This month, the Government confirmed that Kent will not be included in the fast-tracked devolution programme.
You will know from my previously newsletters, that I have opposed this proposal since it was first discussed last year. I do not want to lose Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) and all the great things it does locally for us all. For instance, we are the last authority in Kent to provide a weekly bin collection. They maintain our clean streets, provide leisure facilities, community support and activities. It is no wonder that it has previously been recognised at awards for being the best council in the country, and in response to regular resident surveys, these show high levels of satisfaction when compared to other councils.
While I support the principle of devolving more power to counties, districts, and boroughs, I strongly oppose this being used as a pretext to abolish our excellent SDC and shift power to Maidstone.
The Government is still demanding that Kent councils submit an interim proposal by 21 March on how Kent and Medway could be divided into unitary authorities, with full proposals due by 28 November. Where is the opportunity for public consultation before these drastic changes are rushed through? This is not true devolution - it is a top-down mandate designed to centralise power further.
I see no direct benefit to our area, so and as such, I will continue to stand up for SDC, its officers and our hard-working councillors.
As ever, if there are any local issues you wish to raise with me, please do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].
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Below is a snapshot of what we have been working on. If there is anything I can do to support you, please get in touch.
Following our long-fought campaign, I was delighted that this month saw contactless ticketing now up and running for passengers traveling to and from London, Sevenoaks, Bat & Ball, Otford, Shoreham, Eynsford, and Dunton Green stations. It has been great to tap in my bank card to board the train as part of my commute to and from Westminster– and I know from my emails how many of you have benefited from this more flexible and convenient way to travel. I know that there are still some limitations to be addressed, including linking contactless payments currently with discount railcards. And, I continue to press for these gaps to be resolved so that even more passengers can benefit from this system.
- It was fantastic to visit Wilmington Primary School. As well as meeting Headteacher, Mr Jack Curry and CEO of Endeavour MAT, Mr Charlie Guthrie, I loved talking to the pupils who make up the school council. The questions they asked were very impressive, and it was great to hear how engaged they are in school matters.
Dartford Family Hubs offers amazing support services to local parents, children and young people, and it was great to recently meet with the team, including Jodie Hamilton, Family Hub District Manager and Bethel Erondu, Senior Family Hub Practitioner, who kindly showed me around their facilities. I was so impressed with how much is on offer for local families, including Active Tots 0-5yrs, Adolescent Parenting for parents and teenagers, baby group drop-in and baby massage. If you, or someone you know, may benefit, please do find out more by visiting here.
- I know many of you use the Sevenoaks station car parks, so I just wanted to flag that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Cameras are now in place. This will not affect drivers temporarily stationed within the car park to drop off or pick up – however, there will be a 20-minute limit – beyond that you will be charged, so please be aware. For more details, including an FAQs section, visit here.
Following on from the recent water outage that affected most of Sevenoaks, two main concerns were expressed by residents; why were people not advised sooner, and why was there not a backup generator. I promised to raise these issues with South East Water, and I have now received their response. To view this in full, please click here. I will continue to stand up for residents and remain in close contact with South East Water about how we can avoid a repeat incident.
I was devastated to hear about the incident which occurred in Knockholt outside The Three Horseshoes Pub, and my thoughts remain with the family and friends impacted. I know our community was deeply shocked at the news. I have been in touch with the team at the pub, who are receiving huge support from the community, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the first responders from Kent Police, and Matthew Scott, Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner for all their work on this tragic case.
- Following my ongoing campaign, I spoke to Southeast Today about the unacceptable fines residents are facing following the imposition of the temporary speed restriction in late 2023 on the A20 Eastbound near Sidcup. TfL and the London Mayor need to reconsider their position on this issue, and I will not stop standing up for residents until they do.
- Finally, every weekend thousands of you play football in our local clubs. It is great not only for fitness and fun but builds teamwork and is great for socialising. However I know funding these clubs can be difficult, so I wanted to share the below link from The Football Foundation, who can help with grants to clubs whose facilities are open to the community. From goalposts, to storage, improvements to club houses, pitches and pavilions – and even mini-floodlights – the Football Foundation is there to help. So, if you know a club that could do with some additional support, please do visit their website and see how your club can benefit.
