Your District Today Summer 2021

TODAY

YOUR DISTRICT

SUMMER 2021

TEE-RIFIC TIMES AHEAD: East Cliff Sports re-opens page 13

SHOP LOCAL SAFELY page 10

SUMMER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY page 12-13

BEE-ING CARING FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT page 19

Lifeline365 devices trigger alerts through home-based and Global Positioning System (GPS).

When you are in need of help at home or away, simply press the button on your wrist band or pendant, and you’ll be connected within seconds to our control room 24/7.

Footprint Alarm (GPS-enabled)

£5.33pw

Lifeline Alarm Unit

£3.58pw For further information contact our friendly team on 01303 242615 or send an email to lifeline365@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk or visit Folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/lifeline365

Your District Today is produced twice a year and is distributed to more than 50,000 households and businesses in the district. This magazine does not include loose inserts – any found inside have been placed there without the authority of Folkestone & Hythe District Council.

Your District Today is printed on recycled paper.

Editorial:

Katie Ainscough,Jane Walker, Dean Kilpatrick and James Dartnall

Design:

Pillory Barn

Printed by:

Cliffe Enterprises Ltd

Advertising:

folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/ districttoday

Contact:

communications@ folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

Follow us on social media for our latest updates: Facebook: Twitter:

/FolkestoneandHytheDC @fstonehythedc

Instagram: @folkestonehythedc LinkedIn: Cover photograph:

Folkestone and Hythe District Council Putting in some practice at Folkestone's East Cliff Sports is Leader of Folkestone & Hythe District Council, Councillor David Monk.

See what's happening in our district on page13.

Leader's foreword In my previous editorial for Your District Today, I wrote that I looked forward to a return to normality in the new year – well, we are nearly there!

In the last issue of Your District Today, I said what a great team of officers we have at the council - it turns out that they like working with us too!

In a survey conducted by Best Companies, an amazing 82% of our staff said that they were proud to work with us. This helped us achieve 57th place in the 2021 list of the best companies to work for in the South East, and makes us the fourth not-for-profitbody to work for in the UK.

I am sure I am speaking on behalf of us all when I say that I am thrilled with this. As a council, we are doing all we can to facilitate the reopening of our social and business lives.

I believe that this satisfaction is reflected in the high standard of service we provide, along with a can-do attitude. This proactive attitude is something that is mirrored in our projects; one example is our recent acquisition of the old gasworks site in Ship Street, Folkestone. I look forward to the exciting plan for its redevelopment, in collaboration with Creative Folkestone.

Our district has become a go-to destination for thousands of people, which, in the main, is great for our economy. However, there is a downside to this and sadly, it is a growing problem: litter.

Creative Folkestone is also helping aid our economic recovery by extending Folkestone Triennial from July to November this year, which is something for us all to look forward to and which you can find out more about on pages 12 and 13. Have a pleasant summer and enjoy boosting your vitamin D!

No matter how many more bins we provide, we still cannot accommodate the amount of litter that is left. You will see that we have launched a new campaign and this will be popping up on social media and on signage around the district.

You can find out more about the campaign on page 10, but to sum up, please help us to encourage others to take home their litter and recycle it.

Councillor David Monk, Leader of the Council

In this edition 4 Creating Tomorrow

Together

Find out our priorities until 2030 across the district

6 Don't be rubbish

Our campaign to get litter taken home

The easiest ways to contact us

plan for Folkestone Town Centre Find out how future plans for the town are shaping up

20-21 Bright horizons for

the Romney Marsh The new business hub set to boost the economy

7 Ringing the

changes

18 Creating a place

22-23 Keeping you safe

The latest community safety news

8-9 Otterpool Park

designs take shape Plans for phase one revealed

and lots more... folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

3

The time is right for Ship Street

Creating Tomorrow Together Our vision for the district over the next nine years has been set out in a new corporate plan.

Creating Tomorrow Together – is a 34-page document setting out the over-arching principles and service ambitions up until 2030 and identifies the main priorities and themes of the council.

These include a vibrant economy, quality homes and infrastructure, a greener Folkestone & Hythe, and effective working with partners.

The name of the plan was inspired by the excellent relationships and networks which the council already has – and will continue to build on, as well as our key role in the district’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic over the next three years.

F&HDC Leader, Cllr David Monk said: “We want to focus our resources on what matters to our residents, investors and visitors. We look to the future with optimism.

“Creating Tomorrow Together recognises the excellent services, strength in partnerships and resilience in our communities that exists – and how we can build on that strong platform to create a welcoming, safe and distinctive district.”

The large plot, a former gas works, has been an eye- sore since it was left derelict in 1956. For years there has been no private interest in redeveloping the site, so we’ve intervened to buy it and plan to attract additional investment to deliver the project.

A draft version of the plan was subject to an extensive and wide-ranging consultation, with nearly 550 residents and key stakeholders responding. A number of changes were made as a result of this feedback.

It will be reviewed again in 2024 to ensure it remains appropriate for the district. To read the whole document, visit folkestonehythe.gov.uk/creatingtomorrowtogether

Sustainable Recovery

The proposals for the site include more than 100 new mixed tenure homes, including affordable properties to help meet the needs of local people.

Together: Our ow pla orr n2 m To

P comositive lead munit ersh y ip

Our service ambitions

Cre ati ng

We will be working in partnership with Creative Folkestone on the project and there will be a strong focus on design, sustainability and art in public spaces. The location of the site links the town centre, Folkestone Central station and the harbour area so, an attractive walking experience for residents and visitors will be a key part of the scheme.

0 03 1-2 02

es & om y h cture t i l a Qu rastru inf Working Effectively with Partners Continuous Improvement

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g rivin A th ment on envir

Cabinet member for Special Projects, Cllr David Godfrey said: “This purchase has been a long time in the making and we are delighted that we will bring this brownfield site back into use for the wider benefit of Folkestone. We are excited to transform this unsightly plot into a truly great development.”

Locally Distinctive

A vi eco brant nom y

A major facelift lies ahead for the Ship Street site in Folkestone after we bought the plot as part of regeneration plans.

Greener Folkestone & Hythe

Transparent, Stable, Accountable & Accessible

Leisure facilities fit for the future The district’s long-awaited new leisure centre and accessible open spaces at Princes Parade in Hythe continues to move closer to reality.

Preparatory work has been taking place at the former municipal waste tip for the past couple of months – this will create a better environment for certain species of wildlife in the long-term, and also provide more information about the make-up of the site.

This follows the appointment of BAM Construction to deliver the new leisure centre and promenade, as well as the infrastructure works required to facilitate this and the residential developments.

Cllr David Monk, F&HDC Leader, said: “We think the residents deserve a new swimming pool and leisure facilities fit for the 21st century.

“This development makes use of an underused site at a sustainable location for the benefit of the whole community.

“I’m delighted that this project is finally becoming a reality – following robust testing in the courts – and I look forward to watching this community asset take shape.”

The new leisure centre will consist of a 25m swimming pool, teaching pool, spectator seating, studios and a gym. The development also includes quality homes to meet local needs, new accessible open spaces, and better access to the canal and beach.

Construction work is expected to start during the first quarter of 2022. For more information about the project, visit folkestonehythe.gov.uk/princesparade

District leisure centres awarded £90k funding Following a successful bid by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, the Marsh Academy Sports Centre in New Romney and Three Hills Sports Park in Folkestone have both been awarded much-needed financial support totalling £90,000 from the government’s National Leisure Recovery Fund.

The government has provided £100 million to 266 local authorities across England, with the process managed by Sport England. The National Leisure Recovery Fund is designed to give the leisure sector the best chance of recovery in the medium-to long -term, by supporting with the reopening of publicly owned facilities as well as being used to rebuild their customer base.

Cllr Jenny Hollingsbee, F&HDC Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities said: “We are extremely pleased to receive this money to help support these two leisure centres. The grant will go a long way to help with their recovery and will allow them to provide the best possible choice of COVID-secure activities that residents can enjoy once again”.

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5

Don't be rubbish

DON’T BE RUBBISH!

With more than 26 miles of coastline and creative charm in spades, it’s no wonder that so many people come to enjoy our district.

USE A BIN #TAKEITH OR OME

Sadly, with an increase in people there seems to always be an increase in littering too – that’s why this summer we’re asking people to use a bin or #TakeItHome Litter spoils the environment for everyone. If you're littering, please ask yourself if you care about others or the planet.

Is there really an excuse?

Litter spoils our env ironment for eve ryone.

Let’s keep Folkesto ne & Hythe extraor dinary.

Find out more at folkestone-hythe.g ov.uk/litter

We’ve installed more bins than ever across the district to meet extra demand. If a bin is full, please find the next one or take your rubbish home.

dont-be-rubbish-a3-v2.ind

d 1

F&HDC Leader Cllr David Monk said: “It costs all of us when people litter – not only as an eyesore or for health reasons but also costing taxpayers' money. We know the majority of people don’t litter and we want to thank these responsible people who have pride in where they live and want to keep it clean.”

19/05/2021 09:45

You can report a street that needs cleaning at folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/street-cleaning

MAKE THE COUNTRYSIDE

YOUR HOME Two bedroom houses now available in Stelling Minnis for shared ownership

YOUR LEGAL FEES

PAID!

*

Peaceful countryside setting

Fully-fitted Symphony kitchen with integrated appliances included

Spacious rear gardens

Quality flooring throughout

Arrange your viewing on

07540 749 880

moathomes.co.uk/ashmere-fields

* Up to the value of £1500. Other terms and conditions apply – see moathomes.co.uk. April 2021.

Ringing the changes to meet demand We’ve all been talking to each other differently in the past year – whether that’s a family quiz on Zoom, a Skype business call, or a friendly catch-up on FaceTime.

And it’s been the same for us too, with more than 10,000 people having already signed up for MyAccount since it launched last August.

MyAccount is an online platform where registered users can easily see council information and transactions relevant to them all in one place.

More residents are taking advantage of the 24/7 service to find out about their bin collections, council tax and housing benefit – as well as make payments and submit applications for parking permits.

Many other services are also available.

With this shift in the way people are contacting us, we've altered how our contact centre works to help improve it for those who are unable to use or access MyAccount.

The new opening hours of 10am-4pm (telephone lines) and 10am-5pm (web chat service) on weekdays reflect the times we receive the vast majority of calls and enquiries.

This new way of working came into effect on 1 June. The emergency out-of-hours phone line for emergencies (incidents such as a threat to health and safety) will not be affected by the changes.

Cabinet member for Transformation Cllr Ray Field said: “The changes will enable the customer services team to focus on enhancing and improving the service to our residents during peak periods.”

For more details about MyAccount and to register, visit folkestone-hythe. gov.uk/myaccountinfo

Designs for phase one at Otterpool Park take shape Initial designs for the first phase at Otterpool Park were revealed at two virtual public consultation events in the spring and can be viewed online on the Otterpool Park website.

Phase one focuses on the town centre, and

Following the consultation, the public were given

six weeks to submit their feedback. This feedback will be used to shape the final designs, which

support the outline planning application that was submitted in February 2019.

includes the first homes, workspaces and

F&HDC Leader, Cllr David Monk said: “The town

and heritage of the site have driven its design,

and it’s good to see the plans progressing at pace.

Westenhanger Castle.

with its own unique culture and identity as part

community facilities. The natural landscape

centre will be the heart of the new community

which features a new public park surrounding

Phase one will be a place to live, work and play,

The town centre will have a town square

overlooking the lake, with views across to the castle, and easy walking distance to

Westenhanger Station. This first phase aims to shift perceptions about how we travel, with

streets and spaces designed to encourage

walking, cycling and public transport over use

of the private car. Mobility hubs will offer electric vehicle charging points, delivery collection points and car clubs alongside bus stops.

of this exciting new Garden Town.”

Find out more about plans for phase one at: www.otterpoolpark.org

What’s in phase one?

Spotlight on Westenhanger Castle Park The rich and varied history of Westenhanger Castle and its setting has provided the starting point for the concept design of Westenhanger Castle Park, by local landscape architect Mark Hanton.

The castle has origins back to the 13th century and is classified as a scheduled ancient monument. Historically, it was

NEW CASTLE PARK

TOWN CENTRE

WESTENHANGER STATION

1,900 HOMES

SHOPS

WORKSPACES

WALKING AND CYCLING ROUTES

TWO PRIMARY SCHOOLS

PLAY FACILITIES

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

surrounded by a deer park, Tudor gardens and orchards.

Plans for phase one include creating a castle park that will be

the green heart of the community. This vibrant new public space will respect the heritage and memories of the past and offers previously inaccessible views to the castle.

The park will be approached via tree-lined avenues and a new bridge across the castle moat will lead to a walled garden. It is

Phase one vision

and schools for activities such as gardening clubs. The original

The vision for phase one is a town centre that:

hoped that this will become a space used by the community causeway leading to the castle will be reinstated, with a

boardwalk crossing wetlands which will be protected for their ecological habitat.

The park will have open spaces for events, relaxing and playing, with a castle-themed play area included in the plans. Other

leisure facilities include a cricket pitch and pavilion, as well as activities on the former racecourse lake, including fishing.

• I s the civic and community focus of the town • I s a mixed-use environment • Is high accessible

• I ntegrates art, culture and creativity

•H as a unique identity that will become known as a place to live, work and play.

Supporting safety on our high streets Over recent months, a package of safety measures has been rolled out to support safety and build confidence in using the district’s high streets during the pandemic.

We accessed £100k of European Regional Development Funds to support the delivery of safe high streets and commercial areas.

As we begin in to ease out of restrictions these assets have been refreshed to ensure they are as relating and informative as possible to adapt to the ever-changing situation.

They include signage, footfall monitoring, enhanced cleansing , and information and advice for local retailers. The measures are under continual review.

Find out the latest rules at gov.uk, and download the NHS Test and Trace app.

Boosting our High Streets More than £470,000 of funding has been awarded to support 33 local businesses and organisations from our High Streets Fund. All types of applications that will drive the regeneration of town centres and high streets are considered.

Escape artists

Folkestone’s newest escape room – the Leas Lift Lockout - has done just that by bringing a previously empty unit on Sandgate Road back into use. The escape room will raise money for the Leas Lift and has been supported by donations and a £45k grant from our High Streets fund. For more information and to book, visit leasliftlockout.co.uk

Rooting for success

New restaurant Root has received £2,560 from the High Streets Fund to meet 50% of their project costs. d. The vegan and vegetarian café and shop opened earlier this year and brings back into use a previously empty unit on Hythe High Street. For more information visit roothythe.com

Square meal

Folkestone Food Market is a new artisan food hall in the basement below Market Square in Rendezvous Street. The space was derelict before owner Ben Cuthbert transformed it after receiving £33k of funding from the High Street Fund.

The venture has created five new jobs. The market is open daily from 10am – 5pm and has a deli and bakery, as well as stocking a range of locally-sourced produce.

For more information visit landb-restaurants.co.uk F&HDC Cabinet member for the District Economy Cllr David Wimble said: “This fund is about encouraging businesses to take that leap of faith and bring something extra to support the economy of high streets across the district. I’m delighted at the number of businesses we’ve been able to help so far and I look forward to seeing what future applications have to offer.”

To find out more about the High Street Fund and see if a project is eligible for funding, please visit folkestone.works/ funding-and-support/folkestone-hythe-high-streets-fund

Amazing hubs and volunteers reap national praise The speed with which community hubs were set up to help Folkestone & Hythe residents during the COVID pandemic has been recognised for a national award.

Working with three local organisations, Folkestone & Hythe District Council hit the ground running when the pandemic threatened to take hold and hundreds of volunteers were recruited to provide a vital lifeline to the many told to shield.

Coordinated through Romney Marsh Day Centre, Age UK Hythe and Lyminge, and Folkestone’s Three Hills Sports Park, the volunteers since March 2020 have dealt with more than 80,000 requests for help. These included delivering shopping, collecting prescriptions, providing hot meals and making welfare check calls.

The council entered the community focus category in the annual iESE Public Sector Transformation awards which recognised an initiative that does most to reinvigorate the local community by creating greater resilience, better life chances and less dependency on public services and were presented with a certificate of excellence.

F&HDC Cabinet member for Communities CllrJenny Hollingsbee said: “The hubs have been a truly magnificent response to help our residents during the pandemic".

Set up as a response to COVID, the community hub approach will continue as a key part of council provision to improve the health and wellbeing of the district’s residents. New programmes of activity will be developed by working with key stakeholders in the district.

Already the hub volunteers have provided valuable assistance in helping to get the NHS vaccination programme up and running in the district and helping vulnerable people who suffered extreme hardship through the winter months.

A year in the job – F&HDC Cllr Peter Gane has volunteered at the Folkestone Community Hub since it first opened its doors.

He is pictured with Three Hills Sports Centre Manager, Nick Shaw.

"With funding provided by the council they set up so quickly and since March 2020, with the amazing team of volunteers, have really demonstrated their versatility in meeting the challenges that COVID has thrown at us".

“I am absolutely delighted that the response has been recognised for this certificate of excellence and also that the hubs will continue to play a key part in supporting the council to help our residents going forward.”

Bringing winter warmth to our residents The district’s community hubs took on a vital role during the winter months in helping to distribute the government’s COVID Winter Grant Scheme to residents in need.

We received a £75,000 share of the grant aimed at helping with utility bills and buying food.

Requests for assistance were channelled through local organisations and the community hubs.

Those who were helped included: •A family living in one room because they could not afford to heat the rest of their home after a heating system became faulty.

•A n elderly lady whose lights in her home kept going out.

With no nearby family to help, an electrician was organised and the lighting system repaired.

•A man who lost income after he was unable to work away from home due to COVID, was helped with his higher-than -usual heating costs.

The Winter Grant Scheme ended in April 2021.

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11

Here comes the sun

Rana Begum, No.1054 Arpeggio, commissioned for Creative Folkestone Triennial 2021 in partnership with Folkestone & Hythe District Council. Photo by @thierry_bal

Prefer a quieter spot?

A great art to the summer

Like any popular destination, our district can get very busy in the summer. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to do if you enjoy a slower pace of life.

We’re excited that the fifth edition of the Folkestone Triennial will run from 22 July and 2 November this year.

We’ve got 26 miles of coastline – and even more beauty spots inland – so why not consider heading somewhere a bit off the beaten track?

It will be no less enjoyable, believe us.

Creative Folkestone has commissioned internationally-acclaimed artists to produce 20 site-specific artworks around the town for the programme, entitled The Plot.

Alastair Upton, Creative Folkestone chief executive, said: “After a year’s delay, and all that has happened in that time, we are delighted to present the return of the Folkestone Triennial this summer.”

Our newly refurbished and eye-catching beach huts feature in the art exhibition after we teamed up with Creative Folkestone and celebrated artist Rana Begum.

The Creative Folkestone Triennial is the largest exhibition of newlycommissioned work presented in the UK, with the world’s talents invited to use the town’s public spaces as their gallery.

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For more information, visit creativefolkestone.org.uk/ folkestone-triennial Photo from Creative Folkestone

Enjoying summer safely Naturally, the number one rule this summer is to have a great time, especially after the sacrifices we’ve all had to make in the past year.

But it’s very important we do this safely. If we’ve learned anything from the last year, it’s that we all have a role in looking after our family, friends and neighbours. Our community and district matters, so please: • Stick to the latest COVID-19 guidance: it’s vital to adhere to the rules. Remember to keep your distance and continue to wash your hands regularly.

• Don’t litter: either place your rubbish in the nearest empty bin or take it home with you. Don’t leave bags next to bins for the seagulls to rip open. It doesn't have to be empty, just have space to put the rubbish!

• Be considerate: hot weather and busy surroundings can make people irritable and less patient. Please be kind to fellow residents and visitors.

• Respect the sun: dress sensibly and make sure you apply sunscreen. rink plenty of water and remember to consume alcohol responsibly.

Smashing it this summer Even if you don't fancy trying to emulate Serena Williams or Rory Mcllroy, East Cliff Sports is a great place to have some fun surrounded by amazing views.

It is home to eight lawn tennis courts, an 18-hole pitch and putt course, an 18-hole putting green, and a six-lane bowling green.

You don’t need to book in advance – simply visit the facilities at Wear Bay Road (CT19 6PY) and buy a ticket from the kiosk.

Then you’re good to go!

Elsewhere in the district, Hythe Swimming Pool in South Road (CT20 6AR) is perfect for those wanting to improve their fitness in the water.

Please visit our website or call 01303 269177 for the latest timetable as it is likely to change as we progress through the roadmap out of lockdown.

Procedures are in place to keep you and our staff safe at both sites. Visit folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/sports-andleisure for more details.

Things to look forward to We’re loving the sight of events re-entering our diaries – while the below isn’t a comprehensive list, it gives a glimpse of some of the good times ahead of us.

With the ongoing situation, all arrangements are subject to change and restrictions. Please contact organisers directly for the latest information.

8 - 18July

JAM ON THE MARSH

16- 18July

HYTHE FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL

17July

FOLKESTONE PRIDE

22July - 2Nov

FOLKESTONE TRIENNIAL

31July

CHARIVARI DAY

4Jul - 29Aug

FOLKESTONE BANDSTAND CONCERT PROGRAMME

14- 15Aug

FOLKESTONE DONKEY DERBY

29Aug

SANDGATE SEA FESTIVAL

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13

New Park & Ride for Folkestone We’ve been piloting a park and ride service in Folkestone this summer to ease congestion around the harbour area.

The service – operated by Stagecoach – runs from the Motis Business Centre in Cheriton (CT19 4 QJ).

Customers can enjoy hassle free parking paying just £5 per car to park all day.

Shuttle buses run every 30 minutes between 9am and 6pm to Folkestone Harbour via Folkestone Central Station. The service will continue to operate every weekend until October ramping up to be daily for the peak summer period between 19 July to 31 August.

Setting up a park and ride service is just one of the many things that we’ve done to help ease the impact of increased visitor numbers this summer. Following on from successful interventions last summer barbeques at the Coastal Park remain banned and the Coastal Park car park will continue to close at 8pm to discourage anti-social behaviour.

Other actions include putting out more bins than ever, encouraging people to take their litter home and stepping up the number of environmental enforcement officers on patrol.

This park and ride service is a pilot to assess demand and help alleviate parking congestion in the harbour area during the summer months. The service has been made possible by Welcome Back funding from government.

For more information about the park and ride service please visit folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/parkandride

World first for Folkestone The world’s first multi-storey skate park - F51 - will be soon in action as it’s due to open this summer!

Based on Tontine Street, F51 is being closely observed with excited anticipation not only by local residents, but top athletes and professionals from far and wide across the skateboarding community.

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Photography by Matt Row e

And that’s not all: the multi-million-pound seafront development is also taking shape. Over recent months we’ve seen the development soar as the delivery of 84 luxury beachfront homes start to take form.

For more information, visit f51.co.uk or folkestoneseafront.com

Creating a place plan for Folkestone town centre A place plan is a blueprint for how a certain area will evolve. The place plan will set clear ‘missions’ and propose specific actions to help shape the future of Folkestone’s town centre. We want to get as many people as possible involved in designing what the centre should look like in the future.

The engagement process for the Folkestone town centre place plan makes a commitment to listening to the full spectrum of Folkestone's communities. More than 180 people took part in the place plan webinar held in April. This was a fantastic turnout for an event of this type and the feedback given during the session and afterwards through the separate survey has been collated and considered.

A further public community engagement event was held on 10 June for residents and stakeholders to find out more about the progress of the project and the proposed actions. All feedback received has helped to shape the final place plan.

The presentations and notes from the workshop sessions are available on the place plan webpage.

Work has been ongoing since February and is expected to wind up at the end of the summer. For more information about the place plan and to find out about how to get involved, please visit folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/folkestoneplaceplan

Folkestone place plan January to June

Key stages & milestones

Just what is a place plan?

After input from experts and a thorough engagement process with the community, the place plan document will be produced that will guide the direction of Folkestone town centre for years to come.

Start of project

Urban appraisal Development of ideas Community engagement Testing of ideas Final place plan documents

Folkestone town centre has so much potential and we are keen to build on previous investment in the town and its natural strengths to create the best possible evolution of the town. Doing this work now will mean that Folkestone town centre can maximise its potential in the future benefitting residents, businesses and the wider district.

Who’s on board?

Architecture and urbanism firm We Made That are leading the development of the place plan.

We went out to tender in late 2020 for find a partner and they impressed with their strong track record of promoting positive change in town centres.

We Made That are experts in community engagement and are supported by other specialist firms in their field to bring their specific skills to the project: • Architects Fletcher Priest are advising on the architecture of specific opportunity sites • Transport and infrastructure consultants Steer are looking into town centre access • Socio-economic analysts PRD are advising on economy and town centre business opportunities • The Night Time Industry Association is providing support to review the existing licensing policy to support the evening economy in the town.

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New life for Folkestone town centre building A building which stood empty for more than a decade has been transformed into a business hub thanks to the support of the Folkestone Community Works programme.

The Bouverie Place business hub offers suites and meeting rooms for small and medium-sized enterprises – as well as co-working and hotdesking space for start-ups.

The block, which sits directly next to Folkestone bus station, was originally built about 15 years ago to provide dental services in a modern four- storey setting.

But it had been vacant ever since – until now.

A six-figure sum – including a £420,000 Folkestone Community Works grant – has been spent on refitting the building sustainably.

The first tenants were expected to move in at the beginning of this month.

Cabinet member for the District Economy Cllr David Wimble said: “Folkestone Community Works is helping to breathe life into a building which has been sitting there unused for a long time.

"The business hub will play a part in the town centre’s ongoing regeneration and support the start-up and small businesses that are so important to our economy.”

The scheme is being led by East Kent Spatial Development Company, which has successfully led regeneration developments in other parts of the county.

When fully occupied, the building will be home to about 24 enterprises and accommodate up to 60 employees.

Offices range from 20 to 43 sq metres and are offered on a fully-serviced basis and easy-in, easy-out terms. To find out more, call 01227 806380 or email debbie.spalding@eksdc.co.uk

Funding available Support is available to those living in the wards of East Folkestone, Central Folkestone, Folkestone Harbour and part of Broadmead.

Folkestone Community Works offers services to help people back into work, start a business of their own, or become self-employed.

In addition, the programme gives assistance to businesses through free business advice and grants to purchase equipment.

Visit folkestonecommunityworks.com to find out more.

The programme is part funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-20 and managed by Folkestone & Hythe District Council.

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Support to end rough sleeping The push to find long-term homes for those at risk of s leeping rough in the Folkestone & Hythe district is continuing with nine new accommodation units opening.

The privately-rented accommodation in central Folkestone has an on-site manager and also a support network to help the people living there to move to a more settled way of life The homes have been provided following collaboration between the Folkestone & Hythe District Council housing team, Kent’s homeless charity Porchlight and the Rainbow Centre, which is the Folkestone charity helping those facing deprivation and hardship.

Goal reached for new housing service We have celebrated the first eight months of our new housing service.

Since 1 October 2020, our team has been working hard, against the backdrop of the pandemic and all the challenges that has presented, to achieve so much.

There’s an exciting future ahead as we continue to develop the Folkestone & Hythe housing service to be the best it can be for our tenants and deliver our vision to create a world-class, digitally-enhanced enabled service. This will be easy to do business with and put tenants at the heart of everything we do.

During those first months we have: • E stablished neighbourhood management teams who are working together in their new dedicated patches, keeping in regular contact with tenants and helping with neighbourhood issues •D eveloped tenant and leaseholder engagement activities with the Tenant and Leaseholder Board, TPAS (tenant engagement specialists), and consulted with tenants, to create a Tenant Engagement Strategy • I mproved the anti-social behaviour reporting process and addressed 12 serious and long-standing anti-social behaviour cases •A greed a spring/summer 2021 stock survey of all council-managed properties. This will help identify where any improvements are needed, including to help towards the council's target to be carbon neutral by 2030 More information about the new service can be found here folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/Housing If you are a tenant or leaseholder you can also keep up to date with news and developments by joining our Facebook group facebook.com/groups/fhdctenantsandleaseholders

No place like a new home to rent We have boosted the number of homes available to rent from the council by purchasing an additional 17 houses, bungalows and flats during the last 12 months.

The properties have been purchased from home-owners who had previously bought their council properties under the right to buy scheme. Home-owners have to repay a percentage of the discount received if they decide to sell within five years of buying their council property.

The homes bought this year range from one-bedroomed flats to family-sized homes and have been purchased across the district in Folkestone, New Romney, Lydd, Sandgate, Cheriton and Hawkinge.

Two of the ground floor flats are accessible for wheelchairs.

During the last six years, the council has acquired 44 homes which were previously purchased under the right to buy scheme and made them available for tenants at affordable rents.

Two semi-detached newly built homes have also been bought in Hawkinge during the last financial year and will be made available for shared ownership purchase. This means that a buyer pays a mortgage on the percentage of the share that they own and pays rent to the council for the remaining percentage.

All properties bought by the council are allocated according to the need of those on the housing waiting list.

We work with partners to help the district’s residents find high-quality, affordable homes, including those to rent and those which enable low-cost home ownership.

One of our partners is Moat Homes. The housing association is soon to be providing affordable social rent homes in Cheriton for those on the council’s housing list and last year, a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership homes were built in New Romney.

Nine new properties for shared ownership are also being provided in Stelling Minnis by Moat Homes. The two-bedroom houses with fitted kitchens and parking spaces in Ashmere Fields start from £91,500 for 25% shares and deposits from 5%. For more information about shared ownership and the Stelling Minnis properties visit moathomes.co.uk.

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New look, new routes Many households across the district are getting used to changed collection days or weeks and we thank you for your patience as crews adapt to their new routes.

The old waste collection pattern hadn’t been reviewed for years and it was time for an update to create more efficient routes that would allow us to work smarter and greener.

The routes have been designed to be more environmentally friendly, with new vehicles emitting fewer harmful emissions.

Most importantly many things have not changed: • Your waste, can still be collected at any time from 7am to 5pm on your collection day. Make sure your recycling or waste containers are presented at the edge of your property in time otherwise you’ll have to wait until the next collection.

Green fingers, clean boot!

Why not subscribe to our garden waste service? For £48.40 for the year, we’ll collect one bin of garden waste from you every fortnight.

No more smoky bonfires or mucky tip runs – we’ll just come and simply take it away for you every two weeks.

Find out more and sign up at folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/garden-waste

• There’s no difference to your containers or what you put in these.

• If you’re a garden-waste subscriber, your garden waste collection day will remain unchanged.

Thank you to those who are adjusting to a change of collection day or week so we can make everyone’s collection more streamlined and reliable.

Don’t forget you can head to folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/recycling to find out more about what materials you can – and can’t – put in each container.

MyAccount and your collection days You can check your collection day by using our MyAccount service.

MyAccount is a new way to access council services. If you're not already signed up to MyAccount why not register? It's quick and easy and means you can view council information tailored to you.

You can find out more about the service on our MyAccount information page.

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Print Ready.pdf Bee Sign V2

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Bee-ing caring for our environment Our Grounds Maintenance team is working hard across the district to protect our natural environment. Opposite are just a few of the things being done:

➜9 5% of the green waste that our work produces is mulched and composted in Hawkinge and then re-used across our district. This saves us buying mulch and compost from an external supplier which also saves on transport and waste costs. It reduces the need for watering new shrubs as it provides a protective barrier AND it reduces the use of pesticides used to stop weeds competing with the new plants. ➜T here are many locations in our district with a high biodiversity rating, including the Royal Military Canal, the Warren and East Cliff and the Coastal Park - which has its own wildlife zone, meadow and bee border. ➜O ur teams have been working closely with the Bumble Bee, Butterfly and Moths Trust and have spent many volunteering hours planting moth, butterfly and bumble bee friendly habitat. ➜W e never use raw peat and we aim to be peat-free by 2025. ➜S edum matting has been trialled in the Coastal Park on the new operational depot roof. Sedums are sown into felt matting and form a thick blanket of plants that can be rolled out like grass turf on a pre-prepared flat roof. It provides an important microclimate for insects. It doesn’t need much watering and improves air quality. ➜ L ast year we planted more than 1000 new trees. ➜W e have been working on identifying areas where grass-cutting regimes can be reduced to help increase biodiversity and reduce all environmental impacts. ➜B ee orchids have been located in Churchill Avenue, Folkestone, so we have stopped cutting the grass there! ➜ Electric equipment is purchased where possible.

Carrying on the carbon reduction journey A 33-point plan has been drawn up so we can continue our journey to reduce our carbon emissions.

The range of actions, some of which can be tackled quickly and others which will take longer to implement, focus on six key areas: energy; behaviour change; transport; water; contracts and biodiversity/green space.

The plan, drawn up by the council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Working Group following work with experts, includes: •E xamining the installation of low-emission heating systems and water-saving technology in council-owned buildings • Providing carbon literacy training for staff and members and creating climate change staff champions • Exploring phased upgrading of the council fleet to hybrid or fully-electric vehicles • Ensuring contracted-out services demonstrate high levels of sustainability and commitment to carbon reduction • Continuing work with partner agencies, businesses and community groups to develop appropriate flood mitigation measures and tree-planting schemes across the district.

The council has earmarked £4.75m through climate change reserve funding to support initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint.

To date, £40k has been approved from the reserve to pay for on-street electric vehicle charging points across the district.

In addition, the council is considering moving out of the Civic Centre building in Castle Hill Avenue to a purpose-built, carbon-efficient facility with office space, meeting rooms and a civic chamber, whilst maintaining a customer access point in Folkestone town centre.

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Bright horizons for Romney Marsh economy Quickly taking shape on New Romney’s Mountfield Road industrial estate is a new business hub.

It is designed to provide flexible workspace for small businesses with the potential to create employment in the Romney Marsh area by attracting new companies, including those which might be currently operating online from home. It will also meet the needs of local businesses looking to expand.

Creating the £2 million hub has been made possible through Folkestone & Hythe District Council securing a funding package with the not-for-profit regeneration company East Kent Spatial Development (EKSDC), and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) socio-economic programme.

F&HDC and East Kent Spatial Development Company (EKSDC) are contributing equally to the development by each funding £735,000 of the cost.

The NDA grant is meeting £500,000 of the cost of the construction of the centre and providing a further £205,238 to allow a business adviser to be based in the hub for four years to support local businesses.

Construction of the building by Breem Construction is due to be completed in the autumn and ready for the first businesses in January 2022.

May 2021 and the building is rapidly taking shape.

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Additionally, the Magnox Socio-economic Scheme is supporting the appointment of an economic development specialist to lead on work for the Romney Marsh Partnership (RMP), matched with funding from Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Kent County Council.

The specialist will work for the RMP to explore, develop and implement a programme of transformational projects. This post is funded for three years, with the potential for further extension.

The RMP draws membership from local government and the private and third sectors, and aims to help mitigate the economic impacts of nuclear decommissioning at Dungeness by strengthening the local economy.

The Mountfield Road Industrial Estate Feasibility Study was supported by the partnership and jointly funded by Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Magnox. It culminated in a report that assessed the infrastructure needs, created a site masterplan and investigated various options to maximise the benefit of the land. This led the way to further funding to bring the site forward.

Stemming from the development work on the Mountfield Road Business Hub is the much-anticipated start on a new service road opening up even more opportunities for business in the area.

The road will give access to five hectares of council-owned land and unlock plots which could potentially be for new or local businesses to build their own units, as well as further development by the council.

Building the road and installing the associated infrastructure and utilities has been made possible after the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) announced last year that the project had been chosen to receive £3.53 million from the government’s Getting Building fund. Supported by Kent County Council and the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership, it was one of six schemes in Kent chosen for being shovel-ready and able to help the local economy to recover.

A condition of the funding is that the work has to be completed by March 2022 and that more than 480 jobs are created for the local area over a 10-year period.

Following design work, contractor Breheny Civil Engineering is due to start building shortly.

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Partnership working to keep our community safe We lead the Community Safety Partnership in the district and with partner organisations, we are working to keep where we live, work and visit a safe place.

Through pro-active, together we have been addressing responsive services, issues of anti-social behaviour and crime which affect our communities. Partner representatives regularly team up to run pro-active multi-agency operations.

F&HDC community safety and enforcement officers joined those from Kent County Council Trading Standards and Kent Police to target illicit tobacco sellers and any links to organised crime. Six shops were visited in Folkestone and hand-rolling tobacco seized, immigration offences were reported and a referral was made to Kent Fire and Rescue about a shop being used as a dwelling.

Operation Ariel, which involves a regular high visibility presence in particular areas, has started again. Officers and staff engage with local businesses and residents to help identify any issues which may be resulting in anti-social behaviour and crime.

F&HDC staff have also worked with Kent Police following an increase in metal theft, particularly catalytic converters, causing damage to cars.

Have your say Folkestone & Hythe residents have been able to have their say about community safety issues via online meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local engagement meetings had to become virtual engagement meetings using social media and questions have been raised live on Twitter and Facebook or via email before the online meeting.

At meetings a range of questions have been answered by the council’s community safety specialist and representatives from Kent Police on topics including fines issued during lockdown; plans for the re-opening of hospitality venues; speeding motorists; drug dealing; anti-social behaviour and dog thefts.

Look out for the F&HDC posts on Facebook and Twitter about the next meeting and how to take part.

About 40 representatives from the partners meet weekly as the Community Safety Unit and together, the group agrees actions to address any rises in anti social behaviour, how vulnerable people can be best supported, any concerns about future events being held in the district, and any issues concerning licensing of premises.

Working alongside the council’s housing team and other partners, the Community Safety Unit is also involved in helping those who are homeless or at risk of rough sleeping and has relaunched the campaign Small Change Big Difference (see below).

If you want to know more about community safety you can get in touch by emailing: community.safety@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk Anti-social behaviour can be reported here: folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/community/community-safety/antisocial-behaviour

Small change big difference Giving money to someone on the street may not always be as helpful as it first seems. Why? It may prevent that person from engaging with organisations which are working to help people who find themselves sleeping rough.

Instead, why not consider helping by donating to Porchlight.

Kent’s largest charity for vulnerable and homeless people.

Porchlight will use your small change to help those who feel they have nowhere to go and no one to turn to.

Visit porchlight.org.uk for more details.

YOUR SMALL

CHANGE COULD MAKE A

BIG DIFFERENCE

Text CHANGE 3 to 70085 to donate £3 to Porchlight If you’ve got any spare change please put it where it will make the most difference.

Donate to Porchlight - helping people to move off the streets for good. www.porchlight.org.uk #porchlight

#smallchangebigdifference

Texts will cost £3, plus a standard network rate message. We do not receive your mobile number or any personal information.

If you are concerned about someone you have seen sleeping rough please visit: www.porchlight.org.uk/tell-us or call 0800 567 7699 so we can offer them support.

FOLKESTONE & HYTHE DISTRICT

COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP

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Registered charity no. 267116

Planning for summer safety

Inspector Andy Brittenden from Kent Police shares the partnership approach to help us enjoy our summer in the district.

We are also providing bespoke responses to key individual events such as the European Football Championships which will, of course, see many people coming to the town to enjoy big screen events and the social interaction that they will have missed over the last year.

With all these events our message is the same, enjoy yourself, enjoy our district, but do it safely and sensibly - and please take your rubbish home with you!

I hope you and your families are looking forward to the summer after what has felt like a long winter and spring.

I wanted to use part of my column to update you on some of the planning work we have been doing as restrictions are eased and as we move into the summer period. I am sure that many of you will have questions about how the relaxation of the restrictions will be managed. Furthermore, with uncertainty around the possibility of foreign travel this summer, we are also likely to see many families heading to our coast to enjoy the fine weather and the wonderful environment we have in the Folkestone and Hythe district.

Our planning for the summer started some months ago.

We have been meeting regularly with our partners in Folkestone & Hythe District Council and other members of the Community Safety Partnership to share information and intelligence about proposed events, discuss significant dates, and to go over our learning gained from last year.

Following the increased numbers coming to the Kent coastline last summer, Kent Police joined with our colleagues from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and RNLI to form the Kent Coastal Safety Partnership. We will continue that partnership this year and complete joint patrolling in key areas and ensure regular communication to respond to issues and concerns. Meanwhile, our Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be conducting joint patrolling with officers from F&HDC in key inland areas to ensure that people are enjoying themselves responsibly and safely.

We have launched our “Crimestopper Zone” initiative in We have launched our “Crimestopper Zone” initiative the last few weeks which is aimed at raising the awareness in the last few weeks. This is aimed at raising the of Crimestoppers and how to report crime and anti- social awareness of Crimestoppers and how to report behaviour (ASB) anonymously. Communities have a huge crime and anti- social behaviour (ASB) anonymously. part to play in helping us reduce crime and ASB and Communities have a huge part to play in helping us Crimestoppers is at the forefront of that. Their number is reduce crime and The ASB and Crimestoppers is at 0800 555111. the forefront of that. Their number is 0800 555111.

Looking back, we have continued to work hard to reduce crime and ASB and we have seen significant falls in many crimes over the last 12 months. This includes offences such as burglary, violent crime involving injury and weapons offences.

We have also had some excellent success tackling graffiti which is an offence that I know concerns many residents. My Victim Based Crime Team has established a small working group with British Transport Police to identify and prosecute “taggers”, with one offender being charged with some 25 offences.

As with any of our work we can’t do it without the support of the residents of the district reporting things via 101, 999 or by using our online services. Please keep up the fantastic communication moving forward so we can continue to keep Folkestone and Hythe a safe place to live, work and visit.

Stay safe.

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