Rugby Lib Dems: Tackling Climate Change is our priority

Ahead of the budget debate at Rugby Borough Council on Tuesday 25 February 2020, Rugby Liberal Democrats are putting tackling the climate change emergency as their number one priority.

The Liberal Democrats are proposing to add a further £1.5 million to the £500,000 already agreed by Rugby Borough Council to tackle climate change. This would create a special fund totalling £2 million at no extra cost to the proposed Council Tax levels.

The £1.5 million comes from the one-year delay of the reset to the Business Rates system.

Liberal Democrats are also calling for:

• An updated local transport plan to include provision for the investment in a sustainable travel scheme with the aim of reducing car travel to the town centre but also increase footfall.
  
• Working with key stakeholders such as the Rugby Train Station to produce action plans for encouraging a modal shift from the car to alternative and more sustainable methods of transport.
  
• Working with local third sector groups and voluntary groups, such as the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, bringing together the collective knowledge to help develop a strategy and helpful guides. Also, work with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to further reduce waste going to landfill.
• Review the connection of green and blue ways and how residents can more easily access the parks and open spaces within the borough.
• Supporting the acceleration of a tree planting programme, which will as well as be aesthetically pleasing, will support the wellness agenda and be used as a tool for carbon offset. Alongside this tree planting programme, the Portfolio Holder and the Head of Environmental Services brings forward a Woodland /Tree Management Strategy that includes increasing the biodiversity within the borough.

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (Paddox), Rugby Liberal Democrats Group Leader, said:
"Our number one priority is to tackle Climate Change and we have an opportunity to utilise this funding which would have gone into a reserve. We recognise that politically the Conservative are the controlling administration and have all the votes. But we are calling on the Tories to join us in having a cross party budget that really invests in our future on climate change. We all need to step up and do more by working and investing with our communities.

"Rugby is a great place to live but we need to change our bus fleets, create better green spaces and more cycle ways that connect and most importantly work with our local businesses for Rugby. There is an opportunity that we should take, I just hope that the Conservatives don't waste this opportunity by not making the bold moves that are now needed by having a cross party budget."

Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP) http://www.wrap.org.uk

Ellen Macarthur Foundation https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/concept

Rugby Borough Council political make up:
Conservatives 24 Cllrs
Labour 9 Cllrs
Lib Dems 9 Cllrs