Rugby Libdems told to "shut up" as Rugby Tenants will have to pay up an extra 6%

12.32.50pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 14th Feb 2008

Rugby Tenants to pay additional 6% in rents

Liberal Democrat Leader Jerry Roodhouse was told to "shut up" and to "sit down and shut up" by the Cllr David Wright Conservative and Labour leader Cllr Jim Shera called the Liberal Democrats "the enemy" as both Conservatives and Labour politicians attacked the Liberal Democrats for bringing forward an amendment to rent setting (see below for wording)

Jerry Roodhouse and Diane Pask out and about in Rugby

Liberal Democrats made the following points as backbench Conservative member giggled and joked.

? The decision on rents will affect over 3,000 tenants and will push those on the benefit line over the edge with energy and food increases.

? The Tenant compact used for ensuring consultation on such matters as rent setting was not followed

? With over 4,000 properties the Council needs to act on energy costs and taking the stock of homes towards a higher environmental standard.

The amendment brought both Conservatives and labour into a united front as Cllr Jerry Roodhouse said "that Labour politicians should hang their heads in shame at what the Government is doing".

The amendment

11 Council regrets the lack of consultation, and engagement, with their tenants over setting the rents for 2008/09.

12 Council requests that the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Inclusive Communities makes the necessary arrangements to ensure that full consultation and genuine engagement takes place with tenants & especially the Rugby District Tenants Association prior to any consideration of rent increases and capital programme for 2009/2010 and future financial years and that the findings of those consultations are reported to Council.

13 In light of the increase in rents, Council requests that a benefit health check is conducted with tenants to ensure that individuals are obtaining the maximum benefits that they can claim for.

14 Council writes to the Secretary of State and the LGA expressing this Boroughs deep concerns over the increase that has been forced upon this Council and urges the Government to scrap the convergence formula.

15 Council requests that Rugby Borough Council Housing stock is moved beyond the Decent Homes standard and that following consultation with tenants implements a rolling programme of capital improvements in the financial year 2009/2010 that takes account of the increasing environmental agenda such as energy costs and aims to move all housing stock towards Decent Homes Plus standard.

Mover Jerry Roodhouse

Second Chris Holman

Result of the vote was 33 against 10 for

Fact file

Rugby has 4,810 tenants some are joint

On housing benefit are 2,366 of which 1,670 are on full benefit these will not feel any increase all the others will.

Rugby Council in housing subsidy will have to pay back to the Government next year over £3 million pounds.

Rugby has over 1,000 people on the housing waiting list.