Labor is set to take over the rugby council after a deal with the Lib Dems

Rugby’s Liberal Democrat leader has revealed the Tories have done too little too late to retain power at Rugby Borough Council. Labor is set to take control next week after signing a confidence and supply agreement – a formal but non-binding agreement to vote together on big issues – with the Lib Dems.

With 14 of the borough’s 42 seats in May’s local elections, Labor won three from the Tories who have spent the past 12 months running a minority administration.

This meant that Labor moved up to 15 seats in total, with the Tories still the largest party with 17 and the Lib Dems with 10. Any party needs 22 seats or more to have a majority and form a permanent cabinet .

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That meant the incumbent Tory leadership would have continued, but a vote to oust them is now scheduled to take place at an extraordinary full council meeting on Wednesday June 5 (7pm).

An “urgent and honest assessment” is required.

A document has been published outlining the principle behind the Labour-Liberal deal, which includes “an urgent and honest assessment of the current culture within the council”.

He continues: “Within this there must be a commitment to try to improve the standard of reporting, with a clearer focus on anticipated outcomes, evidence-based decision-making, financial implications, KPIs (key performance indicators), risk analysis and general planning of scenarios”.

It adds that support for the broad points will be “decided on a case-by-case basis” but with the “full intention wherever possible … to reach consensus on policy and budget decisions before plenary council meetings “.

Councilor Jerry Roodhouse (Lib Dem, Paddox) highlighted his group’s focus on improved customer services and regeneration plans for Rugby town centre, while lifting the lid on why Labor was elected.

He said the Local Democracy Reporting Service’s plan was “close to what we proposed” and that the council needed “a refresh” after two decades of Tory rule.

A Conservative statement said a “generous offer” of a coalition had been made to Lib MPs. Asked if anything different emerged afterwards, Cllr Roodhouse said: “Eventually, but by then I was so far with Labor, I was just waiting for Labour’s national executive to sign off, it was too late. .

“I was very clear before the election that there was an opportunity to present the people of Rugby with something to judge by – Labor did that, the Tories didn’t.

“Then (after the election) we said to both parties, ‘make us an offer.’ Two sides of A4, with pointed bullet. I didn’t really get anything out of the conservatories other than portfolio positions, it wasn’t quite what I was looking for.

“If he said we need to do more in terms of customer support, possibly restructuring the council, increasing the focus on more investment in social housing, that would offer something different.”

Cllr Roodhouse said a “key point” was the commitment to develop a customer book for residents who are “sick and tired of unanswered phone calls and emails”.

Revise this date next year

The plan will run for a year and will be reviewed before 2025-26, despite there being no borough election in May 2025.

Meanwhile, Cllr Roodhouse hopes to see less rancor between Labor and the Tories.

“As I said in the election, it’s like two tribes going to war,” he said.

“They’re not going to work with each other, which I think is sad, but that’s clearly the position.”

Asked if he anticipated any move on this, Cllr Roodhouse said: “I hope so.

“My style is to work collaboratively. We need to work in partnership with the NHS, the county council and everyone else, we need to do more of that anyway, so my mission over the next year or two is to hopefully get to that more progressive way, while also making some improvements at the center of the city.”

He also stressed that this should not be seen as a formal coalition with Labour.

“The phrase is progressive politics and that’s what it is, grown-up politics, but if we don’t agree with Labour, they know we’re going to vote against them,” he said.

“Also, if the Tories have a really good idea, then we could talk to them and see where we go.

“We are liberal democrats and we are our own party, we will decide on whatever the issue is.

“If you go into a coalition, you’re part of that administration that makes those decisions, and it can get a little messy at that point.”

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