Labour is calling on the Chancellor George Osborne to give small firms in the North Norfolk a New Year tax break to help them take on new workers. By extending the national insurance holiday, which currently excludes the East, South East and London, to all businesses in every region of the country, the Government could help firms create desperately needed jobs. New figures slipped out by the Treasury reveal that in its first year of operation the flagship scheme has supported just 2.5 per cent of the businesses promised help by the Chancellor in his first Budget, despite a budget of almost £1 billion. It is also set to cost more in administration and red tape than it has so far given in support for new businesses. Labour are calling on the government to use the hundreds of millions of pounds of unspent money allocated to the scheme and extend the tax break to all existing small firms, with fewer than 10 employees, who take on extra workers. The national insurance tax break would apply for a year for each additional employee taken on and could help up to 210, 000 small businesses in the East of England. In his first Budget George Osborne said his policy would benefit 400,000 businesses but the Treasury’s own figures show that just over 10,000 firms received support from the scheme between September 2010 and November 2011, none in the East of England. Just £6 million was paid out to small firms to support 12,400 jobs…
Our alternative to Tory parking fees plan
Lib Dem councillors complaining about the Tory council’s plans to increase parking charges in certain towns seem to forget that our Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb sits in government supportive of cuts to district council budgets. They are demonstrating once again that Lib Dems will say anything to win a few votes, however hypocritical. North Norfolk Labour party agree that Trevor Ivory’s parking plan is wrong, but unlike the Lib Dems we acknowledge that the district council do have to make savings somewhere. So rather than sniping and political point scoring we are proposing a constructive alternative which we hope parish, town and district councillors of all colours might support. The Tory plan to increase parking charges in towns they deem “better-off” such as Cromer, Sheringham, Holt and Wells is wrong for three reasons. Firstly, we cannot work out what the assumption that these towns are better off is based on when census data reveals a very different picture. Secondly, it misses the point that those using town centre parking are not so much locals as visitors from rural villages who come into the towns to shop. Finally, most local shops and small businesses are struggling at the moment and an increase in parking charges will see an increase in shopping on line or at big retailers with free parking facilities. Labour propose the introduction of a seasonal tariff system with modest increases in parking charges during the summer months, off-set by reductions in the winter. This would mean that for local people parking charges remain the same over the…
Parking charges hit where it hurts
This week Mary Portas announced in her high street review that that one of the keys to ensuring people ‘shop local’ is to implement lower car parking charges. Our District Council is set to ignore this advice next year when it introduces a two-tier scheme for north Norfolk towns – increasing prices in only some towns in our district. The proposals, set to begin from next April, will leave one half of the district paying the existing amount (North Walsham, Fakenham, and Stalham) while the other half of the district is expected to foot the bill with an increased amount (Holt, Wells, Cromer and Sheringham). The reason for this seems purely because the District considers some towns better-off and affluent – believing that the tourist factor puts these towns in a better position. No statistics have been provided as yet to support this claim, and it appears neither the Chamber of Trades or Parish Councils have been fully consulted about it. The real loser of these proposals will be business, and the residents who shop in the area all year round. These successful towns succeed by enticing villagers from around the area to shop in their high streets. For example, Holt and Sheringham rely on villagers like Bodham, Baconsthorpe, and Plumstead to spend their income – and often they are not affluent shoppers. The towns rely on these people – knowing many could choose to go further afield to shop where there are more spaces and free parking. Moreover, these…
Council responds to Stop the Stalemate campaign
After a long period of silence from Norfolk County Council we have finally achieved a comment from Councillor Cliff Jordan in today’s Eastern Daily Press. Right of access talks: it’s now in the owner’s hands Cliff Jordan, Cabinet Member for Efficiency, Norfolk County Council Norfolk County Council has no wish to obstruct or delay a new car park for Holt, but it will not shirk its responsibility to secure a fair return for Norfolk tax payers for a valuable right of access needed by a commercial enterprise. The council’s actions have been grossly misrepresented. Far from increasing its demands or “moving the goalposts” it has negotiated in good faith while being flexible. When the owner objected to a one-off capital payment, it was the council that proposed a profit sharing approach. Various proposals have been put on the table, but none has included a demand by the council of anything close to the reported “20-30 percent of gross profits” – although that is the scale of contribution that a private owner of the access strip might have expected. In September the council made its recent proposal, varying an offer made to the site owner, in part simply to link payments to inflation. The council has received no formal response to this. Instead, the owner decided to pursue a claim, which he made earlier, that the access he needs is covered by a Public Right of Way. Unfortunately, legally securing a Public Right of Way involves a protracted legal process in…
Labour calls for Holt ‘Stop the Stalemate’ meeting
To find out more about pressurising Norfolk County Council to end the stalemate visit www.stopthestalemate.co.uk and like our page on Facebook.
Baroness Hollis talks to North Norfolk Labour
Baroness Hollis addressed North Norfolk Labour Party members and local people on the benefits system last night (Thursday evening). Speaking at Cromer Community Centre, the former Norwich City Council leader explained why she supported the proposed ‘Universal Credit’, but explained how the positive changes would be undermined by the government’s cuts. She tried to dispel the myths about the benefits system as well as explaining how the House of Lords were trying to water down some of the government cuts. Interested members of the public travelled from as far as Great Yarmouth to attend the event.
Baroness Hollis comes to Cromer this Thursday
Just a reminder that Baroness Hollis of Heigham will be talking about the Welfare State on Thursday evening in Cromer. The former Norwich City Council leader and former government minister will be talking at an event hosted by North Norfolk Labour Party. Thursday’s event is open to all and will take place at 7.30pm in Cromer’s Community Centre on Garden Street.
North Norfolk Labour launches Stop the Stalemate
Every resident in the town this weekend will receive a leaflet from North Norfolk Labour detailing how they can help with the campaign. To find out more by visiting the Stop the Stalemate web page.
North Norfolk Labour on Tory District Council plans for NNDC staff
A letter from North Norfolk Labour Party in the Eastern Daily Press today.