Middleton town centre has been transformed for the better.
When I became leader of the council in 2021, I set out my vision for the borough, key priorities and the services local residents want and expect the council to deliver. Over the last five years I can proudly say that the borough has been transformed for the better, with pioneering regeneration projects, community initiatives and investment across Heywood, Middleton, Pennines and Rochdale. We have not stood still and never will. I always said to stand still is to go backwards and that’s why we are driving the borough forward, making it an even better place to live, work and grow up in.
One of the projects I am extremely excited about is the Middleton Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) which, working with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, sets out a vision for new homes, highly skilled jobs, better transport connectivity and economic growth for the town and wider area. Through the Atom Valley Gateway, we are creating a once in a generation opportunity to drive Middleton forward. I am incredibly passionate about the area and I know that, with the right support in place, we can achieve great things for the benefit of local residents.
The development corporation is still early in the process and, over the coming weeks and months, we will be speaking with people and businesses across Middleton to find out what they want from an MDC and how they want it to work. This is about driving forward the regeneration of Middleton to deliver change, not only for today and tomorrow, but for generations to come. I am confident that this ambitious regeneration plan will transform the Middleton area, utilising our proud past to create a better future.
On Wednesday, 25 February 2026, the year’s council’s budget proposals will be put forward at Rochdale Town Hall. I am confident that our wide-ranging package of measures is fair, equitable and affordable. They protect frontline services, people’s jobs, and community facilities. The budget also sets out further ambitious regeneration plans, underlining that the borough of Rochdale means business. The proposals also give something back to residents. Once again, we are implementing a 2 per cent council tax discount, meaning an average £41 reduction on residents’ annual bills over the next 12 months.
We are also protecting the bread and butter services across township areas, with no library branches closing, community centres protected and important adult and children’s services maintained. As a progressive council, we are investing in future generations, with budget providing additional funding to support the continuation of the real living wage for care staff, building on the success of our adult care transformation work and ensuring older and vulnerable residents are receiving high-quality care and support in a place of their choice.
The council is also delivering on our promises to the people of Rochdale, ensuring that not only are we protecting services, we are investing in new ones and giving people something back through the council tax discount. I would encourage my councillor colleagues to vote through this comprehensive package on Wednesday, 25 February 2026.
To support the budget proposals, councillors recently approved a £3.5 million Ward Capital Fund cash injection, with £175,000 allocated for each of the borough’s 20 wards. Through the hard work and initiative of my West Middleton ward colleague, councillor Phil Burke, a number of projects have already been utilised in the Langley area through this fund.
The investment across Langley includes refurbished speed humps on Knight Crescent, new resident parking areas on Windermere Road, and footpath refurbishment at Rowrah Crescent. We have listened to local people and delivered on what matters most to them. These schemes are the exactly the kind of bread and butter community projects the money is in place for, with further investment to come across Heywood, Middleton, Pennines and Rochdale.
On Saturday, 21 March 2026, there will be a moving and poignant event in my West Middleton Ward, when the community will come together for a special service to dedicate Langley streets named in memory of former soldiers. The ceremony, which begins at 10.50am at Willow Park, will be held in honour and memory of Fusilier Lee Rigby, Corporal Joel Halliwell and Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington.
‘Rigby Way’ ‘Halliwell VC Park’ and ‘Hetherington Way’ have been named in memory of Lee, Joel and Scott who had deep and lasting connections with the Middleton community. The service will include speeches in memory of the three late soldiers, the laying of wreaths, the playing of the Last Post, poetry and the Kohima Epitaph. Lest we forget.