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Local government has a long history in England, its earliest roots going back to William the Conqueror. Over the centuries, various responsibilities were devolved from central government, with different local boards set up to undertake them. As time went on this produced a confusing mess of overlapping structures and, at the end of Nineteenth Century,…
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Since April, I have been warning that due to the impact of COVID-19 on local government finances, Crawley Borough Council will be forced to make its first cuts in six years. While the focus nationally has been on the immediate costs of tackling the pandemic, these cuts aren’t just about getting through the next year,…
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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…
