Local fury as council refuse to accept pay rise petition
Rochdale Liberal Democrats have spoken of their fury after Rochdale Council refused to accept their petition against the controversial councillors' pay rise. Some 1,615 people have so far signed the petition so far but the Council have chosen to accept a petition on their website signed by just 41 residents. Robert McLean, who left the Conservatives and joined the Liberal Democrats over this and other issues, said: "To say that I am furious is an understatement. People are angry that at a time when there are cuts to our most vulnerable, they are thinking about themselves. This is one of the biggest online petitions that Rochdale has ever seen. For the Council to refuse to acknowledge it is disgraceful. They claim to be a listening council - their refusal to listen flies in the face of that. People will be furious and I really don't blame them." A petition was set up on the Council's website in December. Due to it being over-complicated, it has only been supported by 41 residents. It takes 15 steps to sign it
