As we move into a new financial year I think it is useful to reflect that the Government’s plan for long-term economic security has resulted in 4,742 Crawley households being taken out of paying income tax altogether and 46,316 seeing a reduction in their income tax bill.
Cutting taxes, letting hardworking people keep more of their own money they earn was a key aspect of the recent Budget with the personal allowance rising from the current £10,000 to £10,500 in 2015/16. This means a tax cut for 25.4 million people. By April 2015, so that a typical basic rate taxpayer will have more of their income to help manage their personal finances.
Further good news is that growth this year is set to be 2.7% which is the biggest upward revision between budgets for at least 30 years. Unemployment is predicted to fall nationally to just over 5% with the current Crawley rate standing at just over 2%. Earnings will grow in every year of the forecast helped by the real terms increase in the minimum wage and the growing adoption of the Living wage with Crawley being the first Conservative Council to adopt the Living Wage. There are a record number of people in work with each job promoting family security and removing dependence from the welfare and benefits system
Work has been progressing finding new ways to protect grass verges. New initiatives involve working in partnership with other organisations, in particular West Sussex County Council, which has responsibility for roads. The County Council is proposing to introduce enforcement for verge parking and has agreed that Crawley will be considered for a pilot scheme.
Crawley Council has also been offering a range of solutions, including verge hardening, where large vehicles have had to drive over verges to gain access and the creation of extra parking spaces, following feedback from residents.
Verge hardening has been completed in recent weeks at Brookside / Monksfield and Crossways in Three Bridges; Burlands in Langley Green; Dickens Road, Drake Road/Raleigh Walk and Gainsborough Road in Tilgate; Dower Walk in Gossops Green; Railey Road in Northgate and Treyford Close and Ifield.
More parking places have been created at Hardham Close in Ifield, Cherry Lane in Langley Green and Cobnor Close in Gossops Green. Spaces in Pearson Road in Pound Hill will be completed by mid April.
The Council will continue to help provide solutions, including fencing areas that are being regularly damaged. Other solutions include planting trees and providing planters for flowers to prevent cars accessing the verge as provided on Southgate Drive.
Cllr Dr Howard Bloom
Leader of Crawley Borough Council