Councillor Swift defends People's Champion

Councillor Keith Swift, Portfolio Holder for Townships and Corporate Management has put his full support behind the 'People's Champion,' Carolyn Phipps after her position and appointment was criticised at the recent full council meeting by both Labour and Conservative councillors.

Leader of the Labour Group Allen Brett asked Councillor Swift for a written answer to the total cost of the People's Champion from recruitment to appointment. Continuing the criticism, Leader of the Conservatives Ashley Dearnley questioned the appointment by suggesting the money could have been spent more usefully elsewhere on retaining Home Care Services rather than privatising them.

Councillor Swift said: "It is my belief that the people of this Borough deserve excellent services and as a Council it is our job to make sure people get them. The People's champion will play a vital role in this. Carolyn will be dealing directly with people's complaints and concerns about our service from across the board and will be able to make suggestions about possible improvements to how we are run as a council.

"The introduction of the People's Champion is in continuation of our policy of devolution and giving the people of Rochdale more of a say in how our Borough is run.

"She is an independent point of appeal for local people and will be pushing for the necessary changes we need to make to provide an even greater service for our Borough."

Leader of the Conservatives, Councillor Ashley Dearnley, whose concerns have been echoed by his Conservative colleagues and by Labour Councillors, said: "This post is a complete waste of taxpayers' money; we have 60 well paid Councillors to champion the public as well as an independent Standards Board and Audit Commission to deal with complaints.

"It is all a matter of priorities and at a time when cuts are having to be made in areas such as Social Services and we can not afford to properly repair our roads and pavements, we should not be wasting the public's money on more managers and empire building. We need to get back to providing high quality services that people want.

"The Conservatives will continue to oppose this crazy scheme."

Leader of the Council Alan Taylor said: "Carolyn has already made some great progress and continues to work very hard.

"I believe that to question her appointment at this early stage really shows the lack of vision for Rochdale that both Labour and the Conservatives have.

"This is yet another pioneering idea, along with appointing a cabinet member for Older People and the successful Good Guy scheme for fireworks, to come from this Liberal Democrat Council.

"Council's across the country are now looking at us for ideas and direction and the People's Champion is yet another example of this."