By Katharine Harvey, Chief Economic Development Officer, F&HDC in Email to Local Businesses
Local authorities have been administering the Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG) and the Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG) schemes on behalf of government since last November. Through the LRSG scheme mandatory grants have been awarded to eligible businesses in the district which are in the business rates system, while other businesses impacted by the pandemic have been catered for through the Folkestone & Hythe ARG discretionary scheme.
The Liberal Democrats will be fielding candidates in three divisions of Folkestone East, Folkestone West and Cheriton, Sandgate and Hythe East. The Green Party will be fielding candidates in Hythe West, Romney Marsh and Elham Valley divisions.
A number of Hythe residents asked me to review and comment on planning application 21/0553/FH (Land Opposite 24, Station Road, Hythe). I have done so today, and my comments were as follows:
"I'm commenting in objection to application 21/0553/FH (Land Opposite 24, Station Road, Hythe).
"Although the land has been included in the Local Plan for development, this application exceeds the number of properties specified for the site in the Local Plan. Although they attempt a justification based on plot size, given the recent passing of the plan, to now exceed the numbers in that plan seems excessive and arbitary. If the authors of the Local Plan thought it was a reasonable site for 44 dwellings they should, and presumably would, have said so.
Liberal Democrat County Council Candidate for Deal and Walmer, Penelope James, backs the six priorities of Kent Liberal Democrats.
"Caring for our community, our environment and our residents are key priorities for Kent Liberal Democrats. They have never been more important than now as we emerge from the pandemic.
Bus Passes are no longer valid before 9:30am despite commitments made 18 months ago.
Travelling by bus is a lifeline for many people with disabilities. The Disabled Persons Bus Pass and, where needed, the Companion Pass provide invaluable free bus travel for disabled people needing to get to the shops, to the doctors or to work. Earlier this month, Kent County Council stopped disabled persons from using their passes before 9:30am.
In October the Lib Dem Group of Tim Prater and Gary Fuller proposed to Folkestone and Hythe District Council a motion on Fireworks. It got massive majority support from Council - 27 votes for, none against, 2 abstentions. It read:
That the Council takes the following action:
1. Encourage all publicly organised firework displays within the district area to be advertised online in advance of the event by offering or signposting a free listing service, so that residents can both enjoy the celebrations and take precautions for their animals and vulnerable people; 2. Promote a public awareness campaign about the impact of fireworks on animal welfare and vulnerable people and the precautions that can be taken to mitigate risks, such as asking people to let neighbours know about private displays in advance, and the penalties for causing a noise nuisance late at night where not allowed by legislation; 3. Encourage retailers to follow the lead of Sainsburys in withdrawing the sale of fireworks to the public; 4. Develop and promote a voluntary local code on firework sale licenced premises to promote quieter firework options; 5. Write to the UK Government urging them to introduce legislation to limit the maximum noise level of fireworks to 90dB for those sold to the public for private display; 6. Encourage the public to notify KCC Trading Standards of retail outlets that are not correctly applying the regulations of the selling of fireworks both in terms of age-appropriateness, licensing and CE markings; 7. Given the damage they cause and risk they present, institute a ban on the release of sky lanterns from F&HDC land, and write to the UK Government urging them to consider banning sky lanterns in the UK in total.
"First promised in 2019, since then the crisis in our bus services has worsened, because for the last year the Government has actively discouraged bus travel, seen as unsafe in the pandemic. This came on top of decades of decline, when there has been no strategy for bus services, left to the power of the market.
Ida Linfield, Liberal Democrat candidate for Canterbury City South, is pressing for better support and respite breaks for Kent's carers.
The pressures of lockdown last year have been immense for all of us but especially for the carers in our community, many of whom are wives, husbands and school-aged children. Many of whom are not in the best state of health themselves.
