• Kent County Council's Autumn Statement shows Conservative Austerity is set to continue
• Council Tax set to rise by another 5%, twice the rate of inflation
• Kent's Conservative Administration mulling a further £51.5 million of cuts that will hit the most vulnerable

The most vulnerable in society will suffer under a £51m raft of cuts proposed by the Tories if more money cannot be secured from Central Government, the Liberal Democrats have warned.

Community wardens, children's centres and services for pupils with special educational needs could all be in the firing line in a new round of austerity measures.

The Conservatives are also planning to charge for more council services, further disadvantaging the poorest in society, despite Tory councillors hiking council tax by almost 5%, twice the rate of inflation and the maximum allowed without a referendum.

The council tax increase is well above average pay increases, and will add £56 to the annual bill for Band D properties.

Under pressure from the Liberal Democrat opposition during the council's Autumn Statement debate, the Tories accepted a budget amendment tabled by Opposition Leader Rob Bird, calling on the Government to maintain Kent's Revenue Support Grant and protect the people of Kent from further unacceptable cuts.

Kent Trading Standards have received reports of criminals phoning residents claiming there is an issue with the drains outside their property and they say the drainage company will fix it for free.

When the criminal arrives they claim the road behind them had the blockage which was connected to their property. They say they can fix it for £1,500 to be paid in cash and they claim Kent County Council (KCC) wants the work completed.

So why did I march? I hate crowds and noise, but I felt that it would be one of the most important marches in history. It promised to be big and it was - some 670,000 people marched peacefully with some amazing banners. One of my friends and her banner made it to the Guardian - a picture of a man shooting himself in the foot, a foot with a Union Flag sock.

Guest Speaker Sir Simon Hughes former MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Saturday 27th October 2018 12.30 for 13.00

Ash Village Hall, Queens Road, Ash, Nr. Canterbury CT3 2BG

RSVP Linda Hook 01304 380787 or l.a.hook@outlook.com by 13th October

Tickets £25. Bar available.

The Government has promised that Thameslink trains will be running from Maidstone via West Malling to Central London from December 2019, following sustained pressure from Maidstone Liberal Democrats.

Today Rob Bird, County Councillor for Maidstone Central and Lib Dem Leader at Kent County Council, got official reassurance from the Department for Transport that the long-overdue services would finally start running at the end of next year.

Would you like to win a £2,000 holiday voucher, in time from Christmas?! That's just one of 30 prizes in this years Lib Dem Christmas Draw - tickets on sale NOW!

Buying Lib Dem Christmas Draw tickets online at https://libdemdraw.org.uk/folkestone-hythe not only gives you the chance to win yourself a great gift for Christmas but also raises funds for our Lib Dem campaigning here in Folkestone and Hythe too.

I passed my driving test in 2015, having steadfastly refused to learn for many years, despite commuting to Canterbury for ten years from 2002. There were several reasons I chose to learn, even though it would increase my carbon footprint at the worst possible time and might cost more some months than getting the bus.

Folkestone and Hythe Lib Dems are delighted to welcome Jason Hunter who will be giving us the scary facts, but only the facts, of Brexit and where the UK stands on 31st October.

** UPDATE: THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. **

Jason Hunter is a well known anti-Brexit campaigner on Twitter, and also one third of "Three blokes in a Pub": real people with real expertise (and fizzy beer) who discuss what Brexit will really mean, and what the current state of play is.