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For the last couple of weeks (and most likely again this week), Crawley Borough Council’s Leader of the Opposition has been harping on about committee chairmanships. His argument seems to be: we won more seats than you this year (ignoring that three Labour seats weren’t even up for election) and besides we’re a larger opposition…
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Sussex Police have lost 400 frontline officers since 2010. Earlier this year it was announced that a further 500 frontline officers now have to go, leaving around 2,000 officers left to cover the whole of West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton and Hove. Then the General Election happened and now across the public sector all…
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I congratulate Mr Smith on his re-election as Member of Parliament for Crawley and welcome his promise to rebel against his party in Parliament. Crawley faces many challenges ahead and I hope that Crawley Borough Council and the people of the town can rely upon his support as we work to address them. The UK…
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Crawley’s police do a great job under difficult circumstances. Since 2010, Sussex Police have suffered cuts of £52m and lost over 300 officers. They’ve done remarkably well at keeping things running, yet there are limits to how much can be cut before it noticeably affects the frontline. We now appear to have hit that point.…
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In recent years zero-hour contracts and the fight for a living wage have highlighted the national decline in pay and working conditions. Despite corporate profitability excluding oil and financial services being at a 16-year high, companies are finding new ways to weaken pay and conditions. In Crawley one approach is particularly relevant, umbrella companies. Traditionally…
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Education is at the heart of everything. Without a decent education system economies weaken, public services lack the skills to function and future generations see their life chances decline. Yet, catching up with news after Christmas I noticed a number of worrying articles about recent education reforms. Our schools contain some of the finest teachers…
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Commuters heading back to work after Christmas will have had to deal with more than the cold weather with rail fares going up yet again on 2nd January. Since the General Election, fares have risen significantly with the cost of a season ticket between Three Bridges and London going up by a whopping 24%. At…
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As we enter the New Year it’s worth taking a look at what will be coming up over the next twelve months. If 2014 was a year of new beginnings at the council—with a new administration taking control—2015 may well be a year of conclusions, with a number of looming events, decisions and projects coming…
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As people tuck into the turkey and unwrap another ‘interesting’ jumper from Granny, I’m sure it’s only the most hardened consumers of local news who will make it through to the political columns and well done to you. Over recent weeks I’ve attended a number of carol concerts and while I tried to avoid singing…
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The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement this month involved a good deal of backslapping by the Government while shying away from the key point: that despite the pain of the cuts, by taking decisions which have suppressed economic growth George Osborne has failed to meet even his own deficit targets. In practice that means austerity is going…
Peter Lamb for Crawley 