Keeping in touch and working for local residents ALL YEAR ROUND.

No - there is no election on (that we know about!) but the latest edition March 2022 of Sandgate and West Folkestone Focus is through people's letterboxes now.

Topics covered in this edition included the recent district budget, County Council bus funding cuts, Princes Parade, phone scams, new access ramps, graffiti clearance, hedges and new charging points!

England's water company bosses have awarded themselves almost £27 million in bonuses over the past two years despite pumping out raw sewage into waterways 1,000 times a day, the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

Analysis of Companies House records by the Liberal Democrats shows that executives at England's water and sewage companies were paid £48 million in 2020 and 2021, including £27.6 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives.

You'll have seen that the diggers have again hit the beach and started the regular (and very necessary!) beach management works. I asked Folkestone and Hythe District Council who lead the works on the timetable, and they say:

"Works started on the beach management on Monday 4th April and are expected to last for 8 weeks. We are aware that crosses the Easter holiday and are keeping a close eye on weather and visitor traffic. The contractors are aware we may need to limit operations and movement as need be.

I've written before about the £150 Energy Rebate, and how payments will be made to people in Folkestone and Hythe.

Paying tens of thousands of people by DD is not a thing the Council team has done before (business Covid grants for example were on a much smaller scale, as there are far less businesses than residents), so they are needing to build processes and test systems. They absolutely don't want to get this wrong!

Responding to the news that the government is pressing ahead with plans to privatise Channel 4, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Spokesperson Jamie Stone said:

"Yet again, the Conservatives have shown they care more about lining the pockets of the super rich than supporting a great public institution.

All members of the Folkestone and Hythe Liberal Democrats are welcome to attend our executive meetings.

Agenda and papers will be emailed to all executive members a few days before the meeting.

If you have items for the agenda, please email secretary@fhld.uk.

Yesterday (23/3/22) Kent County Council's Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the decision by the Conservative Cabinet to whack up the cost of school travel in Kent.

About 14,000 children have a Kent Travel Pass for which their parents pay £370 per year so they can get to school by bus. Several thousand more children have a pass at a reduced price as they come from a low income family.

Responding to the announcement of P&O Ferries laying off 800 workers with immediate effect, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

"Today's underhanded action by P&O is an attack on workers. It is an absolute outrage.

"This is simply not an acceptable way to treat employees and the government must step in urgently to help reduce tensions and bring people back to the table.