Area Forum Stunned into Silence by Fostering Presentation
Chiswick Gunnersbury councillor Ron Mushiso reports back
Cllr Ron Mushiso with his foster father
March 19, 2023
On Monday; I was invited to 10 Downing Street to mark Commonwealth Day. It was a day of celebration in recognition of the shared history, values and ambitions of the 56 Commonwealth countries. During the discussions, I made the point that the Commonwealth was a force for good. I urged the Cabinet Office to work more closely with our Commonwealth Diaspora including those living here in Chiswick and London Borough of Hounslow. In this, the Coronation year, we need to embrace the diversity of the 2.6 billion people that make up our Commonwealth. I truly believe that our Government can go further in reimagining our relationship with the rest of the Commonwealth.
There is a lot to celebrate when incomes to investment, trade, and cultural appreciation and exchange. However, we are starting to fall behind China in terms of soft power. I talked about my experience as first-generation Ugandan immigrant who regularly returned home. On each occasion, I note the growth of Chinese investment. China has become a major player development infrastructure and exploration for minerals. Despite this, I am confident that our Commonwealth community is far more reciprocal. Our greatest asset on this new mission of the commonwealth, will be our diaspora.
On Tuesday; I chaired another productive Chiswick Area Forum, where among other topics, we welcomed for the first time, a presentation from the Estates Management Team for Chiswick. They are tasked with maintenance, upgrades, and regeneration. That is why I was delighted that they were willing to come to the forum and face questions from our residents and Councillors. We also got a local police update report from Sergeant Jim Cope and PC Brody-Duncan of the Metropolitan Police. The final item on the agenda was a presentation from the Council’s Fostering team which included a moving clarion call from one of our registered Foster Carers for more prospective Foster parents to come forward.
We all listened in stunned silence as Council Officer Sonia Mark explained the challenges her team faced in recruiting new Foster parents. In the municipal year 2022-23, Hounslow Council had recruited just 4 new Foster parents; despite having 361 looked after children on their register.
Our Government has also recognised the urgency of this issue, which has become acute since the pandemic. That is why it had published Children’s Social Care reform strategy in 2022 and it is why it set aside £25 million to turbo charge a national recruitment drive for England. In February, the Government announced a historic above inflation 12.43% increase to Foster Carers allowances to help retain carers, and we were promised further announcements in the Budget.
Cllr Mushiso in front of the Ugandan flag
On Wednesday, the Budget day; I listened intently to the Chancellor’s speech and read his briefing papers with fine tooth comb. I was confident that he would do something substantial for Fostering and he delivered. The Chancellor announced that the qualifying tax relief for Foster Careers allowances would be increased for the first time 20 years.
This means that Foster parents will not be taxed on income intended support a looked after child. This tax relief means that Foster Carers keep more of the money they receive for making a difference in a child’s life. This is an additional incentive prospective Foster parents across Chiswick and Hounslow who currently offer exemptions to Council Tax and free access to some leisure activities.
On Childcare; at the back end of last year, I chaired a constituency wide Conservative Policy Forum in Chiswick, where we discussed among other things, the challenges that parents faced with childcare. We shared our ideas with the wider membership that formed a coherent policy paper for the Cabinet Office to consider. So, I was pleased with the Chancellor's announcement on childcare. It was the biggest shake up in these provision since 2017. After speaking with a few parents this week about these announcements, I am convinced the impact is going to be transformative. As an example, a single parent on National Living Wage with a 1-year old child, wishing to boost their working hours to between 25-35 hours, they would have been with a lose £370 in income due to benefit cuts. However, under this new Childcare Reform, they would take home an additional £700.
Free childcare has now been extended 30 hours a week to all working parents of children aged between 9 months and 4 years. It means that more parents can take on the work that is right for them.
These reforms will deliver for 2,200 families across Chiswick, Brentford, and Isleworth. That is 4,507 families and 8,853 children across the London Borough of Hounslow potentially benefiting because of these reforms.
Reason to be optimistic; there is a clear dividing line between our Government and a Labour run Council. We believe in helping families and they believe in taxing them. At a Council meeting on 31st January 2023, Labour applauded their fellow Councillor, Cllr Farhaan Rehman, when he exclaimed: “The Government must offer real support to tackle costs and get a grip on inflation rather than building an expectation that local taxation.”
People may want to compare and contrast the mood music of the Chancellor Budget vs Hounslow Labour’s triple whammy Budget to see who real is on the side of residents. Big clue. It is certainly not Labour, who voted to increased Council Tax, increase London Mayor’s precept and chose to remain silent on the ULEZ rollout whilst seeking exemptions on their own fleet. Hounslow Labour’s deputy leader, Cllr Dunne even wrote to the London Mayor pleading for an exemption for Hounslow Council’s incompliant fleet of vehicles. How can a Council support the rollout of a costly ULEZ on its residents on one hand, while they themselves seek to be exempt? It smacks of hypocrisy - one rule for the Council and another for our residents.
Cllr Mushiso at Number 10 Downing Street
As a Conservative, I understand how difficult things are for everyone, but, the Chancellor’s Budget demonstrated that we are on now a path to growth. All the major forecasters agreed that that measures we have taken and the sacrifices the public have made, means that we are well on our way to meeting the Nation’s three priorities. To halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce national debt. So what does this mean for Chiswick and Hounslow?
It means that the Government is able to extend the Energy Support Guarantee for Households for a further 3 months; making a total package of £3,300 in support payment for every home in the Borough.
So, while our friends in the Labour group increase taxes on residents. A Conservative Government is steering us back to growth. Despite the pandemic, despite the war in Europe and despite Labour’s local tax hikes; our Government is working day and night to help families, reduce costs and support our most vulnerable people.
Cllr Ron Mushiso
07976 702887
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Tuesday, 28th March at 7:00pm: Cabinet
Tuesday 11th April at 7:00pm: Overview and Scrutiny
Tuesday 9th May at 7:00pm: Overview and Scrutiny
Tuesday, 23rd May at 7.30pm Borough Council AGM
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).
Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery).
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS
Chiswick Gunnersbury (was Turnham Green) ward
Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446
Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956
Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887
Chiswick Homefields ward
Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017
Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821
Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651
Chiswick Riverside ward
Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810
Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823
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