I am delighted to start my newsletter by sharing the fantastic news that Sevenoaks Leisure Centre will reopen next week (Monday 1st) May) - with Lullingstone Golf Course having already reopened last week. This is terrific news for our community, and I know will come as a huge relief for many. A huge thank you to Cllr Peter Fleming and the team at Sevenoaks District Council for all their hard work.
For those of you unaware, Everyone Active (who will now operate both sites) already runs the White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley and they have an excellent track record of innovation and amazing customer service. They have made the White Oak Leisure Centre accessible and attractive to new customers of all ages and backgrounds and bought in hundreds of thousands of customers through the doors in the first year. With their new ideas and experience of running more than 200 leisure facilities nationwide, I feel optimistic about the future.
There are of course still many unanswered questions. Over the last few years Sencio received nearly £1.4m of public money, including £411,000 from Sevenoaks District Council to help them through lockdown and with business recovery. Additionally, Sevenoaks District Council invested annually in maintenance, latterly around £190,000 per annum alongside an annual management fee. We must understand how, despite this support, the leisure centre found itself in this position.
Finally, on Thursday 4th May polling stations will open for the local elections. This is your chance to have your say on who will be elected to Sevenoaks District Council, Swanley, Westerham and Sevenoaks Town Councils and Otford Parish Council.
Different councils run different services locally, so it’s important to first know that these elections are NOT related to highways, social care, or children’s services, which are services delivered by Kent Country Council.
Instead, Sevenoaks District Council decide and administer local planning policy and applications, arrange waste and recycling collections, and provide leisure and recreation facilities. They also provide a variety of help to residents most notably through the HERO service (Housing, Energy, Retraining Options), which has been vital for those needing assistance with housing, debt, and welfare problems.
Since my own election in 2019, I have been fortunate to build an excellent and constructive relationship with many of our councillors, forming an effective partnership to champion our area and secure more support from the national government. We really are so lucky to have councillors that are uniquely placed to give back to serve our community and utilise their local knowledge, alongside significant amounts of energy, passion, and hard work to make a real difference to our everyday lives.
For example, our excellent Conservative led Sevenoaks District Council is the only council in Kent to collect both recycling AND waste every week. Under the current system more than 99.5% of our waste collections are either recycled or used for energy, which has meant the council have reduced their waste to landfill from 60% to less than 0.5%. When combined with the council’s huge investment in home food waste digestion and composting, as well as the steps taken to reduce emissions from their own waste and recycling collection fleets, means the council is on track on its pledge to become Net Zero by 2030.
The elections on May 4th will also be the first which require photo identification in order to cast your vote. This measure, which is new to England but is long-standing in Northern Ireland and most western democracies, is to prevent voting fraud and instead create an electoral system, which the public can be confident is secure. The full list of what ID can be used can be found at gov.uk - but it includes passport, driving licence, Blue Badge, and bus pass and disabled person’s bus pass. Importantly, ID that is out of date CAN still be used, but the photo must still look like you and have the same name on it that you used to register to vote. 98% of the population already have a relevant form of photo ID – so please do not forget to bring it with you to the polls.
Local councillors are a vital part of our democracy, and our community, and it is no exaggeration to say that the choices made at the ballot box have far-reaching consequences for us all.
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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 at [email protected]
- I was deeply concerned at the recent incursion upon Swanley Recreation Ground by a group of unauthorised travellers. Such sites cause damage and distress to the local community and must be stopped. Following their arrival, I was in close contact with Swanley Town Council, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, and Chief Superintendent Neil Loudon, and I was pleased that Kent Police were able to use new powers granted by the Government last year to remove them. I am very grateful for their responsiveness to the situation. Illegal incursions on council land are absolutely unacceptable and we sent a firm message that they will not be tolerated in our community.
- Many of you will know my strong opposition to the expansion of the ULEZ charge to the outer border of the Greater London region, and I was delighted that the five local authorities challenging the ULEZ expansion in the courts have won the first stage of their legal battle. This means the court has decided that there is an arguable case that the proposal has been improperly handled. The Judicial Review will now proceed to a full hearing in the High Court. The opposition from residents across Sevenoaks and Swanley has been clear from the start, and I, alongside local Councillors, will continue to fight the proposal every step of the way.
- Following a further serious road traffic collision on the A21, I have written to the Transport for London Commissioner to call for them to make haste in improving road safety on the A21 down from Hewitts to Rushmore Hill, alongside Gareth Bacon MP. While the most recent serious incidents occurred within the London border, its proximity to the Kent/ London border means that it is our community and Kent Police who have repeatedly responded to the serious collisions. Lives have very tragically been lost and it is imperative that road safety in this area is improved if we are to avoid further incidents. I will also be working with the community of Halstead to ensure a solution works for them.
- After receiving a number of emails from residents in Swanley Village, I contacted UK Power Networks to ask them to urgently resolve the power cuts the community had been experiencing. I am pleased to say they responded quickly and this month I met with a representative from UKPN and local resident Chris Prestedge to see for myself the works UKPN have now carried out to increase the reliability of the electricity supply. My thanks go to all those involved.
- It was a pleasure to meet Sevenoaks District Cllr Julia Thornton in Seal and visit local businesses Kerry's Pets and Deniz Whole Good Food. Alongside other local establishments, including the family butchers HW Coldbreath Butchers, homeware store NiMi Projects and the local Seal Supermarket (home of the popular and much needed cash point) these businesses help keep Seal vibrant. Supporting local businesses is a key part of My Plan for 2023 and is vital if we are to maintain the local identity of our parishes and villages. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure they flourish.
- Following a fatal crash in February on the A20 in Farningham, near the junction with Eglantine Lane, I met with local Sevenoaks District Council councillor Philip McGarvey and his colleagues Laurence Ball and Alan White to hear their concerns and possible solutions. I’ve been in touch with local Kent County Council Roger Gough and a review is now taking place. I will monitor the situation closely and share updates as soon as I have them.
- I met with Brasted, Chevening and Sundridge councillors, Nigel Williams and Keith Bonin to hear how they are working with their colleague Cllr James London and Kent County Councillors Nick Chard and Roger Gough to ensure there is not a repeat of the issue over school buses from last summer. I also discussed with Nigel and Keith their campaign for a zebra crossing at Bessels Green - as well as their work with the Chevening Parish Council in exploring the possibility of a bus shelter at that location. I will continue to do all I can to support them.
- This month I caught up with the brilliant Irene Roy - District Councillor for Otford and Shoreham and Chair of Otford Parish Council - at Otford train station, following my successful campaign to deliver a fast line to London Bridge. Irene was a huge supporter on this campaign, and is also working hard to bring step-free access to Shoreham Station, challenge inappropriate local developments, support a cycle route from Otford to Sevenoaks and deliver on traffic safety such as the reduction of the speed limit to 40mph on the A225 in Shoreham. Irene gives so much to the local community and along with John Edwards Winser (her fellow Conservative district councillor) and represents local residents so well.
- I visited Cllr Alan Cheeseman in Eynsford who updated me on the inspiring work he and other residents have been carrying out with the Riverside Watch - a group set up by Alan and other locals as a neighbourhood initiative to help reduce anti-social behaviour and crime in Eynsford. He also showed me the new waste bins which have been put in place to help reduce litter in the area.
- It was great to visit Foxbury Farm with Cllr Julia Thornton and see for myself the six homes that are being provided as Rural Exception affordable homes. The homes are for residents with proven links to the Seal Parish only. They looked fabulous and have really blended in with the surroundings. It is so important we help keep rural areas revitalised – and Foxbury Farm is a fine example of how this can be done, while also in keeping with the community and setting. When we build new homes, making them beautiful and in keep with the local area massively increases community support.
- Following additional funding, I am delighted that a new Citizens Advice outreach service will now be running in Westerham. Citizens Advice helps so many constituents locally who need legal guidance and we are lucky to have two brilliant centres in Sevenoaks and Swanley, as well as an outreach service in New Ash Green. The appointments will take place at Westerham Town Council offices and must be booked via the free adviceline on 0808 278 7962.
- Kent Police continue to recruit more police officers, and I am pleased our record numbers have grown again this month – with 416 more officers than in 2010. At the same time, crime locally is continuing to fall. My thanks go to our brilliant Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, for delivering on this vital 2019 election manifesto commitment, and to everyone at Kent Police for all you do to keep us safe.
- Finally, this month, children across Sevenoaks and Swanley found out which primary schools they been offered a place at for September 2023. I hope all of received the news you wanted, however I know how stressful it can be if you don’t get the school you chose; if you are unhappy with the decision please do visit the Kent County Council website where officers have put together a very helpful FAQ. And, if you have any questions about the process or need help, do not hesitate to contact my office.
