大象传媒

As MPs get ready to debate cutbacks to tax credits, a city councillor has told us the reforms will end up costing Leicester's economy 30 million pounds a year. The government has come under growing pressure to re-think one of their more controversial policies, which the treasury says will save 拢4.5bn from the welfare bill. Tax credits are a benefit introduced by the Labour party to help encourage people back into work. But the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies says that millions of working people will lose an average of 拢1,000 a year, as a result. The Chancellor, George Osborne, has made it clear he's not prepared to back down over the decision, which - according to the City Council - will effect more than 16-thousand families in Leicester alone. Even some Conservatives have urged Mr Osborne to have a fresh look at the changes.
Also, the President of China is on a state visit to the UK - it comes at an interesting time. Hundreds more British steel jobs are disappearing and the wave of redundancies in the industry is being partly blamed on cheap imports from China. David Cameron has said he'll raise the issue with the President in talks during the visit. He's also under pressure to bring up the question of human rights as well.
And, 大象传媒 Radio Leicester can exclusively reveal that a once, much-loved old building that fell into a state of disrepair WILL be brought back into community use. St Mark's Vicarage on Belgrave Road was being used as a function venue for a group called the 'Brahma Samaj' - which is a Hindu community group. But around 10 years ago there was damage to the roof and it slowly became dilapidated. In fact it was so badly neglected that permission was even given for its demolition. But now 大象传媒 Radio Leicester has been told that the owners have decided against this idea- and instead- the job of bringing it back to its former glory is going out to tender. Well this all came to our attention when a regular listener called Margaret challenged the City Mayor to come and see the eyesore for himself.