If you have missed my column over the past few weeks, worry not I have been extremely busy during that time.  The Labour Party locally has been going through important selections, and I was determined that not even my choice of subject for the column could be accused of showing favour to any particular candidate.

As we move towards local elections in May, we have successfully opened the new Town Hall (come and take a look), as well as succeed in bringing forward projects that will help towards the council’s decarbonisation targets. We have also taken measures to make council house tenancies even more secure in these uncertain times.

But the cost of living crisis is not over.  Working people are facing soaring bills, rising food prices and higher taxes.  And now the government is forcing a rise in council tax this spring. The government are forcing councils to put up council tax by reducing funding to councils and then granting them additional ‘flexibilities’ to raise council tax.

A Labour Government would FREEZE Council Tax for every family in Crawley – fully funded through a proper windfall tax on the bumper profits of the oil and gas giants.

That’s the choice Labour would be making – putting working people first.  The Tory choice is to give the top 1% a £1 billion tax cut.

We’ve got to stabilize our economy and get it growing, so everyone can feel better off. Labour will do that.

The policy would save the average household £100 a year.

Labour authorities only raise council tax on residents as a last resort. We know this because the average Band D council tax in Labour areas is £72 lower than in Tory ones.

Across all bands Labour controlled councils charge £345 less than Conservative controlled councils.

But now the Tories are loading the cost of their economic failure on to local authorities – forcing all local authorities to put up council tax to fund the basic minimum.  It’s not sustainable and this May’s elections are a chance for the electorate to tell the Tories they can’t go on.

Cllr Michael Jones

Leader, Crawley Borough Council