• Labour highlights Tories’ lack of vision for Rugby
• Labour’s Budget amendment set out positive policy proposals on town centre regeneration, youth engagement, better infrastructure, and restricting the over-concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupation
• Labour’s plan focuses on returns on investment and proper scrutiny

In a special meeting of Rugby Borough Council, Rugby Labour’s Councillors exposed the Conservative Party’s Council’s Budget as hollow, lacking in ambition and devoid of detail, before setting out their positive Budget amendment containing policies focused on “Rugby’s renewal”.

Introducing the Labour Party’s amendment to the key substantive part of the Conservative Budget, a new town centre strategy reserve, Cllr Michael Moran (Admirals and Cawston Ward) emphasised how, unlike the Tories, a future Labour administration would instead deliver a plan in a more professional manner like any business, school or charity would be expected to when spending such significant sums of money.

Cllr Moran criticised the key element of the Conservative Budget for its lack of detail, noting that there was more text describing the recruitment of project managers than in the 164 words of their “so-called plan”. The locally-based businessman queried whether Councillors had been presented with sufficient detail to discharge even their legal responsibility in spending taxpayers money saying “let’s be clear, after nearly 20 years of Conservative rule the town is in desperate need of real action to inject some ambition and purpose. It starts with accepting what’s happened and the town’s weaknesses, not patting themselves on their back for doing a great job when they patently haven’t”. 

He continued: “How is it possible to have spent so long in charge and yet still have no concrete plans to make any improvements? Spending up to £5m on consultants and feasibility studies at this stage of the game is an insult. It is all words and no action; all talk and no trousers. A new administration is needed that understands business and has a plan to make Rugby a better place to live.”

Cllr Moran focused on the Tories’ Town Centre Strategy, noting that they themselves define it as still being a work in progress and how it still lacks “any essential ingredients to success – no big theme, no commercial buy in, no external partners and no new money. After nearly 20 years this is beyond a joke.”

Cllr Moran also questioned how town centre businesses would be feeling today knowing that their future business rates are to be spent on enhanced CCTV and town centre events. “Isn’t that what they were asked to support in 2021 with their Rugby First BID levies? This feels like double taxation at a time of economic crisis”.

Cllr John Slinger (New Bilton Ward), Labour’s housing spokesperson, reiterated the Tories’ lack of vision and inability to act, referring to a part of Labour’s budget amendment which was to fund both the research into the number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Rugby and the potential problems caused by their over-concentration in the urban wards, as well as to design a policy of introducing an Article 4 Declaration to prevent the conversion of single house dwellings into HMOs and to use Labour’s proposal partial review of the Rugby Local Plan to further restrict HMO numbers where the evidence suggests there are is an over-concentration causing problems to the community. 

Cllr Slinger said: “After years of Rugby Labour campaigning on behalf of the community, even the Tories now admit that something must be done about the over-concentration of HMOs. If these small state, public service-cutting Tories want to do something about the problem must be bigger than I thought. However, their policy is to dither and delay. In the chamber last night, they clearly stated their view that nothing can be done until the new Local Plan is written. This is weak and we simply do not accept it. 

“The Tories are willing to delay until the new Local Plan, meaning at least two more years, maybe more, of our urban wards continuing to be transformed by developers buying up family homes to convert into HMOs. Our alternative budget would set aside money now for a new policy that would use an Article 4 Direction, as done successfully by other Local Authorities, to stop conversions into HMOs unless it could be shown that there was a clear need and that they would not harm the character of an area. It’s all talk with the Tories, while Labour will take decisive action on behalf of residents.”

Cllr Slinger refuted Tory leader Cllr Lowe’s claim that Labour had copied their budget, noting that the Labour amendment included a range of innovative ideas including funding for a unit to better match public amenities to new infrastructure, a new Green Spaces Taskforce to improve and expand the Borough’s green areas to be enjoyed by residents far and wide, and a Borough Councillor Grant Fund. He also noted that as “the party of business”, Labour’s amendment included pump-priming for a new business, innovation and entrepreneurship hub in the town and a Youth Engagement Forum to bring young people directly into the policy-making process. “We should listen to, not lecture, the young people of the Borough and find ways to help them improve and shape our policies”, he said. 

Cllr Slinger concluded: “this is not a cut and paste job. Unlike the Conservatives’ measures, which were too little, too late, we have the right policies, at the right time, for the right reason – and that reason is the revival of Rugby in the interests of everybody.

During the meeting, Cllr Richard Harrington (Benn Ward) raised the concerns of his residents about HMOs. “We need all HMOs to have licences. I have spoken to officers and have been advised this can be done. This gives residents reassurance that standards are kept high and the planning team has data to make informed decisions. We want fairness between developers and residents. How can any street in Rugby be full of HMOs and residents who live there for years have no rights?”

During the meeting, Cllr Alison Livesey (Coton and Boughton Ward) criticised the Conservatives’ budget regarding the environment, saying: 

“I was shocked to see that seven out of eight areas state that there is no direct impact of this Budget on climate change. If that is true, what is this one-million-pound fund for? Is it to stash it away and pat ourselves on the back while the planet burns? It’s nine months since I became a Councillor. That’s nine months more inaction by the current leadership. Nine months more of global heating and nine months more of hot air from the party opposite. No wonder the ice caps are melting. They’ve got no idea what to do, so they tick the boxes, cross their fingers and hope no-one will read the paper. This is a tick box budget, from a tick box party. They’ve run out of ideas, run out of road and I think it’s time for a change.”  

Responding to a Tory Councillor’s Notice of Motion regarding school parking, Cllr Barbara Brown (New Bilton Ward) said:

“All of the points in this completely unnecessary Notice of Motion are either happening or planned for the near future. Why doesn’t Cllr Rabin know this?  Hasn’t he spoken with his Conservative County Councillors? Hasn’t he picked up the phone and spoken to Transport and Parking Management at County? My advice to him, if he wants to help our schools, is 1. Improve your research skills. 2. Work more effectively with others. 3. Do your homework!”

The Leader of the Labour Group on the Council, Cllr Maggie O’Rourke, said: 

“This Budget is a last-ditch attempt by the Tory Leader to save himself from the wrath of the voters in the May elections.

“It’s clear to see that the Tories have lost the confidence of both the residents and local independent businesses. I speak to local businesses on a regular basis and I can see how difficult it has been for them. They feel that the Council could have done so much more to support them.

“The fact is that Rugby is the fastest growing town in the country and our town centre should be thriving not dying. A Labour-led Council would work with businesses and other local stakeholders to rebuild our town make it place that residents are proud of.”