John Baron

Conservative Party | Billericay and District

Points of View

Business Rates

Some people may think I’ve got it in for John Prescott – for I have strongly opposed his erosion of the Greenbelt and his unfair handling of the Traveller issue. But his Department surfaces again on the radar screen because of the exorbitant increases that small businesses have had to suffer in their business rates.

The Government has claimed that business rates revaluation would be ‘revenue neutral’. However, the revaluation has hiked taxes on local firms by £1.2bn a year across the country, pushing up the average firm’s bill by three times the rate of inflation.

In Basildon District, the average bill has risen by 15% – pushing up rates to nearly £15,000 a year.  I am particularly concerned that higher business rates may push up prices and force some shops to close down.

In Billericay High Street, for example, it is important that we keep the right balance between ‘day’ and ‘night’ trade, and that it does not suffer the same fate of some neighbouring towns which have become ‘pub alleys’ because themed pubs were allowed to take over vacant shops.

This extra revenue will not be kept by the council, but ultimately will be snatched back by Gordon Brown. Business rates, like council tax, are being used as a stealth tax.

In response, Local traders and I have started a campaign to urge the Government to give local traders ‘a breather’. This campaign will include a petition, which I hope will be available in most High Street shops and which, once completed, I will present to John Prescott. May I encourage readers who care about this issue to sign this petition in order that we can make it clear to the Government the strength of feeling on this issue?

We are also campaigning on the issue of parking, which is becoming more of a problem for both shoppers and traders alike.

Macmillan Charity

Like many people, I recently supported the Macmillan ‘Coffee Morning’ at ‘The Olive Branch’ in Billericay High Street – one of many venues across the constituency hosting the event.

Macmillan does some tremendous work locally. Nearly 7000 people in Essex are diagnosed with cancer each year and the county has over 80 Macmillan specialist nurses, doctors and other health professionals helping local people affected by cancer.

But with an increasingly older population, more people than ever before are living with the disease. That means the need for Macmillan services will keep on growing, with more patients and their families needing the specialist care, support and advice this charity provides.