Crawley Observer Column 2nd July 2014

This week in the Crawley Observer (below in blue) I have written about how the Conservatives in government have helped local councils like Crawley to help themselves. There is of course an irony that the new Labour administration at Crawley Borough Council are going to benefit from not only having a Conservative administration for eight years previously that got the Council in good financial shape, but also from our government enabling them to strongly benefit from the proceeds of economic growth, and of course us creating the right conditions to create that growth. Crawley Labour have of course opposed everything we have done to fix the economy at a local and national level. Such is life... 

Conservatives renovated Tilgate Parade - enabled by sound finances  

"Four weeks ago I wrote about the golden legacy that our outgoing Conservative Administration at Crawley Borough Council was leaving the incoming Labour Administration. Our eight years of improvements and efficiency savings left the council with a balanced budget and in great shape. This time I will explain how the Conservative-led government has helped improve local Councils in the four years since 2010. The last Labour government was renowned for its authoritarian treatment of local councils, for cynically manipulating funding arrangements so that council tax doubled, and for the systematic redirecting of funding from councils in the south of England to inefficient councils in Labour heartlands up north.

The Conservative-led government in 2010 was a breath of fresh air for local councils, as they were set free and empowered to better serve their local communities. Councils such as Crawley can now keep more local business rate growth which is generated locally as our economy prospers. Benefitting everyone, councils are incentivised to encourage enterprise and to help grow our local economy. Thanks to the Conservatives long-term economic plan (consistently opposed by Labour) which is securing Britain’s future, the much improved local economy is generating bumper business rate growth for Crawley Borough Council.
 
Another freedom given to local councils by the Conservatives in government is one to invest in property that can generate income. Crawley Council is doing exactly this by purchasing business premises and then renting them out. Both of these policies enable councils to generate more income, requiring less funding from council tax payers to run services. Thanks to extra funding from the government specially for this purpose, council tax has been now been frozen for four years and another grant is being paid to Crawley Borough Council next year so that our council tax will be frozen for a fifth successive year, meaning no rise during this entire parliament. Both nationally as well as locally, the Conservative’s long-term legacy for Crawley Borough Council is one I am very proud of."

Crawley Observer Column 25th June 2014

This week I have written about Armed Forces Day in my Crawley Observer Column, which is below in blue. I was pleased to be at the flag raising at Crawley Town Hall on Monday morning of the Armed Forces Flag, and then to see at County Hall in Chichester that it is also flying there all week too. Hopefully the rain will hold off for Saturday morning. The photo is one I took in June 2011 when the Princess of Wales Regiment had a homecoming march in Crawley.


Princess of Wales Regiment in Crawley High Street - June 2011

"This coming Saturday the 28th June is Armed Forces Day.  Across the UK, events will be taking place to mark the day with the national event taking place in Stirling. Formally known as Veterans Day, Armed Forces Day is increasingly becoming a fixture of British life that unites the nation.      

The reasons why Armed Forces Day was established are very laudable. It is absolutely right to help raise public awareness of the invaluable contribution made to our country, both by those who currently serve and those who have previously served in Her Majesty's Armed Forces. I also very much welcome the opportunity for the nation to be able to show support for the men and women who make up our Armed Forces community.

Here in Crawley, our own event will be in Queens Square on Saturday from 10am until 12.30pm. There will be displays and demonstrations from cadets, serving troops and from veterans. There are also going to be activities such as a climbing wall, obstacle course and camouflage face painting. I very much look forward to attending.

The last few years have seen a strengthening of Crawley’s links with the Armed Forces. Three years ago this month, I was pleased to attend the homecoming march through the town centre of 250 soldiers from The Princess of Wales Regiment who had recently returned from Afghanistan.

At Crawley Borough Council, we ensured that members of the Armed Forces, whose work takes them out of the area, are not disadvantaged by local connection rules governing the allocation of social housing. Last year, we followed on from West Sussex County Council in 2012, in signing the Armed Forces Community Covenant, which encourages support for the Armed Forces Community who work and reside in Crawley. For both Crawley Borough Council and West Sussex County Council, it presents an opportunity to bring knowledge, experience and expertise to bear on the provision of help, advice and services to members of our Armed Forces Community when they need it - a community who is always there when their country needs them." 

Crawley Observer Column 18th June 2014

Below in blue is my column in this week's Crawley Observer. Unfortunately my concerns about how the Labour Council are going to operate are proving correct. Just today, their leader publicly said there would be no more outsourcing. To refuse to even consider looking at this as an option in future, regardless of potential merit, is a very dogmatic decision to take. Labour keep saying they want the town hall to be more open but it is increasingly only open to socialist ideology and to those wearing a red rosette. For the rest of Crawley, Labour is creating a closed-shop town hall.


Ed Miliband approving of Crawley Labour's 'open' town hall

"Last Friday evening was the Crawley Borough Council Annual Council meeting. It was all-change as Labour officially took over control with a new Leader and Cabinet appointed. It was also my first main meeting as Leader of the Opposition although I suspect Holland’s 5-1 World Cup thrashing of Spain that I missed, was probably a more entertaining spectacle.

Last week I wrote about my concerns for this meeting and sadly I was proven to be correct. I highlighted the inclusiveness of my own Conservatives during our eight years of running the Council and always giving some committee chairs or vice-chairs to opposition members. However, last Friday saw an unprecedented move in Crawley as Labour took all 18 out of the 18 most senior positions on the Council despite only having 20 Councillors out of 37.

Of most concern was that both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee were appointed from the controlling Labour group. This is almost unheard of at any other Council where there is a large opposition and goes against the sound advice of the highly respected Local Government Association and the Centre for Public Scrutiny who both say having an opposition Chair or Vice-Chair is best practice. Good scrutiny is important for the good running of any Council but sadly Labour put narrow party interest before the wider interests of both the Council and of Crawley.
 
All new Administrations deserve a honeymoon, but prior to this changeover meeting we had already seen two very concerning intentions stated by Labour. Firstly they appear to have thrown in the towel on major town centre regeneration. Secondly they made reckless statements that risk creating a culture of non-payment of rent for those on housing benefit who live in Council homes with spare bedrooms. Labour’s shockingly poor decision on Council Scrutiny was made just ten minutes after they officially took control. For me this was ‘three strikes and you’re out’ and after just ten minutes of being in control, Labour’s honeymoon was over."