Tim Prater

Sandgate Community Garden: Update 26 May 2019

There continues to be more interest in the new community garden, and locals have noticed that things are happening, and approve of the project and the changes we have made so far!

We have continued to dig the area to the right of the fruit trees, making planting strips and paths as we go.  The grass edges are gradually being straightened to make for a neater edge!  The tomatoes have been staked.  The fruit and herb area have been weeded and watered.  Sunflowers, marigolds, and courgettes have been planted, and the two raised bed boxes have been treated with two coats of preservative.

Watering is an issue on site; however Paul the head gardener has very kindly been watering this week!  He has managed to source a large water container for us, which he is busy cleaning, ready for installing on site ASAP!  This is great news, and much appreciated, so thank you Saga!

What’s next?  

  • Continue to clear the earth of roots and stones
  • Continue the raised plots and paths
  • Continue to straighten the grass edges
  • Weed the fruit and herb area (watch out for the marigolds and borage plants)
  • Water if required
  • Plant a donated fig tree, with roots restricted.
  • Raised boxes need two top coats of preservative
  • Source pea sticks and bean poles if possible

A group of us are meeting up at 10am Wednesday 29th May and Saturday 1st June 10am.  As the nights are getting shorter, and some people may prefer to come along in the evening, I will also be on site Wednesday 29th May from 6pm.  However, you are free to come along when it is convenient for you!

Posted by Tim Prater in Sandgate Community Garden
Sponsorship of planters

Sponsorship of planters

Sandgate Parish Council is going to repeat the successful sponsorship of the planters within the Parish Council area as follows:

  • The six rectangular planters located on the seafront are available for sponsorship at £50 for the summer season (late May to September);
  • The circular planter outside the Ship Inn is available for sponsorship at £100 for 12 months as it is replanted for the autumn;
  • First refusal for the sponsorship of the Rowing Boat (£100 form 12 months) has been granted to the Folkestone Rowing Club as they donated the boat in the first place.

Sponsors will be promoted through the use of an A5 notice (A4 for the rowing boat) planted in the relevant planter together with items added to the Council’s Facebook page (and therefore Sunny Sandgate as well)

Sponsorship is on a first come first served basis with the exception of rowing boat for which the Folkestone Rowing Club shall be offered first refusal as they donated the boat. Requests should be sent to the Parish Council at the following email address by 31 May 2019:

clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk

Peter Savage

Deputy Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer

21 May 2019

Posted by Tim Prater in News

Sandgate Community Garden: Update 19 May 2019

What a fantastic, productive morning! I met up with six people at 10am at the horse trough as arranged; some came to stay and work, some came to just introduce themselves and take a look at the site. 

We continued to clear the piece of ground to the right of the fruit trees of small roots and stones, and started to define growing areas or strips, and pathways between, by raising the soil into mounds (see photos attached).  I had managed to get hold of some wooden boxes at £7 each (bargain!) which can be used as growing boxes.  They can be used as they are, and can also be stacked up for height, which is something we will need to provide for some growers at some point.  They will need treating with wood preservative suitable for edible plants, to make them last longer.

We also weeded the fruit and herb area, then planted nine cordon tomatoes along the wall and watered.  They will need stakes.  Ann kindly brought along two borage plants in the week which were planted in the herb area, and have been marked with yellow plant labels, so please look out for them when weeding!

So!  An excellent beginning!  Sheila has kindly offered to make a start with Instagram and Facebook , so if anybody would like to help, I’m sure she would appreciate that. 

What’s next?

  • Continue to clear the ground to the right of the raised strips.
  • Continue the raised strips to the end of the plot
  • Stake the cordon tomatoes
  • Treat the wooden boxes with suitable preservative
  • Gradually start to edge the grass where it meets the plots to make it neater and easier to weed
  • Keep weeding
  • Keep watering if necessary……… there are issues with watering at the moment as regards the water supply, which we are addressing.

A group of us have arranged to meet up on Wednesday 22nd at 10am, and Saturday 25th at 10am, so if you are interested in joining us, then please come along!  Of course, you are always welcome to go along to see progress and lend a hand any time you are passing.

Please feel free to contact me any time with any questions or suggestions either by email or on my mobile.  Look forward to seeing you at the Community Garden soon!

Posted by Tim Prater in Sandgate Community Garden

Sandgate Community Garden: Update 17 May 2019

Since the announcement of the possibility of the start of the Community Garden in the Saga grounds at Enbrook Park, fifteen people have expressed an interest in taking part in the project.

I was asked by Kay McLoughlin of Academy radio to come in for an interview last Wednesday 15th, to promote it further, and to invite any volunteers along to see the site.  On Wednesday afternoon and evening I met up with some people, and on Sunday morning at 10am, I have arranged to meet up with more people at the horse trough outside the Saga main entrance, from where we will proceed up to the garden site to talk and to start work!  

Paul, the Head Gardener of the Saga grounds has been incredibly supportive, and since the first planting of fruit trees, soft fruit and herbs, has spent two hours with a digger clearing the next piece of ground for us to work on.

On Sunday we plan to continue clearing small roots and stones, rake and weed, then start to look at where we can place individual and communal plots.  It is such a beautiful site, where the old kitchen garden for the old house used to be, and is surrounded by the old original wall.  

Posted by Tim Prater in Sandgate Community Garden
Magnificent Seven! Sandgate Beach Receives Seaside Award for Seventh Year Running

Magnificent Seven! Sandgate Beach Receives Seaside Award for Seventh Year Running

Keep Britain Tidy has today revealed the England’s best beaches with announcement of Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for 2019 – and Sandgate is on the list for the SEVENTH year running!

This year environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy is presenting 71 international Blue Flags and 137 Seaside Awards (12 more than last year). This includes the award to Sandgate beach, near Folkestone in Kent. Sandgate is the only beach in Folkestone and Hythe to win the Seaside Award, and one of only 11 in Kent. Learn more about Kent’s award winning beaches.

Sandgate beach has won the Seaside Award for 2019 – for the seventh year running. It joins the country’s very best beaches, from popular holiday spots to quiet, more hidden-away spots. What unites them all is knowing that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the tough international bathing water quality standards.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said:

“From environmental education for the local community and ensuring responsible beach use, to cleaning regimes and an increasing number of recycling facilities, it is a full-time commitment to create beaches worthy of the awards.

“Thanks to the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards, visitors can be reassured their destination is cared for and they will be able to help maintain the high standards of these awards thanks to their environmental initiatives.”

Sandgate Councillor Tim Prater added:

“The Seaside Awards recognise the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, indicate that they meet the required standards for water quality.”

“Sandgate have received this award for the last seven years not just due to the quality of our beach, but also due to the hard work of a number of people in making sure everything is in place. Marjorie Findlay-Stone has been instrumental in our winning this award for so many years, as have a number of Councillors like Nabin Siwa and non-Councillors working as a team – thank you all.

“For Sandgate to win this award seven years running is magnificent. It’s also no mean feat: Sandgate is the only beach in Folkestone and Hythe to have received the award this year, and only one of 11 in Kent. It’s great news.”

Posted by Tim Prater in News

Enbrook Stream Environment Agency Investigation

Sandgate Parish Council have had a number of reports over the past few months over concerns on the cleanliness at times of water in Enbrook Stream, which we’ve followed up with the Environment Agency who are responsible for the water quality. They have been investigating, and have now found (they think!) the cause. we had forwarded them various photos and videos we had been sent, which assisted their investigations.

In an email to us yesterday, they say:

“Thank you for the updates and the photos, they are vital to our ongoing investigations.

“We are aware of the ongoing issue with the Enbrook stream. We have undertaken extensive investigations and have identified a misconnected domestic property discharging in to the stream. Misconnections are reasonably common and occur when a properties drainage or an appliance is plumbed in to the rain water drains rather than the foul sewer system.

“We have been working with the local authority and the property owners to rectify the issue and work to fix the pipe is due to begin on the 20th May. If the problem in the stream continues when the misconnection is fixed we will carry out further investigations, but we are reasonably confident that we have found the problem.

“The nearby designated bathing water at Sandgate is currently at ‘Excellent’ status, the highest standard it can achieve. The Bathing water was last sampled on the 1st of May 2019 where potentially harmful bacteria was at below detectable levels.

“For more information about this bathing water and others please visit our bathing water explorer. https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/

Many thanks to the residents that reported this issue to us and provided us with the photos and videos that have helped the Environment Agency’s investigation.

if you have concerns about the water quality of the stream in future (after the works above have taken place) please do let us know, or report to the Environment Agency’s National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 (or 24hr emergency hotline number for pollution incidents – 0800 80 70 60).

Posted by Tim Prater in News
Proposed Extension of Folkestone West CPZ to include Eversley Way

Proposed Extension of Folkestone West CPZ to include Eversley Way

Below is the Proposal Notice for the inclusion of Eversley Way into the Folkestone West controlled parking zone. The Notice is scheduled to appear in the KM papers on the 10th May 2019.

Letters of support or objections to the proposed Order will need to be received by 5pm on Monday 3 June 2019 and addressed to Parking Services, Civic Centre, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2QY or by email to traffic.orders@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

In the District of Folkestone & Hythe

The Kent County Council (The District of Folkestone & Hythe)

(Folkestone West Controlled Parking Zone) (Amendment 4) Order 2019

Notice is hereby given that KENT COUNTY COUNCIL intend to make the above Order under sections 1(1), 2(1) to (3), 3(2), 4(1) and (2), 32(1), 35(1), 45, 46, 49, 53 and 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, and of all other enabling powers, and after consultation with the chief officer of police in accordance with Part III of Schedule 9 to the Act:

The Order proposes to extend the Folkestone West Controlled Parking Zone to include Eversley Way.

Between 9am and 11am Mondays – Fridays (excluding bank and public holidays), parking will be restricted to Permit Holders only.

Permits will be available to local residents and to any business or organisation with vehicle(s) essential to its operation.

An annual resident permit will cost £30, and Resident Visitors Permits will cost £5.20 per 5 parking sessions. A Business Permit will cost £60.

Waiting will be prohibited at all times in any part of the road mentioned above where parking is not allowed.

Full details are contained in the draft Order which, together with the relevant drawings, a copy of any orders which will be amended by the proposed Order, and a statement of the Council’s reasons for proposing to make the Order may be examined at The Council Offices, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone.

If you have any questions concerning the Order or require further information please contact Folkestone & Hythe District Council (Parking Services) Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, CT20 2QY

If you wish to make an objection or comment about the proposed Order, you must write to Folkestone & Hythe District Council (Traffic Orders), Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, CT20 2QY or email traffic.orders@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk. Your objection must specify the grounds on which it is made. For your objection or comments to be considered they must reach us by 5pm on Monday 3 June 2019. For legal reasons we cannot accept any objection or comment over the phone or in person.

This Notice is published by Folkestone & Hythe District Council on behalf of Kent County Council Highways and Transportation, County Hall, Maidstone, ME14 (part of Kent County Council).

eversley-way plan-1

Posted by Tim Prater in News