# 2023 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2023 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council elections took place on 4 May 2023 alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. One third of seats (20) on Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council were contested.
Labour retained its majority on the council.

## Background

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Rochdale was a district of the Greater Manchester metropolitan county. The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority was created in 2011 and began electing the mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017, which was given strategic powers covering a region coterminous with the former Greater Manchester metropolitan county.
Since its formation, Rochdale has variously been under Labour control, Liberal Democrat control, Conservative control and no overall control. Councillors have predominantly been elected from the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party, with some independent councillors also serving. The council has had an overall Labour majority since the 2011.
In the most recent election in 2022, where all 60 seats on the council were up for election, Labour won 42 seats with 50% of the vote, the Conservatives won ten seats with 20% of the vote, the Middleton Independents Party won five seats with 9% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won three seats with 17% of the vote.

## Electoral process

The council generally elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. The election will be conducted using the first-past-the-post voting system, with each ward electing one councillor.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Rochdale aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who lived at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, were entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations took place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters were able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

## Results

2023 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 16 | 3 | 80 | 30 | 46 | 76.7 | 26,198 | 51.2 | |
| | Conservative | 3 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 15.0 | 11,306 | 22.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5.0 | 5,865 | 11.5 | |
| | Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3,664 | 7.2 | |
| | Middleton Ind. | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3.3 | 3,368 | 6.6 | |
| | Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 607 | 1.2 | |
| | Freedom Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 197 | 0.4 | |
Asterisks denote incumbent councillors seeking re-election.

### Balderstone & Kirkholt

Balderstone & Kirkholt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elsie Blundell | 1,124 | 58.4 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | Mudassar Razzaq | 451 | 23.4 | −0.1 |
| | Green | Jordan Eves | 185 | 9.6 | −5.5 |
| | Independent | Laura Grabowska | 164 | 8.5 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 673 | 35.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,924 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Bamford

Bamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Anstee | 1,580 | 53.8 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | Rosie Choudhury | 1,033 | 35.2 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Siobhain Cunnane | 324 | 11.0 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 547 | 18.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,937 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Castleton

Castleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Aasim Rashid | 882 | 39.4 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Bywater | 473 | 21.1 | −6.1 |
| | Independent | David Jones | 443 | 19.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Swarbrick | 227 | 10.1 | −6.3 |
| | Green | Jonathan Kershaw | 213 | 9.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 409 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,238 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Central Rochdale

Central Rochdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sameena Zaheer | 2,487 | 72.9 | +20.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Abdul Ghafoor | 601 | 17.6 | −18.0 |
| | Conservative | Shajan Ali | 323 | 9.5 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,886 | 55.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,411 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### East Middleton

East Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Terry Smith | 1,588 | 61.7 | +19.5 |
| | Middleton Ind. | Bernard Wynne | 697 | 27.1 | −17.9 |
| | Conservative | Aaron Slack | 289 | 11.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 891 | 34.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,574 | | |
| | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. |

### Healey

Healey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tricia Ayrton | 1,789 | 68.9 | +17.9 |
| | Conservative | Sajid Mahmood | 587 | 22.6 | −9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Safina Kauser | 221 | 8.5 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,202 | 46.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,597 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Hopwood Hall

Hopwood Hall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Hodgkinson | 1,415 | 64.9 | +18.1 |
| | Conservative | Claudius Chonzi | 408 | 18.7 | −10.5 |
| | Middleton Ind. | Matthew Glaysher | 257 | 11.8 | −5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Iain Donaldson | 100 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,007 | 46.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,180 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Kingsway

Kingsway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rachel Massey | 1,650 | 68.6 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | Ibrahim Khalil | 384 | 16.0 | −7.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharon Taylor | 200 | 8.3 | −4.6 |
| | Green | Mark Hollinrake | 172 | 7.1 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,266 | 52.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,406 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Littleborough Lakeside

Littleborough Lakeside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Jackson | 1,103 | 44.1 | +12.6 |
| | Conservative | John Hartley | 1,096 | 43.9 | +2.0 |
| | Green | Guy Otten | 239 | 9.6 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Zarah Kauser | 64 | 2.6 | −12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 0.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,502 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Milkstone & Deeplish

Milkstone & Deeplish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Aiza Rashid | 1,898 | 80.0 | +32.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Naveed Akhtar | 232 | 9.8 | −27.4 |
| | Conservative | Raja Miah | 148 | 6.2 | +1.8 |
| | Green | Feruz Ali | 94 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,666 | 70.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,372 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Milnrow & Newhey

Milnrow & Newhey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dave Bamford | 1,297 | 47.2 | −7.7 |
| | Labour | Avis Gilmore | 935 | 34.0 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Aiden Forshaw | 349 | 12.7 | −3.4 |
| | Green | Stephen Sharp | 167 | 6.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 362 | 13.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,748 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Norden

Norden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Holly | 1,462 | 53.9 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Farhat Kazmi | 638 | 23.5 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephanie Robertson | 382 | 14.1 | −4.5 |
| | Green | Sarah Croke | 229 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 824 | 30.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,711 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### North Heywood

North Heywood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Beverley Place | 1,268 | 78.6 | +15.2 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Morrell | 346 | 21.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 922 | 57.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,614 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### North Middleton

North Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Atewologun | 1,236 | 50.0 | +12.3 |
| | Middleton Ind. | Lee Wolf | 1,006 | 40.7 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Darren Bayman | 228 | 9.2 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 230 | 9.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,470 | | |
| | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. | Labour gain from Middleton Ind. |

### Smallbridge & Firgrove

Smallbridge & Firgrove :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Amna Mir | 1,153 | 51.2 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fezan Khalid | 606 | 26.9 | −4.1 |
| | Conservative | Saliah Begum | 294 | 13.1 | −5.1 |
| | Freedom Alliance | Paul Ashton | 197 | 8.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 547 | 24.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,250 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### South Middleton

South Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Dale | 1,527 | 51.8 | +9.9 |
| | Middleton Ind. | Emma Hezelgrave-Whitworth | 937 | 31.8 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braiden | 486 | 16.5 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 590 | 20.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,950 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Spotland & Falinge

Spotland & Falinge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Amber Nisa | 1,479 | 49.3 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rabina Asghar | 1,143 | 38.1 | +7.5 |
| | Conservative | Annmarie Conway | 198 | 6.6 | −4.2 |
| | Green | Mick Coats | 179 | 6.0 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 336 | 11.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,999 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Wardle, Shore & West Littleborough

Wardle, Shore & West Littleborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Taylor | 1,504 | 59.6 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Julian Farnell | 689 | 27.3 | +3.9 |
| | Green | Hannah MacGuire | 186 | 7.4 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eleanor Kelly | 146 | 5.8 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 815 | 32.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,525 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### West Heywood

West Heywood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Robinson | 1,184 | 60.4 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative | Jordan Tarrant-Short | 543 | 27.7 | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Shaw | 232 | 11.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 641 | 32.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,959 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### West Middleton

West Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neil Emmott | 1,120 | 60.9 | +16.6 |
| | Middleton Ind. | Peter Shore | 471 | 25.6 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative | Matt Roughsedge | 157 | 8.5 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nikki Edwards | 90 | 4.9 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 649 | 35.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,838 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |