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009
ECO-FRIENDLY BUS TRIAL FOR CANTERBURY
Aldermen named Seven former councillors who have a
Honorary
combined total of more than 100 years’ service to local government between them have been made Honorary Aldermen. The move from Canterbury City Council came at a meeting of the full council last month, recognising their contribution to the community. In order to become an Honorary Alderman, former councillors needed to complete at least three full terms of offi ce or a minimum of 12 years, or at least two full terms and also served as Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor or Sheriff during those periods. Those who were made Honorary Aldermen were: Rosemary Doyle, who served fi ve terms as a councillor from 1999-2019 and was Sheriff in 2016 and Lord Mayor in 2017; Charlotte MacCaul, who served six terms as a councillor and was Sheriff in 2008; Sharron Sonnex, who served three terms as a councillor from 2007-2019.
Honours also went to Ann Taylor, who served two full terms as councillor from 2007-2015 and from 2016-2019, and was Sheriff in 2013 and Lord Mayor a year later. The list also included Heather Taylor, who served three terms as a councillor from 2006-2019 and was Sheriff in 2012 and Lord Mayor in 2013; James Walker, who served three terms as councillor from 1985- 1999 and was Deputy Lord Mayor in 1995; and Sally Waters, who served two terms as a councillor and was Lord Mayor in 2016. Colin Carmichael, Canterbury City Council chief executive, said: “Councillors are often portrayed as power-mad busy bodies who enter politics purely out of self-interest and to feather their own nest. They get an enormous amount of stick and almost constant criticism. In reality, they are people who are determined to make the district a better place and give up countless hours helping their constituents.”
Bosses at Canterbury City Council are unveiling an eco-friendly upgrade to park and ride services with a trial of an electric bus on its Sturry Road route. As the local authority explained, the single decker vehicle was in the area for a week-long test that is being carried out as a joint initiative with Kent County Council and Stagecoach South East, which operates the park and ride service on the city council’s behalf. In July, the council declared a climate change emergency and set a target to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2030. One of the key projects the council will be focusing on in the coming months as part of its work to reach this target is ensuring the buses in the
next park and ride contract, which will start in October 2020, are as environmentally-friendly as possible, within the budget that’s available. Power options that will be investigated include bio-fuel, hydrogen, electric-hybrid, fully electric and the latest diesel standard at the time the buses are ordered. The council’s head of transport
and environment, Richard Moore, said: “Having the electric bus for a demonstration allows us to assess the current position in terms of alternative fuels and understand the infrastructure needed to support such an operation. It will also give us a good insight into the range and comfort of a new fl eet from a passenger perspective.”
Authorities promise health & safety focus
Four local authorities in East Kent have pledged to maintain health and safety of tenants as a key priority, after a government regulator placed a notice against them.
Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council, Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Thanet District Council have each been issued with a Regulatory Notice by the Regulator of Social Housing.
The four councils referred themselves
to the regulator after a backlog of gas safety certifi cates and a number of other health and safety problems emerged earlier this year when East Kent Housing (EKH), which manages council housing on their behalf, received notice from its gas safety contractor that it was terminating its contract.
According to Canterbury City Council, gas safety inspections are now up-to- date across all four areas. Auditors from the East Kent Audit
Partnership recently found progress has also been made on fi xing problems with faulty emergency lighting, the carrying out of electrical safety checks, fi xing faults found in lift inspections and taking action following regular legionella risk assessments.
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