HARD working residents in Thurrock are to get a tax-cut – and will now keep more of their hard-earned earnings, and be able to provide more for their families at home.

Furthermore the National Living Wage has increased again.

Thanks to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond MP, the tax-free allowance is to increase to £12,500 for working people – that means that there will be no tax collected on the first 47% of an average Thurrock salary.

That is an extraordinary difference compared to a country run by Labour, who was making claim on people’s earnings after they earned just £6,500 a year, back in 2010.

All of us will have the memories and/or recent experience of what such a tax cut will mean to hard-working people.

We must not take anything for granted.

These tax cuts are a benefit afforded to us due to the success of the Conservatives management of the economy and ensuring the public sector lives within its means.

Now is not the time to forget financial discipline – now is the time to appreciate it more than ever.

In Thurrock Council, that is no different.

We introduced the Council Spending Review to get Thurrock economically “self-sufficient” from national government. T

his, along with our investment strategy, has delivered a balanced budget ahead for the next four years, and allowed council to increase its rainy day fund by 38%.

Simply put, this means the services, which residents use and depend, are in place, and financially secure for another four years.

By Shane Hebb, Thurrock's councillor for finance.