In answer to questions from Lib Dem Councillor Tim Prater, Shepway Council have confirmed that, although they have no deposits in Icelandic banks, the potential impact on pension funds currently remains unknown. Shepway's pension fund is administered by Kent County Council, who have said that around one third of the KCC deposits that have been lost relate to the pension fund - around £18 million.
Commenting on the £50 million Kent County Council had deposited in now collapsed Icelandic banks, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Folkestone and Hythe, Neil Matthews, commented:
Lib Dem Cheriton Councillor Tim Prater has written to Cabinet Finance Chief David Monk and Finance Director Kathryn Beldon at Shepway Council to ask what investments in Iceland, if any, the District Council has. Tim said:
When a ship is sinking, we must send out the lifeboats, not argue about who steered the ship into the iceberg. At Prime Minister's Question Time yesterday (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7659180.stm), I pledged my support for the moves being taken by the Government. Vince Cable and I have been clear that we must do whatever is necessary to halt the downward spiral of the British economy.
It is terrible state of affairs if a politician thinks the opinion of the people they represent is foolish. 1100 people (so far) have decided Cllr Linda Oliver's continuing absence is wrong and have asked her, and her Hythe Town Councillor husband, to stand down. Official figures show Cllr Mrs Oliver is still in receipt of her allowance - about £3500pa!
The Liberal Democrats are urging ministers to clear up the uncertainty"about hundreds of millions of pounds councils invested in Iceland's banks. Kent County Council is reported by the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7659783.stm) to have up to £50m in Iceland-based banks including Landbanksi or Heritable, which was run by Landbanksi.
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Folkestone & Hythe, Neil Matthews, joined Folkestone Councillors Dhan Gurung, Lynne Beaumont, Tim Prater and Peter Carroll in welcoming the former Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, to Shepway on Tuesday afternoon.
Shepway's parking strategy where parking permit areas were to be introduced initially in central Folkestone and then across Cheriton, East Folkestone, Hythe and the rest of Shepway could be doomed. In a recent Shepway Council Scrutiny meeting, Conservative Shepway Finance Chief David Monk revealed that in recent discussion, Kent County Council had said that they would seek to take all income from parking charges, which would mean the scheme could not be introduced.
The approval of a new ferry service from Dover to Boulogne to start from July 2009 has been welcomed by Neil Matthews, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Folkestone and Hythe and formerly a Marine Engineer including on cross-Channel routes.
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Folkestone & Hythe Neil Matthews has strongly welcomed news that the RSPB have come out against Lydd Airport expansion plans, saying "Lydd remains one of the most inappropriate and dangerous locations to run a large airport".
Councillor Lynne Beaumont has been informed that Shepway Standards Committee have decided to take no further action on a complaint received from Mr T Philpott, saying that the complaint was "too trivial to warrant further action, was malicious, politically motivated or tit-for-tat and not serious."
Harbour Councillor Emily Sanger is now listed on Shepway Council web site as an "Independent" (www.shepway.gov.uk/content/view/200239/1748/). Emily announced that she was joining the Conservative Party in July.
