The ID cards bill is now on the statute book after receiving Royal Assent from the Queen. The new Identity and Passport Service (IPS), which will be in charge of managing the ID cards scheme, becomes operational today.
Residents in Roman Way were devastated yesterday when the owner of the allotment site on Roman Way "cleared" the allotments and removed fences to the site effectively allowing free access to the area. Piles of spoil have also been left on the site, by the boundary fence to the railway cutting which directly by the allotments.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke has announced that Kent should have its own strategic police force and will not have to merge with neighbouring counties to create a south eastern 'super force'.
The Lib Dems have swept to victory in the Cheriton by-election for Folkestone Town Council this evening, with over 200 votes more than the Conservatives who came second. The result in full was:
The by-election to elect a new Town Councillor for Cheriton is taking place tomorrow. The polls are open from 8am - 9pm. All the signs are that the result will be a close finish between the Conservative candidate and Lib Dem Tim Prater.
Shepway Lib Dem Party Chairman Tim Prater has written to the Head of the Labour Local Government Unit to ask her views on Folkestone and Hythe's Labour Party's recent attack on Folkestone Town Council.
The Cheriton by-election on 23 March will be amongst the last ever held under current local election polling hours (8am-9pm). Parliament has voted to extend local election polling hours to be the same as those for general elections - 7am to 10pm.
Tim Prater has thanked Cheriton residents for their support of the "Truck Off" campaign to reduce lorry parking on Cheriton High Street opposite Tesco's. The campaign has been running for 2 weeks, and already there has been a significant reduction in lorry parking in the layby.
Residents in East Folkestone are being encouraged to talk to their neighbourhood police officers about crime and anti-social behaviour. The new mobile police station will be parked at the Baptist Church car park in Hill Road on Wednesday 15 and Friday 17 March, between 10am and 2pm.
Police in the Weald are investigating the report of an attempted abduction between 8am and 8.30am on Monday 6 March 2006.
It's been an exciting few weeks!
Sir Menzies Campbell MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats, today announced six appointments to his new Shadow Cabinet.
