Mayor says Osborne's spending cuts 'will be good for all'

Spending review in full

Liberal Democrat councillor Zulfiqar Ali is the Mayor of Rochdale and councillor for central ward.

It includes the impoverished Lower Falinge Estate where 865 of the 1,030 working-age residents are on benefits and where one cafe offers a 4.70 breakfast that includes a can of Stella.

The area landed the unfortunate distinction of becoming the nation's benefits capital, according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The statistics showed Denbighshire and Rhyl West in second place with 72% on benefits, and Liverpool Breckfield in third worst place with 68% in receipt.

Councillor Ali said the review would reorganise priorities and he hoped more needy communities such as his would be given a fairer deal and extra help attracting jobs.

He said: "It will hurt everyone for a period including people in my ward and employers but I hope in the following years we'll be given further help in more funding where it is needed."

The former industrial town has suffered from soaring levels of immigration and booming numbers of asylum seekers and refugees which have contributed to Falinge's unhappy notoriety, said Cllr Ali.

He said the estate has more than 300 immigrant families living in 22 apartment blocks - they are unable to contribute because they are either awaiting the right to work or battling to land one of few "mainstream" jobs.

In 2005, Rochdale mother-of-eight Lizzy Bardsley, who appeared on Channel 4's Wife Swap, was convicted of being a benefits cheat by raking in 37,000 while being paid for media work.

Cllr Ali said he did not recognise a cheating, handouts mentality among his ward members but said of those who chose a life on the sofa: "There is no justification or logic in that.

"My concern is getting people access to mainstream jobs so they can support their families and communities.

"I think my ward members would do anything to get a job."