What better place to push for co-operation than Rochdale?

Jason Addy

Commenting on the announcement by Government Minister Hazel Blears that a new duty to cooperate will mean key government service providers will have a responsibility to work together to identify regional priorities, shape and change services at a local level, to tackle the issues that affect local areas and ensure that services are meeting a community’s high standards, Save Spodden Valley campaigner Jason Addy has said if effective it could be good news.

He said: "If effective, the new duty for agencies and departments to co-operate could be good news. The contamination issues of the Spodden Valley have been an example of the desperate need for 'joined up' action between central and local government and its agencies.
 
"In the past four years with the former T&N asbestos factory site, it has been claimed that responsibilities can 'fall between the cracks' of the various bodies responsible to serve and protect citizens.
 
"For the Spodden Valley, a multi-agency group was formed to help with inter-service communication. Private meetings have been held with the RMBC planners, contaminated land and environmental health officers together with the Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency, Health Protection Agency and local PCT.
 
"The need for such co-ordination was originally pushed by campaigners and local MPs (Lorna Fitzsimons, Paul Rowen and Jim Dobbin). It looks as though the Spodden valley model of co-operation is now government policy. If effective, this could be a positive step for community empowerment.
 
"What better place to push for co-operation than Rochdale - birthplace of the modern co-operative movement?"