Council agrees rent rise of two per cent

At tonight's Council meeting (10 February 2015) the Council agreed a rent rise of 2% in line with the recommendations of the coalition government.

In January the Cabinet had considered a 7% rent rise (see http://rugby.lib.dm/a8RH0 ) but for tonight's meeting the Council's staff had prepared further options for a 2% rise and a 4% rent rise. Councillors agreed the lowest option.

Labour proposed a rent freeze. Unlike December's fiasco over the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (see http://rugby.lib.dm/a2Rpv ) at least this time Labour said where they would get the money from. However Labour's proposal to abandon the window replacement scheme to pay for the rent freeze was not widely welcomed by councillors and their proposal was lost by 28 votes to 9.