There have for some time been problems in Well Hill (the road) in the dip in the road between the junctions with Firmingers Road and Parkgate Road. The flooding issues in this patch of road were raised during a site visit last year and subsequently large potholes have emerged.
As I mentioned at the recent AGM of the Well Hill Residents' Association, Kent Highways were looking to take advantage of a road closure required by water supply works. This was originally scheduled for 24 May but the water company's programme of works was brought forward to today (20 May). Kent Highways have ensured that the road works have been brought forward to take advantage of this revised schedule. Hopefully this should result in the resolution of persistent road problems.
Monday, 20 May 2013
Public consultation on grammar school satellite
Invicta Grammar School, which is proposing to bring forward the Sevenoaks grammar school satellite, is beginning an eight week public consultation on its plans today. The consultation will run until 19 July.
This consultation is required by the Department for Education because the school is proposing a significant expansion. However, it also gives the school an opportunity to engage with the local community and to demonstrate the support for its plans.
Public meetings will be held during the consultation period, but you can also set out your views by emailing the school at clerktotrust@viat.org.uk (please put 'Sevenoaks Consultation' in the Subject box of the email), or by writing to:
The Clerk to the Trust
Invicta Grammar School
Huntsman Lane
Maidstone
Kent
ME14 5DS
Please write 'Sevenoaks Consultation' on the envelope.
Given the strong support demonstrated for the concept of grammar school provision in Sevenoaks through the petition to KCC in March last year, I very much hope that local people will demonstrate to the DfE how much enthusiasm and commitment there is to this project.
You can find the Chronicle's coverage of the issue here, and a further article about it on the Sevenoaks Grammar School Campaign's website here.
This consultation is required by the Department for Education because the school is proposing a significant expansion. However, it also gives the school an opportunity to engage with the local community and to demonstrate the support for its plans.
Public meetings will be held during the consultation period, but you can also set out your views by emailing the school at clerktotrust@viat.org.uk (please put 'Sevenoaks Consultation' in the Subject box of the email), or by writing to:
The Clerk to the Trust
Invicta Grammar School
Huntsman Lane
Maidstone
Kent
ME14 5DS
Please write 'Sevenoaks Consultation' on the envelope.
Given the strong support demonstrated for the concept of grammar school provision in Sevenoaks through the petition to KCC in March last year, I very much hope that local people will demonstrate to the DfE how much enthusiasm and commitment there is to this project.
You can find the Chronicle's coverage of the issue here, and a further article about it on the Sevenoaks Grammar School Campaign's website here.
Friday, 10 May 2013
Crockenhill: new date for Stones Cross Road resurfacing
The new date proposed for the works is next Monday, 13 May. Events have made a monkey of me enough times to add in the heavy proviso "weather permitting." But Kent Highways certainly have that date in their sights, and have put a sign in the road to publicise it.
Meanwhile, it is good to note that many elements of the safety works at the Cray Road - Main Road - Broadway junction are now in place, though the granite setts are still to be installed.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
New role working with Kent's schools
Following the County Council elections, KCC Leader Paul Carter has appointed a new Cabinet. I served in the Cabinet in the previous council term, with responsibility for the 'corporate centre' - Property, Human Resources, IT (including the BDUK project for superfast broadband - see post of 18 March) as well as the performance management of the authority - and also for our new role and responsibilities under the government's NHS reforms.
Our Cabinet Member for Education, Mike Whiting, did not retain his Swale seat in last week's elections; a serious loss, since he brought enormous energy and commitment to the portfolio. I have been asked to take on the education role, while maintaining my work on health reform. This is an exciting new role and I look forward to working with schools and colleges across Kent and seeking to ensure the best possible education for the county's children and young people. I have two children going through the Kent system (currently at primary level), so this won't just be an abstract policy issue as far as I am concerned.
The in-tray is a very full one: ensuring full and proper provision of school places at a time of rising school rolls, working to ensure high standards in schools and bedding in the local authority's new role in the world of academies and Michael Gove's education reforms. There's also responsibility for early years education, skills, apprenticeships and links to other community services for young people. Not to mention issues in which I have long had a strong interest, such as the Sevenoaks grammar school satellite. All that plus health reform will keep me busy - while never losing sight of the constituents who sent me back to County Hall from Darent Valley last week.
Here's the full list of the new Cabinet:
Our Cabinet Member for Education, Mike Whiting, did not retain his Swale seat in last week's elections; a serious loss, since he brought enormous energy and commitment to the portfolio. I have been asked to take on the education role, while maintaining my work on health reform. This is an exciting new role and I look forward to working with schools and colleges across Kent and seeking to ensure the best possible education for the county's children and young people. I have two children going through the Kent system (currently at primary level), so this won't just be an abstract policy issue as far as I am concerned.
The in-tray is a very full one: ensuring full and proper provision of school places at a time of rising school rolls, working to ensure high standards in schools and bedding in the local authority's new role in the world of academies and Michael Gove's education reforms. There's also responsibility for early years education, skills, apprenticeships and links to other community services for young people. Not to mention issues in which I have long had a strong interest, such as the Sevenoaks grammar school satellite. All that plus health reform will keep me busy - while never losing sight of the constituents who sent me back to County Hall from Darent Valley last week.
Here's the full list of the new Cabinet:
Monday, 6 May 2013
Darent Valley election result
Somewhat belatedly on my part, here is the result for Darent Valley from last Thursday's County Council elections.
Roger Gough (Conservative) 1,677 (48.6%)
Alun Elder-Brown. (UKIP) 897 (26.0%)
Kevin Flack (Labour) 647 (18.7%)
Phil Hobson (Liberal Democrat). 166 (4.8%)
Jim Read (English Democrats). 65 (1.9%)
So this is the start of my third four year term as Kent County Councillor for Darent Valley. Thank you to everyone who supported me; it was particularly gratifying to hold my share of the vote to within 1% of the level achieved in 2009 - when the national political climate, and in particular the popularity of the Conservative Party, was very different from today. It is good that, while the standing of the parties nationally will inevitably influence local election outcomes, many people are prepared to vote on local issues.
The Conservatives held all seven seats in Sevenoaks, including fending off a challenge from Labour in Swanley, but across Kent the picture was a much more complex one. In the West, the Conservatives largely held their ground, with just a handful of losses to Labour, as well as one to UKIP in Tunbridge Wells and one to the Liberal Democrats in Maidstone. From Swale eastwards, however, there were heavy losses to UKIP - including, very sadly, my Cabinet colleague for education Mike Whiting and my deputy Ken Pugh - so that for a few hours around Friday lunchtime Conservative control of the council was in doubt. We were not quite into the world of hanging chads, but the path to a majority was a very narrow one. Eventually, however, there was a Conservative majority of 6. So the new council - with a much smaller Conservative majority and with UKIP as the biggest opposition party - will be very different from its predecessor.
So once again I will be picking up the issues that I have been writing about here. To those who voted for me, thank you again; to those who didn't, I'm here to represent you too.
Roger Gough (Conservative) 1,677 (48.6%)
Alun Elder-Brown. (UKIP) 897 (26.0%)
Kevin Flack (Labour) 647 (18.7%)
Phil Hobson (Liberal Democrat). 166 (4.8%)
Jim Read (English Democrats). 65 (1.9%)
So this is the start of my third four year term as Kent County Councillor for Darent Valley. Thank you to everyone who supported me; it was particularly gratifying to hold my share of the vote to within 1% of the level achieved in 2009 - when the national political climate, and in particular the popularity of the Conservative Party, was very different from today. It is good that, while the standing of the parties nationally will inevitably influence local election outcomes, many people are prepared to vote on local issues.
The Conservatives held all seven seats in Sevenoaks, including fending off a challenge from Labour in Swanley, but across Kent the picture was a much more complex one. In the West, the Conservatives largely held their ground, with just a handful of losses to Labour, as well as one to UKIP in Tunbridge Wells and one to the Liberal Democrats in Maidstone. From Swale eastwards, however, there were heavy losses to UKIP - including, very sadly, my Cabinet colleague for education Mike Whiting and my deputy Ken Pugh - so that for a few hours around Friday lunchtime Conservative control of the council was in doubt. We were not quite into the world of hanging chads, but the path to a majority was a very narrow one. Eventually, however, there was a Conservative majority of 6. So the new council - with a much smaller Conservative majority and with UKIP as the biggest opposition party - will be very different from its predecessor.
So once again I will be picking up the issues that I have been writing about here. To those who voted for me, thank you again; to those who didn't, I'm here to represent you too.