News

Kent County Council (KCC) has launched a public consultation on its Community Services which runs until 26 March 2023.

The consultation proposes changes to the way we use our buildings to deliver some of our community services. We invite your feedback on our proposals as part of this consultation.

Why are we proposing changes?

The Council has experienced big increases in costs and has less money to spend.  So we need to look ahead and do things differently to make sure we can still help residents in the years to come. Whilst ensuring effective support for residents who need our services, we need to:

• tackle the rising costs of maintaining our many buildings
• find savings, so we can balance the budget
• reduce our carbon footprint to meet our Net-Zero ambitions.

What services are included in the proposals?

Children’s Centres and Youth Hubs, Public Health Services for Children and Families, Community Services for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Community Learning and Skills, and Gateways.

What are we proposing?

• Having fewer permanent buildings, meaning that some of our buildings would close – we want to keep buildings in areas where they are needed the most
• co-locating more of our services, meaning more than one service would be available from some of the buildings you might visit
• continuing to deliver some services by outreach, which means they do not take place in a dedicated or permanent space, but move around to when and where they are needed
• ensuring residents can continue to access services and information online.

Our proposals have been designed by considering where there is greatest need for our services.

Find out more and share your views

Please visit www.kent.gov.uk/communityservicesconsultation to view the consultation document, design handbooks, a video summarising the proposals, and the Equality Impact Assessments. You can respond via the online questionnaire (or download the Word version). You can also join us at a drop-in event where you can ask any questions you may have. Details of the drop-in sessions can be found on our website. If you have any queries, please contact communityservicesfeedback@kent.gov.uk.

Many train users locally have raised concerns about the recent Southeastern timetable change. This seemed to mean railcards (like Network Railcards) could no longer be used as before on the post peak trains to London, as the departure time from Folkestone Central and Folkestone West has changed from after 10 am to just before.

This was raised at the White Cliffs Community Rail Partnership meeting with Southeastern on 31st January. The response is below, and the good news is that you CAN use their Network Railcard on the 9.55/9.58 train. However, users need to purchase their ticket at the ticket office or purchase a ticket for the next train (but then travel on the 9.55/9.58) to get the discount applied.

“Special easement for 09.55/09.58 from Folkestone Central/West

“The 09.55 service from Folkestone Central – St Pancras International (09.58 from Folkestone West) had a Super Off-Peak easement added from 11th December due to the timetable changes; previously the train departed at 10.00 / 10.02.

“Network Railcard discounts were not able to be included, but have now been agreed as a special easement  for Folkestone; however this will not be reflected in Journey Planner software or online when purchasing. Ticket Office staff can issue tickets for this service with the Network Railcard discount; online purchases (and TVMs) will rely on passengers selecting a later service for travel, but then using the 09.55/09.58 departure.

“We appreciate this may cause confusion for some passengers, but is the only option we can currently offer without refusing the Network Railcards discount entirely.”

Background: Kent County Council (KCC) manages the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (often also referred to as Older People’s Bus Passes) for Kent residents on behalf of central government. There are currently approximately 250,000 ENCTS pass-holders in Kent, who qualify either on the basis of age or disability.

Passes are issued for five years with an expiry date at the end of March, regardless of which month in the year the pass was originally issued. As a legacy of the commencement of the scheme, every five years there is a significant peak in renewals.

2023 renewals

In March 2023 there are 140,000 passes that reach their natural expiry.

The approach KCC takes is ‘Intelligent Auto-Renewals’ i.e. not asking all pass holders re-apply but re-issuing a pass automatically if it has been used in the year before expiry. 

Where passes have not been used, we write to the pass holder offering them the opportunity to renew their pass through a simple online or free post process. 

Passholders who qualify on grounds of disability are asked to re-evidence their entitlement. This is because some passes are issued on the grounds of temporary disability. However, we are updating the process after this renewal so that those with permanent disabilities will not need to do this again once they have re-evidenced this time.

In all cases we will contact passholders directly either with their new pass or with instructions on how to renew. Passholders do not need to do anything prior to receiving their new pass or letter unless they have moved since they received their existing pass. In this case, they need to let us know their new address. Details of how to do this can be found at www.kent.gov.uk/buspass.

The scheme is a statutory scheme which gives eligible passholders access to services across the UK, not just in Kent.  As such, the issue of a pass does not take account of changes to local bus services.

Process and timelines

Letters for those whose pass will not automatically renew will be sent in late January and February.

Bus Passes will be sent out in batches by District in February and early March.

Passholders do not need to contact us unless they have moved since they received their existing pass. Details of how to let us know they have moved can be found at www.kent.gov.uk/buspass.

Older person passes used within the previous year:

Automatically renewed – the pass will be sent by post.

Older person passes not used within the previous year:

Passholders will be sent a letter inviting them to renew and giving them a choice of doing so online or by free post.

Disabled person’s passes:

All disabled person passholders with March 2023 expiry will be sent a letter inviting them to renew and giving them a choice of doing so via online or free post.

The approach adopted is well established, understood and well-rehearsed between ourselves and our delivery partners and as such no operational issues are expected.

More information and contact details

For more information about renewals please contact jean.molloy@kent.gov.uk or see the ENCTS web page at www.kent.gov.uk/buspass.

Over the weekend our Chairman Tim Prater picked up on letters going out in the Enbrook Valley area to some houses regarding misconnections to the sewer, and requiring alterations.

We’ve been in touch with Southern Water this morning to get a clearer picture of the issue. Below is the information we have to date. We’re asking for more information from them, but thought it helpful to post what we have right now:

“Thank you for taking the time to get in touch this morning. I can fully appreciate any concern, the discovery of misconnections on Brambley Crescent has caused the residents affected.

“The Kent misconnections team have been surveying the Enbrook Valley catchment for 12 months now, finding 27 properties with misconnected pipework and 71 individual facilities that all connect to the surface water sewer which then outfalls into the Enbrook Stream.

“Misconnections are a problem across the Southern Water region and the UK. They can occur when moving facilities around the house, for instance when moving a washing machine into a utility room or garage. If correct checks are not done, the surface water drain can be mistaken for the foul sewer.

“Building an extensions could result in a misconnection if a builder doesn’t check the layout of the drains properly. However, in some cases the property has always been misconnected and the homeowner unknowingly inherited the issue when they first took over the property.

“The team that have been proactively surveying the area are David Booth & Darko Zlatarek. David, Darko and I are contactable Monday to Friday, should you or the homeowners have any questions or need support. We can arrange visits to demonstrate the issue or meet contractors when attending to scope the work needed to address the problem.

“I would encourage each property owner to make enquiries with multiple, trusted local contractors to acquire quotes. Then keep David, Darko or myself updated. I appreciate that it’s a less than ideal time to be told about a problem of this nature, so we are flexible in the time needed to rectify the issue. All that I ask is that we are kept updated with the progress being made.

“I completely understand that this news has come as a shock. Nobody knowingly wants to cause an issue like this to the local environment.

“Please get in touch if you have any questions or I / we can assist in anyway.

“Kind regards

“Rob Butson

“Misconnection Team Manager”

We understand the letters sent to residents have the contact details for Rob / David / Darko. Those affected are encouraged to contact them as soon as possible.

As we approach Christmas, I just wanted to wish you all the best for a Happy Christmas and the New Year.

Despite the obvious and ongoing challenges, we will have seen Sandgate Library completely refurbished this year. The works have been funded from external grants, and made it much more welcoming and accessible to all (indeed, it’s a “Warm Welcome Space” https://www.warmwelcome.uk/ so good we’re even on the map twice!).

We’ve celebrated the Jubilee, planted two new orchards that will develop and grow over coming years, enjoyed a great Sea Festival, commemorated the death of the Queen and remembered her service to our country.

Sandgate has retained our Seaside Award status, and welcomed Ukrainian refugees in venues across the village.

It’s also great to see other organisations in the village thriving. The Chichester Hall continues to invest in refurbishment and renewal. The Sandgate Society and Sandgate Heritage Trust merger is almost complete. St Pauls Church celebrated its 200th anniversary with a huge range of events. The Sandgate Community Garden work on a seemingly ever increasing number of projects. And 2^nd Sandgate Scouts are growing and doing well, with their HQ on The Undercliffe looking better than for years.

Thank you to everyone involved in any way locally with making Sandgate what it is.

It’s been a privilege to work with you, and to have chaired the Parish since 2020. I hope you get a great break – wherever you are – and look forward to seeing you around the village over the holiday or in 2023.

Happy Christmas.

Tim

Tim Prater
Chairman, Sandgate Parish Council

The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections. This new requirement will apply for the first time in England at the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023.

We know that some groups are more likely to experience barriers in preparing for this change and may need support to access photo ID. Anyone who does not have an existing form of accepted photo ID will be able to apply for a free voter ID document, which is known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

This guide is for staff and volunteers working at local authorities and charities in England who want to support those they work with to understand the change. It includes information on:

• Registering to vote
• Which forms of photo ID will be accepted
• Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate
• What voters can expect at the polling station
• Other ways to vote

Visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call 0800 328 0280 for more information.