The Cabinet comprises of the leader and 9 cabinet members who each has responsibility for a portfolio. The Cabinet discusses and takes decisions on the most significant issues facing the council.
Cabinet members and portfolio holders
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Neil Emmott
Portfolio: Leader of the Council
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Corporate Policy
• Social Value
• ICT and Digital
• Public Service Reform
• Special Projects
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Daalat Ali
Portfolio: Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Public Health
• Public Health Commissioning
• Health and Wellbeing Board
• Integrated Commissioning Board Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Devolution
• Relationship Manager for Your Trust
• Drugs and Alcohol Commissioning
• Integrated Mental Health and Learning Disability Services Commissioning
• Local Care Organisation
• COVID-19 recovery
• STAR Procurement
Cabinet member and portfolio holder: Councillor
Janet Emsley
Portfolio: Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Equalities, Safety and Reform
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Libraries
• Armed Forces
• Community Safety
• Equalities
• Community Cohesion
• Events
• Tourism
• Social Value
• Town Hall Redevelopment
Cabinet member and portfolio holder: Councillor John Blundell
Portfolio: Economy and Regeneration
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Jobs
• Skills
• Businesses
• Planning
• Rochdale Development Agency (RDA)
• Planning and building control
• Strategic estates and assets
• Communications
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Carol Wardle
Portfolio: Finance and Corporate
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Finance
• Legal
• Audit
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Payroll
• Health and Safety
• Transformation
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed
Portfolio: Adult Care and Wellbeing
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Adult safeguarding
• Adult social care
• Joint Commissioning and Care Strategy
• Accommodation Strategy
• Adult care commissioning
• Integrated mental health and learning disability services commissioning
• Commissioning for all vulnerable and disabled groups within Care Act
• Commissioning Ageing Well Strategy
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Rachel Massey
Portfolio: Children’s Services and Education
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Education
• Children’s social care
• Children’s safeguarding
• Schools and Joint Commissioning – Children
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Susan Smith
Portfolio: Communities and Co-operation
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Townships
• Voluntary sector
• Community centres
• Culture
• Integrated place work
• Engagement
• Cooperatives
Cabinet member and portfolio holder: Councillor
Daniel Meredith
Portfolio: Highways and Housing
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Highways
• Strategic housing
• Rochdale Borough Housing (RBH) client
• Walking and Cycling strategy
Cabinet member and portfolio holder:
Councillor Liam O’Rourke
Portfolio: Climate Change and Environment
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Environmental management
• Street lighting client
• Facilities management
• Property services
• Delivering on the council’s Climate Change strategy to achieve social, economic and environmental sustainability
• Public protection
• Low carbon
Assistant portfolio holders
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor Linda Robinson
Portfolio: Assistant to Leader of the Council
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Corporate Policy
• Social Value
• ICT and Digital
• Public Service Reform
• Special Projects
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Bev Place
Portfolio: Health
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Public Health
• Public Health Commissioning
• Health and Wellbeing Board
• Integrated Commissioning Board Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Devolution
• Relationship Manager for Your Trust
• Culture Strategy Drugs and Alcohol Commissioning
• Integrated Mental Health and Learning Disability Services Commissioning
• Local Care Organisation
• COVID-19 recovery
• STAR Procurement
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Elsie Blundell
Portfolio: Equalities, Safety and Reform
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Libraries
• Armed Forces
• Community Safety
• Equalities
• Community Cohesion
• Events
• Tourism
• Social Value
• Town Hall Redevelopment
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor Peter Williams
Portfolio: Economy and Regeneration
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Jobs
• Skills
• Businesses
• Planning
• Town centre regeneration
• Rochdale Development Agency (RDA)
• Planning and building control
• Strategic estates and assets
• Communications
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Peter Hodgkinson
Portfolio: Finance and Corporate
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Finance
• Legal
• Audit
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Payroll
• Health and Safety
• Transformation
Assistant portfolio holder:
Councillor Billy Sheerin
Portfolio: Adult Care and Wellbeing
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Adult safeguarding
• Adult social care
• Joint Commissioning and Care Strategy
• Accommodation Strategy
• Adult care commissioning
• Integrated mental health and learning disability services commissioning
• Commissioning for all vulnerable and disabled groups within Care Act
• Commissioning Ageing Well Strategy
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Shah Wazir
Portfolio: Children’s Services and Education
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Education
• Children’s social care
• Children’s safeguarding
• Schools and Joint Commissioning – Children
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Susan Emmott
Portfolio: Communities and Co-operation
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Townships
• Voluntary sector
• Community centres
• Culture
• Integrated place work
• Engagement
• Cooperatives
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Aftab Hussain
Portfolio: Highways and Housing
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Highways
• Property services
• Rochdale Borough Housing (RBH) client
• Walking and cycling strategy
Assistant portfolio holder: Councillor
Tricia Ayrton
Portfolio: Climate Change and Environment
Portfolio responsibilities:
• Environmental management
• Street lighting client
• Facilities management
• Property services
• Delivering on the council’s Climate Change strategy to achieve social, economic and environmental sustainability
• Public protection
• Low carbon
Support officer: Michael Garraway / Alison James / Janine Jenkinson. Head of Governance / Senior Committee Services Officer
Postal address:
Governance & Committee Services
Number One Riverside
Smith Street
Rochdale
OL16 1XU
Phone: 01706 924711/924715
Email: alison.james@Rochdale.Gov.UK