24 February 2025
🔵🔵 I expressed our concern about using up to another £0.5m of reserves to smooth financial bumps. As we face a possible recession, with inflation remaining stubbornly above target, borrowing costs still high and unemployment rising, this is unsustainable. At some point they will need to make tough decisions.
🔵🔵 Asked as a part of the Local government reorganisation, that will see the district council abolished, that our reserves are analysed, and the district's residents are assured that their taxpayer funds will be used in the best way possible for Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable, and the surrounding villages.
🔵🔵 Asked that the Lab/Lib administration lobbies the Labour government for a fairer funding settlement. We are disappointed after so much was promised that there wasn't a three-year funding settlement. A one-year formula gives the council no ability to plan for the future.
🔵🔵 The increase in employer's NI contributions is not being fully remitted back to councils, and there is no guarantee it will be covered in 26/27. We need to see the full remittance of NICs back to local government in the same way as they will be for national government.
🔵🔵 The rise in NICs will hit businesses hard that are already struggling as we can already see across the district. I said we are pleased, therefore, that parking charges will not rise this year, and that the administration listened to my call for "a pause to help business" and to the 1,000s of residents and businesses who have lobbied too. We need to see a reduction next in coastal parking charges where there isn't a park and ride alternative.
🔵🔵 Expressed our support for the £2m capital investment in the King's Hall in 26/27, but asked that it is spent on making it a top E Kent venue for live performances once again.
🔵🔵 Said we will work on a scheme with officers to support those community groups that have been frozen out of using the King's Hall because subsidised rates have been doubled. Cited the case of Herne Bay Swimming Club who can no longer hold their awards ceremony there. Expressed our disappointment at the huge hike in fees.
🔵🔵 Got unanimous backing for our amendment that the weekend and BH rate in Band 5 car parks (Hampton, Reculver Drive, Ocean View, Seasalter, and Bishopstone Lane) from April 1 until September 30 is £1.60 per day between 10am and 4pm - a 50% reduction and the same as the weekday rate.
🔵🔵 Unanimous backing for our amendment that the weekend and BH rate in School Lane car park in Herne is reduced to £1.60 per day all year round from April 1, to match the new day rate being implemented at the same time. This is a reduction from the current £1.90/day or £15 per day rate that was imposed by Lab/Lib last year. Expressed our thanks to residents and Anthony Seminara for bringing their petition and working with their ward councillors to bring about these changes. This is a good example of community collaboration, and councillors listening to achieve a good outcome.
🔵🔵 Reminded the Lab/Lib Dem council that they need to keep listening to businesses and to residents. The past six months have seen pensioners, farmers, hospitality and business hit hard, with more to come. We can't keep demanding more and more from already heavily-taxed earnings for council tax, parking charges and fees.
Our thanks to Deputy Leader Cllr Sole for listening to our group, and in us all working to deliver more and better to our residents.
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