Your Labour & Co-operative Councillors' Update: August 2026

By Councillors Tom Besford and Richard Jackson, Labour and Co-operative Councillors for Littleborough Lakeside

The United Reformed Church

We have some exciting news on the United Reformed Church. The sale of the building to the Council has now gone through, securing its future at the heart of Littleborough.

To give a little context: this beautiful building in the Masterplan area was falling into disrepair. The congregation could no longer afford its upkeep and approached the Council for help. The Council took the view - and we strongly agreed - that buying the building and keeping it for our community was far better than seeing it sold off for flats or demolished.

The church can continue as a place of worship for the existing congregation. But the Rochdale Development Agency is now leading a consultation with key local stakeholders - beginning with the Church Elders themselves, who have been in full support of this project from the outset and firmly believe this is the right course of action. The consultation also includes The Coach House, Hare Hill House, LEAF, Littleborough Arts Festival, Littleborough Civic Trust and local pubs and restaurants. The current proposals are for a live events space and arts centre, alongside a bar and restaurant and community room. This would give Littleborough something it currently simply does not have: a purpose built performance space, permanently set up with staging, lighting and PA equipment where bands, comedians, theatre companies and speakers can perform in our village. The aim is to create an anchor for the local night-time economy, encouraging more people to spend their evenings - and their money - in our local businesses.

There is also an aspiration for the venue to be run by the community, for the community - perhaps as a cooperative. All of this will be shaped by the consultation that is now under way.

We know that not everyone is convinced this is the right path, and that some people would have preferred the building to be sold off for housing. We respect those views. But as your local councillors, we are proud that the congregation can continue to worship there, and genuinely excited about what this could mean for Littleborough's future.

The Lake Garage - Finally, Some Progress

Regular readers will know we have been pushing hard on the lake garage site for a long time. We are pleased to report that the owners have now agreed to demolish the building whilst negotiations continue about the longer-term future of the site. There are no firm timescales yet, but reaching this agreement is a real step forward - and importantly, it should bring an end to the antisocial behaviour the site has attracted. We will keep you updated as things develop.

Road Markings

After pushing for clearer road markings across the ward, we are pleased to see that many of our roads have been repainted over the summer. At Rakewood, the improved markings will allow parking enforcement to be much more effective. On the A58, clearer lines will make things safer for drivers.

Protecting Our Pubs

Last month we told you about our campaign to protect local pubs, including our work with Moorend Trust to apply for the Wheatsheaf to be listed as an Asset of Community Value. That campaign has continued - and we have had some encouraging news at a national level too.

We received a letter from the Secretary of State committing to examine the law around restrictive covenants on pubs. When a pub is sold, it can sometimes carry a legal covenant preventing it from ever operating as a pub again - as happened with the old Royal Oak - meaning even a community that wants to save its local is blocked from doing so. New legislation has come in this week giving extra protections to pub buildings, and we believe this is a step in the right direction. But we will keep making the case that more needs to be done. Our thanks to Paul Waugh MP for his help in getting this issue taken seriously at a national level.

On the Doorstep

Across the year, we regularly knock on doors across the ward to hear directly from residents about what is on their minds. Recently we have been out at Summit, Hare Hill Road and Smithy Bridge. We are out and about a few times a month - if you see us, please do stop for a chat. And if you find one of our cards through your door, you will know we knocked but missed you. We will always try again - and in the meantime, please feel free to contact us via the details on the card if you have anything you wish to raise.

Casework

The summer recess slows down the meetings diary, but the casework never stops. This month we have been getting United Utilities to fix a water leak at Gale, cutting back overgrown rights of way at Calderbrook, tackling bulky waste collection issues in Smithy Bridge, supporting local businesses with planning matters, chasing missed bin collections, and much more besides.

As always, our surgeries continue on the first Saturday of the month at the United Reformed Church and the third Saturday at Smithy Bridge Library. No appointment needed - just come and find us.