MAYOR OPENS YORK ROAD PLAY AREA

MAYOR  OPENS YORK ROAD PLAY AREA

The Mayor of Sandwell, Cllr G S Sidhu on Thursday 11 October, officially opened the new Children’s Play Area in York Road, OLDBURY

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The Playground was designed with the help of children from Causeway Green Primary School.

Langley Councillors Pauline Hinton. Martin Prestidge and Mick Davies were also  present at the opening ceremony.

  

C[[r Pauline Hinton is pictured with the Mayor , Cllr G S Sidhu and children from Causeway Green School

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR

 Today I presented my first Pre Budget Report (PBR) and the conclusions of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) called Meeting the aspirations of the British people . Thanks to ten years of a Labour Government, we have seen many people supported in realising their potential. By maintaining a strong and stable economy we have been able to invest in our public services after years of underinvestment. It has also meant that we have been able to meet the challenges of global financial market instability. PBR CSR 2007 sets out how Labour is responding to the aspirations of every person in this country. There are new commitments for people of all age groups and in all parts of the country. As result of our economic management we can meet both our fiscal rules and invest more – £2 billion in 2010 more than proposed at the Budget. The Tories could spend this £2 billion to raising the Inheritance tax threshold, promising £1bn for the estates worth more than £950,000, the top 1 per cent. Instead, Labour has decided to invest that £2 billion: Helping to build an extra primary school in every local area by 2010. And in health when, added to its budget, it will deliver over 20 new hospitals, 150 new walk-in centres open 7 days a week, 100 new GP practices and aim to ensure a regular check up for every adult by the NHS – improving the quality of patient care across the country. Our choice: investment in schools and hospitals for all of the British people. If you would like to find out more about what we have announced today, click here to visit the HM Treasury website and click here to read my statement to the House. If you have a question or a point you would like to raise, click here to put your question to Labour’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury Andy Burnham. Best wishes Alistair Darling MP Labour’s Chancellor of the Exchequer

NEW LEAVE ENTITLEMMENT FOR 500,000 WORKERS

Half a million workers across the West Midlands to benefit from new leave entitlement from this week

John Spellar, Labour’s MP for Warley today welcomed new leave entitlement which will benefit around half a million workers across the West Midlands and another rise in the minimum wage that will benefit 110,000 in the region from this week.

Up to six million workers across the UK, including 3.5 million women and 2.5 million men, will benefit from the extra annual leave – around half a million of them in the West Midlands. The new leave entitlement helps fulfill a Labour manifesto pledge to give an extra boost to workers who are made to take bank holidays out of their annual leave entitlement.

In addition, more than a million workers across the UK will be better off as a result of the minimum wage increases which, when combined with Working Tax credits and other benefits, will provide a guaranteed minimum income of at least £276 a week for families with one child and one full-time worker.

John Spellar MP said:

“This is great news for the half a million workers in the West Midlands who stand to benefit from the increased holiday entitlement Labour is introducing from this week. Around 110,000 will also be better off thanks to the latest increase in the minimum wage.“

“These changes show that Labour is determined to do right by Britain’s hardworking families. Compare that to the Tories, who opposed the extra leave entitlement and the minimum wage every step of the way.”

The changes that come into effect this week will be backed up by a tough new minimum wage enforcement regime announced by the Government last month, including increased maximum fines for employers who flout the laws. Employers who do not pay the correct wages will have to repay arrears to their workers at a higher rate.