Councillors say Rugby council needs to improve how it communicates with residents

Rugby Borough Council needs to improve how it communicates with residents according to the chairman of its own scrutiny committee.

Cllr Peter Eccleson (Con, Dunsmore) made the comments when he chaired the latest meeting this week (July 12) and followed comments made about changes to the grass-cutting programme around the borough.

Cllr Dr Mark Williams (Con, Admirals and Cawston) said: “There are two services that the residents of Rugby are passionate about and associate with the council and that’s emptying bins and doing the grass cutting.

“From my experience and from talking to residents there has been a lot of fundamental changes delivered on meadows and how often grass needs cutting and I don’t think people feel they have been consulted.

"I have had a lot of feedback from people saying they aren’t happy.

“There are safety concerns of people approaching roundabouts and can’t see cars coming.

"I know changes are needed but I think grass-cutting should be looked at by this committee. It is something that affects so many people in the borough and I’ve had so much feedback.”

Cllr Tony Gillias (Con, Revel and Binley Woods) added that there were other matters across the district that needed sorting.

He said: “We need to be looking at a programme of maintenance to keep our infrastructure up to date.

"I do a lot of driving around the borough and in certain areas I have counted hundreds and hundreds of gullies completely blocked solid and have been for months or years.

“We need to get our heads into gear and work with all the local authorities to make sure that everything is done properly.”

Cllr Eccleson admitted that more should be done regarding keeping Rugby residents informed.

He said: “From a personal perspective and taking on board what residents are saying, I think that we as a council do seem a little bit poor at communicating with the residents of the borough.

“I know digitalisation is being taken on board at the council at the moment but how widely publicised in the council’s app which I find a very useful product but many people I speak to don’t even know it exists - it just gives you an idea of lack of communication and lack of visibility of the council and I think it is an important point.

“Again around the communication we’ve had issues around the public viewing our meetings where we have had technical issues which have caused embarrassment in the past.”