Budget week, so there is plenty of coverage of the new Government’s spending plans, but I would like to talk about some of the things that will affect our region and our residents. The most important thing, as I have said before, is about delivering on promises. There are a number of positive aspects about the budget, and some, well, less so. What really matters is that the government is able to make its important investment in the NHS and elsewhere count and that it be put to the best possible use.
Firstly, just how difficult is the job of the Chancellor. With our own budget as a Council, we are dealing with a total of around £200m; central government spends around £1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) each year! Can we even comprehend what a number of that size really means?
When making decisions relating to public spending, on the local or national level, it is vanishingly rare that anything you do will be universally popular. If there were a repository of free or inexpensive policies that would be warmly welcomed by all, anyone in power would have such an easy ride. Instead, everything must include an element of compromise.
I welcome the rise in the minimum wage, ensuring the lowest paid will see a tangible increase in their pay packet, but acknowledge that this, combined with changes to employer national insurance contributions will put pressure on many small and medium-sized businesses and organisations. There is no perfect solution that allows workers to be paid more without costing of course. I just hope that the measures don’t drive too many to close, thus removing the jobs altogether, which benefits nobody.
I was pleased to see the announcement of more funding for the NHS. We all know, of course, the issues it is facing may not be solvable with money alone. The decision to target increased diagnostic capacity in order to reduce waiting lists is right, but the system has more fundamental issues at either end, with both ambulance wait times and difficulties in discharging patients putting pressure on the entire health service. I think I read that 30% of the people going to A&E did not really need to be there, so it needs a whole system approach.
Locally, the West Midlands will receive a share of various budget pots like the affordable homes programme and some money to protect bus routes. It is also good to see that HS2 will run all the way to central London, thus providing us with a direct link to the heart of the capital, giving London a link to our vibrant and dynamic regional economy.
There was some additional funding announced for Local Authorities, as well as some tweaks to SEND funding and homelessness support funding. I shall have to wait until we have properly digested the detail before commenting more fully. I cannot see that anything has yet scratched the surface of the financial problems local government is currently facing, bearing in mind the 22% cut in core spending power over the years - most of the time I have been on the Council actually!
Demographic changes and an ageing population, and the new duties and responsibilities that councils have faced during that time, especially in Adults and Children’s Services, now means these services alone account for three quarters of our spending; increases in costs, having to be funded by reductions in services elsewhere.
If you want to see a list of budget measures at a glance, the BBC has a good summary and if you want to know how your household finances will be impacted, The Guardian has a reasonably detailed calculator.
My final comment on the budget, for now, is to congratulate Rachel Reeves on being the first woman to hold the post of chancellor, something which is long overdue.
Now, on to business as usual. I had the pleasure in early October of being part of the launch of our Step up for Solihull initiative and the Match My Project platform. This allows community organisations to post their wants or requests and businesses can meet these needs but also post their own offers of support e.g. volunteering hours, financial donations, resources etc.
For those unable to attend the October event, there’s a webinar planned for next Wednesday 6 November, 10-11am, where you can find out all about Match My Project and hear how local groups have benefited from finding a supportive business. Follow this link Digital Launch of Match My Project.
We have so many wonderful community groups in Solihull, and a big thank you to them and the businesses that step up to support them
This week is Care Leavers Week.
We launched a new drop in café at the Three Trees Centre in Chelmsley Wood in collaboration with the Rees Foundation. The café offers a chance to socialise and get support and advice, as the young people move on to the next stage of their lives. We also had a ‘takeover’ of our corporate parenting board on Wednesday: this gave young people the opportunity to set the agenda and lead the discussions, as we continue to improve our support offer for them. It has been a good week and has provided vital focus on this sometimes very difficult time of transition. We are passionate about being good corporate parents; to do our very best we must be supportive, not just when we care for children, but also ensure that we set up their adult lives as best as we can too, just as any parent would do.
Birmingham Airport announced recently that they have invested millions of pounds on a new solar farm to power operations at their terminal buildings. It is probably fair to say they had had some difficult publicity recently and I was very pleased to see this announcement as they look towards the future. The airport is ‘our’ airport. I am very proud, therefore, to see this forward-thinking approach. I hope it serves them well and provides clean energy long into the future.
This week I attended the Diwali Lights switch on at the Parkridge Centre in Brueton Park. Our Mayor, Cllr Shahin Ashraf MBE helped do the honours on the day, and it is a very impressive display. It remains open to the public until Sunday 12 November, but you must book in advance – full details are available here. My thanks to all those who have organised this – Solihull Hindu Community Association and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
We have launched a new volunteer community transport partnership to support elderly and vulnerable residents to reach important appointments. You can read more about the service here.
For Remembrance Day 2024, Solihull Council is encouraging people to complete a Remembrance Card to commemorate a loved one who served in the Armed Forces. It could be a friend or relative who died or served during wartime, or someone whose military service included only peacetime operations.
Complete a Remembrance Card and return it to the Core Library in person, by email, or online for inclusion in the commemorative display, which will be available to view at the Core Library from Tuesday 5th November until Saturday 16th November 2024.
Finally, a couple more consultations to make you aware of – we want your views on our tenancy policy and strategy for social housing, and are also seeking feedback on road safety improvements on the A41
Thanks, have a good weekend.
Councillor Ian Courts.