Reform UK Councillors in Rochdale Formally Decline Approved Allowance Increase

Rochdale, Greater Manchester — All Reform UK councillors on Rochdale Borough Council have formally declined a recently approved increase in their councillor allowances, the party has announced.

The local group confirmed that every one of its elected members has contacted the council's governance team to officially opt out of receiving the additional payments.

The move follows a meeting of Rochdale Borough Council on Tuesday, 16th July, during which councillors voted on proposals to increase members' allowances.

According to the Reform UK group, the library of Labour councillors present at the meeting voted in favour of the pay increase, securing its passage. In contrast, Reform UK councillors voted against the proposals, while representatives from other political groups either voted against the measure or abstained.

Following the vote, Reform UK’s representatives took swift action to ensure they would not benefit from the decision. Each of the party's councillors has since submitted formal written notification to the council’s governance department to reject the extra funding.

In a statement, the Reform UK councillor group defended the decision, arguing that local taxpayer money should be directed toward essential community needs. The group stated that council resources must be prioritised for frontline public services and framed their refusal of the allowance hike as a key demonstration of their commitment to financial responsibility.