to do with being Mayor? Here is a little inside information about Mayor’s and Mayoresses: whatever their allowance, they will both be out of pocket at the end of their year. It is a known fact that all the functions they attend, the Mayor will purchase £5 or £10 pounds of raffle tickets.
They also give a cheque donation of a similar amount to the organisation that has invited them. Simple maths, say 500 function at approximately £20 a function - not much left from the Mayor's allowance.
They must just like dressing up, looking important and being driven around in the limo then?
Just the same tired old rubblish and a return to the fold of those we would rather forget about.
Whoever the winners are, Rochdale will lose out... again.
Whom do Smallbridge & Firgrove have a choice of? Amna Mir, Labour; Peter Clegg, Liberal-Democrat; or Councillor Jean Ashworth, yes she was a Liberal-Democrat, but most of all she is a real councillor and not a politician just in the game for her own ends.
Forget the Conservative flag that will be on her election material, this candidate is a true councillor with Rochdale Borough uppermost in her mind. Do not be put off, vote for Jean Ashworth.
The English Democratic Party (EDP) is not a far right party but so many BNP members have gone over to them in the last few months that the very composition of the party has changed and so now it has become a neo-nazi front.
It has been claimed that almost 43% of their candidates in the forthcoming local elections have recently been in the BNP. Don't let facists in by the back door. Would this not be a good time for Rochdale Council to act on Leader Lambert's overdue call to ban the EDL?
Perhaps we could get them all to sign a pledge that they will not defect from the party they tell the voters they are standing for, for at least 12 months just to maintain the pretence of local democratic accountability.
Equally we have 60, mostly third rate, inefective, councillors at present. Just as an Easter challenge try and name ten of these rare and elusive creatures from any party off the top of your head without cheating. Expenses should be performance related to put idiots off.
If what you say about the mayor's expenses are true Lord Newbold does this mean that Rochdale's mayor is now picked on his or her ability to buy raffle tickets rather than their ability to do the job?
Bit elitist isn't it? Almost certainly excludes 99% of the people in Rochdale who can't afford to pay to perform the mayoral role even if more able than our long list of two home owning, directorship holding previous post holders. Or is that the intention?
Funny that we don't have any candidates from that political elite movement the Independent Alliance Party, remember them anybody?
From past experience that's what voters get when they vote Lib Dem in Rochdale. In most towns they pick up the phone and call in the election monitoring officer. Don't get fooled again folks, if you keep voting for clowns you've no-one to blame but yourselves when they then proceed to turn local politics into a circus farce.
I look forward to the Lib Dem cndidate knocking on our door so I can ask them about their u-turns and downright fibs on tuition fees, EMA, tycoon taxes and the 50p tax. They should have plenty of time since their own Rochdale Lib Dems web page has no events listed for the month of April, May and June.
Hardly a hive of fervent local political activity. They can't even be bothered to mention the election day itself; must be expecting a wipeout!
In the Blairite pink corner we have former council leader, Allen Brett, new Chairman of Rochdale Labour Party (or what's left of it after they expelled its few remaining socialist activists) agent of Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk, and adviser on all things council, which might still confuse our non-local MP who will still be unused to our cack-handed version of local democracy .One feels sure he'll get Councillor Farooq Ahmed's vote - despite a tiff between comrades.
In the blue corner the Tory toffs whose plummeting poll figures look set to give the even Lib Dems a run for their money with near total rejection by the British voters since Osborne did for the grannies and pasty manufactures in his last millionaires budget. Local Lib Dems might ponder why they have made a devils pact with these same anti-Clegg Tories.
Streethack, I have enjoyed reading many of your comments about several topics, and on average you are so correct about the EDF and Neo-Nazism. However, when it comes to electing the Mayor for the ensuing year, you are one of those who would sooner have a chairman, rather than Mayor. I am of the opinion that you are knowledgeable (politically) enough to actually know how the Mayor of this Borough is picked.
Streetshack, further, you will be fully aware of what qualification is need to be elected Mayor. To answer your question, my answer has to be no. Yet their generosity when out and about visiting schools, hospitals or some elderly person is always very welcome to the organisations treasurer, while the other members young or old seem to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress on all occasions.
Interesting reading Lord Newbold's ringing endorsement of Cllr Ashworth who as I understand it is standing for the party whose disastrous Health and Social Care Bill will mean worse health care for patients according to 75% of GPs. Never mind the rhetoric, how exactly has she 'saved' Rochdale's health services? She hasn't the courage to stand as an Independent so again she chooses to fly the pirate flag yet pretend she isn't really one of them.
Thank you Ishmael for the glowing comments, however, I feel they are that type of comment of one who gives a gift but later takes it back.
Councillor Jean Ashworth fought the battle for the health service within our borough, with no help from Labour or the Lib Dems. Now she is a Conservative and has taken her fight within the party that is attempting to destroy our National Health Service.
Interesting reading some of the comments. What have the Gartsides done in Norden? Surely we need to move with times and after 20+ years maybe its time for change? Then Jean Ashworth has Lord Newbold (a confessed Tory) to cheer her on, but like Ishmael says, it's the Tories that are intent on destroying the NHS. The Lib Dems are in meltdown and Labour, who have steaded the ship by taking control, now have divisions as well as old players trying to get back in! Who do I vote for?
Lord Newbold, I don't doubt the sincerity of your comments, and I do agree that buying raffle tickets is part of the Mayors remit. The point I was trying to make was that given the dire state of Rochdale and the council's seeming inability to get to grips with pressing issues, that many of us would prefer a Mayor or Mayoress that was a tad more outspoken on issues such child poverty (more than 645 and still rising), youth unemployment, empty shops, poor housing, and the like.
The easy ride the usual suspects have had in Rochdale for too long will be at an end when we get, as we soon will, a real choice to the neo-liberal consensus with radical alternatives to the status quo that has presided over our towns political and economic decline. Respect, wiping the floor with the usual suspects show that the Tories/Lib Dems have no mandate. The Lib Dems are in meltdown. Here's to a "Rochdale Spring" soon!
The English Democrats is a new home for the BNP. They have 95 candidates standing. This is a right-wing nationalist party with a history of racist rhetoric. It has recently toned down its public statements a bit, although it still attacks multiculturalism and immigrants, who it contrasts with the ‘indigenous English’ – code for ‘white people’. Just because a candidate claims to be 'Independent' does not mean they have no political agenda. Just a word of advice, check before you vote.
Rochdale voters should also perhaps bear in mind that the English Democrats has welcomed BNP fascists with open arms. The EDP is standing 95 election hopefuls, with a large number of these former BNP candidates. The EDP/EDL/NF/BNP/NWI all share neo-nazi, or openly nazi, political agendas. Voting EDP will mean more of the right wing 'demos' Rochdale has been tainted with in recent months. None of these closet nazis are worthy of your hard earned working class vote or have any answers.
I think I understand now, Lord Newbold. The NHS is being decimated by the Tories so any politicians should do as Cllr Ashworth has done, jump ship, join the Tories and 'take the fight' from within the party?
I see, very cunning eh? I look forward to a reversal in the Tory's health policy.
It's amazing that more people haven't come up with this 'cunning plan'.
Do you think it'll work?
What a load of old guff!
I would urge everyone who intends to vote to beware of some of the old brigade who are up for election again. Some of their track records demonstrate high council taxes and of wasting money. To see their names on the list is sickening.
Have Your Say
How great it will be for the voters of Bamford & Norden, not only will they re-elect two excellent councillors, James and Jane Gartside, they will also be electing our Mayor and Mayoress.
Come on Norden and Bamford turn out in your thousands.
By Lord Newbold @ 07/04/2012 08:26:43