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Since their formation, the Centre for Cities has provided an invaluable stream of research and thinking on the economic and social issues facing the UK’s leading urban areas, one I have made extensive use of in considering how to address various opportunities challenges facing Crawley. While we knew from the start that Crawley’s economy would…
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The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on Crawley Borough Council’s finances. The lockdown and subsequent restrictions meant that the council’s income from K2 Crawley, The Hawth, Tilgate Nature Centre, car parking and community centres was significantly reduced. At the same time, expenditure on services for our most vulnerable residents increased. While the government…
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Why is the UK the only country in Europe, indeed almost alone amongst all large economies, not to have announced a significant package of support for our aviation industry through the pandemic? This failure to act is clearly a massive problem for Crawley, with thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly at risk due to…
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September and October form party conference season, the time of year members of major political parties gather to hear from their leaders and debate the key issues of the day. Clearly, getting large numbers of people together from across the country in one place, often in cramped conditions, isn’t a good idea in the midst…
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Residents on low incomes who are told by NHS Test and Trace to self-isolate – either due to a positive Covid-19 test or being in contact with someone who has tested positive – may be entitled to financial support during self-isolation. From today (Monday 28 September), people across England are required by law to self-isolate…
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Leading Labour councillors in West Sussex have joined with other council leaders, mayors, and councillors from across the UK in writing to Boris Johnson, urging him to rethink plans to scrap furlough outright and instead implement a targeted financial support scheme to prevent mass unemployment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The letter outlines…
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There are many different types of support public services should provide, yet we know so long as we can get someone into a job and put a roof over their head for the most part they will be alright. For the last six years, a huge amount of work has gone into delivering affordable housing…
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New figures show the Government’s refusal to extend furloughing is putting another 11,500 jobs in Crawley at risk. For months we’ve called for targeted support, backed by Labour nationally, to safeguard these local jobs in the hardest hit sectors. With 14,750 local jobs in air travel, hospitality and tourism, if the Government fails to act…
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New analysis by the Labour Party estimates that 11,500 people were still fully furloughed by their employer in the middle of August in Crawley. This means 44 per cent of workers in these constituencies who were moved onto the Government’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme (CJRS) in the early phase of the Covid-19 crisis remain fully…
Peter Lamb for Crawley 