Olympic torch cost Rochdale £53,000

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Wensheng Li aarives in Rochdale Town Centre with the Olympic Torch

It has been revealed that over £53,000 was spent on bringing the Olympic Torch to Rochdale last year. Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that money was spent on road closures, cleaning and advertising for the event.

Even though sponsors and Olympic organisers paid for the torch relay, the local council had to pay additional costs. 

The figures released by the council show that a total of £53,890 was spent on the whole event. £5,000 was spent on road closures, barriers and signs, £730 was spent on volunteer costs, a further £20,000 was spent on advertising and promotion, £3,700 spent on day events, £310 spent on torch bearer support and £24,598 spent on staff costs.

Even with the high cost, town hall bosses believe the money was spent in the right way, a spokesman for Rochdale Borough Council said: “It was a once-in-a-generation experience.”

The torch passed through Rochdale and Heywood on 23 June during its 70 day nationwide tour and the spokesman for the council added: “The Olympic torch coming through Rochdale and Heywood last year was one of the highlights of 2012 for the entire Borough.”

Even though the council sees this spending as a good decision, many people of Rochdale think differently. Claire Dring, owner of Forget Me Not Cards said: “I’m upset because the council is spending all of this money but letting local businesses shut down. They should put money into other businesses.”

Claire, who used to be a play ranger added: “When I was a play ranger we worked alongside the council and got Lottery funding. We got kids off the street but once the funding was slashed it stopped and now kids are back to what they do best.”

Support for the local community is what many residents believe the money should have been spent on. Siobhan Doyle from Tastebuds Café commented: “It should be spent on community stuff like things for the kids to do because there is nothing for them. It was too much for one day.”

Andy Clements, a Rochdale resident added: “It’s a joke. It should be spent on fixing pot holes in the road.”

Rochdale Council commented further by adding: “The cost of staging the event is dwarfed by the feel good factor it creates and the pleasure and excitement it gave to thousands of adults and children and alike.

“Rochdale was right to grab the opportunity with both hands.”