Rochdale council leader rejects MP's claim that town is in decline

Rochdale's council leader said the town centre has tranformed in recent years

A council leader has rejected claims a Labour-run town is in decline after criticism by new MP George Galloway.

The Workers Party of Britain leader topped the poll in the Rochdale by-election last month, where candidates criticised the state of the town.

Throughout the campaign Mr Galloway and others suggested there had been an economic decline across the borough.

But Rochdale council leader Neil Emmott said the town had been "transformed" since Labour took charge in 2011.

He pointed to an £80m new shopping complex, redeveloped public transport interchange, and the £20m restoration of Rochdale Town Hall as positive signs, as well plans for thousands of new jobs as part of the Atom Valley development zone project.

George Galloway was elected as Rochdale's MP on 29 February

George Galloway won a landslide victory in the by-election in February, pledging to reinvigorate Rochdale high street by bringing "big names to our town centre like Primark".

The veteran campaigner, who won much support for his stance on the Israel-Gaza war, also said he want to reopen closed maternity services at Rochdale Infirmary, an issue he highlighted again during his first Commons speech as the borough's MP this week.

"He's a bit late to the table on that," Mr Emmott told BBC Radio Manchester, and said the council had been pushing the government for funding to see the ward reopen.

He insisted the council was "well run" and said despite losing £180m in cuts during "the austerity years of the present government", it had not closed a "single library or community centre".

Rochdale council leader Neil Emmott has defended Labour's record in the town

The council leader said he would urge Mr Galloway to support local representatives in applying for the next round of Levelling Up funding.

"What I am hoping is that he bats for Rochdale in Parliament like the late Tony Lloyd did."

Candidates in the Rochdale by-election had criticised the state of the town

In his victory speech Mr Galloway's pledged to form a "grand alliance" of independents and others to remove mainstream parties from the council at local elections in May.

Despite this, Mr Emmott, who has not yet met the new MP, said he would "of course meet him, it would be churlish and puerile not do so".

"We never take the electorate for granted, we have many great councillors in this borough who have worked very hard for many years."

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