Rugby Council meets this evening (Tuesday 21 July )

First on the agenda - Rugby Tories are planning to hammer home the last few nails in the coffin of Cllr Neil Sandison's idea to involve the community in running Rugby's green spaces. Fortunately Neil 'Houdini' Sandison has a plan B - see http://rugby.lib.dm/a7Z73 .

Second - increase the Council's authorised expenditure this year (revenue and capital) by some £6 million.

Third - receive the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board's annual report.

Fourth - Scrap the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

Fifth - Approve a proposal which would give the police and the Council's Community Safety Wardens the power to order people to stop drinking in the town centre or face an "on-the-spot" fine.

Sixth - approve a recommendation that would allow the borough council's top tory, Cllr Michael Stokes, to keep talking to the Labour Leaders who are trying to resurrect the old West Midlands Metropolitan County Council - see http://rugby.lib.dm/a4ZzG and http://rugby.lib.dm/a1Zrp .

Seventh - consider a motion from one of Dunchurch's independent councillors, Howard Roberts, that would force the Council to take action on air pollution in Dunchurch. This is a matter of concern in Dunchurch - see http://rugby.lib.dm/a0Rpp and was raised by Peter Eccleson at the parish council meeting held on 21 November - see http://rugby.lib.dm/a9Q1T and prompted many people living in Dunchurch to sign the petition against David Wilson Homes' plans to increase the traffic load on the Dun Cow junction - see http://rugby.lib.dm/a0WrG .

The Dun Cow junction in Dunchurch is one of two "hot spots" for poor air quality identified by Rugby Borough Council. The other being the Webb Ellis Pub on the gyratory. We will know at the end of the year whether Warwickshire County Council's £2 million scheme to remodel the gyratory has reduced (or possibly increased) air pollution in the centre of town.

A government advisory committee on air pollution is rumoured to be issuing a major report this year that will conclude that the number of people dying through poor air quality is greater than has previously been estimated. (The scientists who are working on this report have concluded that some ten thousand people a year die as a result of poor air quality in London alone - see http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/15/nearly-9500-people-die-each-year-in-london-because-of-air-pollution-study ).