Dividend comes into land, says Council Leader

Photo: Journeaux

Manchester Airport

Every now and again something pops up which both pleases and disappoints at the same time.

The news Rochdale Borough Council has just been paid a multi-million pound dividend for its shares in Manchester Airport is a case in point.

On the one hand £4.5 million for the shares winging its way to Rochdale is brilliant news; I'm sure local authorities up and down the country would love the extra money.

On the other hand, it's frustrating we'll have to use a majority of the money to plug the financial gaps caused by the massive cuts to our funding from central government.

This year we want to do something different. I'm working on a way for some of the money to be diverted to supporting our young people.

I want to see some of the dividend used for something positive, and what could be more positive than investing in our young people. They are the future after all.

We will be asking Rochdale's young people's cabinet to come up with ideas on how youngsters like themselves would like to see this cash invested.

It could be on anything from helping students with equipment or travel costs, improved sports and youth facilities or resources to helping tackle the growing issue of mental health problems faced by many teenager.

The important thing is it will be our Youth Cabinet who will have the final say on the projects. Our young parliamentarians have all been elected by school students right across the borough so who better to tell us what the priorities of young people are.