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The battle lines are drawn up in border war

by Lisa Gray
21/ 5/2008

COUNCILLORS have slammed proposals to incorporate Hollin, and its 2,500 residents, into Heywood Township.

At last week’s annual meeting of Rochdale Council, an amendment to a motion was passed calling for a review ‘at the earliest opportunity’ of the representation of the Hopwood Hall ward, which covers the Middleton estate, as well as Hopwood and other parts of Heywood.

At present the three ward councillors, Carol Wardle, Susan Emmott and Linda Robinson, serve on both Heywood and Middleton Townships. The review could mean that Hollin and the Glade Wood area is served only by Heywood Township, meaning that its 2,500 residents would no longer be represented in Middleton.

At the meeting, all three Hopwood Hall councillors voted against the motion, along with outgoing Heywood Township chairman Colin Lambert. Councillors currently serving in the Middleton north, east and west wards voted against, but two Conservative councillors serving in south Middleton did not oppose the review outright.

The amendment was passed, after angry exchanges between councillors, by 39 votes to 19. Since then, the Hopwood Hall ward’s three councillors have been out gathering names for a petition against the proposals.

Councillor Carol Wardle said: "The people of Hollin and Glade Wood are part of Middleton ancient parish. No one has the right to say to them: ‘you are now part of Heywood. We are defending their Middletonian heritage. What right has the Liberal Democrat council, who do not even have a representative in Middleton, to tell these people they do not belong in their town any more? The other ward councillors and I are very happy to serve on both Heywood and Middleton Townships and to represent our residents in all areas of the ward. I can see absolutely no logic in the council making this review. The system is working fine at the moment. If it isn’t broke, why try to fix it?"

Councillor Emmott said: "People are not happy about this at all and they were more than happy to back the campaign against these plans.

"They were asking why should Heywood be able to make decisions for them when they are part of Middleton? Hollin has been part of Middleton since year dot, so why should things change now."

Councillor Linda Robinson said: "I was very surprised by this. People are concerned because this is their identity. People make an effort to go Middleton Township but I doubt they would go to Heywood, so their views would not be taken on board.

"I think this is mischief-making by the Liberal Democrats and they have tried to push this through during the mayor-making ceremony."

Rochdale Council leader Alan Taylor defended the decision to propose and the support the amended motion, saying all that had been agreed was a report into the current situation in Hopwood Hall.

He added: "All that has been agreed is a review at this stage. It could come back and say to move it to Middleton, or to Heywood, or to keep one or two councillors in Middleton. I think this is an overreaction and was quite astounded by the reaction of the Labour councillors. We have not said we are going to move it to Hopwood Hall. They are jumping the gun."

He added the situation where Hopwood Hall councillors were the only ones in Rochdale to have two votes, one in Middleton and Heywood Townships, needed addressing.

The Hopwood Hall councillors have asked for the issue be discussed at the next Middleton Township meeting. The review will then be brought back to Rochdale Council cabinet.