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I recall writing a column almost a decade ago, in the early days of the Conservative Government, in which I wrote that one of the worst things about austerity was the way it was being used to play-off different parts of society against one another, dividing communities at the exact time a stagnant economy meant…
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Christmas is almost here and like many I welcome the chance to recuperate from the turmoil of recent years. Yet, as we settle down to celebrate, there’s still much we can do to support Crawley this Christmas. For instance, shops and other town centre businesses have really struggled through the pandemic. If we value having…
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It comes as no surprise that when the public are asked what makes them most proud of the UK, the NHS consistently comes top of the list. The idea that medical treatment should be based upon people’s need rather than their personal wealth now seems so blindingly obvious now, yet it was considered revolutionary at…
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Crawley Borough Council has appointed a new senior manager. Amanda Kendall will take on the role of Head of Crawley Homes from 1 December following a rigorous selection process, which included panel interviews with officers and councillors. Amanda will oversee Tenancy Services, Asset Management, Responsive Repairs, Older Persons Services, Facilities and Projects, the Nuisance and…
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I know one of the things residents find most annoying is when they’ve had to go to the trouble of reporting a problem, only then finding out it’s actually the responsibility of the other local council for our area. I promise you, it’s no less annoying for councillors. As Leader of Crawley Borough Council, I…
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COP26 has finally begun in Glasgow, giving global leaders their last chance to limit the catastrophic damage from Global Warming we’re all on course to experience over coming decades. As it’s the 26th such event, I’m not sure how far we should get our hopes up, but given there’s no Plan B what’s the alternative?…
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Today is Budget Day and like every year it falls on a Wednesday, making it something I both have to cover and yet where print deadlines prevent any certain knowledge of its contents. Fortunately, the Chancellor has kindly leaked most of it in advance, which the Speaker highlighted is historically grounds for resignation. Yet, this…
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The Centre for Cities is one of the leading thinktanks in the UK focused on issues affecting urban areas. It was research published by the organisation which first made it clear just how big a risk the pandemic posed to Crawley’s economy and their are countless occasions where their reports have contributed to decisions we…
Peter Lamb for Crawley 