Not as Taxing as You Might Think
I couldn't help but notice that in recent weeks the Observer has featured some prominent letters suggesting that the Government have short changed Hastings.
Indeed in the 27th February edition Mrs Anderson asserted that we pay some of the highest Council taxes yet receive little from central Government compared with 'the North'.
Happily the facts are quite different - we get more money from Government than almost any other town in England!
Firstly we continue to receive huge amounts of direct Government investment: just this year 15million for a new Health Centre on Station Plaza, 2m to support the Jerwood project, 4.2m for a 'My Place' Youth Hub at St Mary's. Not to mention the huge 92m investment in the new college or the 100m committed for the Link Road. These will all be tangible examples of Government commitment to Hastings, building on the regeneration of the past decade.
Another issue of concern is that of Council spending. The huge majority of the money spent locally by Hastings Borough Council comes from Government in the form of various grants. When our basic funding is 'topped up' with a range of area specific grants our total funding - 13,703,653 for 2009/10 – is the third highest per capita grant in the whole of England! Indeed, only Barrow-in-Furness and Burnley get more than Hastings. Hardly short changed. I'm not saying we get more than we deserve – I shall continue to advocate even more investment in Hastings – only that we recognise the real help we have been given in recent years by the Labour Government.
Lastly I want to talk about Council tax. I often hear we have some of the highest taxes around. Now it's true our band D Council tax is relatively high (although still lower than Lewes and Wealden) but in Hastings and St Leonards most people live in band B properties. We therefore need to look at what the average resident actually pays. In 2008/9 that was 1,102– a sizeable amount but only the 234th highest in England and below average across the nation.
Hastings continues to be very well treated in terms of Government funding – 'one of the favourites' so to speak. And whilst I'm MP I am certain we will continue to be so. I can't wait for the college to throw open its doors and the GPs to take up residence in the new health centre. I can't wait for the Jerwood project to come to fruition and for the Link Road to be completed. But I know for all this to happen Government recognition of our unique needs has been key and I am pleased that recognition continues– Hastings deserves the best.
To keep up to date on what I'm doing stop by my website http://www.michaelfoster.org.uk/ .
You can also receive a monthly update on my activities by sending an email to mp@1066.net with 'MPFree' in the subject line.
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Weather for Hastings
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
