The below press release from the Department of Communities and Local Government sets out a series of measures designed to open up local government, make decisions more open and reduce restrictions on reporting from meetings by the public. All seems to be good stuff - but the devil will be in the detail.
Interesting to read the comments of Gordon Williams, the Shepway Conservative Party agent, on Ann Barnes, who is an independent candidate for November's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections.
There's a fantastic weekend ahead in Sandgate!
Commenting on today's inflation figures setting RPI at 3.2 per cent, which in turn could lead to 6.2 per cent (RPI+3%) rise in rail fares in January, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Transport, Julian Huppert said:
Preparations for a 2013 Folkestone Air Show are underway, organiser Folkestone Town Centre Management Ltd (FTCM) has announced.
There will be a public meeting on Thursday 9th August at 7pm, Sandgate Library (James Morris Court, Sandgate High Street CT20 3RR).
On Friday 6th Jul 2012 PCSO Mark Ball and PCSO Gary Carr stopped and spoke with a group of 8 young females who were drinking alcohol in Cheriton Park. All alcohol was seized and immediately disposed off. A letter of note has been sent to the parents of each group member.
The recent heavy rain in Folkestone and Sandgate has highlighted the shocking state of drain clearance throughout the area. Folkestone West County Councillor Tim Prater has demanded urgent action from Kent Highways after roads turned into raging rivers in places over the weekend.
Ashford Citizens Advice Bureau has been made aware that members of the public are being telephoned by someone pretending to be from CAB and offering debt advice.
A local resident reports:
Members of the public are being invited this week to find out more about plans to add capacity on the M25 in Kent and Surrey, through the delivery of the motorway's first managed motorway scheme.
The Department for Transport is consulting on how to bring the process for assessing eligibility for blue disabled parking badges in to line with the wider reform of disability benefits announced by the Department for Work and Pensions.
