Row over fire station escalates

Date published: 08 February 2008

A major row has broken out between Lib Dem and Labour councillors over the issue of Rochdale Fire Station and the proposal to include the Maclure Road station as part of a conservation area. Rochdale Online reported that at the last Rochdale Township meeting, Greater Manchester Fire Service Estates manager Tim Cheshire stunned the meeting by claiming the move would mean the loss of the fire station and museum, and the loss of up to 80 jobs.

At Wednesday (6 February) night's full council meeting Council Leader Alan Taylor said he was astonished at Mr Cheshire "not telling the truth". Councillor Taylor revealed that talks had been going on between the council and the fire service for a year on a new fire station, expected to be in Hamer.

Chairman of Rochdale Township Councillor Elwyn Watkins hit out at Labour councillor Ibrar Khan for accusing the Lib Dems of treating Rochdale’s fire fighters "with contempt" over the Maclure Road conservation order. Councillor Watkins said he was deeply offended at the accusation as his brother had often put his life at risk as a fire fighter and hence it was "absurd" he said to suggest he would treat fire fighters with contempt.

Councillor Taylor added: "The reality is that Rochdale is going to have a brand new fire station and this should be welcomed, not be the subject of political points scoring.

However, Councillor Khan said: "I am pleased to see that the leader of the council has regained his memory and is now able to recall the meetings the council has had with fire chiefs. Strange then at the Township meeting he appeared to be shocked at this revelation. Stranger still that Elwyn Watkins should complain about getting the fire chiefs' complaints 'at the eleventh hour' when it has now emerged that there has been 12-months of meetings with the fire authorities that have been minuted, and at which Alan Taylor was present!"