Councillor Michael Stokes, Conservative Leader of Rugby Borough Council said, “Under a Conservative Administration, RBC has seen continued investment in the wide ranging and excellent services we offer. We’ve listened to Rugby Residents and they’ve told us what is important to them and we’ve outlined where we’ll be making further investment in 2019/20."
"On February 26th, we’ll be presenting a balanced budget, with no cuts to services and no topping up from balances. While any increase in local taxes is never an easy or welcome decision, I hope that residents will see a rise of about 8 pence per week, per household (based on an Average Band D property) as a worthwhile investment. This will protect the services we offer and continue to deliver them to the same high quality residents have come to expect.”
This statement from the Leader of the Council comes after Rugby Borough Council's proposed budget press release earlier today.
Conservative proposals include:
* Saving £125,000 per year by introducing a policy of collecting waste from the kerbside only.
* Fund free weekend and evening parking in council-run car parks.
* Funding support of the Severn Trent refill scheme promoting the reuse of water bottles and a commitment that the borough council will stop purchasing any further single use plastics from 1 April 2019.
* Installation of Rugby town centre’s first electric vehicle charging points.
*Donation to the St Andrew’s Church garden Project, with an additional £20,000 match funding available to be unlocked by public donations.
* Fund an extra housing officer to provide intensive support to help residents out of homelessness, extending a pilot project that has already had some success moving residents from street homelessness to permanent accommodation.
* Improvements to disability access to the main democratic chamber of the town hall, including improved audio visual equipment, which will help more residents of the borough access the democratic process. (This will be funded from an underspend in the 2018-19 budget.)
Photo: Cllr. Michael Stokes; “While other local authorities are having to make substantial cuts to front-line services, prudent financial management over many years has meant that we have been able to continue to fund the services our residents value. While any increase in council tax will be unwelcome, our proposed increase of just over ten pence per week for a typical Band D property will allow us to continue to support our most vulnerable residents. Changes to our shopping habits continue to have an impact on high streets across the country, so our commitment to fund free parking on evenings and weekends will give businesses based in the town centre their best chance to thrive. The garden project aiming to open up an underused town centre space led by St Andrew’s Church will get a welcome kick-start, with further funding available to match public donations. And, while we have had some success in helping street homeless residents into permanent accommodation, there is a need for more of this intensive support which we are committed to provide.”
