A budget that lets Croydon down

Croydon North MP Steve Reed has condemned George Osborne for unveiling a pre-election budget that offers Croydon little apart from more painful cuts.  The Tory Chancellor has announced plans to speed up the cuts after the election that will mean even more severe reductions in police, education and basic public services like street cleaning.

There was a small amount of funding on offer to support  Croydon Council’s ambitious regeneration bid.  The Labour council’s plans, launched at an event in Parliament hosted by Steve Reed MP, would see the borough keep a share of local taxes to help create thousands of new homes, businesses and jobs in the town centre, with regeneration benefiting every part of the borough.  The Chancellor failed to agree the proposals but it will be explored further.

Steve Reed MP spoke after the budget was announced, saying: “Croydon has too few doctors for the size of our population, our police have been cut back despite the promises made after the riots, and we have the worst shortage of school places in the country –  all the Chancellor has simply offered us more of the same.   All these problems will get worse if the Tories are re-elected because they’re planning to speed up the cuts that have already caused these severe problems for local people.  It’s simply not acceptable for George Osborne to keep targeting Croydon with an unfair share of spending cuts.  After this budget it’s clearer than ever that Croydon simply can’t afford another five years under the Tories.”