Rugby Labour Party Renew Rugby Together
Rugby Labour Party has launched its manifesto for the 4th May local elections in the form of five pledges to the people of the Borough on how the party aims to ‘Renew Rugby Together’ after nearly 20 years of Conservative rule at the Townhall. The manifesto was backed by Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips, Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding, while she was a special guest at a Rugby Labour event on Thursday.
Jess Phillips MP said: “Rugby Labour were kind as they were determined. What a group of people, who made me proud to be part of a Labour movement that is about real change in real lives. I endorse their manifesto to renew Rugby and look forward to working with them to achieve it.”
Rugby Labour’s five pledges, backed by individual policies that can be viewed on their website are to:
- Restore pride in our town
- Protect and improve our environment
- Improve local health and public services
- Focus on education and youth engagement
- Ensure housing is for the community, not developers
On the town centre, Labour will target the most unsightly buildings and encourage owners to improve the look of the town, as well as work with volunteer groups and businesses as well as bring in major investment and partnerships to restore our town after years of neglect by the Conservatives.
The party would reverse the Conservatives’ recent decision to open up a new Rugby Local Plan that will risk more development on the Green Belt.
On health and public services, Labour will work to improve health provision at St Cross Hospital and ensure more GP surgeries are built to match the growing population of our town.
Labour pledges to overcome the Conservatives’ squabbling about a new secondary school in the north of the borough and will create a unit to match services to amenities and enforcing better agreements with developers to make provisions. Labour would also accelerate its plans for a Youth Forum to bring the borough’s young people into the policy-making process.
On housing, Labour intends to use existing powers to limit the over-concentration of HMOs in the urban wards. The party is committed to using agreements with developers to ensure more affordable housing provisions and to accelerate the Council’s property acquisition strategy and social/council house building schemes to deliver the quality, affordable homes needed by the community.
Leader of the Labour Group on the Council, Cllr Maggie O’Rourke, said: “With a diverse range of backgrounds and life experience, our candidates reflect the diversity and talent that our borough is rightly proud of. They include a teacher, NHS physiotherapist and businesspeople, and all have the energy, ambition, and know-how to make a difference for residents across the borough.”
“We’ve increasingly been challenging this tired Conservative administration, for instance: on their failure to revive our town centre; their shocking treatment of our taxi drivers; or indifference as our urban wards see an over-concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupation; at every stage offering our positive alternative ideas. Our alternative amendment to the recent Council budget set out some detailed policy innovations.”
“We’re building on this with five pledges that set out our vision to ‘Renew Rugby Together’ by working with the whole community, whether it be individuals, community groups, faith groups, volunteers, local businesses, trade unions and beyond. Unlike the Conservatives, we believe in Rugby and we want voters to feel proud of their town and borough once again. Each pledge is backed by the positive polices that we will implement if we take power, so voters can see that if they lend us their support on 4th May, a fairer, more positive future is possible.”
Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Ish Mistry said: “After nearly 20 years in power at the Town Hall, Rugby’s Conservatives have become complacent and lack the vision and energy that our Borough needs. With a wafer-thin majority, this is a once in a generation opportunity for voters to back positive change for the whole Borough by voting Labour on 4th May and electing our team of dedicated candidates who are committed to serving the public and renewing Rugby.”
Nooria Sayani, Labour’s candidate for Newbold and Brownsover said: “I will work with Avon Valley School and the wider community to resolve parking issues at drop-off and pick-up time. I know the importance of proper infrastructure and services and I’m concerned about the ending of bus route 3A. I’ll be a champion for the community in getting roads adopted on the Technology Drive estate so we can resolve lighting, maintenance, drainage and play area issues.”
Senthil Periasamy, Labour’s candidate for Coton and Boughton said: “I am an Urgent Responder Community Physiotherapist working for NHS and I live with my wife and 3 children in Coton Park. As I work and live locally, I get first-hand experience of the issues that affect the day to day lives of people living in our ward and I’m committed to working alongside the community to resolve them.”
Jenny Gold, Labour’s candidate for Hillmorton said: “I live with my young family in Houlton and run two local businesses in Rugby town centre. I understand the tough times that the local business community is living through and I’ve witnessed first-hand the Conservative-run Council’s lack of vision for our town and local economy.”
Louise Robinson, Labour’s candidate for Admirals and Cawston said: “I am appalled that the Conservatives who run the Council recently allowed the field by the shops on Gerard Road to be developed into yet more houses instead of a community asset as originally intended. Conservative Councillors singularly failed to represent the interests of residents in their ward. By comparison I will always work with my Labour colleagues to fight for the interests of the whole community, not developers.”
