News

More households in the Folkestone & Hythe district could soon be eligible for a council tax energy rebate.

Folkestone and Hythe District Cabinet members have agreed on the criteria for a new discretionary scheme using £302,100 funding from the government.

To date, people living in properties in council tax bands A to D (and E if in receipt of Disability Band Reduction) are being given a one-off payment of £150 to help with the increasing cost of energy bills.

The Discretionary Energy Rebate Scheme means householders who fall outside this criteria as of 1 April 2022 could also get the £150 (from July at the earliest). These are:

• Those in bands E to H who are entitled to Council Tax Reduction.
• Those in bands F to H who are entitled to Disability Band Reduction.
• Those in bands E to H and who are exempt from council tax because they are students, under 18, or severely mentally impaired.
• Those who are not liable for council tax, but responsible for paying energy bills (ie, tenants in houses of multiple occupation where the owner pays the council tax, but they pay for gas and/or electricity).

In the case of the last criteria, an application will have to be made to F&HDC, but in all other categories, the £150 will be automatically made to those who pay their council tax by Direct Debit. Those who don’t pay by DD will be contacted.

If there is any money left over, F&HDC will consider making a top-up payment to all households in band A to H in receipt of Council Tax Reduction. This will be split evenly amongst these low-income households once all other payments have been made.

The £302,100 must be fully spent by 30 November 2022, or returned to the government.

Cllr Tim Prater – Cabinet Member for Revenues, Benefits, Anti-Fraud and Corruption – said: “I am pleased we are able to further support our most vulnerable residents in these difficult times; all those who are on lower incomes, but – for whatever reason – live in larger properties.

“This includes homes which have been adapted for those with disabilities, anyone who is entitled to a reduction in their council tax, and those who don’t pay council tax because they rent but pay their own fuel bills.”

Cllr David Monk – F&HDC Leader – said: “It was important that we had a largely consistent approach across the county, so before we devised the council tax energy rebate policy, we consulted with colleagues from different councils.

“All officers will be going that extra mile in the coming weeks to ensure everyone who is eligible gets their money as soon as possible.”

Anyone who is on a low income, but is not in receipt of Council Tax Reduction can find out if more support is available to them by visiting: folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/council-tax/apply-for-council-tax-reduction

Folkestone & Hythe District Council has launched the next phase of the energy rebate scheme.

The government is providing a £150 rebate to council tax payers in bands A-D (and E if in receipt of disabled persons reduction) to help with rising energy costs. This is a one-off payment and will not have to be repaid.

The payment has already been made to more than 26,000 households in Folkestone & Hythe who pay their council tax by Direct Debit, equating to nearly £4m.

Letters will be sent to those households who do not pay by Direct Debit over the next three weeks. These contain a link to an online form where householders can apply for their rebate. Anyone unable to go online is asked to call 01303 853555 and select option 2.

Householders are asked not to get in touch until after they have received their letter.

If anyone is unable to claim their £150, the money will be put against their council tax account. This can be used to reduce their usual council tax payments or it can be claimed via the existing refund process at any point in the coming months. 

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

“It’s good news more than half the eligible households in the district have already had their rebate. However, this stage of the energy rebate scheme is an important one. Some householders who do not pay by Direct Debit can be hard to reach.

“Every remaining eligible household will receive a letter in the next few weeks explaining how to claim. We would like to spread the message that they can either respond online or by making a simple phone call – all the information is in the letter.

“We will also be launching a poster campaign across the district to promote this phase of the scheme far and wide. That is in addition to the letters, our website and social media. But please: if you have friends and relatives who have had their letter but not acted on it, tell them it’s important they do so to get their rebate.”

Cllr Prater added a reminder to those without internet access not to call until they have received their letter.

For any queries about the energy rebate scheme, please email energy.rebate@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk.

You can find further information on the energy rebate scheme here: https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/energyrebate

This afternoon, Sandgate Parish Council were delighted to welcome Sandgate’s newest feature, the Imperial Cannon, to its new permanent home by the Sir John Moore Memorial.

The “Imperial” cannon is a 1790 / 1800 cannon that has for many years been resident at the Hythe Imperial.

Little is known about the history of this particular cannon. However, due to the position of the cannon and size, it may have been part of Fort Twiss rather than on a Martello Tower. Martello Tower cannons were set on platforms rather than a carriage and larger in size (24 or 32 pounders).

The cannon is likely to have been made around 1790: the markings are difficult to decipher. There is no coats of arms, arrow or other marking apart from on the trunnion and base ring.

The cannon is constructed of iron and oak. The barrel / muzzle, wheels and axles are constructed of iron and the carriage / base, of oak.

Sandgate Parish Council Chairman Tim Prater said:

“The Imperial cannon would have been exactly the sort of cannon used by Sir John Moore as he martialled the defence of the coast from Dover to Dungeness against Napoleon’s armies from 1803 onwards.

“It therefore feels fitting to place the cannon, kindly donated by the Hythe Imperial, to sit alongside the Sir John Moore Memorial on Sandgate Esplanade. It will remain on permanent, public display: please do go and have a look.

“In deference to its past, we’ve positioned it between Sir John’s Memorial and the sea. It also points at France as it would always have done!

“We’re delighted that the cannon is in place before the lighting of the nearby beacon for the Jubilee on 2nd June. Huge thanks to the Hythe Imperial for their donation of the cannon. Thanks also to Harmers and Sons for moving it for us: no easy task.”

The Sir John Moore Memorial was erected in 1909 marking the centenary of his death. There is now an annual commemoration of his life held at the memorial each January led by the Shorncliffe Trust.

The new Kent Connect to Support website will help people find accessible, easy to navigate, interactive information and advice on care and support, for them, a relative or a friend.  It can help people to look after themselves, stay independent and connect with their local community. 

The website contains useful information to help people find out:

• what sort of support they may need and what’s available near them;
• whether they are eligible for funding to help pay for adult social care;
• what happens when they, a friend, or relative leaves hospital;
• how to buy equipment to help around the home;
• what type of support care homes can offer.

It also contains a simple information finder tool if someone is unsure where to look for information and advice regarding care and support.

Visit Kent Connect to Support here

Visit the information finder tool here

Firstly, many thanks for coming to our first “in person” Parish Meeting since, unbelievably, 2019. For those that I haven’t met in person before, I’m Tim Prater, and I’ve had the honour of being the Chair of Sandgate Parish Council since May 2020. This is therefore my first Town Meeting in the Chair: please be gentle with me.

So much as happened since then its impossible in a few minutes to cover everything that has happened within the Parish, even at the speed I talk. I’d like to focus therefore on news and events from the last year, celebrating some of those achievements, and a look forward at some of the things that are planned for the coming year. Even so, this will take a while!

Sandgate Beach Seaside Award

As you will know, Sandgate beach has had the distinction of holding the Seaside Award for the quality of the beach and services available for 8 consecutive years from 2013 to 2021 – an unbroken run of 8 years. The awards for 2022 were announced last week, and as they say, all good things must come to an end.

However, I’m delighted to say, not that run, not in Sandgate, and not this year. We’re received the award for the ninth year running.

That’s thanks to the efforts of the Beach Management Committee led by Councillor Nabin Siwa who make the application, and the hard work of all those that clean, improve and make our beach a great place to be, including David and Claire at the Boat House. In 2022, this award is one of only 128 nationally, and only 21 in the South East Region. It’s a real achievement, and not one held by either Folkestone or Hythe for example, and a huge credit to Sunny Sandgate.

To ensure we keep making sure the seafront is the best possible place to be, the Parish will be having the Boathouse on Granville Parade redecorated externally over the course of the next few months, and the toilets steam cleaned within an inch of their lives. We’re proud to have brought free public toilets back to Sandgate some years ago after the District tried charging, and know they are a massively appreciated asset for beach users and visitors alike.

Library Refurbishment and KALC Award

Another big project over the coming year will be refurbishment in this library which will aim to make getting in and out easier, make the toilet public and accessible to all, improve storage and space use, and allow us to offer an even better service to an even larger group of people. The works now planned have been made possible through a District Council High Street Fund Award of almost £15,000, and Section 106 funding from the development at Shorncliffe. There will therefore be a variety of works starting soon, which although I’m sure will cause some short term disruption will lead us to having a library we are even more proud of for the future.

On the subject of our pride in the library, this remains the only community led library in Kent. Sandgate Parish actively take the lead on running and staffing the library working in agreement with Kent County Council. I couldn’t be more proud of the service they have delivered to our village and residents through not only normal times, but especially during the Covid period when Sandgate was one of the first libraries to reopen in Kent and were trying to offer whatever service we could under regulations at the time, from collection only services to deliveries and more. But its not just me that is hugely proud and grateful to our clerks, staff, volunteers and Library Committee that made, and continue to make this happen. I’m proud to present the 2022 KALC Community Award to Sandgate’s Library Volunteers, Staff and Committee.

Thank you to everyone, and this certificate will be proudly, and rightly on display in the library soon.

Jubilee

In early June, the country will be celebrating the Jubilee and Sandgate will be playing our part. I should also mention that there are a host of activities including parties on The Leas in both Folkestone and Hythe too, and maybe a few street parties locally I don’t have details of.

Our starting event in Sandgate will be the lighting of the Sandgate Beacon by the Sir John Moore Memorial at 9.45pm on Thursday June 2^nd. We have a piper and bugle player beforehand, and, if my secret plan comes off, some special guests.

The beacon has been painted and ready to go, there are new information panels in the area courtesy of the Sandgate Society, with help from me in artworking and arranging production, and from the Shorncliffe Trust in fact checking the information. And in the next couple of weeks we will be enhancing that area with a new permanent feature: the “Imperial” cannon. That’s a 1790 / 1800 cannon that has for many years been resident at the Hythe Imperial, and would have been EXACTLY the sort of cannon used by Sir John Moore as he martialled the defence of the coast from Dover to Dungeness. We thought that was a fitting addition to the area, and will be in place for the 2^nd June, transport willing!

On the afternoon Friday 3^rd there will be a party in the Golden Valley car park in front of the Golden Arrow, with plenty of families to enjoy.

Queen’s Green Canopy

A key focus of the Jubilee celebrations nationally has been the planting of the Queens Green Canopy – a huge tree planting exercise across the country. The Parish Council have been delighted to work with the Sandgate Community Garden team led by Leonie Wootton, and have plated two new orchards in Sandgate over the last few months; 12 fruit trees in both Sandgate Park and Fremantle Park. We’ll be dedicating those areas as formal “Green Canopy” orchards over the weekend by erecting plaques marking them as official sites.

Granville Parade Beach Party

And in the afternoon of Sunday 5^th June there will be a street and beach party along Granville Parade, with the Sandgate society organising some tables and seating along the front for those that want it, but all more than welcome to come along, join us there or on the beach, have a beach picnic or maybe a drink or two from our great local businesses and enjoy the music from the Rowing Club balcony.

For safety reasons, we’ve applied for a road closure of Granville Parade for the afternoon: with lots of people moving around it seems much the safest way. However there is free parking from Thursday 2^nd to Sunday 5^th by the Saga building, for which we thank them, and any resident is more than welcome to park there, all day, for free. Leaflets will be through doors soon to confirm the details to residents.

We hope everyone has a great day, and one we’ll remember for years to come.

St Paul’s Church

This year also marks an important event for Sandgate. The first “Sandgate Chapel” was built by the Earl of Darnley and consecrated on May 28th, 1822. Although that building was demolished in 1848 to make way for the present church which was completed in 1849, we are therefore days away from marking 200 years of a place of worship on that site. St Paul’s have a varied programme to celebrate, including the beautiful knitted “wall of flowers” in place at the foot of the steps leading to the Church now, to an evening with Terry Waite on 9^th June, to the 200^th anniversary service at the church on Sunday 12^th June.

Sandgate Sea and Food Festival 2022

And later this year, again for the first time since 2019 we will see the return of the 2 day Sandgate Sea and Food Festival, with a fireworks display from Granville Parade on Saturday 27^th August, and the full seafront market, bands and entertainment during the day on Sunday 28^th August. Watch this space for more information.

Sandgate Park Vandalism

On a few non-event subjects, over the last few years we’ve tried each summer to enhance the facilities at Sandgate Park by adding portaloo toilets for the use of park users during the summer. Sadly, in both 2020 and again this year the toilets have been vandalised. This year one of the toilets has been attacked, then repaired, then attacked again and broken so badly it is irreparable, causing what is effectively thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Oddly the group of people that did this didn’t notice that we had positioned the toilets under the CCTV installed there. We have recovered really good footage of the incidents, including identifiable images of those involved, which the Police will be using in their investigation of the criminal damage. We’re pleased the other toilet is still on site, and if left alone, will remain there and be serviced throughout the summer. We cannot, however, afford to replace the vandalised one this year.

CiLCA

Gaye and myself have both in the last year gained the Introduction to Local Council Administration (ILCA) qualification. This is often a first step to going on getting the much more involved Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) qualification. Gaye aiming to achieve CiLCA with the Council’s support in the next year.

Qualification with CiLCA will make Gaye not just one of the most qualified librarians in the country, but give her that status as a Parish Clerk too, and give this Council the General Power of Competence. Despite sounding like the world’s worst superpower, that gives the Parish some additional freedoms to work to improve the Parish as we see fit.

On infrastructure changes

We hope you’ve noticed the new ramp from Castle Road Car Park giving step free access to the seafront, a project we’ve been asked for and sought for years, and which we were finally able to make possible using District Council Ward grant funding from Gary Fuller and myself and the long sought help of the District Council. Similarly, a new cycle ramp should be coming soon by the steps leading from Pelham Gardens to Coolinge Lane, making it much easier to push a bike either up or down!

The Wave Wall in front of Riviera Court is complete, and really lifts the look of the centre of the village. That’s a project initiated by a bid from the Sandgate Society, funded by a District Council grant, and made to happen through support from the Parish Council: a real team effort. And even over the last two days, Kent Highways have spent some hours relevelling the slabs around the war memorial to make for a rather smoother walking surface.

This spring’s beach works are also pretty much complete. This is vital work every 6 months to protect Sandgate by reprofiling the beach to create a shape that breaks waves before they arrive at the sea wall, rather than on the sea wall. The scheme is funded by the Environment Agency, managed and made to happen by the District Council, and designed to secure the beach and keep us dry.

Thank You

Finally, Sandgate is what it is due to the groups and volunteers that give so much to our community. In no particular order, I want to acknowledge and thank all those who do so, including:

• The Sandgate Community Garden team
• The Sandgate Society
• Sandgate Heritage Trust
• The Chichester Memorial Hall team
• Second Sandgate Scouts
• St Pauls Church
• Our very own Library volunteers and staff

…and recently those who are offering much needed support for our Ukrainian guests who have arrived, and are continuing to arrive, and need help, support and somewhere to meet.

That’s it, I promise. After this meeting and the subsequent Annual Parish Council meeting there will be a little reception for all present: please join us for a glass of wine and a few snacks.

Now I’ll hand over to Sal Kenward of the Sandgate Society who is going to update on the plan for the merger of the Sandgate Society and Sandgate Heritage Trust. Tthere will be an opportunity for any resident to ask a question on anything I’ve said, anything Sal says, or any other topic.

Thank you for coming this evening.

In June St Paul’s Church Sandgate have two servings of a very entertaining programme both falling within the period of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the two hundredth anniversary of our Church.

The first is on Saturday 3rd June in St Paul’s Church between 10am and 12 noon with their four organists Richard Baulch, John Wright, John Hurd and Duncan Lord playing music on both piano and organ.

On Saturday 11th June at the same time we will be entertained by John Hurd playing the piano with Soprano Tammy File and Richard Baulch on the piano playing music from the shows.

The next performance will be held on Saturday 25th June with performers and programme TBA.