THANK YOU to everyone who is helping in this national emergency.
We’re all doing our bit, on the frontline as keyworkers, volunteering in the community, working in local businesses to keep us all supplied, or staying home, protecting the NHS, and saving lives.
We need to keep going.
But we also know you have many questions about the future.
Firstly, we want to reassure you that your Council is in a strong position to weather the storm.
Thanks to prudent budgeting we have sound general fund reserves of over £2m. We’ve also had confirmation this week of a £1.2m contribution from central Government.
We have the resources to see us all through the current national emergency, and to continue to deliver your key public services.
We again want to pay tribute to our staff who have shown just how adaptable and capable they are. It’s thanks to them that we’ve been able to respond to the crisis as well as maintain a high level of services.
So now we’re looking to the future and preparing for the recovery.
As we start to think about returning to a new “normal” we’re looking at how the increased flexibility we’ve demonstrated could help us to change the way we work, where that is the best way forward.
Whatever we do, we will ensure that the arrangements for the future will be firmly rooted to the safety and needs of our staff and residents.
We know things are going to be different for a while, but we’re determined to build a brighter future for the district.
We will need to review the Council’s budget reflecting big falls in income from business rates and parking.
We’ve taken some immediate steps to reduce Council spending, including a temporary recruitment freeze.
Our programme of major projects will also be reviewed, but there is already much to look forward to.
We’re working on the following projects:
- Developing the Local Plan to shape housing and development in the district to 2040
- Completing major new affordable housing projects
- Raising social housing standards by bringing East Kent Housing back in-house
- Building a stronger visitor and tourism economy
- Hosting The Open in July 2021
- Launching a new district-wide CCTV system
- Opening the new café and improved visitor facilities at the Kearsney Parks
- Submitting a £4.8m bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Maison Dieu
- Consulting on Dover Fastrack, an express bus link from Whitfield to Dover
- Supporting our town centres to adapt
We’ll keep you up-to-date with these projects and our budget plans as they are firmed up.
In the meantime, stay safe and well.
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Leader of the Council Nadeem Aziz, Chief Executive
Posted on 01 May 2020