Conservative Councillor responds to Lib Dem pie taunts

Date published: 27 April 2007

Conservative Councillor Robert Clegg has responded to Lib Dem taunts about his opposition to the Freedom of the Borough being awarded to Rochdale AFC and Hornets Rugby Club. Councillor Clegg pointed out that he is in no way against either the football club or the rugby club, their players past and present, their boards past and present and "certainly not their supporters". 

He said: "What I am against is the conferment of the Freedom of the Borough to any organisation believing that primarily that these are awards that should be made to individuals who have given outstanding and exceptional service. 

"It is interesting to note that Dave Hennigan comments on my inadequacies in misleading the Council when the Liberals in proposing these ridiculous motions were so woefully ill-prepared they had to chop and change proposers and seconders because so many of them had to declare interests.  That said, I sought to respond to each of the points that were made in Paul Rowen's proposal:
 
"Firstly, that they had given considerable community service and were celebrating their centenary year this year.  I commented that the Co-operative movement had celebrated 150 years and that Rochdale Infirmary will be celebrating 120 years this year.  Was anyone proposing Freedom of the Borough for them? 

"Paul Rowen further commented then on the highlights of the football club's career.  I responded by making reference to the club spokesman's comments when the proposal first appeared, at their pleasure, but also their surprise, since they were probably the least successful club in the whole of the football league.

"It was also suggested that the clubs' results, appearing on national news reporting each week, put Rochdale on the map.  I suggested therefore that perhaps Carcraft, whose advertisements appear more frequently, did a better job of putting us on the map and should they then not get Freedom of the Borough?  
 
"Finally, in desperation of something to warrant his proposal, Councillor Rowen referred to the fact that the pies on match day were legendary!  It was at this point that I suggested that he might then consider proposing conferring the Freedom of the Borough on the pie-maker (perhaps a rather weak attempt at humour).
 
"I do not believe that I have any cause to be ashamed of any of the comments I made.  My initial comments were to question why these proposals were coming to the Council now, particularly as Councillor Taylor had agreed with the group leaders a week last Monday that this issue would be withdrawn from the agenda.  Was it to enable Paul Rowen, at his last Council meeting, to make good past failures to deliver promises to the clubs when Hornets were re-locating?
 
"It will be interesting to see what the public do make of this as a significant number of people have expressed their amazement - I do not think I am that far out of touch with the man in the street."