In a surprise move announced by an email from Council Leader Robert Bliss today, Shepway has ended the Environmental Services portfolio with immediate effect. The position will be lost from Cabinet (reducing the Cabinet from 10 to 9 members) with the portfolios responsibilities split between existing Cabinet members.
The full report from Shepway Council on the planning applications at Lydd Airport and the recommendations of the Council Officers in light of the report have now been released on the Shepway Council web site.
There have been rumours that the new Home Secretary Alan Johnson is "reviewing the ID card" programme. They have been denied, but there is undoubtedly a change of heart among many back bench Labour MPs. In the last three months several new ones have said openly - against party policy - that the project should be cancelled.
Shepway Council have today postponed the Council meeting to discuss the planning applications regarding London Ashford Airport (Lydd) from 9th July to 23rd September [Update - now moved to 24th September to avoid clash with Lib Dem Party Conference]. Shepway Chief Executive Alistair Stewart agreed to the re-scheduling following a request from the lawyers acting for the owner of the airport asking for postponement of publication of the report on the two planning applications and to reschedule the meeting date.
LD Lines ferry service between Dover and Dieppe, introduced in February, is to end. The company said that it had not attracted sufficient traffic to make it commercially viable, and the service will end on Monday.
With the summer season in full swing and temperatures set to soar even further, Kent Fire and Rescue Service is warning the public to take extra care with barbecues.
From the BBC: Joanna Lumley joined thousands of people to celebrate the Gurkhas being given the freedom of Folkestone, where they are based.
Beachborough Road, Folkestone will be closed from the junction with Station Road to the junction with Cheriton Road on Sunday 21st June 2009. The closure will be in placed to enable Jacobs working on behalf of Kent Highway Services to carry the removal of a tree stump adjacent to the carriageway.
The Q&A below answers questions posed by Your Shepway newspaper (www.yourshepway.co.uk) by James Alexandre from the paper. And yes, Kurt Cobain really DID touch my hand (Reading Festival, 1992).
The Hythe West by-elections were well and truly overdue. We had to wait a long time for the Conservatives, as a body, to acknowledge the wishes of the residents in wanting their absent Councillors to step down. Indeed, our Conservative MP didn't attempt to speed this matter along either.
Shepway Council have announced their listing of the FREE Family Play Days taking place at various outdoor locations across Shepway over the Summer Holidays for all ages.
New Folkestone West County Councillor Tim Prater has had a reply from southeastern after raising concerns about the loss of peak hours direct services to Charing Cross from Folkestone stations saying "we do not lightly dismiss the needs of those commuting to Charing Cross. Our timetable team is endeavouring to find a solution and if we are able to go some way towards meeting local residents' commuting needs, we will."
