News

Feb

2022

South Kent Mind Fire Walk in Enbrook Park

Fancy trying something new for 2022? How about a Fire Walk in the grounds of Sandgate’s Enbrook Park in support of South Kent MIND?

South Kent Mind are hosting a fire walk at Saga’s Enbrook Park site on Saturday 5 March 2022 to raise essential funds for mental health.

UK Firewalk‘s specialist team will show you how to safely undertake a bare foot walk over red-hot embers measuring around 800 degrees. No special effects and no tricks.

The fire is very real. The embers will be glowing red-hot, with temperatures up to 650 degrees celsius. You will have bare feet, and they will not have been treated in any way.

To take part in this once in a lifetime experience, South Kent Mind require a registration fee of £30, and a target sponsorship of £100 to be raised.

It’s that simple to take part, try something new AND give back locally to support mental health.

You can book online your place by following this link. You will then receive an email confirmation.

Follow the instructions in the email to start raising sponsorship via our Just Giving page;

Confirm that you are raising money for South Kent Mind to confirm your place;

If you would like to fundraise by traditional methods, please follow the instructions in your confirmation email to receive further information.

Know that you are amazing for undertaking this challenge to help improve lives.

More information & FAQ can be found on the South Kent Mind site here.

There is an inherent risk in any activity involving fire. It is important that all participants pay attention to all the training and heed the advice and instruction of the trainer, firewatchers and spotters. Whilst UK Firewalk cannot guarantee absolute safety, proper procedure reduces the risk to the achievable minimum.

Feb

2022

Queen’s Jubilee Street Party 2022 Applications

Kent County Council have released an application form for holding a Jubilee Street Party for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

This type of Road Closure ONLY applies to the following type of event:

For residents/neighbours only
Small cul-de-sac and quiet estate roads
No selling is involved

The form is suitable for applications for road closures over the 2022 Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend. The weekend covers Thursday 2nd June, Friday 3rd June, Saturday 4th June and Sunday 5th June.

Further advice, risk assessments and insurance can be obtained from www.streetparty.org.uk

In Sandgate, the beacon by Sir John Moore’s Memorial on Sandgate Esplanade will be lit, as part of a national Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons event, on Thursday 2nd June at 9.45pm.

Sandgate Parish Council, Sandgate Society and others are also planning a seafront (Granville Parade) and beach party on Sunday 5th June. More details when we have them!

We also hope venues, pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants through Sandgate will be joining in the celebrations and making it a weekend to remember.

In addition, any street or area can hold its own street party: the more the merrier! If you are planning on doing so and need a road closure, check the rules on the form, and please consult neighbours. Forms should be completed and returned to Kent County Council (not Sandgate) by 31st March.

Application form for Queen’s Jubilee Street Party 2022 [Word Document]Download

Application-for-Street-Parties-for-Jubilee

Jan

2022

Napier Barracks Planning Consultation

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.

Parish Council Chairman, Tim Prater, commented:

“The use of Special Development Order to grant themselves planning permission for Napier Barracks for the next five years, without consultation with the community, was outrageous.

“Local people said the barracks were unsuitable from day one. we were right. Yet still the government has run roughshod over local opinion – and even planning law – to grant themselves an extension to use the site DESPITE saying it was just for a few months at the start. The Home Office have consistently ignored local and expert opinion. They should do the right thing and promise to close the camp, not plan to use it until 2026.

“Normal planning permission laws have been bypassed and therefore the vital opinions of the local community and statutory bodies have also not been taken into consideration.”

Jan

2022

Folkestone & Hythe COVID Omicron Business Grants – OHLG and ARG

This update is further to the government announcement on 21^st December 2021 about further grant funding for businesses severely affected by the COVID Omicron variant.

This has resulted in two grant schemes now available to some Folkestone & Hythe businesses – the Omicron Hospitality & Leisure Grant (OHLG) for eligible businesses within the rating system (i.e. are business rate payers) and a relaunch of the Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

The OHLG scheme is being administered by the Folkestone & Hythe Business Rates Team and the ARG scheme is being administered by the Economic Development Team at Folkestone & Hythe District Council.

Omicron Hospitality & Leisure Grant

Please see the web link below to the webpage about the Folkestone & Hythe scheme on our corporate website. This webpage provides more information about the scheme, including eligibility, application requirements and access to the application form.

Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant Scheme – Folkestone & Hythe District Council

Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grant

A further £165,000 has been made available to Folkestone & Hythe District Council by the Government for another ARG grant award to businesses that have been severely affected by the COVID Omicron variant.

As a result of the limited funding available, the eligibility criteria for an ARG award has been reviewed and only businesses meeting the following criteria will be eligible for a grant award:

The business has not received an OMLG grant.
Business income in December 2021 was reduced by at least 25%.
Monthly fixed business costs amount to at least 15% of the ARG award (i.e. where a business is eligible for £2,667 fixed costs need to be at least £400).
The business is in the Hospitality, Leisure or Accommodation (as defined in the government guidance for the OHLG scheme) sector or the supply chain for one of these sectors.
The business is a registered businesses/charities/CICs/ etc. (i.e. not sole traders) unless the applicant is sole traders that provides ‘serviced’ holiday accommodation.
The business or organisation operates or has a presence in the Folkestone & Hythe district
The business was actively trading on or since 31 December 2021 and is not in administration, insolvent or subject to a striking-off notice.
- The business has not received more financial support than is allowable under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance, the COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance and the COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance.

Businesses eligible for an ARG award will receive the following grant level accordingly:

£2,667 – where business accommodation has a rateable value under £15,000 or has under 5 FTE employees (including those furloughed) and annual turnover was under £150,000 in the 2020/21 financial year
£4,000 – where business accommodation has a rateable value between £15,001 – £51,000 or has 5 to 20 FTE employees and annual turnover was between £150,001 and £250,000 in the 2020/21 financial year
£6,000 –where business accommodation has a rateable value over £51,000 or has more than 20 FTE employees and annual turnover was greater than £250,001 in the 2020/21 financial year

Grants will be awarded to eligible businesses on a first come first served basis, due to the limited recent funds made available for this ARG scheme round.

For further information about the latest Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grants scheme and access to the online application form, please see the link at the bottom of this email.

Any application required additional supporting evidence to be emailed separately to economy@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk. Details of these requirements are set out on the webpage. Please note: an application will not be processed until the required supporting evidence has also been received.

The closing date for applications for a Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grant is 5pm Friday 11 February 2022. Any applications and supporting evidence received after this date will not be progressed.

If you have any further questions about this scheme, please contact myself or Andy Markwell (andy.markwell@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk) by email or on 01303 853287

Please see this web link to the Folkestone & Hythe ARG webpage here

Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme – Folkestone & Hythe District Council

Jan

2022

Make History – Save History with the Shorncliffe Trust

The Shorncliffe Trust are pleased to announce the launch their 2022 Fundraiser Campaign. Today’s launch date of 16th January is significant in the history of Shorncliffe being the anniversary of the death of Sir John Moore at the Battle of Corunna in 1809. Sir John is recognised as the father of the modern British Army and Shorncliffe its birthplace!

Now you can help ensure his legacy continues, alongside life stories and memories of the men and women who have called Shorncliffe their home.

In supporting the Trust’s aspirations to create a Heritage and Education Centre in the Sir John Moore Library, one of only 4 heritage buildings to remain at Shorncliffe Garrison following redevelopment to create 1200 new homes; you will help Make History and Save History!

Sir John fought his final battle at Corunna, the Trust have a battle ahead of them in raising significant funding to purchase and restore this historic and unique Grade II Listed building and benefit future generations.

If you can help to support the work of the Shorncliffe Trust, please visit the Shorncliffe Trust website to find out more or simply DONATE HERE.

You can also help spread the word and send our message to those in your email address book. Together we can save this amazing and unique building. Simply click the postcard below to share our message to your own network. (You can adapt the message to suit):

If you are in a position to be one of our delivery partners or become a major donor or sponsor enabling this project to come to fruition, then please email our Trustee for Community Engagement, Viv Kenny – email: community@shorncliffe-trust.org.uk

The Shorncliffe Trust ‘”Make History – Save History” Registered Charity Number 1152185

Jan

2022

Enbrook Stream: Pollution incidents

A number of times, but seemingly randomly, we have had reported pollution incidents in the Enbrook Stream, where the stream as it runs into Enbrook Park is discoloured and clearly has had some sort of discharge into it. The incidents are irregular, seemingly random, and have cleared quite quickly: often an hour later, there is no sign of it.

On each of those occasions we have reported the incident, with photos where we have them, to the Environment Agency. In conjunction with Southern Water they have investigated and some time ago throught they had found a source (a misconnectioned drainage pipe) and ensured a fix. However, over the Christmas period, there was another incidenct, with a resident sending us the picture above.

We of course also reported that onto the Environment Agency, who have responded (4/1/2022):

“I have forwarded the photo onto Southern Water to keep them updated with these discharge occurrences. Although random and with no obvious source, I will attempt to keep Southern Water investigating and narrowing down a source by installing cages in the surface water network and tracing the appropriate line.

“Unfortunately the Environment Agency are no longer funded to attend these incidents and investigate ourselves, so we have no choice but to keep referring these incidents to Southern Water and await their response.

“I offer apologies for the inevitable length of time it may take to come to a conclusion. But please keep sending me through evidence of these spills when they occur as I am logging them for any future enforcement options.”

If you see evidence of pollution in Enbrook Stream (its generally really easy to spot: it goes cloudy!) then please do take any pictures you can of it, and send them with the date and time the photo was taken to clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk We are working to resolve the issue, but the more evidence we have to pass to the Environment Agency / Southern Water, the better the chance they can find and fix the currently unknown cause.

Dec

2021

Winter Hardship Help for Folkestone & Hythe Residents

Residents facing financial hardship this winter can now get support from Folkestone & Hythe District Council, if they qualify.

The council has been awarded funding from Kent County Council for the Household Support Fund (HSF), which is provided by the government and runs until 31 March 2022 (subject to fund availability).

Anyone aged 16 or over and living in the district in a vulnerable household may be eligible for a payment. Vulnerable households are defined as those that are struggling to afford essential food and utility bills and have no other available support. Grants are available for families with or without children.

Other criteria for the HSF includes being in receipt of benefits (including Universal Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit), or being on a low income (such as minimum wage).

Cllr Tim Prater, Cabinet Member for Revenues, Benefits, Anti-Fraud and Corruption, said:

“With prices rising at their highest rate for almost 10 years, it is a sad fact that some in the district will struggle with their household expenses this Christmas and beyond.

“Whether it be heating and other bills, or paying for food, it is important that working with the County Council, we support them all we can through the HSF.”

Funds are limited and people are asked to apply as soon as possible. For full details of the criteria and to make an application, please visit: https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/household-support-fund

Applications for an award may be made via a self-referral or via a request from a council officer, councillor, or voluntary / community organisation.

Anyone who needs help with things such as school uniform, white goods (fridges, washing machines etc) and other household items, can contact Kent County Council directly via its Kent Support and Assistance Service, which considers these applications: www.kent.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/care-and-support/benefits/kent-support-and-assistance-service

For vulnerable residents who don’t have anyone to turn to for support, there are three hubs in the district offering services such as home meal delivery, food and medicine collection/delivery, or a chat and friendly advice: Community Hubs (COVID-19) – Folkestone & Hythe District Council (folkestone-hythe.gov.uk)

Dec

2021

You’ve Lit Up Sandgate for Christmas 2021!

Thank you to all who have decorated houses and businesses again this year, bringing added colour, sparkle and light to roads across Sandgate.

We can only offer a few prizes, despite many being worthy, and our judging panel went out on Tuesday 22nd to make the all important decisions.

From our local businesses there are a number of great window displays and decorations, but it wouldn’t be a Sandgate Christmas without The Dog House winning an award for their decorations, as they are always stunning! Joining them are Little Oaks Nursery, Sandgate on Coolinge Lane with a lovely mix of lights and other decorations. Also thanks to many of the households in Coolinge Lane which is really looking good!

Moving to the household prizes, the judges really wanted to mention Enbrook Valley where so many houses have got a stunning display: it’s our own Regent Street! However, we couldn’t not award all at 9 Highland Close an award again this year: they won a prize last year, and have upped their game again this year! And joining them with a display with EVERYTHING, from lasers to Christmas trees, snowmen, lights and even Santa waving through a window are all at 31 Alexandra Corniche: congratulations!

Judges decisions are final, and probably wrong, but that’s the way of these things!

Again, thanks to everyone who has put up lights and decorations on houses, shops, in windows, projections and more. It brings cheer at Christmas to all in Sandgate: thank you. Happy Christmas, one and all.