Over the last couple of weeks, I've reported some full drains in the area (as i have for years) and a neighbour has done so as well, with the drains involved being in Granville Road East, Hillside / Wilberforce Road and Wilberforce Road / Sandgate High Street. All are "full" so that water can't get into them, stopping them being any use whatsoever as a drain.

Following on from our news about the Canadian First World War Archive Box donated to the Trust by Mr. Richard Steacie, we are pleased to invite you to view an exhibition of some of the artefacts and the medal collection of Colonel Charles A Smart, commanding officer at Shorncliffe Garrison from April 1917 to December 1918.

Keeping in touch and working for local residents ALL YEAR ROUND.

No - there is no election on (that we know about!) but the latest edition March 2022 of Sandgate and West Folkestone Focus is through people's letterboxes now.

Topics covered in this edition included the recent district budget, County Council bus funding cuts, Princes Parade, phone scams, new access ramps, graffiti clearance, hedges and new charging points!

You'll have seen that the diggers have again hit the beach and started the regular (and very necessary!) beach management works. I asked Folkestone and Hythe District Council who lead the works on the timetable, and they say:

"Works started on the beach management on Monday 4th April and are expected to last for 8 weeks. We are aware that crosses the Easter holiday and are keeping a close eye on weather and visitor traffic. The contractors are aware we may need to limit operations and movement as need be.

As they are hitting doormats (and increasingly email inboxes) across the country at this moment, Council Tax bills are a fairly hot topic. Below, I do a bit of number crunching on the most local element of the tax in Folkestone & Hythe District: the Town / Parish Council Precept.

Every Council Tax demand is made up of a number of elements. In the Folkestone and Hythe area, they include:

In the last 48 hours there have been at least 15 people from Sandgate who have reported on Facebook, Nextdoor and to me directly that they have been recently the victim of Identity Fraud.

In every case, during December the local resident had had a mobile phone contract with O2 taken out in their name and their home address. O2 are now pursuing the resident for outstanding payments, despite the resident not ever having taken out a contract with O2 themselves.

It will be necessary to close part of Brambley Crescent, Sandgate, from 7th March 2022 with estimated completion by 25th March 2022.

Brambley Crescent, Sandgate, will be closed between the junction of Enbrook Valley and the side of Cedar Court, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route is via Enbrook Valley, Fremantle Road, Brambley Crescent and vice versa.

For the third year running, Tim Prater last night moved a amendment at Folkestone and Hythe District Council to remove the Princes Parade Development scheme from the budget, but it was defeated.

Cllrs Tim Prater and Lesley Whybrow had earlier voted against Medium Term Capital Programme at Cabinet as it included provision for developing Princes Parade. They then moved and seconded an amendment to remove that funding at the Full Council meeting. All Lib Dem, Green and Labour Councillors present backed it, as did, bravely, Tory Councillor Peter Gane.

The Government has launched a planning consultation for the extension of the use of Napier Barracks to house asylum seekers until 2026 (!)

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/napier-barracks-planning-application

The consultation closes on 30th January 2022.

The decision to use the site for up to a further 5 years was made by the Home Office in August last year without carrying out a consultation.

Keeping in touch and working for local residents ALL YEAR ROUND.

Happy New Year to all in Sandgate and West Folkestone. And as a small (OK - really small!) New Years present, we've dropped a 2022 caledar (perfect to go by the phone or on your fridge door!) through people's letterboxes.

Gary Fuller and Tim Prater are always happy to hear from you - get in touch!