Last week saw several announcements from Boris Johnson’s One-Nation Conservative government that reflect people’s concerns and priorities. I would like to highlight some of these policies that I believe will be of interest to Crawley residents.
As well as the major planned increase in police numbers, the lives of criminals will become harder by further empowering our police and strengthening sentencing. So-called county lines drug gangs will be strongly targeted, Chief Constables will be able to equip more of their officers with Tasers, and serious criminals will serve more of their sentence in prison.
The Conservatives have committed to increase the National Living Wage to two thirds of median pay by 2024, which on current projections is set to be £10.50 in 2024. This will benefit many Crawley residents and nationally over four million people working full-time on the National Living Wage will see a welcome increase in their annual pay of over £4,000.
A £500 million Youth Investment Fund has been announced to provide high-quality youth services across the country. This will see up to 60 new youth centres, 100 new mobile facilities and 360 youth centres upgraded and provide young people with safe and inspiring places to go outside of school.
More homes will be built, and more people helped to get onto the housing ladder. The planning system will be made easier in order to bring forward more homes, and Housing Association tenants will be the given the right to purchase a stake in their property and increase it over time.
The largest hospital building programme in a generation is being planned, to ensure our hospitals are fit for purpose for both staff and patients. There will be six brand new hospitals as soon as possible, and initial funding will be provided for a further 34.
Finally, I delighted to see a new package of measures on animal welfare being announced, for those in our homes, on farms and in the wild. There will be a consultation on banning keeping primates as pets, hunting trophies and live animal exports, as well as on microchipping for cats.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
9th October 2019