Reform UK’s Jordan Tarrant-Short says he’s putting party politics aside to serve Balderstone and Kirkholt

He wants to cut costs, tackle antisocial behaviour and promote unity.

Jordan Tarrant-Short, newly elected Reform UK councillor for Balderstone and Kirkholt, says he wants to prioritise local issues, reduce antisocial behaviour and bring transparency to local democracy. 

Cllr Tarrant-Short says his victory in Balderstone and Kirkholt earlier this month represents an opportunity to shake up Rochdale Council and tackle issues affecting residents, but he has also called for parts of the local election process to be investigated. 

Rochdale’s newest councillor told Roch Valley Radio he has been warmly welcomed by residents and staff. “It’s been a really good process settling in,” he said. “I want to make a special shout out to the officers at the council for making me feel welcome and being there to answer all my questions. That support has been invaluable, it’s been a proper learning curve.” 

He also issued a clarification after online claims suggested he was disputing the outcome of the election.  

“I’m not questioning the fact that I won, what I’m questioning is the process because there were things that happened on the night that need looking into. I’m calling for an investigation because there are allegations around the way bundles were handled, and about comments allegedly made by individuals involved in the count. I’m not saying the result was wrong far from it. But transparency matters.” 

He claimed his team saw vote bundles placed incorrectly during the count, something also raised by other candidates.  

“If it hadn’t been raised, if the checks hadn’t been done, then potentially the result could’ve been wrong and it might’ve ended in a null and void outcome,” he said. “Thankfully, the right checks were made and the right result came through in the end.” 

The former Conservative candidate switched to Reform UK ahead of this ballot.   

“The Conservative Party has let people down, especially on immigration. They weren’t being honest with the electorate, and Reform felt like the only party that wanted to fix the situation. That’s what brought me here.” 

Though he is currently the only Reform UK councillor in Rochdale, Tarrant-Short says he’s determined to make an impact: “I might be one councillor now, and yes, some people will try to block what I say, but I’ve got a loud voice and I’ll use it. I’m here to get things done.” 

On his priorities, he says has already received emails from concerned residents. “A lot of people are worried about community cohesion after Reform’s win, and I think that’s partly down to rhetoric from other parties. I want to make it clear, I’m here for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from. My job is to serve the whole community.” 

Antisocial behaviour is another key focus. Cllr Tarrant-Short said he’s already reached out to key stakeholders. 

“It’s one of the biggest problems in this area. We need proper solutions that don’t just move the problem around but actually tackle it.” 

Tarrant-Short also spoke of plans to bring a motion to the council to reduce the number of councillors from 60 to 40, and move to elections every two years, as oppose to three in every four years.  

“Do we really need three councillors per ward?, I think that’s redundant. If we cut the number and have elections every two years, we could save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds. That money could be spent on frontline services, where it’s needed most.” 

Though this is his first elected role, he said he’s focused on local change rather than national ambition. “I want to stay local. This ward means something to me, it’s where I grew up, and it helped my family when we had nothing. When we were homeless, the council moved us to the old Strand. It’s not what it was back then, but it’s still home.” 

He spoke positively about community facilities, including the Strand Community Hub. 

“This place is vital. You’ve got the GP surgery, the pantry, the café, these are lifelines for a lot of people in this area. Balderstone and Kirkholt still have deprivation, and we can’t ignore that. I want to make sure places like this stay open and get the support they need.” 

Cllr Tarrant Short attended his full council meeting on Wednesday of this week. He will sit on the Rochdale South Township Committee, as well as being on the council’s disputes committee.