Political View: Do you feel better off?

Whether you are employed, self employed, retired or rely on support, by now we have heard the budget and will be starting to process the impact on our households. One thing is certain by the tone of the pre-budget soundbites; everyone is going to be feeling the pinch more than before the budget. When the chancellor told us last year that the tax increases were a ‘once in a lifetime’ budget, it’s hard to believe that this year’s budget will feature billions more in tax grabs.

It's no easy job setting a budget, but it’s imperative we make the best of the hand we are dealt. Politicians have choices, there is always choices and it’s all about what levers you choose to pull. Chancellor Rachel Reeves seemingly cannot pull the right levers, and our economy is stuck in a doom loop of increasing taxes, a sluggish economy and decreasing living standards. When we hear ‘tough decisions’ it should never mask ‘bad decisions’

There has been lots of talk of not wanting to bring back austerity. I can’t think of anyone who says they are better off now than they were under austerity, and that itself shows how wrong the government have their policies. Energy prices, food prices, fuel prices, the challenging jobs market-all these things seem far worse and are having more impact now than any time under austerity. Whilst there is no magic wand for the government, some shock treatment to get the economy moving again, and some policy to help ease the burden of the cost of living, would be welcome, however I can’t imagine we’ve heard any of this in the Chancellors address. We watch this space, and it begs the question, do you feel better off now?

Peterborough will have its own challenges and choices to make in the upcoming budget, and I hope you’ve engaged in the budget consultation process which has now closed. The feedback always goes into the budget paperwork, and it will be very telling of the mood and residents’ priorities too. We hope fairer funding will help the council finances, but the Governments hope I believe is the reorganisation offsets the inevitable questions that won’t be answered now until the next general election. Choices.

How do you properly fund and support local authorities adult social care and children’s services? Is there a fairer and more modern approach to council tax? The Chancellor may bring in a ‘whack a mole’ approach to tax high value properties, but there are still unanswered questions on how to fund local authorities effectively. The reorganisation offsets many of these questions, but it won’t be forever. In the meantime, there continues to be a lot of confusion and ill-feeling from Huntingdonshire residents and politicians about the administration’s choice to back ‘option D’ cutting Huntingdonshire in half and landing us with a 50-year payback. I've said politics is about choices, and which levers to pull, and this choice is not going down well! We await the government’s decision.

Our current (at time of going to press!) Prime Minister visited the city this week too. Going back to my thoughts on the tough budget coming our way, I can think of much better times for him to visit! A moment to reflect on Prime Ministers of the past, and it was brave to hear David Cameron come out and talk about his prostate cancer diagnosis and successful treatment. It has brought an awareness and having a figure like Lord Cameron talk openly about it can only encourage more men to come forward and it also raises vital awareness.