A new parking area for up to 10 cars will be created this Spring at Sandgate Park on Military Road.

Sandgate Parish Council are building the car park as a part of their programme of improvements to the Park since taking on its running a few years ago.

The new parking will be free for up to two hours for park users. It will be accessed off Military Road and use some of the existing dog run, which will be repositioned and re-fenced. The dog run will end up a little squarer but much the same size.

We were both elected to Sandgate Parish Council in 2011, and have served as Councillors, and nominally "leaders" of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups on Sandgate Parish Council ever since.

We are are both members and activists in our respective Parties, both been so for decades, and plan to remain so. We both see a strong role for Parties, especially our own Parties, in politics at District, County, National and European level, and have both served as Councillors at both District and County levels.

Sandgate Parish Council are still trying to return a £500,000 loan to the Government: but the Government doesn't want their money back!

In September the then owner of the Escarpment and Martello Towers 5 & 6 went back on his agreement to sell the area to the Parish Council on behalf of local people (selling them to a developer at a higher price instead).

Tim Prater and Gary Fuller have welcomed the rejection of plans to build 10 three storey town houses on Romney Avenue in Sandgate Valley.

Gary Fuller says:

"I'm not anti-development, but the proposals were unacceptable. The steep bank that is part of the area needs protecting as a green area and wildlife habitat. The development might make it unstable and then need to be completely stripped back. That can't be right.

The decision of seven MPs to leave Labour and set up a new grouping has left a number of other MPs in both Labour and the Conservative Parties considering their political future.

The Liberal Democrats nationally are clear. Lib Dem Leader Vince Cable commented:

"We've always been strong proponents of working across parliamentary lines. This is no exception. We're open to working with the new Independent Group and any other like-minded individuals to give the people the final say on Brexit. We'll be engaging in talks to progress on that and a wider political agenda."

After the introduction of parking charges last year on Princes Parade, local residents fear that Conservative Folkestone and Hythe District Council will push ahead with previous plans to introduce parking charges on Sandgate Esplanade.

Sandgate campaigner Tim Prater says:

"Summer parking charges on Princes Parade had a devastating effect last year.

We're delighted that we have 2 limited edition 'Dungeness Sunset' prints, kindly donated by local artist Johnny Cotter, to auction to raise funds towards our forthcoming local election campaign.

The prints will be auctioned during our Local Party Quiz night (all welcome!) at 20:30 on Friday 22nd March, at the Chichester Hall in Sandgate High Street. You can, if you wish, just attend for the auction itself.

Throughout April and into May, we'll be having regular campaign sessions leaving from Sandgate, followed by a social drink together!

Meet at the Prater Raines office at 5pm, and teams will go campaigning - canvassing, delivery and more - something for everyone!

At 7-7.30pm we'll stop and get a drink together at the Providence on Sandgate High Street. Clearly, you don't HAVE to come campaigning before we meet in the pub, but we'd really like to see you at both!