Township Committees and Sub-Committees
Established in 1992, the council's 4 Township Committees became an integral part of the council's decision-making process. In March 2019 Council made a decision to split Rochdale Township into 2. As a result there are now 5 Townships.
The 5 Township Committees are Heywood, Middleton, Pennines, Rochdale North and Rochdale South, and they each comprise the Members of the wards that fall within the boundaries of each township (with the exception of Middleton Township Committee which holds responsibility for the area of Stakehill Industrial Park, but has no appointed representation from a Castleton Ward councillor). The Township Committees meet 4 times per year. Each Township Committee meeting commences with an Open Forum session, giving local residents the opportunity to raise issues of local concern.
The Township Committees hold a responsibility for the local delivery of council services covering Environmental Management (excluding Refuse Collection and Recycling and Bereavement Services), Highways and Engineering, Community Centres, Libraries, Development Control, Township Funds, and Leisure Projects – commissioning.
Such services and facilities are managed in a manner consistent with Borough-wide policies. As part of this process the Township Committees work in line with the priorities identified in the Townships Plan.
Township Committees also deal with a further range of issues which impact locally, such as determining Traffic Regulation Orders that are the subject of objection, Creation of Footpath Orders, Compulsory Purchase Orders and approving changes of names of schools.
Each Township Committee has devolved capital and revenue resources, including a revenue Township Fund. Examples of purposes to which these funds and budgets can be put include grants schemes; funding community and environmental projects; funding priorities identified in the Township Plan and so on. The Township Committees have each established their own Sub-Committee arrangements and terms of reference for dealing with devolved services and the expenditure of devolved funds and budgets; these Sub-Committees are:
- Heywood Township Delegated Sub-Committee.
- Middleton Township Devolved Funding and Services Sub-Committee.
- Pennines Township Delegated and Funding Sub-Committee.
- Rochdale North Township Action and Resources Committee.
- Rochdale South Township Action and Resources Committee.
Township Committees are not required to be politically balanced provided that the geographical area covered by the Township does not exceed two-fifths of the total geographical area of the borough or the electorate of the township does not exceed two-fifths of the total electorate of the borough.