More jobs, lower taxes and better services
Local MP Maria Miller has welcomed todays Budget announcements which will further boost the recovery in Basingstoke.
After listening to the Chancellor deliver his final Budget before the General Election Maria said, “This is a great Budget for Basingstoke. The Chancellor’s announcements mean real support for families throughout the Borough, many of whom faced tough times as a result of the recession.
“People on average wages in the Borough will be more than £900 better off in 2015 than they were in 2010: Freezing fuel duty again means Basingstoke residents now save £10 off a tank each time they fill up; and increases in tax free allowances means families will have £900 more to spend every year. Lower taxes puts money back into people’s pockets.”
“There are more jobs in the Borough - with figures published today showing that Basingstoke has one of the lowest levels of unemployment in the country, with a 50% fall in youth unemployment and thousands of new apprenticeships created by local business.
“The Chancellor also specially announced capacity funding for Basingstoke. This means detailed plans can now be made for roads, schools and medical services that will be needed to support the new community proposed to the west of the town. We have to ensure that any future development goes hand in hand with improvements to local services. For too long houses were built in the Borough without the necessary plans in place or funding to ensure services could cope. That was wrong. Today’s announcement means this future house building will be sustainable because funding is now in place to develop detailed plans of the services needed. This new money along with more than £35million already committed to Basingstoke to improve our roads and plans for a new critical care hospital all show the commitment to sustainable development.”
Maria went on to say, “Compared with five years ago Basingstoke is seeing a real boost and we are seeing Britain become a fairer place. Throughout the country youth unemployment is down, there are record numbers of women in work, the pay gap between men and women has never been smaller, inequality is lower and child poverty is down, more children from poorer families are able to get to university and apprenticeships have tripled.”