Last night, I had the chance to attend something really special at Rochdale Town Hall—the ceremony where Councillor Janet Emsley officially became the new Mayor of Rochdale for 2025–2026. I wasn’t totally sure what to expect going in, but it turned out to be a lovely evening full of tradition, pride, and a great sense of community.
Things kicked off right on time at 7pm with all the formal entrances—outgoing Mayor Councillor Shakil Ahmed, Mayoress Robina Bi, and Consort Councillor Rachel Massey came in with the incoming team, including Deputy Mayor Councillor Faisal Rana. The atmosphere in the room felt quite grand, but also welcoming.
The main event was, of course, the election of the new mayor. Councillor Janet Emsley was put forward and officially welcomed by her fellow councillors. After a bit of ceremony and a quick robing in the side room, Janet came back in as “Her Worship the Mayor of Rochdale”, and everyone stood to greet her. It was one of those proud, smiley moments where you could just feel how much it meant to her—and to everyone in the room.
Janet gave a short but heartfelt speech after being handed the mayoral chain. She talked about how honoured she was and thanked everyone for their support. She’s got such a warm, down-to-earth way about her—it’s easy to see why she’s so respected.
Throughout the night, I found out more about her story. Janet grew up between Hull and Rochdale, went to school locally, and had a long career in teaching before becoming a councillor. She’s represented Littleborough Lakeside since 2014 and has done loads in the areas of health, culture, and community safety. She’s also been a huge supporter of the arts and was behind projects like the Gracie Fields statue and Rochdale’s cultural trails. Of course, she has also supported everything we have done at LEAF to bring events to Littleborough.
She’s clearly passionate about young people too—she’s already appointed a poet laureate and young poets in residence for her mayoral year, which I think is such a cool idea. With Rochdale being named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture this year, it feels like perfect timing.
There was live music from Wardle Academy, Rebecca Fitzgibbon, Oakenhoof, and the Hallé, which added a lovely touch to the evening. And after all the official stuff, there were refreshments and a chance to chat with people.
All in all, I’m really glad I went. It was a lovely evening, and it’s clear that Janet Emsley is going to make a fantastic mayor. She’s already done so much for the borough, and I’m excited to see what she’ll do in the year ahead.
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