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Let’s look positively to a great future

13/ 9/2007

I WAS absolutely delighted to attend the inaugural Town Centre Business Awards at China City last week.

What a fabulous event, organised brilliantly by our Town Centre Management team, including Suzy Woods who did a sterling job.
The glitzy event was warmly welcomed and shows our council is really moving forward. It is clear everyone who attended is excited for the future.

As cabinet member for regeneration, I was proud to present an award.

This was alongside a cast list of well over a dozen, including council leader Alan Taylor, our MP Paul Rowen, chief executive Roger Ellis, the mayor, Councillor Peter Evans, with mayoress Helen, our community safety manager John Johnson and Abdul Hamid from the SRB 5 Team.

I would like to congratulate all the winners, including Amanda Crowe from Boots who won Rochdale Employee of the Year.
Our newest venue in Rochdale, China City were great hosts, thank you to manager Susan Chee, staff and all our other sponsors.
It is quite clear traders and their employees have fantastic pride in our town. This was a night to celebrate Rochdale and convey what is best about our town.

We were delighted our new head of regeneration, Penny Sharpe, attended and was impressed. I know she is best placed to lead our team and meet the challenges ahead. Bring on next year’s event, where we will be celebrating significant progress.
In all the celebrations, it is important to recognise we have to look after existing traders. That is why I am pleased to see the works in Yorkshire Street.

We are seeing massive amounts of regeneration in the town centre, with a new bus station planned for 2010 and the Town Centre East and Riverside developments in the pipeline.

Let’s not talk our town down, let’s look positively to a great future. Look at what’s ahead – Metrolink, a new sixth form college, Kingsway Business Park, a new bus station, new schools and more. This council is delighted to be delivering what looks to be an exciting new generation. Let’s bring back pride to Rochdale and not let outsiders talk us down.

Cllr Mohammed Sharif, Rochdale