Following Wednesday’s Budget Statement from Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP, local Hastings and Rye MP, Sally-Ann Hart, issued this statement:
“Today’s budget was good news for the residents of Hastings and Rye.
“It demonstrated that that this Conservative government is getting on with delivering on the manifesto we were elected upon. It was a budget that delivers for hard working individuals, in communities that for too long have been left behind.
“Specifically, for Hastings and Rye we will benefit from:
- Access to a pothole fund of £500 million per year to fix our roads.
- A £27 billion fund for road improvements in the Road Infrastructure Strategy 2.
- A new affordable homes fund of £12.2 billion
- Freezing fuel duty again to help our hard-pressed motorists.
- A freeze on beer duty, helping to support our pubs.
- Doubling the amount of money being invested in flood defences to £5.2 billion over six years.
- Abolishing business rates for one year for any business rated at £51,000 or less.
- Increasing the £1,000 business rates discount for pubs to £5,000 for the next year.
“This has been a good budget showing we are getting on and delivering on our manifesto commitments. However, as your MP I’m determined we do more and I’ll continue to lobby the government for more investment in our towns, especially on my top priorities of eradicating homelessness; boosting funding for our rail and road systems; and improving standards in quality and breadth of our local education system.
“Under this government I am positive we can unleash the talents and potential of our area and every resident within it.”
Source: Office of Sally-Ann Hart
Image Credits: Parliamentary Copyright .
This is one of the most disconnected, party political broadcasts I’ve read in a long time. Firstly, to reduce taxes on alcohol is totally irresponsible and not in the interest of the public’s health. Furthermore, to quote our MP, “However, as your MP I’m determined we do more and I’ll continue to lobby the government for more investment in our towns, especially on my top priorities of eradicating homelessness; boosting funding for our rail and road systems; and improving standards in quality and breadth of our local education system.” Really? The new budget does absolutely nothing to address these issues. No funds for improved rail infrastructure, nothing at all for education and most worrisome, by spending so very much, how will this affect the future financial burden on those who will need to pay off this tremendous debt? It seems tremendously irresponsible and if Labour had done this, for example, I have no doubt the response from Sally-Ann Hart and all Conservatives would be to condemn this irresponsible spending spree.
While the suspension of business rates for small businesses (and, bizarrely, public toilets) for a year is welcome, it appears that central government has simply passed on its responsibilities to local authorities. Business rates go to local authorities so if they have been cut, so is the authorities’ income, unless central government (which has made the dictat) agrees to reimburse them. If the ‘loads of money, yah’ Chancellor doesn’t deliver on the money, get it done and level up the cash, that means further cuts to all the services the local authorities provide! Further austerity is in order.
I agree with our MP the Budget was a sign that we are delivering on the Conservative’s manifesto commitments but no where in the budget could I see any mention of help for the caring community.
After 10 years of austerity, the Tories have found that ‘Money Tree’ which apparently didn’t exist according to Theresa May? I wonder what outcry there would be in the Mail and Express if the Labour Party had rolled this out?
It all sounds like comments straight from Tory central office – each point should be broken down into exactly what it means for Rye and Hastings? Business rate thing is good though – ahh the magic money tree …