All rise: Warm welcome for Rochdale’s new mayor

Posted by on 15 May 2025

The borough of Rochdale welcomed its new mayor as Councillor Janet Emsley was sworn in to office during a ceremony in Rochdale last night (14 May).                                           

The appointment was made following a full meeting of the council.

The event was attended by former mayors, deputy lieutenants as well as other distinguished guests and community leaders as the departing mayor councillor Shakil Ahmed, mayoress Robina Bi and consort Councillor Rachel Massey handed over their chains of office.

The event was held at Rochdale Town Hall and began with a rousing fanfare played by Wardle Academy Intermediate Brass Band.

Councillor Tricia Ayrton spoke to support the appointment of Janet Emsley and said she has served the council well for many years: “Janet is such a much loved and popular councillor which is so clear to see when out and about in Littleborough, and I know she along with her husband Ken as consort will be an excellent mayor.”

Councillor Ashley Dearnley praised Janet’s unique style and straight talking approach to getting things done:  “I know her late father would be so proud of what she has achieved and that Janet will fulfil her mayoral duties with enthusiasm, vigour and enjoyment. She is considerate, caring, hard-working and diligent and our borough will be all the better for having her as mayor.”

A short blessing was read by the Reverend Anne Gilbert after Coun Emsley made a declaration, accepting mayoral office. After receiving her chain, the new mayor said words of thanks to a packed audience of over 300: “I am honoured and so proud to be with you at our fabulous town hall – built as a symbol of civic pride, which is what Ken and I want to share during the year ahead. I’m very proud to become the eleventh female mayor of my hometown, during our year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. Thank you to my husband Ken and to all my family for their support, along with my colleagues on the council. We are looking forward to promoting the borough at every opportunity, meeting as many people as we can.”

Outgoing mayor Coun Ahmed said it had been the honour of his life to be mayor, thanking his mayoress and consort before paying an emotional tribute former Rochdale football hero Joe Thompson who sadly passed away recently. Joe’s charity ‘Team Thompson Against Cancer’ had been one of the charities the mayor had been raising money for during his year.

The Mayor’s Charity Appeal for 2025/26 will be raising funds for Springhill Hospice, Jolly Josh, Awakening Minds, Papyrus, Women’s Housing Action Group and the Johnny Alfrey Music Memorial.

Coun Emsley, a councillor since 2014, was born in Littleborough and brought up in Hull and Rochdale. She attended Redbrook Middle School and Oulder Hill Community School. She began her teaching career at Balderstone Community School, also teaching at Oulder Hill, Redbrook and Buckley Hall Detention Centre before beginning work at Wardle High School in 1989. Here she taught until 2015, finishing her career as director of performing arts before retiring.

Ken was born in Southport and has lived in Miles Platting, Langley, Whitworth and Littleborough. On leaving school he became an apprentice joiner in Middleton having trained at Oldham College. He then worked at various local businesses in textiles and also as a taxi driver, finally he worked as a production manager for Ferguson Polycom until retirement in 2015.

During the ceremony a past mayor’s medallion was presented to Coun Ahmed.

Deputy mayor for the new year will be Councillor Faisal Rana, deputy mayoress will be Councillor Iram Faisal and their consort will be Basharat Umer.  They were presented with their chains during the ceremony.

Musical entertainment also included local singer Rebecca Fitzgibbon who performed a pitch perfect version of the Amy Winehouse and Zutons classic ‘Valerie.’ Oakenhoof folk arts group performed a special dance for Coun Emsley appropriately named after the new mayor. The evening was closed with a finale by a quartet from the Manchester’s Hallé Orchestra.

For more information and profiles of the new mayor, consort and deputies visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/mayor