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downsmail.co.uk KCC sets its ‘toughest’ budget
KENT County Council has balanced the books this year, but it says the task has been its tough- est since 2010.
The £83.1m of savings for the 2015/16 budget come on top of £350m of savings already made by KCC in the previous four years. The level of savings is a result of a combination of reduced govern- ment grant and additional spending demands on services. This year’s budget reflects:
a decrease in government grants of 15% (£55.5m); an increase in the number of vul- nerable adults needing support; an increase in resources for chil- dren in care; an attempt for better value
Conservatives
choose Helen HELEN Whately (38) has been se- lected as the Conservative parlia- mentary hopeful for Faversham and Mid Kent.
Ms Whately, left, replaces Sir Hugh Robert- son, who is standing down in May after 14 years as an MP. Ms Whately, a management consultant
working in the health sector, de- feated three other females – Laura Trott, Sarah Macken and Cllr Kristy Adams – in the shortlist.
In 2010 she stood against Ed
Davey in Kingston and Surbiton, where she increased the Tory vote by 3.5%. Having worked at PwC among other firms, she helped launch the first online film service in the UK for AOL, and advised the To- ries in Opposition on media policy. David Naghi (Lib Dem), Michael Desmond (Labour), Peter Edwards- Daem (Ukip) and Tim Valentine (Greens) are also standing.
Shop needs help
VILLAGERS behind the Shop on the Green at Chart Sutton have issued an appeal for volunteers.
A spokesman for the store said the shop was frequently forced to close early because of a shortage of volun- teers.
A report in the parish magazine said: “We do not have enough vol- unteers to cover all the slots. Some mornings have even been uncovered and we are worried that we will lose trade if we continue to shut the door for any length of time.”
Anyone able to offer their help –
even for a couple of hours – is asked to leave their name and number at the shop. Training will be given.
16 Maidstone South March 2015 Furniture store to close
A TWO-day sale was due to mark the closure of the Lincoln Furni- ture Warehouse in Maidstone after 16 years in St Peter’s Street, Maidstone.
For the business in the big yellow building, whose website boasts “real staff”, a “real shop” and items in stock, promoting online shopping was not enough to keep the business open. It is understood the closure saw 17 staff, many of whom were long-serving, lose their jobs.
Cricket league Season opens
THE Mote Cricket Club open their Kent League season with a fixture at Bromley Common on May 9. The first home game is against Canterbury on Saturday, May 16, starting at noon. The Mote have signed young
Australian pace bowler Louis Cameron, who has played two first-class games for Victoria as their overseas player. The Mote is welcoming new members for the four senior sides and colts teams. Call 07725 418305 for more details. Indoor nets are now underway.
KENT’s 2nd XI will open their home cricket season at The Mote, Maidstone with a Twenty20 game against Surrey on Tuesday, May 19, starting at 11am.
A three-day 2nd XI champi- onship fixture against Surrey fol- lows at 11.30am on May 20-22. The Mote will have eight days of Kent 2nds with a three-day champi- onship against Essex on June 9-11 and a Twenty20 match on June 12.
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through commissioning services from the private and voluntary sec- tors.
The most significant savings have been achieved by changing the de- livery of adult and children’s serv- ices. Money has been invested in preventative services that avoid, wherever possible, interventions such as taking children into care and supporting independence for adults, helping them to remain in their own homes.
Further savings will be made by buying in more services from the private and voluntary sectors,
which come at a lower cost than KCC’s in-house services.
KCC says its transformation pro- gramme will also deliver further staffing efficiencies.
KCC has agreed to an increase of 1.99% for its portion of the council tax, which works out at an extra £21.33 for a band D home. KCC cabinet member for finance John Simmonds said: “There is no doubt that this is the most difficult and challenging budget that KCC has ever faced.
“Balancing the books has been tougher than ever before, but we
have made savings where we can while protecting frontline services, so that we can put extra resources where they are most needed. “I am confident that the Kent economy is beginning to see signs of recovery. But there is a long way to go if we are to cope with so many years of reduced government fund- ing and increased demand on our services.”
KCC is putting an extra £4.75m into specialist children’s services and an additional £7.2m into adult social care to meet anticipated in- creases in client numbers.
Chairman’s challenge Caravan plan
THE new chairman of the Royal British Legion in Sutton Valence has set the branch a challenge to enlist its 100th member. Mike FitzGerald, a former borough councillor and Maidstone’smayor in 2006, is keen to broaden the appeal of the branch. He said: “I took the post because
there was a reluctance by others to step up and I felt passionate about ensuring the branch has a future, es- pecially as it has some 80 mem- bers.” Mike (77) now devotes his time to
the voluntary and community sector and sits on numerous charities, in- cluding Homeless Care, of which he is chairman. He served with the
Royal Air Force during his National Service, but said: “You don’t have to have served inHMForces to join the Royal British Legion; all you need is a desire to support the legion, not just at Remem- brance time but all year round.”
Mike (pictured), who lives in Chart
Sutton and also founded theWorld Custard Pie Championship held each year in Coxheath, has organ- ised a series of events for the le- gion’s calendar, including the branch annual dinner in April.
A GYPSY has applied to live on the site of a plant nursery in Headcorn. Liza Smith, who used to live in Chart Sutton, is operating Potters Nursery in Love Lane, where she wants to site a mobile home and touring caravan for her family. She also wants to convert part of a pot- ting shed into a staff room. Her supporting statement said:
“As a valuable building with valu- able stock, someone would always have to be here for security. We live opposite a couple of houses and they can see into our property but in two years hopefully the trees and hedges will be thicker…to ensure proper screening.”
Maidstone Council will decide the planning application.
Holiday home
PLANNING permission was granted to convert a barn into a hol- iday let cottage in Headcorn Road, Grafty Green.
Maidstone Council granted plan- ning permission for the scheme at Orchard Cottage Farm on condition that no holiday let exceeds 28 con- secutive days and the property is in use for up to 112 days per year.
Road closure
YALDING Hill in Yalding will be closed from High Street to Lughorse Lane for two days from April 7. From 7.30am to 7pm, drivers should use the alternative route via the B2010 Yalding Hill, Smiths Hill, Lower Road, Teston Bridge, Teston Lane, A26 Tonbridge Road, B2015 Bow Road, Maidstone Road, B2162 Hampstead Lane, Benover Road and Yalding High Street.
Tree work
A BIRCH tree could be felled at Old Wool House, Well Street, Loose. A conservation area application to be decided by Maidstone Council, also requests work to other trees.
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