Risky Budget could curb growth

Labour’s first Budget for 14 years was characterised by big tax rises and big borrowing. Taxes are going up by £40 billion and borrowing is rising by £28 billion.

Forecasters predicted a cut in interest rates this month reflecting the fall we’ve seen in inflation, but after that, the extra borrowing means rates will stay higher for longer, unwelcome news for East Hampshire mortgage holders.

The big discussion was the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and whether this ‘counts’ as a tax on working people (and a broken promise to the electorate).Anyway, economists do agree that this increase will be felt by workers, either as lower wage growth, or fewer jobs being created.

Small businesses, the lifeblood of our local economy, at least get some assistance with the ‘employment allowance’ going up to £10,500.The business rate relief for hospitality and retail will be extended – but at a much lower level than hitherto.

For our farmers there was very bad news, with the chancellor cutting agricultural property relief for family farms, making it harder for farmers to pass their holdings onto their children and grandchildren. I will campaign to stop this Family Farm Tax.

For rural area like ours, a small piece of good news was the freezing of fuel duty for another year.

For our pupils at independent schools, of which East Hampshire has an above-average number, the Government confirmed that they intend to plough on with the imposition of VAT from January. They did say they would make some offsetting changes for military families, an exemption I have been pushing for – but they have ignored pleas for wider exemptions or at least a delay to the plan.

You have to look not only at what is in the Budget, but what isn’t. There was no reprieve on Winter Fuel Payments, received by 26,000 pensioners in East Hampshire.There was also no mention of Child Benefit, but buried in the accompanying documents it says the government will not proceed with the previous government’s plans to allow more families to get the payment.

The biggest single factor in household income and reducing inequality is having low unemployment. I welcome the rise in the National Living Wage in itself but we must watch for its effect, combined with higher employer NICs and proposed new labour laws, on employment.

Perhaps the most surprising thing is that, after all the talk about economic growth, the Budget is predicted to actually cut growth after an initial borrowing-driven boost.

This is a risky Budget which will see everyone paying more tax. Independent commentators are forecasting there may be more tax rises coming. We shall now have to see how the economy performs.

Damian Hinds

MP for East Hampshire

South East will suffer under surge in flights

The Government is towards the end of a process to double the number of flights in the South East by 2030. That will mean more than one million flights a year or, an average, about 4,000 flights a day.

Flightpaths are also changing so there will be very few areas in the South East not under a flightpath. Increases in night-time flights are also proposed. The plan is to put most flightpaths over rural areas and national parks but everyone will be impacted by the increase in noise and pollution and property prices will fall as a result. The public and most organisations are totally unaware (or have been misinformed) regarding the impact these changes will have.

The Government is legally obliged to meet net zero emissions by 2050 and the aviation industry is tasked to reduce emissions by 45 percent by 2030. Aviation’s emissions are growing rapidly and will more than double by 2030 with the proposed increases in flights. The aviation industry’s strategy to reduce emissions (jet zero strategy) was thrown out by the High Court in May and is having to be redrafted to properly account for emissions.

Time and time again we have seen authorities and regulators fail in their duties to protect the public (for example, Grenfell, river pollution, the Post Office scandal). We are walking into another one.

Colin Shearn

Chair

Farnborough Noise Group

Closing Chase Hospital would be unacceptable

I want to see excellent healthcare provision for residents across Whitehill, Bordon, Lindford and surrounding area. Long-term and new residents deserve the very best for our growing community.

The future of Chase Hospital and having adequate health facilities is a long-standing number one issue of concern for me, the Whitehill & Bordon Community Party that I lead, and for our fellow residents. 

The NHS Integrated Care Board (NHS ICB) is the part of the NHS that commissions local services. We have no ability to control their decisions as local councillors. They reaffirmed their position in January of this year that they believe the proposed Health Hub for the new ‘town centre’ development area to be a better solution for Whitehill and Bordon area residents than Chase Community Hospital and that services would be transferred from Chase to the Health Hub, once open.

The planning application for the Health Hub was approved by East Hampshire District Council in September and we expect a further progress update soon. It is important to note that EHDC’s planning decision, made by council officers, relates to the building under planning law and not specifically where services should be provided from.

We were elected into controlling the town council in May 2019 and later that year we hosted a public Q&A session with senior NHS representatives around this issue. We did the same in 2022. It is vital that we bring decision-makers to the public to explain their proposals, receive feedback and answer your questions. I have also questioned the NHS in my role as a county councillor at committee meetings open to the public in Winchester.

This remains a complex and emotive subject. Although the Health Hub would be a brand-new modern facility, there is legitimate concern that a smaller facility would not allow expansion of services in the future and that the loss of Chase Hospital for our growing population would be an unacceptable outcome.

The town council that I lead does not support the closure of Chase Hospital as agreed policy. However, I am also mindful of a worst-case scenario where the Health Hub does not happen and Chase Hospital is closed anyway, so it is my duty to be mindful of this risk and consider carefully the different arguments about future-proofing Health Services in Whitehill & Bordon, with the objective of ensuring we have as many services provided locally as possible.

I’ll continue to fight for Whitehill, Bordon and Lindford as best I can, including questioning the NHS ICB at my next opportunity at a scheduled formal Hampshire County Council committee meeting in January 2025. If the Health Hub plan progresses to a point at which it becomes a committed reality, I will invite the NHS ICB to present to the town council to explain the rationale, discuss the future of Chase Hospital and take public questions again.

Finally, to reiterate my personal view. If I was in charge of the NHS, I would be looking at all the evidence to justify having a fully functioning Chase Community Hospital with all the services Alton and Petersfield have, including a minor injuries unit and beds. That remains my belief in what we all deserve.

Andy Tree

Party Leader

Whitehill & Bordon Community Party

Donald Trump’s in a league of his own

Whilst apologising in advance to those on the left of the Labour Party, I just can't help but take my hat off to Donald J Trump.

First they tried to drag him down in the courts, then there were the assassination attempts and, if that wasn't bad enough, they got one failing president to stand aside for what they thought was a better person to beat him. And it all failed!

For what we have witnessed in the last few months has not just been the best political campaign of all time that was completely under appreciated by the media but also the best comeback in living history.

I can't wait to see what Donald Trump's second term will bring but one thing I will say is that those on the Labour left must calm down and appreciate this guy because throwing insults will only backfire with tariffs on businesses. Sir Keir Starmer should instead be sitting down, doing big deals and renewing our special relationship with the USA sooner rather than later. After all, it wasn't Pelosi and the Democrats that beat Trump in 2020 - it was Covid.

Hence, even though we know for a fact that Trump won't be a candidate in 2028, the talent that was on display at his victory rally – from JD Vance to Bryson DeChambeau, and Elon Musk to Mike Pompeo – was truly amazing and a huge danger sign to any future Democrats even thinking of standing next time too.

George W Bush was some president before Obama but, as has been proven by the last decade and more, Donald J Trump is in a league of his own.

Geoffrey Brooking

Saxley Court

Havant