The Winter Shelter will be in place - although it will be delivering help through bed and breakfast spaces rather than the "rotating shelter" used in past years. The Council are committed to continue to work with partners the Rainbow Centre, Porchlight, and Serveco to identify and assist people who are rough sleeping or who are at risk of doing so.
Trudy Dean and Rob Bird have written to Roger Gough, the Leader of KCC, asking for the County Council to provide Free School Meal Vouchers during the forthcoming Christmas holidays.
The County Council stepped in at short notice to provide Free School Meal vouchers during the recent half-term. Medway Council did the same. Previously, the Government voted down an Opposition motion calling for Free School Meals to be provided during the school holidays. None of Kent & Medway's Conservative MPs supported the motion.
The KCC vouchers were provided for almost 20,000 eligible children in Kent. Sadly, close to 30,000 more children missed out, though some will have been supported by foodbanks and other local organisations.
We very much hope that KCC will provide vouchers for the Christmas holidays and many more eligible children will benefit from the scheme.
The letter sent to Roger Gough is reproduced below.
By Katharine Harvey, Chief Economic Development Officer, F&HDC in Email to Local Businesses
National Lockdown COVID Business Grants
Yesterday all local authorities met with BEIS and heard about the funding available for business support grants during the current period of national lockdown. There are two schemes which apply to the Follkestone & Hythe District and I have summarised these below:
Overnight closures of sections of Cheriton High Street and Horn Street, Cheriton, Folkestone, are planned from Saturday 21 November 2020 for up to 2 nights, from 8.00 pm through until approximately 6.00 am each night.
Cheriton High Street and Horn Street will be closed in the general vicinity of the junction where they meet each other opposite Tesco, to the actual extent indicated on site.
Kent County Council is being urged to commit to providing free school meals in all school holidays as a way of tackling not just hunger in poorer children, but also to help improve their success in learning at school.
Around 50,000 children in Kent are entitled to get free school meals, but around one in five do not claim them. These children are missing out not just on a good meal, but also on money for their school learning. A child registered to receive free school meals also benefits from a much less well known annual payment of around £1,300 per primary pupil, and over £900 per secondary pupil, known as the Pupil Premium. Paid for by Government direct to the schools, it is aimed at giving extra help with school work to children from poorer families. It can help provide computers, books or trips out which parents might not be able to afford.
Since sharing that overnight, I've had two other people tell me they have the exact same problem. This includes one person who is due to renew by tomorrow, or his permit expires. Its both happening to others, and has been for at least weeks. I also had a helpful lead on Twitter from Darren who had the same problem, but found a workaround (see below). That inspired me this morning to recheck - and I also found a workaround, which was similar to the one he just sent me. Bravo Darren!
I have had the point made to me reguarly by local residents, and made the point myself to Folkestone and Hythe Parking Services, that the RingGo system used for Resident Visitor Permits is *not* straightforward or easy to use.
However, its not always easy to find an example of WHY that is. Today though, I've been able to, and to brighten the existence of the Parking Services Manager and two Cabinet colleagues by sending them an extensive email detailing it. I know they are grateful. I can sense it.
