CONSERVATIVES SAFEGUARD STOCKPORT’S GREEN SPACES

Stockport Conservatives have been helping to enhance local parks in Stockport. Green spaces have an important role to play in urban areas like Stockport. They are not just good for nature, but they are also good for human well-being.

Stephen Holland, prospective MP for Stockport, said, “Today local Conservative councillors Les Jones, Jackie Jones, Anthony O’Neill and I visited some of Stockport’s parks. We planted trees in Thornfield Park and inspected the work being carried out at Heaton Moor Park.

“Safeguarding green spaces is one of my priorities for Stockport. It is essential that our parks are well maintained in order to give local residents a good quality of life. I shall visit other green spaces across Stockport over the coming months.”

LOCAL BUSINESSES KICKED IN THE TEETH

Average business rates bills in Stockport may hit £10,043 thanks to the Labour Government.

The Government is planning to introduce a new law – the Business Rates Supplements Bill – which will allow town halls to increase business rates on local firms by levying a ‘supplementary’ rate on top of current bills. This comes at a time when business rates are already due to rise by a painful 5% in April.

The average bill in Stockport in 2008-09 was £9,170, raising a total of £86.5 million a year in tax in total from local firms, which is handed over to Whitehall.

Due to the impending 5% rise, business rate bills in Stockport will hit an average of £9,629 from April. If a supplementary business rate were imposed on top, this could push the average bill on local firms to a record £10,043 a year.

Stephen Holland said, “This is yet another backdoor way for Gordon Brown to hike taxes by stealth. At a time when Stockport’s businesses are struggling for their very survival and people’s jobs depend on these firms, higher business rates are a kick in the teeth from the Labour Government.”

OUR COUNTRY’S DEBT CRISIS

Gordon Brown’s borrowing is undermining our economy and threatening our children’s future. Every baby born in Britain this year will be burdened with his debt – £17,000 for every baby. It will take them decades to pay off this debt.

The worst of it is that Labour aren’t achieving anything with their extra borrowing for the pointless VAT cut – which has now been criticised even by leading retailers. They are sacrificing tomorrow purely for the political convenience of today.

Stephen Holland, prospective MP for Stockport, said, “This Labour Government has been on a borrowing binge and a spending splurge, whilst hard pressed families and pensioners in Stockport are now left to pick up the pieces. The next generation deserves better. Conservatives believe in an economy built on savings, not debt, and a country and a government that lives within its means, not beyond it.”