Voting Liberal Democrats in this year's local elections on Thursday 3 May is a vote for someone who is ACE - Active, Caring and Effective.

Liberal Democrat Councillors listen to residents and get things done for their communities.

In the past 12 months we have: worked with the Police to improve parking around schools; worked with residents to support the preservation of a nature reserve and the Great Central Way; successfully campaigned to get funding for new bus shelters and traffic calming measures; hosted community compost and recycling events; done litter picks; supported the development of a local job club.

The Home Secretary has denied cuts to police funding are to blame for a rise in crime as the latest violence in London pushes the murder rate to over 50 for the year so far.

Liberal Democrats have consistently argued for a broad range of measures, with a much greater focus on crime prevention and investment in communities and young people.

Liberal Democrats believe that if the Government truly wants to make deposits more affordable, they must establish a new Help to Rent scheme which provides government-backed tenancy deposit loans. We believe that by not acting would be to ignore the many young people across the UK unable to afford a place of their own.

Youth and Play Grants from Rugby Borough Council are now open for applications and Rugby Liberal Democrats are encouraging community groups to apply. In the past the Grants have funded projects that buy play area equipment such as goal posts and swings. They have also been used to train up personnel and help with start-up costs for youth clubs and play groups.

Councillor Neil Sandison (Eastlands Ward) has written to the local papers about the need for the leadership of Rugby Borough Council to show more ambition to make use of stagnating empty sites in the town and improve the transport connectivity across the borough.

Dear Editor,

Rugby town centre currently has three major development sites that have stagnated despite having existing approved planning permissions. There are also several under-utilised public buildings nearby and sites with no clear future. The Council has a strategic town centre plan and the emerging local plan which recognises the value of the prime retail area off North Street and the opportunity for a mixture of uses for properties in the independent quarter. However, what we do not have is the drive and ambition to intervene on those sites like we did with Chapel Street some years ago when the CO-OP businesses were failing, and the Council didn't know what to do with a deteriorating car park. This site did not move forward without the Council's intervention and floundered in its neglect. I am concerned as someone who campaigned for its redevelopment that we are allowing history to repeat itself. Furthermore, successful towns need good infrastructure to attract visitors. This requires a strong transport interchange so that those who live in our villages and on the edge of the urban area in the new housing and shopping developments have ease of access to the town centre. However, connectivity also appears to be well down the Council's agenda. Residents want more joined up thinking from those running Rugby Borough Council and this what they should expect.

Rugby Liberal Democrats are encouraging people aged between 10 and 18 years old in Warwickshire to complete a survey to help gather views about the impact of social media on young people's health and wellbeing.

Warwickshire County Council, Public Health have launched a short online survey to provide young people with the chance to have their say on the impact that social media is having on their health and wellbeing.

Rugby Liberal Democrats have been informed that CEMEX is proposing an exciting and comprehensive restoration scheme that would restore the quarry at Parkfield Road (adjacent to the cement plant) to its original levels and see the creation of ponds, grassland, open areas for natural recolonization and extensive areas of woodland planting.

Rugby Liberal Democrats are encouraging community and voluntary organisations to apply for a grant from Rugby Borough Council. Applications for community grants must be made by 12 noon on Monday 9 April.

The council has a total funding pot of nearly £85,000 available for 2018/2019, with grants on offer to community, voluntary and charitable organisations based in the borough.

Organisations can apply for:

At a Full meeting of Rugby Borough Council on Tuesday 27 February 2018, Councillor Tim Douglas (Paddox Ward), submitted a question that highlighted the concerns of residents and asked for an update on the status of the empty coffee shop at the entrance to the library, art gallery and museum, and Hall of Fame.