It will be necessary to close Military Road, Sandgate from 21st May 2021 for up to 1 day.
The road will be closed at the junctions of Sandgate High Street and Enbrook Road.
The alternative route is via B2063 Military Road, B2063 North Road, B2063 West Road, Hospital Hill, A259 Seabrook Road, A259 Sandgate Esplanade and A259 Sandgate High Street.
This is to enable emergency jetting works to be carried out by Southern Water.
Sandgate beach has been named as one of country’s best beaches by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy – for the NINTH year running!
Sandgate’s award places it amongst 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.
Tim Prater, Chairman of Sandgate Parish Council, said:
“Just 132 beaches in England have won the Seaside Award this year, no other beaches in Folkestone & Hythe, and Sandgate is the only Parish Council in the country on the winners list. We have so many reasons to be proud that Sandgate Beach has won the Seaside Award for the NINTH year running.
“It’s totally a team effort. Fom the residents and businesses that play their part in keeping the beach tidy, the facilities provided by and signposted by the Parish Council and others, Councillors like Nabin Siwa and non-Councillors working as a team to apply year after year, and the support of F&HDC and Veolia for their work in collecting waste and emptying bins. it just wouldn’t happen without all of them, and it is something we should celebrate together.”
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy announced the winners of prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for 2021. 132 beaches in England have received a Seaside Award, and 76 have acheived Blue Flag status.
The international Blue Flag and the UK Seaside Awards are the quality marks for our beaches and mean those visiting them can be sure 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 OBE said: “This year, more than ever, we are going to be relying on our country’s beautiful beaches to escape for a much-needed break after all the stresses and strains of the past year.
“Whether it’s camping in Cornwall, renting a cottage in North Yorkshire or simply having a day out at the seaside in Sussex, a fantastic beach is an essential part of a holiday for so many of us.
“Last year, due to the pandemic, we did not have the opportunity to celebrate all the great award-winning beaches around the coast so this year we are delighted to have even more winners than we did in 2019, thanks to the incredible work of the teams around the country that make our beaches clean and safe for us all to enjoy.
“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 these awards.
“As we all plan our 2021 holidays much closer to home, thanks to the Blue Flag and Seaside Award those choosing to holiday at a destination with an award-winning beach can be assured it will be clean and safe and meet the highest standards for water quality and management.”
23241_Seaside-Award-Certificates_2021_A4_SPCAnother virtual community engagement meeting is being held to answer residents’ questions regarding the Home Office’s use of Napier Barracks to house temporarily those seeking asylum in the UK.
The Home Office continues to use Napier Barracks as an asylum centre despite opposition from Folkestone & Hythe District Council, local residents and asylum support groups.
Folkestone & Hythe District Council (F&HDC) is organising the online event, which will be streamed live on YouTube on Thursday 27 May at 3.30pm.
The meeting will be chaired by F&HDC Leader, Cllr David Monk. Folkestone & Hythe MP Damian Collins will be on the panel for the meeting and the leader of Kent County Council, Cllr Roger Gough. Representatives from the Home Office, Kent Police, Migrant Help and KCC Public Health have also been invited to attend.
Questions are requested ahead of the meeting and should be submitted by 5pm on Thursday 20 May via the council website folkestonehythe.gov.uk/napierbarracks/home-office or can be sent in writing to Committee Services, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, CT20 2QY.
A council spokesperson said:
“We understand that our residents may still have questions about the continued use of the barracks in Folkestone and we want to bring together the Home Office and those involved in providing support services to provide the answers to those questions.
“It may not be possible to answer every question individually so our intention is that themes raised by residents will be discussed by the panel.
“We hope that the event will reassure our residents that despite not being involved in the decision to use Napier Barracks we are prepared to organise and lead this virtual meeting to ensure that our communities are provided with the answers they are seeking.”
Enquiries may be rejected – as is standard council practice – if they are considered to be defamatory, frivolous or offensive.
Members of the public will be able to watch the meeting by visiting bit.ly/YouTubeMeetings
At the 2021 Annual Parish Council Meeting it was unanimously agreed that Sandgate Parish Council should sign the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation to those who serve. It says we will do all we can to ensure they are treated fairly and not disadvantaged in their day-to-day lives. This includes offering injured servicemen and women and bereaved families extra support where appropriate.
Sandgate Parish Council Chairman Tim Prater was delighted to sign the Covenant on behalf of the Parish on 15th May 2021.
Armed-Forces-Covenant-2021For more about the Covenant and what it means, visit www.gov.uk/government/policies/armed-forces-covenant
Have you been disadvantaged because of your service? Contact your Service Families Federation or email the Ministry of Defence Covenant Team at covenant-mailbox@mod.uk
Need help buying your first home? Visit www.gov.uk/forces-help-to-buy
Election of councillors to Kent County Council for the Cheriton, Sandgate & Hythe East division on Thursday 6 May 2021
| Candidate | Description (if any) | Number of votes cast |
|---|---|---|
| BINGHAM Paul Richard | Labour Party | 792 |
| LOVE Rory Cassian | The Conservative Party Candidate | 2143 |
| PRATER Tim | Liberal Democrats | 2122 |
| SEGAL Eric | Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts | 91 |
Turnout: 34.95%
Declaration_of_results_-_Cheriton_Sandgate_and_Hythe_EastElection of councillors to Sandgate Parish Council for the Sandgate Village ward on Thursday 6 May 2021
| Candidate | Description (if any) | Number of votes cast |
|---|---|---|
| BINGHAM Paul Richard | Independent | 206 |
| GURUNG Dhan | The Conservative Party Candidate | 398 |
| PARSONS Vicki | Independent | 442 |
Turnout: 41.62%
Declaration_of_results_-_Sandgate_Village_Ward_of_Sandgate_Parish_Council-1
From Saturday 1 May the annual seasonal dog restrictions will come into force and dogs will be banned from certain beaches across the district until 30 September. Ahead of this, Folkestone & Hythe District Council is urging dog owners to be responsible this summer and enjoy beaches considerately.
Nine stretches of beach have a summer beach ban however, with 26 miles of coastline there are plenty of other areas available for dogs and owners to enjoy. Dog-free signs are in place along the promenade to remind dog owners of the restrictions.
The beaches where a dog beach ban is in place are:
Unfortunately, Dog mess becomes a greater issue over the summer. The majority of dog owners clean up after their pets, but there is a minority who ignore the rules causing problems to other people and animals.
Dog mess can transmit the disease Toxocara Canis to humans and although the disease is rare, it can cause disability including blindness with children being particularly vulnerable.
Bins and dog bins are available along our promenades so please don’t hang dog waste bags on trees or bushes. This encourages others to do the same and is still considered littering. So remember – bag it, tie it, bin it. Failure to clean up after your dog will result in a fine upwards of £100.
A council spokesperson said, “These seasonal restrictions mean that we can keep these popular beach areas dog free for the busy summer months. We ask owners to respect these seasonal measures by enjoying other parts of the district.
“Any bin will do for dog poo so there’s really no excuse. In addition to posing a health risk, dog mess just isn’t very nice for other residents or visitors to have to experience.
“Dog mess can also affect our sea water quality too – something we all want to avoid as our family or friends enjoy the beach during the summer.”
You can find a detailed map of dog banned beaches and report dog mess by following the link – https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/environmental-protection/dogs-on-beaches
Some residents may experience a change to their bin day and/or week from Monday 10 May – while all residents could have their waste collected at a different time of day.
Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Veolia are working together to make collections more streamlined and reliable. This includes adjusting some of the routes that the waste vehicles use to make them more efficient.
These new route amendments – the first significant change to the service in a decade – will mean the service is smarter and greener.
Residents will be able to check how the changes will affect them in the waste calendar that will arrive in the post by Friday 7 May. There will be no changes to containers, or the materials that can be collected in each container.
For a reminder of what materials can be put in your recycling, waste and food bins please visit folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/recycling
Bins can be collected any time between 7am and 5pm on your collection day. So please make sure you’ve got your waste out for collection before 7am.
A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “A more efficient and sustainable service is what we’re aiming for and these route changes will help us get there.
“We want to try and make this switch as smooth as possible, that’s why we’ve sent out both a letter and a calendar to remind people about the changes.
“We appreciate that for some people potentially changing their bin collection time, day or week is a significant change and we want to thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation.”
You can also use the council’s MyAccount service to check your bin collection days. This system will show the amended collection days from 12pm on Friday 7 May. MyAccount is a free and easy-to-use service that shows council information tailored to you in one place. Find out more and sign up at www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/myaccountinfo
All costs associated with the change and the communications are being funded by Veolia. The collection changes will take affect from Monday 10 May.
More information is available online at folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/wastechanges
It is with great sadness that I write to tell you that Zoe Varian passed away on Sunday 25th April. It was her wish to be in her own bedroom and surrounded by her family and for her it was a peaceful end with Nick at her side after a short but courageous fight. After her diagnosis and treatment we were all hopeful she would beat it, she had some good months through the summer and was able to enjoy special times with her family and close friends. She remained so positive throughout.
Zoe will be so missed by the Sandgate Community, she had such a bright, and vibrant personality, she was always so welcoming and a kind and generous person.
She had been a Parish Councillor in the past, was pioneer behind the Sandgate Farmers Market, and a stallholder, we will all remember her beautiful displays of flowers and plants displayed in vintage china. She was Chairman of the Sandgate Heritage Trust, until very recently, working tirelessly to maintain this important Heritage Building.
Zoe was a member of the Sandgate Society for many years, always very active and filled the hall to capacity when she gave the ‘Greenwall Lecture’ in 2019. As a very keen historian and member of the Folkestone History Research Group, her lecture was entitled ‘The History of Romney Marsh Churches’
Zoe has so many friends not only here but from all around the world, and there will be a time, in the near future, for all who knew her to remember her at a service, a Celebration of her Life. Hopefully in the summer, Nick says, “when the sun will be on the seaside here to remind us of our beautiful missing light”
Our thoughts are with Nick, Ben, Abbi & Harry and her sister Miranda and her husband Wayne.
At peace now. Remembering you Zoe.
Melanie Chalk: Friend, Neighbour and fellow Trustee of the Sandgate Heritage Trust
An emergency scheme run by Folkestone & Hythe District Council to help those on their own and those who are vulnerable has again been recognised for providing the highest standards of customer service.
Lifeline365, which provides a range of services for use in the home and also for those working outdoors or enjoying sporting activities alone, has retained its Telecare Services Association (TSA) accreditation for the 12th year running.
The sought-after designation is only awarded to services that meet strict standards around reliability, including swift response times and 24-hour coverage.
Lifeline365 is operated for residents across the Folkestone & Hythe district as well those living in other areas of Kent and offers the service every day and night of the year. During the last 12 months, the Lifeline365 emergency team has dealt with 77,786 calls for help or assistance.
A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “The team has worked hard to achieve this accreditation. The TSA process is very thorough and looks at all areas of the Lifeline365 service.
“Those using this service and their families can feel reassured that the Lifeline365 team is standing by to offer urgent help and support when it is needed.”
Lifeline365 has a range of alarms and detectors connecting users to a live chat service with the control room in case of emergency. The most popular is the emergency button worn as a pendant or on a wrist band which gives peace of mind for the user and their family. If the button is pressed, for example following a fall, a control room operator is able to talk to the person and then alert emergency services, a GP or a family member depending on the circumstances.
Other products include Footprint, a device that works anywhere with a mobile phone signal. It pinpoints a user’s location and is aimed at lone workers and sports people such as walkers, horse riders or runners. But it can also be linked to a geographical boundary and will alert the monitoring centre if the wearer moves outside that area.
For more information, visit folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/lifeline