As part of their commitment to listening to and working with local residents, Tim Prater and Gary Fuller, the Lib Dem District Councillors for Sandgate and West Folkestone, will be holding regular drop-in advice surgeries in the ward each month.

No need for an appointment - just turn up to discuss any issue you would like our help with. The surgeries are in a public place: if you'd prefer to speak to Tim or Gary one-to-one then please contact them directly and we can set up a personal meeting with you.

Kent Highways have in their glory and wisdom installed a lovely new street light in The Undercliffe, Sandgate, but for their own reasons have installed it stepped out into the road.

A couple of local residents have raised with me that as that section of road is frequently used for parking, when cars park directly opposite it, it's then really tight for cars to get down the road between the parked vehicle and the lamp post.

I 'm delighted to report that the Folkestone Lower Leas Park Beach Chalets Scheme (which was to see 58 huts removed, 16 retained and renovated and 120 wooden huts installed) has been substantially amended more than DOUBLING the number of existing chalets to be retained.

Following interventions and protests on the orginal scheme by local residents, heritage groups and Councillors (including my moving amendments to the scheme at the most recent full Council meeting) Folkestone and Hythe District Council (and the Trustees of the Folkestone Parks and Please Grounds, who are subtly different) have confirmed the scheme has now been amended to retain chalets 1-27 and the 8 tiered chalets. Those 35 huts / chalets are the ones of most historical interest along that stretch, some dating back around 100 years. The chalets / huts that will still be removed are generally a little less old and with less heritage value.