Healey Ward Forums Still Absent

For nearly two decades, the Healey Ward Forum provided an essential platform for residents to meet with council officers, police representatives, and local councilors to discuss and resolve issues affecting our community. Its abrupt cessation by Rochdale Council has left a significant void, and despite continued efforts to restore this vital forum, residents are still left without a proper avenue for dialogue and action.

Since the forums were discontinued, I have made repeated attempts to push for their reinstatement. I have now attended the North Township meetings on two occasions to lobby the council directly. Unfortunately, these efforts have been met with dismissal by the chair of the meetings, leaving residents without any satisfactory progress or explanation as to why their voices continue to be ignored.

In response to local demand, the current Healey ward councilors have established a quarterly meeting called the “Healey Ward Partnership.” While this may seem like a step in the right direction, the reality is that it falls far short of what the original forums offered.

The “Healey Ward Partnership” meetings lack the presence of council officers and local police representatives, both of whom played a key role in the original forums. Without these crucial stakeholders, the partnership meetings feel more like an informal group councilor surgery than the structured and effective forums residents relied upon for meaningful engagement and action.

Andy Lord stated “The residents of Healey, Shawclough, and Syke deserve more than a diluted alternative. The original forums provided an opportunity for transparency, accountability, and collaboration—elements that are sorely missing from the current arrangement. Issues such as road safety, community policing, and local infrastructure cannot be effectively addressed without input from the council and the police.”

“I remain committed to fighting for the reinstatement of the original Healey Ward Forum. Our community deserves a proper platform where all key stakeholders—residents, council officers, police representatives, and councillors—are present to work together for the betterment of our area.”

“To the council, I say this: listen to the people of Healey. They want the forums back, and they deserve a process that respects their voices and addresses their concerns. To the residents, thank you for your continued support and determination. Together, we can ensure that our community gets the representation and engagement it deserves.”