Rochdale’s political landscape could be radically transformed next month in the borough’s first ‘all out’ election since 2004.The borough is made up of 20 wards, each represented by three councillors who serve four year terms before standing down or seeking re-election.
During a ‘normal’ election year only a third of the councils 60 seats are up for grabs due to the way the electoral cycle works - with one in every four years being ‘fallow’. But this time a boundary shake-up means every seat is up for election and every councillor - from the leader to opposition back-benchers - needs the backing of voters if they want to hold on to theirs.
At present the council is dominated by Labour, who have 44 councillors, followed by the Tories on 11 and the Lib Dems on 4. Kath Nickson, the only independent, is not standing at this election. But could the council chamber have a very different complexion come May 6?
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While it would no doubt be a massive shock should Labour lose control of the council, opposition groups will also be hopeful of having a bigger say in the year ahead. Labour will naturally be worried that the Clean Air Zone controversy could have an impact at the ballot box, although a similar outcry over the ‘Places for Everyone’ development plan last year appeared to do them little harm.
However, opponents are sure to look to capitalise on a 3.6pc council tax rise which came into force earlier this month. There will be similar concerns for the Tories, who will be nervously waiting to see if voters will punish them for the ‘partygate’ scandal and the growing cost of living crisis.
That could leave the door open for the Lib Dems, who are fielding more candidates than the Conservatives this time round, building on some solid campaigning in their target areas. One place the Lib Dems may expect to do well in is Spotland and Falinge, where Rabina Asghar ran Labour’s Iram Faisal close to finish second last year.
Another key Labour/Lib Dem battleground could be North Heywood, where it is a straight shootout between the two parties. Each is fielding three candidates, with no other party involved in the contest.
Privately, local Tories concede that national headwinds are not in their favour, but remain reasonably confident of holding on to what they have.
They also expect to do well in Littleborough Lakeside and believe gains could be made in Castleton or the Heywood and Middleton wards.
Leader Coun Ashley Dearnely says the party is 'targeting its efforts' to ensure it wins seats where it is fielding candidates, and reports a positive response 'on the doorstep'.
There is also a new kid on the block this year, in the form of Middleton Independents Party (MIP).
Only officially registered with the Electoral Commission last month, the party is fielding three candidates in all five Middleton wards - including Hopwood Hall.
In West Middleton this will see the fledgling party taking on council leader Neil Emmott, in a real David versus Goliath clash.
Polls open on May 5, but people must be registered to vote by midnight on Thursday, April 14.
The election count and declaration of results will take place on Friday, May 6.
A full list of candidates standing in Rochdale has now been published
Balderstone & Kirkholt
Jordan Eves - Green
Laura Grabowska - Freedom Alliance
Judith Jones - Liberal Democrats
Philip Massey - Labour and Co-operative Party
Daniel Meredith - Labour and Co-Operative Party
Mudassar Razzaq - Conservative
Michael Smith - Conservative
Elsie-Jane Wraighte - Labour and Co-operative Party
Bamford
Sultan Ali - Labour
Steve Anstee - Conservative
Rosie Choudhury - Labour
Siobhain Cunnane - Liberal Democrats
Peter Diestler - Liberal Democrats
Zarah Kauser - Liberal Democrats
Brian Meredith - Labour
Angela Smith - Conservative
Patricia Sullivan - Conservative
Edward Whittaker - Green
Castleton
Darren Bayman - Conservative
Aisling-Blaise Gallagher - Labour
Sajid Hashmi - Liberal Democrats
Beverley Heyworth - Liberal Democrats
David Jones - Conservative
Sarah Kisa-Smith - Liberal Democrats
Aasim Rashid - Labour
Stephen Sanderson - Conservative
Billy Sheerin - Labour Party
Central Rochdale
Zaheer Abbas - Liberal Democrats
Ali Ahmed - Labour
Iftikhar Ahmed - Labour
Zulfiqar Ali - Liberal Democrats
Leonard Branton - Conservative
Steven Scholes - Conservative
Mohammed Sheraz - Liberal Democrats
Sameena Zaheer - Labour
East Middleton
Elizabeth Atewologun - Labour
Paul Beswick - Middleton Independents Party
Kathryn Bromfield - Labour
Connor Hibbert - Green
Terry Smith - Labour
Dylan Williams - Middleton Independents Party
Bernard Wynne - Middleton Independents Party
Healey
Mark Alcock - Liberal Democrats
Tricia Ayrton - Labour
Shin Ingram - Liberal Democrats
Safina Kauser - Liberal Democrats
Andrew Neilson - Conservative
Shaun O’Neill - Labour
Shah Wazir - Labour
Hopwood Hall
Jacqueline Beswick - Conservative
Susan Emmott - Labour
Matthew Glaysher - Middleton Independents Party
Peter Hodgkinson - Labour
Alan McCarthy - Conservative
Caitlin O’Mara - Middleton Independents Party
Matthew Roughsedge - Conservative
Gavin Vitler Middleton Independents Party
Carol Wardle - Labour
Kingsway
Shakil Ahmed - Labour
Daalat Ali - Labour
Mark Hollinrake - Green
Ibrahim Khalil - Conservative
Rachel Massey - Labour
Barrie Nicholson - Liberal Democrats
Chariss Peacock - Liberal Democrats
Sharon Taylor - Liberal Democrats
Littleborough Lakeside
Tom Besford - Labour
Lynn Butterworth - Conservative
Kate Clegg - Liberal Democrats
Janet Emsley - Labour
Julian Farnell - Labour
Daniel Nuttall - Conservative
Guy Otten - Green
Peter Reed - Conservative
Milkstone & Deeplish
Hassan Ali - Liberal Democrats
Mohammad Arshad - Labour
Paul Ellison - Conservative
Jacqueline Holt - Conservative
Salina Javid - Liberal Democrats
Shahid Mohammed - Labour
Aiza Rashid - Labour
Mohammed Zaman - Liberal Democrats
Milnrow & Newhey
David Bamford - Liberal Democrats
Allen Brett - Labour
Irene Davidson - Liberal Democrats
Steve Endacott - Conservative
Leanne Greenwood - Labour
Andy Kelly - Liberal Democrats
Alexander Royle - Labour
Norden
Tony Bennett - Labour
Anne Colgan - Liberal Democrats
Colette Duszczyk - Liberal Democrats
James Gartside - Conservative
Mike Holly - Conservative
Farhat Kamzi - Labour
Iain Macdonald - Labour
Stephanie Robertson - Liberal Democrats
Peter Winkler - Conservative
North Heywood
Iain Donaldson - Liberal Democrats
Richard Eden-Maugham - Liberal Democrats
Jennifer Kelly - Liberal Democrats
Liam O'Rourke - Labour
Bev Place - Labour
Peter Rush - Labour
North Middleton
Peter Allonby - Middleton Independents Party
David Bold- Conservative
Neil Butterworth - Labour
Alan Godson - Green
Keely O’Mara - Middleton Independents Party
Sara Rowbotham- Labour
Donna Williams - Labour
Lee Wolf - Middleton Independents Party
Smallbridge & Firgrove
John Blundell - Labour
Aftab Hussain - Labour
Latafat Hussain - Liberal Democrats
Eleanor Kelly - Liberal Democrats
Dean Larder - Liberal Democrats
Amna Mir - Labour Party
Eileen Taylor - Conservative
South Middleton
Bernard Braiden - Conservative
Adam Cornett - Middleton Independents Party
Patricia Dale - Labour
Emma Hezelgrave-Whitworth - Middleton Independents Party
Jo Hezelgrave-Whitworth - Middleton Independents Party
Aaron Slack - Conservative
June West - Labour
Peter Williams - Labour
Spotland & Falinge
Rabina Asghar - Liberal Democrats
Mick Coats - Green
Iram Faisal - Labour
Carl Faulkner - Independent
John Kershaw - Conservative
Hammas Majid - Liberal Democrats
Amber Nisa - Labour
Faisal Rana - Labour
Neil Rutter - Green
John Swarbrick - Liberal Democrats
Wardle, Shore & West Littleborough
Ashley Dearnley - Conservative
Jules Howliston - Green
Muhammad Islam - Labour
Hannah Macguire - Green
Vickie Mason - Liberal Democrats
Barbara Miller - Labour
Rina Paolucci - Conservative
Mike Radanovic - Labour
John Taylor - Conservative
West Heywood
Angela Brown - Labour
Christopher Harris - Conservative
Ian Kilgannon - Conservative
Peter Malcolm - Labour
Martin Orson - Conservative
Linda Robinson - Labour
West Middleton
Joan Aspinall Middleton Independents Party
Philip Burke - Labour
Nikki Edwards - Liberal Democrats
Neil Emmott - Labour
Simon Footitt - Middleton Independents Party
Peter Shore - Middleton Independents Party
Jordan Short - Conservative
Susan Smith - Labour
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