News

New plans for a 112 suite Care Home off Hurricane Drive in Hawkinge have been submitted to Shepway District Council.

The building has a contemporary layout and includes a gymnasium, small cinema, restaurant, and medical facilities. It has parking for 55 vehicles.

Click to see the documents for the full application


 

Referee Gary Bailey was forced to eject a large green parrot from among the spectators after the bird, who had been brought along by its lady owner, began imitating the ref's whistle during the second half of a game between Hatfield Town and Hertford Heath.

Bailey says he had never encountered a situation quite like it.

He quickly grew tired of the unofficial whistle sounding, leaving both players and spectators unsure what was going on. Hatfield went on to triumph 5-2 in extra time.

"The players all stopped so I had to ask her to move the parrot. It was bizarre. The crowd were all laughing. Looking back I should have made far more of it and got out my red card to show to the parrot," said Bailey.

 

Police have charged a man over two attacks on women who were walking alone at Greatstone on Romney Marsh.

A man from Littlestone, faces two charges of common assault and is due to appear at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (25 November).

Two women were attacked in the Grand Parade, in the Greatstone area of New Romney, on 14 and 15 November.
 

A trickster duped a Dover Councillor into providing free meals and it was claimed, obtained trips in the Mayor's limo after pretending to be Francis Rossi from the top rock band, Status Quo.

According to press reports, the man,  who wanted to remain incognito and called himself 'Graham', was wined and dined by fellow councillors after promising he would perform free at their festival.

He claimed his 'pals' Sir Paul McCartney, Charlotte Church and Brian May from Queen would also be there.

He first tricked 67-year-old Cllr Vic Matcham who later lost his seat on the Town Council.

For almost a year he was reportedly treated to trips in the Mayor’s limousine, slap-up meals and even attended a VIP event at Dover Castle.

He judged the floats at the town's annual carnival parade although he was not wearing a pony tail.

When asked why Rossi’s trademark ponytail was missing, he said: “I can’t grow my hair long any more. A fake one is stuck on three hours before a gig.�

But 'Graham' was rumbled after his star 'pals' didn’t turn up for the gig and the trickster fled the town.

Dover's town clerk Mike Webb said: 'No council expenditure was spent on this man. A former Dover councillor appears to have been conned who was acting in an unauthorised way and never with the backing of the council.'

The Prosser Perspective.... a weekly column from Dover and Deal MP Gwyn Prosser

13 November 2008

My first contact with the Port of Dover was way back in 1979 when I joined Sealink Ferries and it was very different to what we have today. The port’s capacity was a fraction of what it is now, there were no cruise liners and security was almost non existent.

During the eighties I got to know the Board a lot better when the proposed Channel Tunnel threatened the future of the port. The trades unions worked in harmony with the bosses of DHB and others to oppose the Channel Tunnel Bill and a get a better deal for Dover.

Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, who was a champion of the Transport & General Workers Union (now known as UNITE T&G) visited Dover and met with Board members and port workers and supported our joint campaign.

I was a Parliamentary Agent and became the co-ordinator of that campaign when the Bill reached the House of Lords and I was well placed to see how effective and productive our joint efforts were in modifying the final form of the Channel Tunnel Act.

This joint working was typical of the way DHB has operated in the past and even during the days when the T&G had a closed shop agreement in the port, the two sides were civilised enough to sit down together and negotiate sensible settlements and this is how it should be – especially in a publicly owned trust post which has the obligation to consider the well-being of the town and the stakeholders.

During the nineties the Conservative Government wanted to remove Dover’s trust status and sell it off to the highest bidder using their privatisation legislation. My Labour colleagues, supported by port employees and with the acquiescence of DHB, campaigned hard to keep the port public - and then along came the 1997 General Election which put Labour into power and scuppered the Tory privatisation plans.

However, the pressure to privatise has not gone away and as recently as 2005 the Dover & Deal Conservative Association went into the General Election with the pledge that if they won the election they would indeed privatise Dover.

It’s very sad that DHB’s proud history of good industrial relations is being sullied by the unilateral action of the current Board who are running roughshod over the interests of their employees, throwing down the gauntlet and refusing to negotiate.

When attending Remembrance Services on Sunday it was gratifying to meet so many people who shared my support for the port workers stance and were appalled by the way DHB were behaving and in particular they were appalled by their refusal to meet with UNITE for meaningful negotiations.

It’s just not good enough for the Chief Executive to say he’s willing to consult. When your job is up for grabs and your pension is in jeopardy you don’t want to be consulted on how much you are going to lose - you want to negotiate on the decision that’s threatening your future.

Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

6 November 2008

At a recent meeting at the House of Commons with representatives of Shepway’s pensioners, the suggestion was made that I use one of my columns in this newspaper to tell people how they can get help with their heating bills.

It seemed to me a very good suggestion, so here goes:

It perhaps goes without saying that the steep increase in these bills has caused many people great hardship. So it is particularly important that those who need help know how to get it.

And there is no doubt that such help is available.

For example, 55,000 households are presently on EDF’s Assist Tariff, open to customers who spend 10 percent or more of their income on energy or who receive certain benefits.

N Power operates a First Step scheme for vulnerable customers, which offers a 20 percent discount off the standard rate.

Other companies have different schemes.

So here are the numbers to ring: EDF Energy Trust Fund, 01733 421 021; N Power, 0845 166 3535; British Gas Energy Trust, 0845 850 2207; EON, 0800 051 1480.

But the help available doesn’t stop there.

If your property needs insulation and you are in receipt of certain benefits you may be able to get money from the Government’s Warm Front grants scheme. Up to £2,700, or £4,000 if your home needs central heating, is available.

To find out if you are eligible you can call Eaga Partnership, the Warm Front scheme manager on freephone 0800 316 6011 or textphone 0800 072 0156.

I do very much hope that this information will help you get the help you need.

‘ An East Kent pub is giving away food in a bid to get customers back into the bar — in a deal called “credit munch�.

Bull Inn licensee, Charlie Gibbons is offering free meals between 5.00pm and 7.30pm in an effort to beat the credit crunch.

At his Eastry pub near Dover, four dishes will be on the menu — lasagne, cottage pie, fish pie and cauliflower cheese although only 12 meals are being given away free during the trial period.

The Morning Advertiser reported that it costs Mr Gibbons about £1 a head to provide the homemade food, but he estimated bar sales increased by £200 in the first week of the scheme.

“Of course, the hope is that they will buy a drink, but if they don’t want to, they still get the food,â€� Charlie explained to the pub trade's 'favourite' newspaper.  

Dear Editor,

Re: Bus service is failing passengers

I am pleased to report that Stagecoach Buses have now responded to the overcrowding problems on the no 16 bus.

A relief bus was provided at 8.08 this morning but I suspect that it is a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted as far fewer passengers were at the stop than in previous weeks and the relief bus was empty.

Presumably these passengers are driving/being driven by car.

What a shame the situation could not have been addressed sooner.

Wendy Dowden

Swingfield Parish Council working in conjunction with Town and Country Housing Group and Shepway District Council, is inviting local people to a public consultation day at Selsted Primary School Community Hall, Stockham Lane, Selsted on Tuesday, 16th Sept between 5pm and 8pm

It will give residents the opportunity to look at and discuss proposals for a new *affordable residential development of 6 houses and bungalows at Robert's Corner in Swingfield.

There will be an opportunity to meet representatives from the Parish Council, Churchill Hui Architects and  the Town and Country Housing Group.

Town and Country Housing provide around 7,000 affordable homes in 22 local authority areas in Kent, Sussex, Surrey and South London.



NOTE:- *Affordable housing is restricted to Swingfield parishioners.

Dear Editor,

Re: Heart problems scupper popular Peter's Channel swim

I am pleased to say that your article on my surgery generated a great deal of response.

The nice local people sent messages, cards and even uplifting telephone calls to my hospital room.

On May 28 I had successful double bypass open heart surgery and I am already doing my walking and breathing exercises.

The good news is that the surgeon says that I can do a channel swim in 2009 and I can begin training in 12 weeks.

The best news is I will be able to keep up my near quarter of a century tradition and will be able to visit Folkestone this Summer.

To me, summer will just be a little late in Shepway.

Peter Jurzynski