The 1894 Local Government Act introduced elected councils at both district and parish level.
The town of Rugby already had a local council at this stage (known as an urban district from 1894), but a separate council was created in 1894 known as the Rugby Rural District Council, which brought together the parishes in a wide region around the town. Many of these parishes – including Church Lawford – also had a newly created Parish Council. King’s Newnham remained as a separate parish (then known as Newnham Regis), but did not create a Parish Council, retaining a Parish Meeting approach towards local government.
For the next eighty years (1894-1974) Rugby Rural District Council (RRDC) was in charge of local affairs for the two villages. When formed RRDC was distinct from Rugby Urban district, which had its own council. In 1932 there were various changes, discussed below, which saw the Urban district take control of certain parishes nearest to the Town, with its status then becoming a municipal borough – but RRDC continued to look after the affairs of the surrounding parishes including Church Lawford and King’s Newnham until 1974.
Initial Composition of RRDC
The original parishes that defined the Rugby Rural Area in 1894 were as follows (with 1891 populations in brackets) – Bilton With New Bilton (1894), Birdingbury (173), Bourton (311), Brandon and Bretford (387), Brinklow (714), Brownsover (90), Church Lawford (244), Churchover (308), Clifton-on-Dunsmore (638), Combe Fields (137), Cosford (45), Dunchurch (964), Easenhall (180), Frankton (236), Grandborough (396), Harborough Magna (309), Hillmorton (1136), Kings Newnham (114), Leamington Hastings (415), Little Lawford (47), Long Lawford (752), Marton (380), Newbold-on-Avon (723), Newton (220), Princethorpe (279), Ryton-on-Dunsmore (460), Stretton-on-Dunsmore (614), Thurlaston (312), Willoughby (282), Wolfhampcote (304), Wolston (727). Note that Monks Kirby and environs at this stage remained as a separate administrative area, including Copston Magna, Pailton, Stretton-Under-Fosse, Wibtoft and Willey. The separate Crick Rural District assumed control over those parishes in Northamptonshire that previously been linked to the Rugby Union – Barby (502), Clay Coton (98), Crick (629), Elkington (86), Kilsby (516), Lilbourne, Stanford (52) and Yelvertoft (392).
Those parishes with a population of over 300 were required to elect a Parish Council, those with between 100 and 300 had the option to do so (which included Church Lawford and King’s Newnham, but only the former chose to do so), and the remainder would need the support of the Borough Council if they wished to elect a Parish Council.
1932 Revisions to RRDC Parishes and Area
In 1932 various changes were made as a result of the Warwickshire Review order. These were not popular with RRDC, as detailed in their narrative on the changes some years later:
“.. in 1932 when the adjoining town of Rugby extended its boundaries to take in 5,321 acres, comprising the former rural parishes of Bilton, Brownsover, Hillmorton and Newbold-on-Avon. These were the most highly developed parishes, where most public services had already been provided by the Rugby Rural District Council. The added area made the town three to four times as big as it was previously, and with the extra population of 11,230 enabled it to apply for a Charter and become a Borough. The rural district, however, lost half its population, more than half its Rateable Value, and more than half of its Council houses to the new Borough.
To help make up for this drastic loss, 14 agricultural parishes in the north (then almost wholly lacking in public services) were added to the rural area, increasing its former area by one third, and it is now the second largest in Warwickshire.” (Source Rugby Rural District Guide – Fifth Edition 1960).
Amongst the additional parishes coming under the wing of RRDC in 1932 were those from the Monks Kirby Rural District.
Responsibilities of the RRDC
Rugby Rural District Council had various statutory responsibilities, including the following as listed at the start of the 1960s:
- Housing – Constructing and Maintaining Council Houses. Slum Clearance. Council Caravan Sites. Council Garages and Shops.
- Mains Water Supply (including purchase of water from other areas and collection of the Water Rate)
- Refuse Collection and Disposal (provision of a weekly refuse collection plus removal of nightsoil from pail closets)
- Sewerage and Sewage Disposal (including drainage schemes)
- Public Health (including Food Inspection)
- Rodent and Pest Control
- Town and Country planning (including rights of way and street naming)
RRDC Offices were in a number of buildings in Warwick Street, Rugby – the Urban Council buildings were nearby.
The General Rate was based on the Rateable Value of all rated premises and hereditaments, and covered all of the above services plus the related administrative costs and expenses.
RRDC was also tasked with collecting County Council Rates and any Parish Council rates on behalf of those authorities. RRDC also collected a Water Rate in the local area as part of a Water Authority function.
At the start of the 1960s the County Council looked after major services such as Education, Fire, Police, Highways, Planning and Health Services.
The Parish Councils were responsible for Street Lighting, Village Greens, Playing Fields, Recreation Ground and local footpath and rights of way. They also liased with other authorities on matters such as bus services, telephone facilities, gas and electricity supply.
In 1974 Rugby Rural District Council merged with Rugby Town Council to form Rugby Borough Council.