After the suspension of politics as normal for the period of mourning for the late Queen, Government announcements have gone into overdrive led by the very substantial package of support for families and businesses hit by the global energy crisis announced by the new Chancellor last week. This is a bold package for which we are likely to be paying for some time to come but inevitable given the scale of the challenge. There are more details on my website about how you are affected.
The not so ‘mini-Budget’ came the day after the ‘Better Business Show’ organised by the Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce, which took place in person at Worthing Leisure Centre. It was good to drop in and catch up with some familiar faces that the pandemic had prevented me from seeing and hear at first hand some of the challenges that many of them are facing whether it be from rising input costs, scarcity of labour in the hospitality industry in particular or lack of expansion space. That is one reason why the site on New Monks Farm that was to have been occupied by IKEA is made available to growing local businesses with higher skilled jobs, and we hope to hear more about that soon.
It is always a pleasure to visit the excellent Vale School in Findon Valley, although not necessarily to try to park around drop-off time. I was there to take party in the Be Internet Legends programme by Google which teaches young children to be alert and secure to the hazards of the internet and it was a real joy to see so many young people very smart and very engaged themselves. It was particularly good to meet the new head David Tow in his first week who has a tough act to follow in Martin Garratt who moved on last term. Good luck David – it is an excellent school.
Delighted to hold my first appointments only surgery at Chesham House last week and I hope this will be the new Lancing surgery home for the foreseeable future. Next street surgery is Shoreham Farmer’s Market on October 8th.
