It was great to be back at Commonweal School on Friday to join staff and students to see a performance of a play called Smashed. The play, by a travelling group of young people, talks about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption and peer pressure, feeling pressured into doing the wrong thing. The audience was Year 7 and Year 8 students, and some people may believe that is a bit young, but I think the opposite. It is important that younger teenagers are educated early about the dangers of excessive alcohol and succumbing to peer pressure.
There were some challenging messages in the play, but the questions asked were by intelligent and informed young people, who wanted to know more about the challenges they will face in their lives. It is always great to visit Commonweal School, the sixth form centre was developed in my early years as an MP here in South Swindon, making Commonweal a really important centre of education, in the heart of the constituency I am proud to represent.
There was good news during the Spring Budget last week, as the Chancellor announced that the Conservative Government is extending the funding administered by local authorities, including Swindon Borough Council, to help residents with the rising costs of food, energy, and other essential living costs. The Household Support Fund will be extended for another six months from April 2024. Over 67,000 Swindon households have received support through this Conservative Government fund so far in 2023/24 so the extension of the fund is welcome news. In addition to this, eligible households across Swindon also received a payment from the Government of £299 in February to help with the cost of living.
During the Spring Budget, the Chancellor also announced that the Conservative Government is raising the threshold for the High-Income Child Benefit Charge from £50,000 to £60,000, as well as halving the rate so that it is not paid in full until you earn over £80,000. This move is estimated to support half a million families with an average gain of up to £1,260 towards the costs of raising their children.
The Chancellor also announced a further cut in the main rate of employee National Insurance by 2p from 10% to 8%. Combined with the 2p cut announced at the Autumn Statement 2023, this slashes the main rate of employee national insurance contributions by a third.
The Spring Budget for Long-Term Growth 2024 will deliver lower taxes, better public services, and more investment while increasing the size of our economy – taking the long-term decisions needed to build a brighter future.
It is welcome news that through the Conservative Government-funded Trees for Climate Programme, Swindon Borough Council has announced that they are looking to plant thousands more trees across Swindon throughout the next two years, providing more places for nature and biodiversity to thrive in and around the town.
Finally, as part of my ongoing local charity support, I would like to shine a spotlight on the work of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. There are five Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserves here in Swindon, with regular events taking place for residents, including family-friendly wildlife days at Shaftesbury Lake. Further details on Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and how you can get involved with tree planting here in Swindon, as well as other local events can be found by visiting https://volunteering.wiltshirewildlife.org/volunteers/opportunity/10190014?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=local_news_events_and_updates&utm_term=2024-03-10
