Conservative Mayor abolishes Rural Affairs Committee

At Full Council last week it was confirmed that the Conservative Mayor had abolished the Rural Affairs Committee. The committee provided a larger voice for rural issues and gave out grants to rural organisations.

When questioned by former member of Rural Affairs Committee Councillor Jon Abbott, the Mayor claimed he didn’t get an invite to the committee, and it was “just one of those committees that floated about and didn’t do much”. Previously the Rural Affairs Committee had been a cross-party committee, where each group was offered a place and could put forward any member from their group.

The committee oversaw applications to the Rural Grants Scheme providing funding to rural organisations and rural Parish Councils. Some of the projects that have received funding include £25,000 to replace All Saint’s Church floor in Renhold, £7,800 to repair the historic clock at Turvey Abbey, and funding towards the construction of a new building at Oakley Pre-school.

Councillor Jon Abbott said “The Mayor claims he thinks the rural areas are the most important, yet abolishes the only committee that has been set up to give these areas a voice – it just doesn’t make sense. This was a cross-party committee that gave out funding to fantastic organisations, helping to maintain our villages and provide new facilities for residents. I urge him to reconsider his decision.”