I personally lobbied the Chancellor pre Budget on SEND and wider support for mainstream education. I am pleased that as part of the Budget a new Alternative Provision School has been approved for West Sussex. AP supports pupils otherwise unable to access education (usually due to behavioural/medical needs), it is not intended to be a permanent destination, with the hope that children return to mainstream settings. It does however assist Heads by enhancing the range of options available locally to support schools.
This enhancement to the range of provision locally is not alone and having worked on it closely with them I am delighted that the brilliant QEII Silver Jubilee School are progressing their expansion in Hurst Road: a really positive development (with WSCC support) for the school and its students.
Back on the budget: since 2010, our economy has grown faster than Germany, France or Italy a pattern the IMF believes will continue over the next five years.
This is despite the huge undertaking to get Government finances right after the 2008 crash. It was only because we had done so that we were able to spend the equivalent of around £6,000 per person to help steer the economy through the pandemic and a further £3,400 per average household in cost of living support over the past two years following the inflationary impact of Covid and Putin's war on Ukraine.
This support simply would not have been possible if we had not taken tough decisions to reduce the deficit by 80% ahead of the pandemic. Further tough decisions now are bearing down on inflation, which has already more than halved.
This enabled the Chancellor to cut taxes in the Budget. Combined with the cut at the Autumn Statement, it represents an NI tax cut of around £1,050 for the average worker locally. I am also pleased that the High Income Child Benefit Charge is being reformed: raising the threshold and halving the rate at which Child Benefit is withdrawn. Nearly half a million families will gain an average of £1,260 in 2024-25 as a result.
There is always more one wants from a Budget (I am keen to see more invested in our defence and security) but these are strong and effective measures which I welcome.