Anyone else had a leaflet through their door from our local MP Damian Collins?
It’s breathtaking in its cheek, claiming credit for various pots of money awarded to local projects, including the regeneration of Folkestone town centre, without acknowledging why such funding is needed. Town centres have declined because of the state of the economy under the Conservatives. Meanwhile, local councils’ spending power funded by the government fell in real terms by more than 50% between 2010/11 and 2020/21 (Source: National Audit Office).
Councils like Folkestone & Hythe must now devote time to bidding for ‘extra’ funding, against other councils.
Damian Collins mentions an extra £340,000 awarded by the Home Office for CCTV and crime prevention. The original bid was put together at very short notice last summer and £335,529 awarded, only for that to almost immediately be slashed by the Home Office to £271,352. Our MP seems to have missed that bit.
Of course, that’s not the only way in which the leaflet doesn’t reflect reality.
Says our General Election candidate, Marianne Brett: “Damian Collins talks about supporting our NHS but there is no mention of the shortage of GPs and dentists in our district. He talks about tax cuts when in fact lower paid people are paying more because tax thresholds remain frozen and changes to National Insurance favour the higher paid. We need a fairer system of taxation that allows proper investment in health and social care, reduces inequality, and supports green jobs.”
We’re not sure how Damian Collins is “securing 1,000 nuclear jobs at Dungeness” but our Green-led district council is pleased to continue providing the Leas Cliff Hall as a venue for his Jobs and Apprenticeship Fair.
The Green Party recognises that the country is facing crises around the cost of living, public services and our climate and environment and has plans to improve everything that matters for families and communities, including prioritising investment in sustainable industries to deliver zero waste, zero carbon and localisation of transport.
