By-election to take place after North Middleton councillor removed

Peter Allonby, the former ward representative for North Middleton, had not attended a council meeting for six consecutive months – meaning he was removed from his post.

Mr Allonby was last elected into the post for the Middleton Independent Party back in 2022.

The by-election to fill the vacant North Middleton seat will take place on Thursday, October 31. 

The day most commonly known for Halloween will mark the fourth time in 2024 that the people within the Rochdale borough will go to the polls.

The area was plunged into the national spotlight during the February by-election after George Galloway threw his hat in the ring and eventually got elected as the area’s new MP.

This seat became available after the former MP Sir Tony Lloyd died.

Five months after the Workers Party leader was elected Mr Galloway tried to reclaim his seat in the general election in July, but lost out to Labour’s Paul Waugh in a close contest.

During Mr Gallway’s stint in Parliament, in May, there was a local election for seats on Rochdale Council.

Rochdale Town Hall (Picture: LDRS)

Much like in the February by-election there were spiky exchanges between political parties and culminated in two Workers Party councillors getting elected in – to the detriment of Labour.

This latest by-election is for a council seat, but things have already got heated with the Middleton Independents pointing the finger at Labour for getting their councillor removed from his post.

They claim Labour blocked their motion to grant extended leave to Mr Allonby.

Lee Wolf, leader of the MIP, said: “The reason this by-election has been called is simple: the local Labour party refused to grant leave to the elected Middleton Independents party councillor, Peter Allonby. 

“The council’s governance officer wrote a report asking for leave to be granted, however, the governance officer confirmed later that the local Labour leadership wouldn’t support the request.

"This leave was needed to allow Peter time to recover from life-saving heart surgery carried out in early September.

“Local Labour’s stance clearly differs when it’s one of their councillors. Notably, Labour North Middleton councillor Sara Rowbotham who was elected in May 2022. This two year absence was wholeheartedly supported by local Labour.”

Ms Rowbotham stepped down at the last election and is no longer a councillor.

The local Labour group have responded to MIP’s claims by stating they failed to table this motion in time and explained this election is a matter of following the law.

A Labour comment on the matter read: “The law is very clear on this, an elected member must attend a meeting of the council at least once every six months.

"This is because the role of a councillor is to represent those who have elected them.

“Meetings of the council are where the decisions councillors are elected to make on your behalf are made, and if councillors are not present then they are not fulfilling that role.

"Peter Alonby last attended a council meeting on March 14, 2024.

“Peter or his party could have tabled a motion to any of the full council meetings on March 20, May 15 or July 17 to apply for an exception to the six month law but he and the Middleton Independent Party failed to do so. 

“A by-election will now be held to enable the residents of North Middleton to elect a councillor who will be there for them, and who will be their voice on the council, standing up for them at every opportunity, and especially at meetings of the council where decisions are made.”

The deadline for candidates to put in their nomination papers is 4pm on Friday, October 4.

Applications to register to vote must reach the electoral registration officer by midnight on Tuesday, October 15.

Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes must reach the electoral registration officer at Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU by 5pm on Wednesday, October 16.