Sandgate Parish Council has decided to consult residents on an exciting opportunity to purchase woodland on the escarpment, including two Martello Towers, to protect it from planned development.

Martello Towers 6 and 7 sit in woodland above Sandgate Village and are subject to planning consent to develop part of that woodland for housing and to convert the two Martello Towers into a dwelling house and a holiday home. The Parish Council objected to that application and has now agreed terms with the owner with a view to conserving the towers for community use. The Council would also not implement the permission to build five homes as it wishes to protect this important site for its heritage and environmental benefits.

Recent articles remembering Walter Tull prompted me to have a look back almost 10 years...

MINUTES of the Meeting of the Town Council held at the Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone on Thursday, 27 November 2008 at 7 p.m.

http://www.folkestonetc.kentparishes.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/27_November_2008_M.pdf

Just a quarter of Kent roads were gritted during the recent snow emergency, forcing many schools to close unnecessarily and disrupting bus services.

Following a question from Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education, Trudy Dean, at a meeting this week, Mike Whiting, Conservative Cabinet Member for Highways, told councillors, that only roads in the 'Primary Route' Network, which is mainly A and B roads, were salted or gritted during the snow emergency earlier this month.

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Mike Whiting, has agreed to review Kent County Council's response to insurance claims, to see whether KCC should be paying out more regularly when drivers' vehicles are damaged by potholes.

Cllr Trudy Dean requested the council look again at the issue of compensation following a report on KentOnline that revealed just one in ten requests for compensation was paid by the council.