From the Public Gallery: Rugby Borough Council Debates Super Authority
On October 8 2015, as it has been reported in numerous newspapers and flyers around Rugby, the Borough Council met in the town hall to discuss a motion to keep discussing whether Rugby should join the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). A Combined Authority is a type of local, voluntarily formed government which Chancellor George Osborne considers likely to improve transport, economic development and regeneration. To cut to the chase before pursuit has even begun, the council voted in favour of the motion. As follows I shall outline what I witnessed at the meeting including some of the arguments spoken from Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat speakers.
Running slightly behind schedule, I entered the chamber just as the meeting was about to begin. Our Mayor spoke of the motion and gestured to each chosen speaker to play their part. Discussions began, the first question asking, "What do we want from our public services and what do we want them to look like?" This set the precedent for the meeting. Although an obvious point, both Coventry and Birmingham councils have decided to join the WMCA and pressure has been thrown onto Rugby to make a decision. Such a question not only asks of the council what they want to see come from this governmental recruitment, but how Rugby will shape up, especially in comparison to these two cities - two very different communities with very different infrastructures.
As the discussion continued, each councillor rose from their seat to put forward their respective view. One prominent theme from the Labour councillors was that age-old mantra of listening to the people. New Bilton councillor, Ish Mistry spoke of "keep[ing] politics out of it" and to "listen to the people." Are the two supposed to be mutually exclusive? Councillor Peter Butlin, although a Conservative, said something similar, warning the council to not rule anything out due to party politics. As a result of this, Labour look to be in favour of the motion even as Councillor Maggie O'Rourke (Lab, Bilton) says "there is no option not to do anything."
For the Liberal Democrats Cllr Jerry Roodhouse (Paddox) said that the Combined Authority was a "fiscally neutral position" as the amalgamation of the seven Metropolitan councils would bring "no new money" to Rugby.
Now it was time for the Conservatives to speak. Councillor Jim Buckley (Con, Hillmorton) rose to speak calling the Combined Authority "a socialist organisation" and said those who disagreed with him were being "economical with the truth." Labour Councillor Steven Birkett (Lab, New Bilton) disagreed, his indignation of the claim "socialist" is met with low-pitch laughter. Councillor Buckley separated himself from most of the Conservative councillors when he said that further negotiation on the matter does not benefit the people of Rugby.
As the meeting ends, Mayor Richard Dodd calls for a vote. A simple yes or no meets the voice as names are read out loud. A sizeable 32 are in favour, whilst a minority 4 disagree. The motion carries with the conclusion of the meeting suggesting that discussion is still expected to revolve around the question of "Super Authority". Regardless of the result, it is evident that, like Bob Dylan is wont to say, "the times, they are a changin'."
Editor's notes:
The four dissenting councillors were the two independents from Dunchurch and Cllr David Ellis (Wolston and the Lawfords) and Jim Buckley (Hillmorton).
For more on the West Midlands Combined Authority read http://rugby.lib.dm/a0109q .