Political opinion with John Milne MP: Horsham high streets show how it’s done
Last Friday I was delighted to speak at the latest Employers Networking Breakfast, staged by the Horsham BID (Business Improvement District). The BID represents all the businesses in the centre of Horsham Town and invests in such things as extra security and Christmas lights, which is why we’ve been treated to a much better show in recent years!
Nothing is more important to our prosperity than the health of our local high streets. We’re incredibly lucky that Horsham Town retains such a vibrant centre. Shops come and go, and it’s always sad when an old friend leaves, but there’s always someone looking to move in. This is in huge contrast to much of the country where high streets are frankly struggling.
You only have to see how many people are out and about, bringing life to our streets. I literally had to weave through the crowd on Saturday down West Street. The Carfax market is crucial to creating atmosphere, as well as the amazingly popular Friday Lates staged by Horsham District Council every summer.
In Westminster I met with representatives from Cube, who took now run Swan Walk. We talked about ideas for generating more footfall at the Springfield Road end of the mall, and I heard about their success in agreeing more long term leases with some of our favourite stores. Cube are here to make Swan Walk a success as a shopping experience, not simply to make what they can out of it.
At the BID breakfast the subject was building relationships between local employers and local jobseekers. I’ve heard from many businesses about the difficulties in recruiting young staff, whether that’s into farming, into the court service, or at the wonderful Rabbit Patch Nursery in Lower Beeding which boasts the best outdoor space I’ve ever seen in a nursery.
How can it be that we have school leavers and graduates struggling to find work, yet local employers are desperate for staff? Inadequate local bus services and high housing costs are part of the story, but there’s also a pressing need to change the way job centres work. In my role on the Work & Pensions select committee we’re looking at a major reform of job centres and access to work for the disabled. I worked in advertising for many years, and I strongly believe that the best way to get people into work is to encourage them, not browbeat them.