Could you be a Rugby Borough Councillor ?
Being a Rugby borough councillor is both a rewarding and privileged form of public service.
Rugby Borough Councillors are in a position to make a difference to our quality of life. Litter on the streets? Local park overgrown? Poor air quality? Rugby Borough Council is directly responsible. Traffic congestion? GP surgeries over-crowded? Town Centre failing? A Rugby Borough Council planning decision may be part of the problem.
Rugby Borough Councillors should be community leaders and a bridge between how the borough council operates and the local community. Councillors are elected to represent their area (wards) in the running of the council. As a councillor you have an important role in the major decisions such as planning and setting the Council Tax each year.
Councillors make and review decisions on how Rugby Borough Council services are provided. They should scrutinise how the Council operates (although sometimes fail to do so - see http://rugby.lib.dm/a5ZIV . Councillors have to attend various meetings of Rugby Borough Council and may also be appointed to represent the council on outside organisations such as local partnerships or charities and public bodies.
All councillors will be expected to deal with issues and problems brought to them by their local residents and seek to act as a helping hand. Very few residents have a comprehensive knowledge of which services are provided by which level of government and Rugby Borough Councillors are often in the front line of trying to help residents with issues which are the responsibility of the county council, police and crime commissioner or the NHS. Whilst a lot of casework is raised and may be solved by e-mail councillors have a particular responsibility to represent those that do not have easy access to the internet.
All Rugby's Liberal Democrat councillors are expected to publish a newsletter telling their electors what they are doing and informing their electors of issues which may affect their area.
Liberal Democrat councillors are expected to campaign in their area, sometimes leading campaigns and sometimes supporting campaigns organised by other residents.
Rugby Borough Councillors are paid an annual allowance (this was £6,323 in 2014-15) and may claim mileage.
These are Rugby Borough Council's main areas of responsibility and as a councillor you could be involved in:
- Housing (including managing Rugby's 4,000 Council houses)
- Planning, from small house exstensions, tree preservation orders to the Rugby Radio Station site and future growth of Rugby.
- Licensing, Taxis, Public Houses, entertainment and events
- Environmental Health, Food safety, pests etc.
- Leisure Services, open spaces, play areas, provision of sports, the new Leisure centre
- Council Tax & Benefits, collection and advice.
The next election for Rugby Borough Council will take place on Thursday 5th May 2016 when 14 councillors will be elected. One each for these wards:
Admirals and Cawston
Benn
Bilton
Clifton, Churchover and Newton
Coton and Boughton
Dunsmore
Eastlands
Hillmorton
New Bilton
Newbold and Brownsover
Paddox
Revel and Binley Woods
Rokeby & Overslade
Wolston and the Lawfords
To see a map showing what each ward covers visit https://www.rugby.gov.uk/downloads/download/63/borough_council_ward_boundary_maps .