Speaking following the statement on schools reopening, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran said:
"Today's statement shows just how woefully underprepared the Government are to ensure every young person can return to school in September.
"Despite the very real risk of further local outbreaks of Covid 19, the Education Secretary refused to give any commitment that children will get the equipment they need to learn from home. Without them, too many will have no chance of catching up on their education and will continue to fall behind.
It has been confirmed that a proposed new crossing of Shorncliffe Road to make access from Sandgate and West Folkestone to Folkestone West Railway Station has got the go-ahead and will be built this summer. The plan went to consulation with residents earlier this year.
Following consultation, the detailed plans have been slightly amended, moving the new crossing from one side of the Shorncliffe Road junction with Audley Road to the other, so that the crossing now is opposite St George's Church.
All businesses that have had grant aid support via Folkestone and Hythe District Council in the form of the Small Business Grant (£10,000) or Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant (£10,000 - £25,000) have now received a form to complete to confirm they were eligible for the grant and that they can keepi it.
A local resident was in touch with me in March after trying, and failing, to get a replacement "residual waste" (non-recycling) bin from Folkestone & Hythe District Council after it was broken in the course of its regular collection.
That seemed wrong to me, so I took it up with the Council too. I asked, begged, argued... and lost.
I was pointed to the policy and told it didn't cover residual waste bins. I asked for them to change the policy, and that it was unfair, but was told that although they may look at in future, I essentially couldn't get a new bin for the resident now.
Some you lose.
Then last week, during a "Leaders Q&A" session on Zoom, Council Leader David Monk said the policy had changed. First I'd heard if it. And although I kept listening to other questions, even while he was still talking, I was sending an email to an officer...
And I've now had it confirmed that in the next few days, the resident who contacted me in March will get a replacement residual waste Wheely bin to replace the one broken in collection. He's quite chuffed. And so am I: the policy now makes sense.
Some you win.
So, please don't hurt your wheely bins. Look after them, and they'll look after you (well, they'll hold your rubbish, which is very close to the same thing). But from now, if your Folkestone & Hythe District Council bin - recycling or general waste - is damaged in the course of its regular collection and emptying, please do take some photos, note when it happened, and how it got broken. And then when you report it, it should be replaced. Free of charge. As it should be. Small wins. But important.
The relevent clause in the new policy Is point 7, which now says:
"Containers of the size 240 litre, 180 litre, 55 litre or 23 litre, which were supplied by the Council and are designed to be placed at the kerbside, as part of the recycling and waste collection service and which can be shown to be either damaged or lost as a result of collection operations will be replaced by the Council at no charge to the occupier."
Well done to FHDC for listening, and changing the policy for the better. It's not an earthshaking change. But it's a just one.
Why is there a consultation on changing the current CPZ restrictions now?
There were a number of requests from Radnor Cliff residents about the increasing congestion in Radnor Cliff. This was leading at weekends, and often during summer holidays too, to the road jamming, as with the road fully parked there is insufficient space for cars to get in and out and pass each other. This has led to jams, residents unable to access their homes, emergency vehicles being blocked, and even arguments in the street.
Kent County Council has agreed to waive the £190 license fee it was charging for catering business for setting up tables and chairs outside their premises. The fee will now be waived for 6 weeks. The move follows pressure from opposition councillors at County Hall and outcry from traders across the County.
Businesses in shared workspaces (such as in business centres and business incubators) that would have received a Small Business Grant or Retail Hospitality & Leisure Grant if they were individual business rate payers.
Bed & Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of Business Rates.
Holiday lets where the owner is a resident of the Folkestone and Hythe district. Where an owner has more than one property a maximum of one grant is payable per resident.
Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment and have a business address in the district.
Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.
Creative businesses based in residential or business premises with a rateable value or annual rent or annual mortgage payments below £51,000.
Retail, Leisure and Hospitality businesses that are ineligible for the SBG and RHLGF grant schemes because they were not included in the business rates register on 11 March 2020 and garages and MOT repair workshops are included in this sector. This includes businesses in this sector which are home-based, that pay council tax rather than business rates.
The closing date for applications is 9am Monday 22 June 2020.
![Layla Moran (Chris McAndrew [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)] https://pds.blog.parliament.uk/2017/07/21/mp-official-portraits-open-source-images/)](/en/image/65WpbV/600/600/layla-moran-11.png "Layla Moran (Chris McAndrew [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)] https://pds.blog.parliament.uk/2017/07/21/mp-official-portraits-open-source-images/)")
![Debit and Credit cards [Plastic money]](/en/image/61CNnG/600/600/debit-and-credit-cards-plastic-money.png "Debit and Credit cards [Plastic money]")
