Online shopping scams cost shoppers £15.4 million over the Christmas period last year.

New data from Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, reveals that 28,049 shoppers were conned out of their money when shopping online over the Christmas period last year - an increase of almost two thirds (61 per cent) when compared to the same period in the previous year.

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 17 November 2021, Ed Davey MP, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, raised the issue of ambulance response times and the closure of 10 community stations across the West Midlands including in Rugby.

Ed Davey said, "Ambulance response times are now the worst ever, people are waiting for ambulances longer than ever, and with A&Es in crisis, patients are stuck in ambulances outside hospital longer than ever."

Councillors at the 17 November 2021, full council meeting of Rugby Borough Council approved a motion to tackle the problem in the pedestrianised area around Sheep Street and High Street at certain times of day.

The original motion, which was proposed by Cllr Neil Sandison (Lib Dem, Eastlands) said:

CITY A.M. have reported that Mark Pawsey the local Conservative MP for Rugby and Bulkington makes £30,000-a-year as chairman of a packaging lobby group but has spoken on multiple occasions in Parliament in favour of watering down environmental laws to favour plastic producers.

The paper says that Mark Pawsey has spoken several times in Parliament outlining his concerns about the effect of environmental legislation on plastic producers. These include a debate in 2020 on environmental regulation banning plastic straws and earlier this year on the Government's Environment Bill.

The climate crisis is an incoming storm. We must act now to undo the damage already done to our planet.

Soaring temperatures worldwide, flash flooding in central London and increasing numbers of wildfires. These are just a few ecological disasters we are seeing as a result of climate change. It is painfully obvious we must act.

As the nights begin to get darker and temperatures drop, Rugby Liberal Democrats say there are some simple steps residents can take to be prepared in case they have a power cut or gas emergency.

Know your free emergency numbers - in a power cut dial 105 or 0800 056 8090, for a gas emergency, dial 0800 111 999, for water problems contact Severn Trent on 0800 783 4444.

Prepare your home - keep a torch handy and get your appliances serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/

October is Black History Month - an opportunity to celebrate the enormous contributions that Black people have made across our country.

From Mary Prince to Paul Stephenson, so many Black pioneers have transformed our society's cultural and political landscapes. We owe a great debt to everything they have achieved.

Find information about local organisations, groups and agencies that provide activities, advice, services and support you.

After help or advice the Warwickshire Directory may be a good starting point https://directory.warwickshire.gov.uk

With the increasing costs and pressures on your energy bills Act on Energy can give advice and support .https://actonenergy.org.uk/

Rugby Borough Council seek residents' views on ambitious ideas for a once in a generation transformation of Rugby town Centre

The emerging Rugby Town Centre Regeneration Plan outlines a bold vision for the future, setting out the guiding principles for redevelopment and a number of 'big idea' projects which have a vital role in revitalising the town centre.

Key areas of focus include commercial resilience, movement and public spaces and future proofing the town centre, whilst placing emphasis on delivery including the redevelopment of key town centre sites.

The forthcoming plan will take into consideration the major projects already in the pipeline for Rugby town centre, such as the redevelopment of Rounds Gardens, Rugby Central's desire to explore redevelopment opportunities and the Caldecott Square development on the site of the former Herbert Grey College.

The 'big ideas' include the creation of a Rugby Hub, where multi-agency partners co-locate to provide public sector services in a holistic way to reduce health inequalities, improve access to services, and strengthen community resilience.

Other big ideas focus on redesigning parts of the town centre's road network, including transforming Evreux Way into a high-quality 'gateway' into the centre and reworking the gyratory system next to Rugby School to create a more welcoming and safer environment.

The proposed objectives for consideration include building commercial resilience by supporting businesses and creating a blend of retail and leisure experiences, and improving the town centre environment by focusing on pedestrians and public transport while creating greener streets.

The council has also outlined its strategy to deliver the plan, working with the community, public sector partners, landowners, key stakeholders and investors to drive regeneration forward.

The Rugby Town Centre Regeneration Plan is being developed by the council in partnership with strategic real estate adviser Avison Young, masterplanners, Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners, and transport and movement specialists Urban Flow.

Plans have progressed an initial public consultation earlier this year, when nearly 1,300 residents voiced views on how the town centre could be improved.