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News 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


Transport


chief resigns MATTHEW Balfour is the county council’s new cabinet member for Environment and Transport, fol- lowing the resignation of David Brazier (left). Mr Balfour, who represents Malling Rural East, and serves as a borough councillor for Tonbridge and Malling, had been deputy


cabinet member for environment and transport alongside Mr Bra- zier, who had been in post since May 2013.


As a chartered surveyor, Mr Bal- four has extensive experience in local government, serving as a bor- ough councillor for 16 years and a member of the borough cabinet for 10 years. He has lived in for Kent 20 years after liv- ing and work- ing in London and Scotland. Mr Balfour (right) thanked Mr Brazier for his hard work, care and con- sideration over the past 18 months.


He added: “I am fully aware of the vital role that roads, transport and the environment play in the lives of Kent’s residents and busi- nesses, and I am committed to making our hard-pressed funding go as far as possible to get the best possible deal for council taxpay- ers.”


Church plant sale


A PLANT sale will be held at the Church of St John the Baptist, Wa- teringbury, from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, May 16.


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


Call for circus animal ban


CONSERVATIVE MP Tracey Crouch is calling on David Cameron to intro- duce legislation banning the use of live animals in UK circuses ahead of the General Election. Tracey joined Animal Defenders In-


ternational to deliver a 20,000-signa- ture petition to Downing Street and called on her leader to ensure a ban, promised in 2012, is passed. The MP maintains, in spite of admis-


sions by the primeminister that he will act to outlaw the “outdated practice”, little progress has been made. She also claims a bill brought by Jim Fitzpatrick MP has been repeatedly blocked, despite having cross-party sup- port, adding: “The sight of wild animals being forced to perform in circuses is a relic fromthe past.We need this ban to protect the animals and bring Britain into line with 30 other countries around the world.”


Furniture store closes


A WEEKEND sale marked the closure of the Lincoln Furniture Warehouse in Maidstone after 16 years in St Peter’s Street, Maid- stone.


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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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.


‘Olympic’


torches stolen KENT Police is appealing for infor- mation following the theft of 10 replica Olympic torches in Ayles- ford.


The propane gas torches were re- ported stolen from outside Preston Hall, London Road, on Thursday February 5. They were in the grounds of the


drive leading up to the building and were reported missing be- tween 9pm and 10pm. An estimated 200 people were at- tending an event at Preston Hall, which is being converted into lux- ury apartments, when the incident occurred.


Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything sus- picious to come forward.


Call PC Nick Lingham on 07772 113051, quoting reference YY/2458/15. Alternatively, contact Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Weston Homes recently acquired the Grade II listed Jacobean man- sion, set in 2.5 acres of landscaped grounds, and work is now under- way on converting it into 36 luxury apartments.


Charity theft THIEVES stole two charity boxes


and equipment worth £4,000 in an overnight raid on a hair salon in West Malling High Street. Police were called after the front window of Lucas hair was smashed between midnight and 6am. Goods including 12 sets of GHD straighteners were taken as well as two collection boxes for Great Or- mond Street Hospital and the Heart of Kent Hospice.


The salon is next door to Andrew Smith jeweller which was targeted by armed robbers in August 2013.


Malling March 2015 27


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