Reform UK Heywood Middleton Rochdale

28/08/2026

REFORM UK DELIVERS: PEOPLE POWER BACKED BY REFORM SCRAPS DISASTROUS ROAD CLOSURES!

Common sense has finally prevailed.

At an extraordinary Heywood Township meeting last tonight, councillors voted UNANIMOUSLY to bring the Hopwood Triangle trial on Middleton Road and Magdala Street to an end and remove the road closures.

The restriction preventing heavy wagons from parking on Coronation Avenue will remain in place, helping to protect local streets.

For residents, this decision has been a long time coming.
The consultation results could hardly have been clearer: 86% of the approximately 700 respondents opposed the scheme. Yet despite that overwhelming response, the trial was approved and went ahead.

Residents subsequently raised serious concerns about congestion, access, road safety and the effect on local businesses. People living on Manchester Road also felt they had been left out of the original consultation despite subsequently experiencing the impact of displaced traffic.

The timing was another major concern. The trial began during the quieter summer holiday period, with residents warning that the true impact would become much more apparent once schools reopened and normal traffic levels returned.

Last night, local people turned out in numbers to make sure their voices were heard.

More than 50 residents attended the extraordinary meeting, but the size of the room at the old Police Station quickly became an issue. With residents understandably frustrated about access to a public meeting concerning their own streets, tensions rose and the meeting came close to being suspended.
At that point, Reform UK Councillor Stuart Crawford intervened constructively.
Recognising that many residents had already heard the Highways presentations and wanted councillors to make a decision, Stuart engaged directly with those in attendance, helped calm the situation and pressed for the meeting to move on to the vote rather than risk the evening ending without a decision.

The vote was then taken.

Every councillor voted to end the trial.

That means the temporary road closures will now be removed, while the restriction on heavy wagons parking on Coronation Avenue will remain.

And then there is the cost.

The figures presented for the scheme are stark:

£110,000 to install the temporary measures.

That is £110,000 of public money associated with introducing and then removing a trial which had already been rejected by 86% of consultation respondents.

The scheme was voted through back in November by Labour councillors Angela Brown, Paul O’Neil, Peter Hodgkinson, Peter Joinson, Susan Emmott and Liam O’Rourke — despite 86% of consultation respondents opposing it.

Last night, the decision went the other way.

Whatever political arguments follow, one fact should not be forgotten: local residents spoke up, kept speaking up and ultimately got the result they had been asking for.

Reform UK will continue to stand with residents when decisions affecting their communities need to be challenged.

A huge thank you to everybody who attended, everybody who responded to the original consultation, and everybody who refused to allow their concerns to be ignored.

This was people power in action, and people power won.

03/08/2026

Thanks for chairing Dan, onwards and upwards!

Privileged to be able to chair the Reform UK Heywood & Rochdale Branch's Special General Meeting this Sunday morning. A new leadership team have been appointed and they have now become an 'Established Branch'. Well done to all for their success in getting to this point and for the 13 Councillors that were elected in May this year. I have a good feeling about this branch....onwards and upwards.

31/07/2026

Reform UK Councillors reject allowance increase

At Rochdale Borough Council's Full Council meeting on 16 July 2026, councillors were asked to approve a 4% increase in the basic allowance paid to elected members, following a recommendation from the Independent Remuneration Panel.

While the proposal was supported by the Labour Group and subsequently approved, Reform UK councillors took a different view. We believe that, at a time when many residents continue to face financial pressures, councillors should lead by example and show restraint.

Once Special Responsibility Allowances are taken into account, the increase would cost local taxpayers an additional £39,794 per year. With council tax bills continuing to rise and household budgets remaining under strain, we do not believe it is right for elected members to receive a higher allowance at this time.

Being a councillor is a privilege and a responsibility. It should be driven by a genuine commitment to serving local communities, standing up for residents, and working to improve the borough. The allowance exists to help cover the costs associated with carrying out council duties, such as travel and other necessary expenses. It is not a salary, and public service should never be motivated by personal financial gain.

Although Labour councillors voted to accept the increase, Reform UK councillors voted against it. Other groups either opposed the proposal or chose to abstain.

More importantly, this week every Reform UK councillor on Rochdale Council has formally written to the Council's Governance Team confirming that they will not accept the increase. These requests have all been acknowledged by council officers, and no additional allowance will be paid to Reform UK councillors.

We are proud to stand by our principles and put residents first. At a time when families across Rochdale are being forced to make difficult financial decisions, Reform UK councillors believe it is only right that elected representatives do the same.

21/07/2026

17/07/2026

Last night, at Rochdale Borough Council's Full Council meeting, councillors were asked to approve a 4% increase in the basic allowance paid to all elected members, amounting to an additional £518.91 per year. The increase was recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel.

When Special Responsibility Allowances are included, the total additional cost to the taxpayer would be £39,794 per year. To put that into perspective, that is equivalent to around 22 annual Council Tax bills for a Band A property.

We do not believe that increasing councillors' allowances is appropriate at this time. Many residents continue to face significant financial pressures, with families struggling every day to make ends meet. At the same time, council tax bills continue to rise year after year. Furthermore, with inflation currently at 2.8%, a 4% increase in allowances is difficult to justify.

Being a councillor should never be about financial reward. It should be about having the passion, commitment and dedication to serve your community and represent the residents who elected you. We all work hard to be the best advocates we can for our wards, and the allowance provided helps to cover the costs associated with carrying out our duties, such as travel and other necessary expenses. It is not a salary, nor should it be viewed as one.

Unfortunately, Labour was the only political group to support the increase. Other groups either voted against the proposal, as we did, or chose to abstain.

At a time when many households are having to make tough financial choices, we believe councillors should demonstrate restraint. For that reason, we could not support the proposed increase in allowances.

17/07/2026

At last night's Full Council meeting, Reform UK brought forward a motion to tackle the growing impact of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Rochdale Borough.

Our original motion called for a borough-wide Article 4 Direction, removing permitted development rights for new HMOs so that planning permission would be required before they could be created. Most importantly, this would have given local residents the opportunity to have their voices heard before developments affecting their communities were approved.

Unfortunately, Labour chose to amend our motion.

Rather than supporting immediate borough-wide protections, Labour removed that commitment and replaced it with further evidence gathering, reports and consideration through existing Council processes.

Residents may rightly ask how much longer this process needs to take.

The Council has been considering this issue since at least 2023, yet communities across the borough continue to experience the effects of increasing HMO concentrations. While reports are commissioned and more evidence is gathered, residents are left waiting for meaningful action.

Despite this, Reform UK took the decision to support the amended motion.

We did so because the amended motion still formally recognises that HMOs are becoming an increasing issue in parts of Rochdale Borough and commits the Council to further work on the potential use of Article 4 Directions. Rejecting the amended motion would simply have meant losing the opportunity to move the issue forward altogether.

However, our position remains unchanged.

We continue to believe the current permitted development system is fundamentally flawed because it allows many HMOs to be established without planning scrutiny and without giving local residents the opportunity to object or comment.

We also believe that restricting HMOs only in selected areas risks simply moving the problem elsewhere. If one neighbourhood becomes protected, developers and landlords may simply focus on another part of the borough instead. That is why Reform UK continues to support a borough-wide Article 4 Direction, providing consistent protection for every community rather than a postcode lottery.

Last night's debate happened because Reform UK put this issue before the Council.

Without our motion, there would have been no debate and no formal recognition by councillors that growing HMO concentrations are a concern that must be addressed.

While the outcome was not everything we wanted, it is an important first step. We have brought residents' concerns into the Council chamber, secured cross-party recognition that action is needed, and ensured this issue remains firmly on the political agenda.

We will continue to press for stronger borough-wide protections, a planning system that gives residents a genuine voice, and policies that put established communities and family housing first.

01/07/2026

Hello everyone!

It has been another incredibly busy month serving as your councillor for North Middleton. Now that I am fully settled into the role, June has been all about keeping up the momentum, pushing forward with local casework, and making sure our community’s voice is heard loud and clear at Rochdale Council. The month has also been peppered with various new councillor training sessions, which have been interesting and invaluable for helping me navigate the inner workings of the local authority.

Here is an update on what I’ve been doing on your behalf over the last few weeks:

🏛️ Middleton Township meeting update

The evening of Thursday, 25 June marked our very first Middleton Township meeting as the Reform UK Group. We found the current format of these meetings to be quite poor and well overdue for a revamp to make them more effective for residents—something we intend to investigate.

However, there was some fantastic news to come out of the meeting: a key section of Stakehill Woods has now officially been designated as a Site of Biological Importance (SBI). This means this beautiful area of ancient woodland is now formally recognised by experts as having county and regional significance for its unique habitats and wildlife. We are absolutely committed to protecting Middleton’s "green lungs" and making sure our local biodiversity is looked after for generations to come.

Sustained progress on council responsibilities

As your Shadow Portfolio Holder for Communities and Co-operation and a member of the Planning Committee, I have been actively participating in the decisions that shape our town. My focus remains firmly on making sure that North Middleton’s interests are at the heart of every council discussion.

• First motion for Full Council: Behind the scenes, I have been very busy writing our group's first official motion for the upcoming full council meeting this July. We are making sure that we are delivering on the exact issues you asked for on your doorsteps during the May 2026 election campaign. More details on this will be released very soon!

• Planning Committee update: Following the decisive vote to refuse planning permission for student accommodation at the former Briarmede Nursing Home site, I am continuing to monitor the site closely to make sure any future proposals genuinely benefit our local community.

• Bowlee proposal site visit: Thursday 25 June was a particularly full-on day, which included a visit to Bowlee to look over the proposals for the new Bowlee Football & Community Wellbeing Hub. Because I sit on the Planning Committee, my formal opinion on this project will have to wait until the final proposals are officially submitted and brought before us for a decision. It is vital that I remain entirely objective until that time.

• Police & Community safety meeting: On 16 June, I attended my first Police and Community Safety meeting. This was incredibly useful for strengthening my understanding of the status of various issues residents have asked me to investigate, and it offered a real insight into how these operations work behind the scenes to keep our streets safe.

🎭 Middleton Fringe Festival success and upcoming Proms in the Park

The new Middleton Fringe Festival ran from 15 to 21 June, and it was an absolutely amazing success! The whole week was incredible, and it was truly fantastic to see so many people out and about in Middleton having a wonderful time.

I was delighted to get involved myself. Volunteering as a member of Rotary Middleton, I helped out on Sunday, 21 June as we put on our very first Proms in the Park. We were thoroughly entertained all afternoon by the brilliant Graham Smithies and Mr Middleton himself, Manc Sinatra. Earlier in the weekend, on Saturday, I also headed over to the Bo-Jangles Theatre for a fantastic performance of Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me. A massive well done must go to the organisers, Middleton Co-operating, for putting together such a stellar week of events for our town.

🎵 Looking ahead: If you missed out or want to experience it all over again, the next Rotary Middleton Proms in the Park will take place on Sunday 12 July from 1:00 PM around the bandstand in Jubilee Park. It promises to be a spectacular afternoon featuring St. Michael's Band and the amazing Bo-Jangles Choir! Pack a picnic and come join us.

🇬🇧 Armed Forces Day Flag Raising

Also on Thursday, 25 June, I joined fellow Middleton councillors Matthew Pilkington and June West at the Middleton Memorial Gardens. Together, we took part in a moving short service of prayers and remembrance, which concluded with the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag by the Mayor of Rochdale. It was a privilege to stand alongside colleagues and the community to show our respect and gratitude to our service personnel.

Out in the community and casework

My weekly ward walks have continued throughout June, allowing me to spot and report neighbourhood issues before they escalate.
This month, I’ve handled a high volume of resident casework, working directly with council officers to resolve ongoing issues, including:

• Environmental: Tackling seasonal overgrown vegetation and reporting fly-tipping hotspots.

o Footpath Update 1: I am pleased to report that after organising for the heavily overgrown footpath from Jubilee Road to the Old Grammar School to be cleared, it is now fully usable and safe for pedestrians once again!

o Footpath Update 2: Following feedback from a concerned resident, I managed to get the overgrown vegetation outside the nursery on Cleworth Road cut back. It looks magnificent, and people are finally able to safely use the path again.

• Housing and finance: Supporting residents navigating council tax queries and housing/homelessness challenges.
• Well-being: Assisting individuals with local health and domestic support issues.

⚠️ Boarshaw Road works intervention

After finding out about the disruptive roadworks taking place on Boarshaw Road, I immediately took action to address safety and traffic flow concerns. I intervened directly with the Highways department to make sure that council officers were physically out on-site during peak travel times.

My priority was making sure the area remained completely safe for both drivers and pedestrians during the busiest parts of the day, and I will continue to keep a close eye on local roadworks to make sure our community isn't unfairly gridlocked.

Have your say! (upcoming July milestones)

1. "Our Town, Our Future" engagement

The official findings from the Middleton Co-operating public engagement initiative are due to be released this July. Thank you to the thousands of you who took part; I look forward to reviewing the data and making sure your views drive future regeneration plans.

2. Middleton MDC consultation

There is still time to make your voice heard on the proposed Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which aims to accelerate investment into Middleton. Please take a few minutes to shape our town's future by completing the public consultation here:

https://www.gmconsult.org/development/middleton-mdc/

3. Proposed SEN provision consultation: Stansfield Hall Primary School

Rochdale Council is currently consulting on a proposal to establish a permanent Special Educational Needs (SEN) Unit at Stansfield Hall Primary School, with effect from 1st January 2027.

The plan is to provide up to 10 additional places for children with Social, Emotional, or Mental Health Needs. This unit will feature a specially adapted teaching space with qualified SEN staff. The goal is to support these pupils with specialised education while allowing them to share elements of mainstream school life and stay a key part of their community.

This project builds on the wider Educational Sufficiency Strategy to increase specialist places within our borough. Please take a moment to look over the details and submit your thoughts via the online response portal:

https://consultations.rochdale.gov.uk/childrens-services/statutory-proposal-for-stansfield-hall-primary-sch/consultation/intro/

⚙️ On a personal note

Looking slightly ahead to the evening of Friday 3 July, I have some big news on a personal level. I will be over in Stalybridge with Rotary, where I am set to be formally inducted as the District Governor-nominee for Rotary Northwest England and Isle of Man.

This means that in July 2028, I will officially step up to become the new District Governor. It is a massive honour, a huge responsibility, and, honestly, a little bit scary! But I am incredibly proud to represent our region and look forward to the journey ahead.

How to contact me / advice surgeries

I want to be as accessible as possible, and I am pleased to report that my first face-to-face advice surgeries this month were a fantastic success.

On Saturday, 13 June, I held my very first in-person surgery at Middleton Library. Following that, on Saturday 20 June, I held a joint councillor advice surgery with South Middleton Councillor Matthew Pilkington at the Britannia Inn in Middleton Gardens. This was a particular success, with many residents popping in for advice, a chat, and to raise local issues.

Remember, if you can't make it in person to one of my face-to-face sessions, I also hold a monthly online surgery.

Please join me at any of my upcoming regular sessions:

• Online Surgery (Via Microsoft Teams)

o When: First Monday of each month — The next surgery will be on Monday, 6 July from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
o Details: Meeting ID: 338 250 518 480 603 | Passcode: CG3AA2KE

• In-person surgeries

o Middleton Library: (Every second Saturday of the month) — The next surgery will be on Saturday, 11 July from 10:15 AM – 11:00 AM.

o The Britannia Inn (Middleton Gardens): Joint surgery with Cllr Matthew Pilkington (Every third Saturday of the month) — The next surgery will be on Saturday 18 July from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

If you need assistance outside of these times, you can reach me anytime via the details below. If you see me out and about on a ward walk, please do stop for a chat!

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 07483 735773
• Facebook: Councillor Lee Wolf