Looking ahead to 2024

Well, that’s almost it for 2023. 

It was another tough year. Tougher than the year before. Which is awkward, because that is what I said at the end of 2022. 

So, in issuing a New Year message, it’s hard to avoid a sense of Groundhog Day. My wonderful colleague, the late John Simmonds (KCC Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance) used to like to quote Enver Hoxha, the Communist dictator of Albania: ‘This year will be harder than last year. However it will be easier than next year.’ Perhaps an unusual source for a Conservative county councillor, but John wasn’t wrong - and it has felt especially apposite in the last couple of years. 

This reflects, above all, the financial pressures that we have experienced, as have councils up and down the country. Not that this is the only issue we face; since the summer, a series of court judgments (including our successful Judicial Review of the Home Secretary) have highlighted the impact of asylum, and in particular our responsibilities for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. But the financial issue is the most pressing. 

In the last couple of years, this has not reflected cuts in government support; settlements have been quite generous by historic standards (whether they have been adequate is another matter). Nor do they reflect, in the short run at least, the familiar pressures of demography. Instead, they reflect massive increases in costs as a result both of general inflation and of broken markets in adult social care, children’s services placements and transport (though home to school transport, in particular for children with special educational needs, is also seeing big increases in numbers in step with the rise in Education, Health and Care Plans).

I am pleased that, faced from the summer with evidence of severe financial pressures, we have developed a comprehensive and coherent response, seen in our Cabinet papers of 17 August and especially 5 October, which launched our programme Securing Kent’s Future. We will see a further stage of that work as we present our budget in the New Year, but that is not the end of the process; our financial position will not change fundamentally and so we will need to develop further our multi-year approach to ensuring our financial viability. 

However, as I have emphasised in my New Year message, we have to be concerned with more than just survival. Last year, I suggested two areas through which we could look beyond the immediate financial challenge. The first was our work with the NHS. Here we can report progress. A revised and enhanced Integrated Care Strategy is due for approval by our Cabinet on Friday (4 January). It reflects much wider engagement than was possible with the first iteration of the strategy (which under national requirements had to be put together to a rapid deadline of 31 December 2022). From here we can develop detailed action plans that can deliver the strategy’s aims. This is the best, most systematic approach to collaboration between the NHS and local government so far, and offers a real prospect of much shared better management of our resources and services.

The second area was that of devolution, and this has been much harder to deliver. The approach of the end of this Parliament has made councils less willing to commit to new arrangements than might otherwise have been the case; as a result, while we submitted an Expression of Interest to government in the summer, it was clear that there was not support for the more radical options of a Combined County Authority (including a mayor). This added to the challenges of the summer. 

Nonetheless, it is important that we continue to develop a vision of what devolution can mean for Kent and Medway; it is only by this that we can address the key issues for the county in skills, infrastructure, economic development and transport. The exact form this will take remains unclear but both major parties remain committed to the concept of devolution and we must pursue this. 

Finally, amid the challenges, we still carry out vital roles in shaping and supporting life in the County and the interests of our residents: whether in environmental protection and enhancement, support for our vulnerable residents through the economic crisis of recent years, delivery of vital (and high quality) services to vulnerable children and adults,  work with our voluntary and community sector and much more. All this we will continue and redouble in 2024.

I wish all Kent residents a very happy New Year.

Pilgrims Way East closure

A reminder - since the signs have been out for a while - that Pilgrims Way East will be closed tomorrow between 0700 and 1500. The closure will be between the Shoreham Road junction and Row Dow. 

This is to enable lining work to be undertaken to improve visibility/ awareness of the speed humps, along with high friction surfacing and resetting of some kerbs. The lining works were intended to be carried out when the hump near Row Dow was repaired in November; however, as a result of wet weather this was not possible. Clearly, these works are also weather dependent, although the forecast suggests that they should be able to go ahead.

Improving Rights of Way

 One more positive development of the last few weeks …On 29 November Sevenoaks District Council’s CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) Spending Board approved an application from KCC’s Public Rights of Way and Access Service for £209,000 in funding to improve nine key PROW routes in Otford, Kemsing, Swanley, West Kingsdown, Knockholt, Sevenoaks and Edenbridge.

The aim of the application was to deliver surface and signage improvements to ensure all year and all weather access. The routes supported include:

- SR49a, running from Kemsing (Dynes Road) to Otford Station; it’s long been a priority for residents and its importance, not least in serving the station, has been recognised by the PROW service (it was previously short listed, though ultimately unsuccessfully for a bid to national government for active travel funding)

- SR44 (between Shorehill Lane and Birchin Cross Road) and SR80 (running off Cotmans Ash Lane) in Kemsing both serve the North Downs Way

- SR54 in Otford serves the West of the Parish, providing a route from Rye Lane to the High Street, and hence to the primary school

CIL is a form of developer contribution, with the funds held by the District Council as local planning authority; the Board adjudicates bids for part of this funding. I discussed this bid with KCC officers and submitted an expression of support for the bid to get through the first round of assessment before it got to the Committee. At the Board meeting, KCC officers presented the case for the bid, along with Cllr Irene Roy (Otford and Shoreham District Councillor).

This is a very positive development, and I will update on progress of the schemes. You can find SDC’s media release about the outcomes of the CIL Spending Board here.

Speed limit lowered on the A25

A somewhat belated good news story. Last week (12 December) the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for the reduction of speed limit on the A25 Seal Road from 40mph to 30mph was implemented. 

The section of the road where the limit was 40mph stretched from within Sevenoaks Town (and the County Division of my neighbouring County Councillor, Richard Streatfeild) into Seal Parish (and my Division). This created an anomaly in the middle of an area that is otherwise 30mph all,the way through and added to the sense of insecurity among pedestrians, including children going to school (or walking with their parents). 

It has taken quite some time to get here; the issue has been raised with me by residents over a number of years. Initially it was thought that Kent Police and Kent Highways would not agree to support it, though we later secured a change of view on this. Part of the argument for caution was that, with the change of limit, there are no longer repeater signs on this stretch of road (because under the Highway Code the presence of streetlights is taken as the indication of a 30mph limit). Nonetheless, the TRO was agreed at last December’s Joint Transportation Board. The scheme was taken on by Kent Highways’ Design and Delivery team in the summer, and handed over to contractors on 1 November. 

This is, I hope, a welcome step forward for residents of both Sevenoaks and Seal.

Weekend closure at Pilgrims Way East

The signs for this weekend’s closure of Pilgrims Way East have been up for some days. The closure is for works both to reset the loose and damaged kerbs on the raised table near the Row Dow junction and to reset its height. 

The closure will be from 8am on Saturday morning (25 November) until 6pm on Sunday. The later stages of the closure will be to allow time for the materials to cure before the road reopens.

The rising costs of school transport

Today at the County Councils Network annual conference, I chaired the launch session for a new report, commissioned by CCN from the ISOS partnership, on the rising costs of home to school transport, in particular for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The increase in costs - SEND transport costs at CCN member authorities are set to treble over the decade to 2027-28 - is one of the biggest factors threatening the financial stability of county and unitary councils.

The increase reflects the much larger number of children with Education, Health and Care Plans following reforms introduced in 2014-15, and the shift to more special school places, in many cases at greater distance from the family home. All this has taken place within the framework of a school transport system unaltered in its fundamentals from the provisions of the 1944 Education Act.

I have taken on the role of CCN’s spokesperson on children’s services, and so have been part of the report’s launch. It is a rigorous, high quality and important piece of work. Today was the official launch, but the media release was some days ago and the underlying arguments have been presented to government still earlier. Which is important, because while the report sets out proposals for longer-term reform, it also urges a short-term cash injection from government to meet the immediate pressures. We will see from tomorrow’s Autumn Statement how the government responds.  

You can find more about the report and its release here.

Further closure on Pilgrims Way East

As is quite widely known, there will be a further road closure in Pilgrims Way East over the weekend of 25 and 26 November.

The initial reason for this was for further works on the speed table near the Row Dow junction to address the drainage kerb that has come loose along with resetting some other kerbs. In addition, the issue of the height of this speed table remain to be addressed and this is being taken up by Kent Highways officers with the main contractor and sub-contractor. 

These works do not affect the speed table near the Tudor Drive junction, and the closure will take effect between the Tudor Drive and Row Dow junctions. The Road Closed signs (indicating Access Only) will go up at the PWE/ Shoreham Road junction; however, residents of Tudor Drive and Tudor Crescent, as well as of properties in the affected section of PWE will have access from the Shoreham Road junction with Pilgrims Way East. 

Given the amount of disruption residents in and around Pilgrims Way East have had over recent months, it is important that these works are concluded effectively. Having spoken with Kent Highways officers, I know that they are very much aware of this and are meeting with contractors to ensure this is delivered.

I will update again as soon as I have further details.

Pilgrims Way East half term closure

Many residents will already be aware of next week’s further closure of Pilgrims Way East. 

The road will be closed from 23rd October for four days between the A225 and Row Dow.

This will be a full (24/7) closure.This is unrelated to the other recent closures and is to allow SGN to carry out works on their services. Our Streetworks team attempted to get these works carried out at the same time as the table tops were being installed, but SGN was not ready to deliver those works at that time.The works have therefore been delayed until half term week to avoid any impact on school journeys.

The closure is a full one, because PWE is a narrow road and there is no scope to carry out the works while traffic can pass safely.

Regrettably, this does mean further significant disruption to residents who have had a lot to put up with in recent months - but is within the utility’s powers as a statutory undertaker.

The utility has not provided advanced warning signs to residents as it should have. KCC officers visited the site yesterday to check this out, and have issued a fixed penalty notice as well as challenging as to whether or not a letter drop has been completed.

There has to be access for residents, given the length of closure and the number of people affected, but at certain points one way in will have to be closed as the works take place.

Quite separately, there has been an emergency closure starting today (in these cases, KCC is often informed only after the works have started) on Pilgrims Way between Cotmans Ash Lane  and Heaverham Road. This is for works by South East Water, and could last for up to four days - KCC officers are seeking to get this accelerated.

Pilgrims Way update

A further update on the Pilgrims Way closure. SGN staff worked to identify the gas leak yesterday evening, and then were due to finish the repair this morning, followed by backfilling the area of excavation. Reinstatement of the road surface will take place tomorrow morning (Saturday 30th) and, allowing some time for the reinstatement to settle, the road should be open by the end of the day. The permit to SGN has been amended accordingly with an end date of 30 September. Hopefully that should be the end of this significant disruption to residents.

Another closure: SGN on Pilgrims Way

 A quick note/ update on the closure in Pilgrims Way. 

This is an emergency closure by the utility (SGN) to address a gas escape. This is different from a scheduled closure: in these cases the utility (statutory undertaker) does not arrange the timing with KCC and has to inform us only within two hours of starting the closure. 

I contacted the relevant KCC officer, who asked SGN to work extended hours to reduce the duration of the road closure (booked as up to 8 days, but this is a maximum). The KCC area inspector attended this morning but by mid-afternoon SGN had not located the leak and so their investigation work was continuing. 

KCC have made clear the importance of these works being completed as soon as possible, and I should have an update tomorrow.

Tudor Drive works postponed

More detail to follow later, but the works on Tudor Drive (and associated road closure), scheduled to start tomorrow, are postponed. This is because work by the crew on another scheme has overrun. I will add more later when I have it but I thought important to get this out as quickly as possible.

Tudor Drive road works

 Residents of Tudor Drive (and Tudor Crescent) were concerned by the initial notice of a road closure of up to 5 days for Kent Highways to carry out pothole blitz/ carriageway patching works, in particular in relation to access. I have taken this up, and understand that a letter has been delivered to residents that hopefully addresses some of these concerns.

To summarise, the aim is now to have the works completed within three working days. On those days (Friday 29 September, Monday 2 October and Tuesday 3 October) the road will be closed for its full length between 0900 and 1700. The road should be open and accessible outside these hours and over the weekend. Officers have emphasised that every effort will be made to maintain access for residents, but that this may be difficult at times when (for example) hot material is being laid. Emergency vehicles are of course exempted from this. Officers have also emphasised that usually a situation can be worked round if residents speak to the gangs, and hopefully this can be accommodated practically while these much desired works take place.   

I have also followed up queries as to whether it would be possible to focus first on the area before the junction with Tudor Crescent, leaving that open once the works there are done. However, the large-scale patching that is being undertaken is (I am told) best and most efficiently done across the entire road. The advice I have from the highways engineers is that the quickest way to do the work is to plane out all of the patches first, which can normally can be completed in a matter of around 2-3 hours. The patching then starts shortly afterwards and will be completed using a paving machine usually reserved for resurfacing works. This approach – using quite large machinery and aiming to move as quickly as possible - means that it is not possible to do all of the patches at the top end and then move on to the bottom end of the road.

However, the aim is to get the works done as quickly as possible, hopefully well ahead of the 3 days indicated. Officers are also very aware of the need to secure maximum access and flexibility for Tudor Drive/ Tudor Crescent residents and our Highways Steward will be on site on Friday morning.

PWE: contact point for claims

With apologies for the delay (I had to double check something this morning), anyone wishing to make a claim relating to damage from the initial installation of the raised tables in Pilgrims Way East should send it to this email address:

activetravel@kent.gov.uk

In some earlier responses, I was working from advice that the claim should be sent to Amey; hopefully using this KCC address is a lot easier and more straightforward for any residents wishing to make a claim.

Addressing defects on PWE works

As many residents will know, works over the weekend on the Row Dow junction table top were defective with a severe gap at the top of the ramp. There was therefore a site meeting this morning between KCC and the contractor and subcontractor. There was an action for temporary tarmac to be installed in the afternoon to make it safe until the top of the ramp could be surfaced, although this was not apparent to me when I drove through it in the early evening. With a further closure organised, surfacing was due to take place tonight, and the road is now closed.

Hopefully- though experience makes us all cautious on this - the work should be carried out and the road reopened before the morning. The works on the Tudor Drive junction table top should be carried out this weekend as previously advised.

It shouldn’t be like this, and from KCC’s side, I can only apologise. We will of course be going through this with the contractors to establish what has gone so badly wrong. I also took up with officers earlier today the best route for residents who wish to make a complaint or have a claim in relation to damage to a car. This is being worked through and I will confirm when I have the full details.

My apologies too that this report comes late in the day; I was in long meetings with very poor Wi-Fi through much of today. 

Weekend works in Pilgrims Way East

Following on from yesterday’s post about Pilgrims Way East, permits to close the road have been raised and granted. This is for remedial works to ensure that the tables are now installed to KCC’s specification. This will involve two weekend road closures:

Saturday 16 - Sunday 17 September (ie the coming weekend) - closure between Tudor Drive and Row Dow - for the table near the junction with Row Dow to be treated

Saturday 23 - Sunday 24 September- closure between Shoreham Road and Tudor Drive - for the table near the junction with Tudor Drive to be treated

At these times, there will be no access for vehicles through the works site. The road will be closed overnight each Saturday but access to properties will be through the relevant diversion route.

Rye Lane works and the TW3

Rye Lane will be closed tomorrow (Friday 15 September) for Kent County Council to carry out tree surgery works. The closure will be from the Willow Park junction and is expected to run from 0930 to 1530.

Once these works are completed, it should enable the Go Coach TW3 to once more take in the west of Otford and Willow Park. KCC and Go Coach committed to this, subject to tree clearance, and it was not possible for the tree works to be undertaken before this Friday. At present the bus waits by Otford Pond until its departure time to head down the A225 towards Sevenoaks, but the full TW3 route should be in operation from Monday, 18 September. Go Coach state on their website that they aim to serve this area from the 18th and will confirm once the works are done and the safety of the route has been confirmed.

 

Pilgrims Way East: work on the ramps

An update on the table top ramps on Pilgrims Way East. As reported, KCC are working with the Principal Contractor to investigate the severity of the ramps and where necessary make alterations to reduce the ramp angle. Due to the urgency of the corrections, any works to the ramps will need to be undertaken at short notice during the next available weekend. At present KCC is awaiting availability from the Contractor, and will let residents know through road signage and through the Parish once this has been agreed. I will also post as soon as I know more.

In other words, it is not yet confirmed as to when these works will take place but there should be confirmation of this very shortly. Clearly given all that residents have already had to deal with on this, it makes sense to work at times (such as the weekend) that reduce the impact of further disruption; it’s also important that this is addressed as soon as possible. I will, as I say, update when I have more information.

RAAC: Kent’s story

A week ago, very few people were aware of Reticulated Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) - now after days of headlines about ‘crumbly concrete’ and its impact on schools and other public buildings, and the impact of school closures on families, it has dominated the news. But in Kent we have a very distinct experience.

RAAC started to develop as a national level issue after a ceiling collapse at Singlewell Primary School in Kent in July 2018 (very fortunately, it happened over a weekend). As a result, Kent County Council and schools within the county have been alive to the issue since then, and there have been both repair works and extensive surveys of schools with buildings constructed in the period when RAAC was most widely used (1930s to 1990s, and especially between 1950 and 1980). 

The issue surged in importance again earlier this summer, when - following a change in guidance from the Institute of Structural Engineers, action had to be taken at seven schools in Kent (Palmarsh Primary; St James CofE Primary, Tunbridge Wells; Sunnybank Primary, Sittingbourne; Godinton Primary, Ashford; St Bartholomew’s Catholic Primary, Swanley; Birchington CofE Primary; and King Ethelbert Secondary School in Thanet). In all but one case - where the academy trust worked directly with the Department for Education (DfE) - KCC officers worked closely with the schools to ensure that teaching and learning could continue (use of mobiles, marquees, other rooms within the school or a nearby school) and works were brought forward over the summer. 

And so, when another collapse (which now appears to have been in a school building last week somewhere else in the country) led the DfE to advise schools with RAAC to close the affected areas, the Kent schools were not on the list of partial or full closures.

The last 24 hours have seen some further uncertainty. It was not clear from letters received from the DfE whether the works undertaken in the summer (prior to the most recent incident and guidance) constituted adequate mitigation of risk. As a result, we took the difficult decision to prioritise safety (even if the risks were likely to be very low) and so to keep two schools where the works had been completed closed today (Palmarsh as a full closure, and St James’ as a partial closure). However, we today received full confirmation from the DfE that the mitigation was adequate and both schools will reopen tomorrow. We’re deeply sorry at the disruption that this has caused schools, children and families, but felt that under the circumstances we had to take a safety first approach.

This will remain a significant national issue for some time. For anyone interested in the background, there is a useful discussion in the National Audit Office’s report on school condition, published in June. You can find KCC’s media release on the issue here.

Over the weekend, reflecting Kent’s experience in this area, I was interviewed on the Today Programme , Times Radio and LBC.

Childsbridge Lane works: latest

A further update on the Childsbridge Lane works. It was intended to finish them today. However, a JCB was apparently stolen from the site, delaying the start of works and so they are not yet complete.

There will be no works - and the road will be open - tomorrow, because the crew are scheduled (in line with the original plan) to be working elsewhere. There will therefore be a further closure on Thursday and Friday (it is not yet clear whether the whole day will be needed on Friday, but it seems highly likely that not everything can be completed on Thursday). The hours of closure should be as before, 0900 to 1630.

That’s the picture as I had it from Kent Highways officers a little earlier this afternoon; if this changes at all I will post again.

Budget consultation and Cabinet report: the pressure is on

There’s just over a week to go to take part in KCC’s budget consultation, which closes on 6 September. We are currently developing our budget plans for the next financial year (2024-25) and the consultation is central to that. 

At the same time, there are significant financial pressures in year (2023-24). A report to our Cabinet meeting on 17 August set out a projected overspend (before any corective management action) of £43.7m. The main pressures are to be seen in adult social care (including the effects of hospital discharge on demand for costly short term beds), SEND transport and the rising cost of placements in children’s services. Management action - notably in adult social care and financing costs - narrows the projected gap by £17m, but there is still a lot to be done.

By a further Cabinet meeting (5 October) further detailed measures to close the in year gap will be brought forward, along with a longer-term plan (Securing Kent’s Future) to address the underlying pressures. Many if not all of these pressures are to be found across much of local government, which is reflected in the increasing number of councils reporting severe financial distress. We are therefore both analysing which areas of pressure are distinct to Kent, and what actions we need to take; the pressure to act is the more intense because our historic levels of reserves are at the lower end of the range for County Councils.

The Cabinet report, which sets out in some detail the budget pressures and our response, can be found here .

SEND schools for Swanley and Whitstable

Some excellent news for the delivery of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) education in Kent. The Education Secretary has approved two special Free Schools, in Swanley and Whitstable. 

Both will serve children with Profound, Severe and Complex Needs. They formed part of our Safety Valve agreement with the DfE late last year, which aims to put SEND education in the County on a financially sustainable basis. They will also make an important contribution to meeting need and improving SEND services in the County.

You can find the KCC media release here.

Childsbridge Lane closure for road patching

KCC will be carrying out carriageway patching (road repairs) in Childsbridge Lane, resulting in a road closure. 

The road will be closed from Friday 25 August for up to four days, excluding the weekend. The closure will run from School Lane to the railway bridge, and the official diversion route is via A25 High Street in Seal, A225, Pilgrims Way East/ Pilgrims Way and into Childsbridge Lane (or vice versa if coming from Kemsing or any point north of the closure). 

An additional day for Pilgrims Way East works

I’ve had an update on the Pilgrims Way East road closure from the Kent Highways officer overseeing the project; he just came back to me after being on site today. 

The Kent Highways officer has raised concerns with the subcontractors about the height of the raised table at Row Dow. He has requested that the site does not open until this has been addressed. The contractors have secured a one day extension to the road closure to complete these works. 

I took a look earlier in the evening, and vehicles are passing through the Row Dow ramp. However, the intention is for the closure to be in place for another day; so tomorrow (Tuesday) should be the final day. I will relay any updates I get from Kent Highways, who will be on site to oversee this.

Going back a bit, the question as to why the Row Dow table works were started before Tudor Drive was complete: the contractors assessed that this was more time efficient, though as said previously, the original schedule was to carry out the two separately and sequentially.

Kent Highways, as the highways authority, are overseeing the works, but as I reported at the start, this is Phase 2 of the Otford Traffic Management Scheme rather than a stand alone KCC project. I hope it’s nonetheless helpful to provide updates.

Pilgrims Way East: last stage of the works

 Here’s the latest, as I understand it, of the final stages of the works in Pilgrims Way East. 

The works are due to finish by the end of Monday (21 August), and the crews will be working over the weekend to ensure that the deadline is hit. The programme is to complete patching and surfacing tomorrow, post and sign installation on Sunday and lining works on Monday. During this time, access will be maintained but both sections of the road will be closed - not of course at the same time, but unfortunately I can’t confirm which section of the road will be open or closed at a specific time. This will depend on the workload and progression of the works. 

The advice for residents is to follow the signed diversion and leave additional time to travel, which is clearly a significant inconvenience. It should, however, be concluded by the end of Monday.

Pilgrims Way East closure for works

Pilgrims Way East will be closed from 4 August for up to 14 days, between the junction of Shoreham Road and Row Dow. This is to install Phase 2 of the Otford Traffic Management scheme, which involves installing two tabletop ramps and extending the 20 mph zone through this section.

The diversion route will be via the A225, A25 and Childsbridge Lane.  

BSIP funding to support more travel for bus pass holders

As part of the initiatives taken under our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), Kent County Council is ensuring that older and disabled people are able to use their concessionary bus passes for longer over the summer. 

At present, holders of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) pass are restricted to using it after 9:30 in the morning. This will be relaxed in August, enabling pass holders to use it up until 11PM Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends.

This is one of a number of KCC schemes using BSIP funds and working with operators to promote bus usage. Other recent initiatives include cheaper fares for bus travellers within Swale and going into Maidstone, free summer bus travel for families with children on Free School Meals and a price freeze for the Kent Travel Saver.

New nuclear: the case for Dungeness

I’m a bit behind with this, but on Monday the Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie visited Dungeness and we had a tremendous opportunity to set out the case for it as a site to generate nuclear power through Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

Dungeness has produced nuclear energy for sixty years; the area has real skills and expertise, along with a culture of nuclear safety, built up over that long period. The site is currently set for closure and Dungeness B is in the long process of defuelling. However, the government’s renewed commitment to nuclear as a form of green energy, and the development of new approaches, notably SMRs, offers the prospect of generating nuclear power at Dungeness once more.

At KCC, we have been strongly committed to supporting Dungeness, both for its contribution to the UK’s energy transition, and for its importance to the life and economy of Romney Marsh. In this, we have worked closely with the local MP, Damian Collins, with Folkestone and Hythe District Council and other partners while building links with potential suppliers.

We met Minister Bowie at the conclusion of his visit to the Dungeness site and had the opportunity to set out the case for SMR generation here. The timing was especially good, given that the next day saw the launch of Great British Nuclear, the government body set up to drive nuclear energy development. A long way to go, but this was a very positive step in promoting a sustained future for energy generation and job opportunities in this part of Kent.

BSIP: £16 million more for bus services in Kent

 In the course of last week, KCC had confirmation from the Department for Transport that we have been awarded an extra £16 million in funding related to our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). This was announced by the Roads Minister Richard Holden on his visit to Kent on Wednesday. I was not able to join him on this visit - I was already committed to a social care event in Margate - but I had been able to have a very valuable meeting with the Minister in London last Monday.

In one sense, this is not new news; KCC was awarded a total of £35 million in BSIP funding for 2022-25 early last year. However, the first tranche (of £19 million) did not arrive until near the end of the 2022-23 financial year, with the expectation that it be spent before April 2024. At that point, there was no firm commitment to the remaining funding, but it is very welcome that it has now been confirmed.

The original focus of BSIP funding was much more heavily tilted towards capital than revenue, and even with regard to revenue the government’s emphasis was on promoting viable new routes and bus travel in general rather than protecting uneconomic services. This remains broadly the case; however, given the general crisis in the industry, there is now somewhat more flexibility and KCC is doing its utmost to support the network, especially in relation to school services, though these are still services that have the potential for a sustainable long-term future.

We will be publishing more details of the deployment of BSIP funding soon. With all the caveats, and the challenges faced by the industry (as seen in the Stagecoach reductions in East Kent), this is nonetheless good news.

You can find the DfT’s media release here.

Free bus travel on the Kent Big Weekend

Next weekend (24-25 June) is the Kent Big Weekend, organised by Visit Kent, which is promoting more than 70 tourist attractions across the county (I will be visiting a couple on the Saturday). It is also the Free Bus Weekend, when bus passengers across Kent and Medway will be able to travel free. 

This results from a collaboration between KCC and the bus companies, and is funded by the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) grant from the Department for Transport. KCC was awarded £35m under BSIP, of which almost £19m has so far been paid (for financial year 2023-24). One of the policy features in the revenue element of BSIP (about two thirds is capital) is initiatives such as this to boost bus usage. 

You can find KCC’s media release here.

This week I am meeting the Transport Minister responsible for this area, Richard Holden, so hopefully there will be more to report.

TW school services for the autumn

There is good news after concerns in the last couple of weeks about the TW1, TW3 and TW4 Go Coach services, with reports of their being de-registered. This reflected operational changes that Go Coach had to adjust to, in particular the difficulties in continuing to use the Sevenoaks campus for overnight parking. 

KCC officers tendered the routes and Go came back as the successful operator even though it will now be holding its vehicles overnight in Swanley rather than at the campus. This means that, for the TW1 and TW4, the service will continue exactly as before. 

With regard to TW3, the additional news is that it will once more serve the West of Otford, starting from Telston Lane (this used to be the case but ceased last year amid the severe pressures on bus routes). This has been agreed between Go Coach and KCC Public Transport, on the basis of cutting back trees and vegetation in Willow Park/ Rye Lane. KCC's soft landscaping team will undertake this work in August, so as not to affect nesting birds. 

This securing of school services is good news for families whose children use these routes, and reflects a continuing commitment by Go Coach to serving the area, and KCC's Public Transport officers who have gone the extra mile in helping secure this.

Rishi Sunak comes to Kent Scientific Services

After a busy week and some technical problems, this is pretty late to post about an event last Tuesday - but it’s not every week that we get a visit from the Prime Minister. 

Rishi Sunak came to Kings Hill to visit Kent Scientific Services, one of KCC’s hidden jewels. KSS provides testing and analysis to both public and private sector bodies, and its laboratory is particularly important given the volume of imports that come through our Kent ports (though its service are also used further afield). 

The Prime Minister had launched a campaign against illegal vapes, and in particular their sale to under 18s, and visited KSS accompanied by the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Chris Whitty. KCC’s head of Trading Standards, Steve Rock, briefed our visitors on his team’s work in this area, including having seized half a million illegal vapes being brought into the country. Then KSS head Mark Rolfe took them to the laboratory to see the work that KSS does in testing and establishing the contents of illegal vapes.

The Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer were impressed by what they saw. After the tour of the laboratory, local MP and Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and I were able to update the Prime Minister on local issues.

Kemsing and Seal closures

I will post about things other than road closures, but there are a couple of developments following on from my previous post.

The first is that there will be overnight (2000 to 0500) closure of Childsbridge Lane outside Redcot, starting tomorrow (23 May) for up to 2 days. This is for Kent Highways to carry out highway patching.

Secondly, the nighttime closure at Noah's Ark (for works to the M26 bridge by National Highways), originally scheduled for 6 to 8 June, has now been rescheduled for 16 to 20 June between 2200 and 0500.

… and some more road closures

More on some road closures.

One coming up very quickly is the closure of Pilgrims Way East for two days, starting tomorrow (15 May). This is to replace a length of kerbing. Signs have been up in the road for some time.

Somewhat further out, Noah's Ark bridge over the M26 will be closed overnight (between 2200 and 0500) on 6-7 and 7-8 June. This is for works undertaken by National Highways, who are examining the joints and structure of the bridge. This will overlap with a closure of Watery Lane/ Heaverham Road outside the Manor House; scaffolding for roof works will mean a closure of the road between 6 and 15 June. 

These two closures clash to some degree, since the normal diversion route from Watery Lane would be through Noah's Ark; vehicles affected by this will have to take the same diversion as that applied for Noah's Ark, which is to go back to the A25 and then Childsbridge Lane (or vice versa). This clash will, however, only apply during the two night closures, so the number of journeys affected should be much less than would otherwise be the case.  

In Shoreham, Shacklands Road will be closed for three days starting 5 June outside Timberden Farm for works to be carried out by Thames Water.

In Otford, Rye Lane will be closed for four days starting 9 June between 0930 and 1530 outside number 30 for works to be carried out by Openreach.

Road closures coming up

There are an increasing number of local road closures reflecting highway repairs carried out by Kent County Council. Here are a few that are coming shortly:

Fackenden Lane (Shoreham) closed on 11 May for 1 day.

Bower Lane (Eynsford/ Shoreham) closed between Bower Farm and Westwood Ho on 12 May for 1 day.

Firmingers Road (Well Hill, Shoreham Parish) - closed at the junction with Well Hill on 1 June for 1 day between 0900 and 1600.

For other reasons, Rock Hill (Well Hill, Shoreham Parish) will be closed outside Rock Cottage on 24 May for 2 days - this is for KCC drainage works.

For Shoreham residents, it's also important to note that later in the month, and for other reasons, there will be a longer closure. Station Road will be closed at the junction with the A225 for 9 days from 27 May; this, however, is for works by UK Power Networks.

Helping Out in Knole

As promised (if that’s the word), a picture from today’s litter pick in Knole Park as part of the Big Help Out. All very organised (hence the radio ear piece) and a tour of the park to accompany it.

The Coronation and the Big Help Out

I wish everyone an enjoyable and celebratory Coronation weekend. In addition to tomorrow’s Coronation itself, and the range of celebrations (street parties, Big Lunches and more) taking place over the weekend, Monday is the day of the Big Help Out, an opportunity to volunteer and make a difference locally.

For this, Kent County Council is working in partnership with Kent Volunteers to promote local volunteering activity. I’ll be taking part by joining the big help out litter pick at Knole Park (pictures promised. The aim of the campaign, in keeping with the Kings promotion of community life and voluntary action, is to leave a legacy of volunteering commitments.

You can find KCC’s media release about the Big Help Out here.

Road closures in Knatts Valley and Kemsing

East Hill Road, Knatts Valley, is due to be closed for much of the next two days. (The part of the road in Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley is in Shoreham Parish). The closure will be from 0930 to 1530 for up to two days starting tomorrow, Thursday 20 April. 

The closure is for Kent County Council to carry out carriageway patching - which reflects the state of the road after winter damage. Since East Hill Road is a No Through Road, there is no alternative route, but Kent Highways adds that ‘Every effort will be made to maintain access for residents whenever it is safe to do so’.

For anyone living in Knatts Valley/ Otford Hills, there is a further closure in the area, of Cotmans Ash Lane, the route between this area and Kemsing. This is described as being on or after the 20th, for up to one day. It is also a Kent Highways closure, in this case related to drainage works.

The Space at Riverside

This morning I visited The Space at the Riverside Club in Eynsford. Established just before Christmas as a Warm Space but focusing increasingly on building community and addressing social isolation, the Space has seen sharply increasing attendance at its Wednesday morning open sessions. (Mean attendance has been 60, but last week it was 97). Just in the hour that I was there this morning (and that was shortly after opening at 9), a growing number of people were coming in.

The Space has been developed by Darent Valley Community Church and has secured grants in its early months from Sevenoaks District Council. It serves food and has provided a warm space over the winter, but its main focus on addressing isolation and offering meals, activities and learning (in particular, in relation to IT) speaks to many of the themes emphasised in KCC’s Framing Kent’s Future and to our emphasis, and that of many public agencies on the role of social links and contacts in strengthening both individuals and communities.

My thanks to Adrian Elms, Pastor of DVCC and all those involved in The Space who made me so welcome this morning. I expect to be back.

Helping Kent residents through the crisis

I have recently - and rather belatedly - come across a Facebook post by Citizens Advice in North and West Kent  concerning my visit to the  Kent Money Advice Hub kiosk in Gravesham Borough Council’s offices on 3 March. CAB, along with colleagues from Kent County Council and Gravesham BC made me very welcome and it was a valuable and informative visit. It’s worth drawing attention to the Money Advice Hub as an exemplar of the work that KCC and its partners are undertaking to help Kent residents at a time of severe financial pressure.

The Money Advice Hub is part of our Financial Hardship Programme, which includes and has built on the Helping Hands Scheme, launched in February 2021 with £10 million from the Covid Emergency Grant. Other elements of the scheme include the strengthening of Referrals and Data Sharing between councils. Much of the focus is on ensuring that services and support are available to the residents already entitled to them, and that we help residents build their financial resilience. 

Helping Hands and the Financial Hardship Programme go alongside our delivery of the central government funded Household Support Fund (launched in September 2021). In the first two rounds of funding, over 450,000 awards were made to Kent residents. This has covered areas such as food vouchers for Free School Meal eligible families, energy vouchers, support with water bills, funding passed to District and Borough Councils and more. The third round of the Fund has just been delivered, while a £22 million fourth round (announced recently) runs for a full year to March 2024. 

All told, this is a strong programme of support to Kent residents through the cost of living crisis, and it is set out in a very helpful and comprehensive report in the papers for the 30 March KCC Cabinet meeting. You can find the paper here, and the webcast of the discussion of the item here.

Hewitt Review: hope and experience

The Review of Integrated Care Systems by Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, Health Secretary in the Blair government and commissioned by the current Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, was published today. It is a very welcome report; the question now will be how and to what degree it is implemented.

The focus of the Review was on the 42 Integrated Care Systems (ICS) established last summer under the Health and Care Act 2022. Its Terms of Reference included greater empowerment (and accountability) for local ICS leaders, a reduction in national target setting and an enhanced role for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in oversight of the system.

Local government is a key partner in the ICS; within our system of Kent and Medway, and in particular its Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), which I chair, the three statutory partners are Kent County Council, Medway Council and the local NHS or Integrated Care Board (ICB). The County Councils Network played an important part in the Review (acknowledged by Patricia Hewitt in her Foreword), as did its Chairman, Tim Oliver (Leader of Surrey CC). I was able to take part in a number of ICS and local government leaders' calls with Patricia Hewitt and her inclusive approach was clear.

I cannot claim to have yet fully read and absorbed an 88 page report, but its general approach was increasingly clear as the Review developed and is confirmed today. The Review identifies six key principles:

- Collaboration within and between systems and national bodies

- A limited number of shared priorities

- Allowing local leaders the space and time to lead

- The right support

- Balancing freedom with accountability

- Enabling access to timely, transparent and high-quality data 

These principles aim to deliver a shift from focusing on illness to promoting health, with a shift in ICS budgets towards prevention of at least 1% over 5 years; more freed up and autonomous local systems; reducing the barriers between primary and social care and developing complementary strategies for health and care workforces; and shifting the approach to finance to embed change.

These are good aims, and the Review is full of accurate and important assessments of our current situation, with its over-centralisation, its fragmented approach and the degree to which we are, and remain on a treadmill of dealing with pressures within the system rather than addressing the factors that make those pressures worse. For example: "We are currently one of the most centralised health systems in the world, and ICSs give us an opportunity to rebalance this."

The challenge now will be to deliver on this. One section of the Review has the title 'Why it can be different this time' and Patricia Hewitt recognises (not least from her own experience as a former Secretary of State) that prevention, integration,moving upstream and financial sustainability have long been national policy aims. Her contention - and this is a view that I have argued in our debates on the ICS at County Council - is that strong cross-party support for ICSs, building on the experience of recent years, gives the opportunity to truly do things differently. 

Let us hope so.

Three days left for street party road closures applications

As at the time of last year’s Platinum Jubilee, KCC has waived fees on road closures for people seeking to celebrate His Majesty the King’s Coronation with a street party. However, there are now just three days left in which to submit an application - they must be presented by this Friday, 3 March.

You can find our media release about waiving fees here. We will be posting more about the Coronation weekend in the near future.

Kent Stands with Ukraine on invasion anniversary

Today Kent County Council, like so many organisations, communities and individuals across the country, marked the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Amid the horror and shattering cruelty of the invasion, and the indirect impacts that the resulting economic disruption has brought home to all of us in daily life, there has also been a heartening response in this country and our allies, not least in the welcome given to Ukrainians forced to flee the conflict. In Kent, which has taken more Ukrainian guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme than any other comparable area of the country, we have seen an extraordinary response from people across the county.

Some 4,202 people from Ukraine have been matched with 1,737 sponsors in Kent. Not all have yet come here, but 3,209 have done so. At present, 1,889 are staying with 905 sponsors; others have already done so and moved on, in some cases returning to Ukraine and in other cases moving into the private rented sector. 

Last year there was concern that, once the six month minimum period for hosting came to an end, many hosting arrangements would come to an end. KCC moved ahead of many other councils in raising the rates for payments to hosts from a flat rate £350 per month, regardless of the numbers hosted, to a higher set of rates ranging from £400 per month for hosting one Ukrainian guest to £1,000 per month for 7 or more. This seems to have had an effect; instead of 60% of hosting arrangements coming to an end after 6 months, as we feared, just 7% did so. 

This scheme was set to run through until the end of the financial year in March 2023, since there was at that time uncertainty over future provisions for the scheme. DLUHC confirmed before Christmas that there would be a continuation of the scheme into financial year 2023-24, though with reduced payments to councils but an increase (to £500) in payments to hosts of Ukrainians who have been in the country for over a year. This payment does not, however, increase if there are more guests. KCC has therefore announced that we will, for the next twelve months, support hosts in line with the scheme we had previously announced, but with a higher payment (£500 rather than £400) for single guests who have been here for over 12 months. In other words, we will combine the government’s provisions with our own.

The aim of these schemes is to sustain hosting arrangements but over time many Ukrainian guests will want or need to seek other housing. We are therefore working with district councils across the county, and in particular Sevenoaks District Council, to facilitate an increasing number of moves by Ukrainian guests into the private rented sector.

Our strongest wish is that the day comes soon when our guests are able to return to a free, unified and peaceful Ukraine. But in the meantime several thousand Ukrainians are becoming a valued part of the Kent community, and it is good to be able to support that. 

You can find the KCC media release on this here.

Road closures coming up in Shoreham and Crockenhill

A couple of road closures coming up in the area in the near future are for very different reasons.

Fackenden Lane in Shoreham will be closed for up to 4 days starting this Friday (24 February) for its full length, from the junction with the A225 to the junction with Magpie Bottom. This is to enable Kent Highways to carry out carriageway patching - which is welcome given the severe damage that this road has taken during the winter weather. There have been an increasing number of road closures for Kent Highways works recently, reflecting work getting under way to repair the winter damage.

In Crockenhill, the closure of Wested Lane for works carried out by Network Rail, which has been delayed several times, is now scheduled to run from 0600 on 15 March to 1800 on 22 March. The closure will be between Eynsford Road and the Mark Luck Ltd entrance in Wested Lane near the junction with the B2173 London Road in Swanley. The recommended diversion route is via Eynsford Road/ Main Road, Broadway/Green Court Road/Goldsel Road and the B2173.

Tackling drainage on the A225

Kent Highways drainage officers have been working to address the flooding issues on the A225 between Shoreham and Eynsford. Some of these issues, notably at the railway bridge near Preston Farm, have been persistent problems over a long time, while others such as those closer to the entrance to Eynsford have become more severe recently.

Works (cleansing, emptying chambers) were carried out by the Eynsford Station railway bridge around a fortnight ago, though there is still some root cutting that is due to take place shortly. A little to the south, a second drainage system, which drains to a soakaway in low lying land near the road, has been worked on but further cleansing is due to take place. The drainage engineer has also been in contact with the Environment Agency, since their have a pumping station appears also to be an important part of the system, pumping ground water into the river. Finally, there will be further works up the hill from these sites, where water drains into a filter pipe system in the verge.

There will be a further cleansing of the system all the way down from the area around the Preston Farm railway bridge. Taken together with what has already been done, this should make a real difference but I will urgently relay any new problems that arise to the drainage team.

KCC budget approved: high risks and a narrow path

At a day-long meeting yesterday, the County Council passed the administration's budget for 2023-24. It was the fourth budget since I became Leader, and the most difficult for many years.

I have addressed the reasons for this before, and they underlay the joint letter that the Leader of Hampshire and I wrote to ministers in the autumn. The financial year just concluding (2022-23) is almost certain to be the first in 22 years in which the budget has been overspent; the full year effects of that, and the pressures that have caused it, carry over into 2023-24, for which our budget projects a £217 million (18.2%) rise in the cost of services. This far outstrips the increase in our resources, even after a much better than expected settlement for local government in the Autumn Statement.

The main reasons for this, in addition to surging general inflation (our budget last year was set two weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine) were cost pressures in adult social care, reflecting the crisis in the sector and the ever more complex needs of those in need of our services; rising numbers and costs in school transport, especially for SEND students; and the increasing costs of fostering and specialist placements in Children's Social Services.

The result is that we have both to increase council tax by the full referendum limit level of 5% and deliver some £55 million in savings and increases in income. The savings include difficult decisions in areas such as non-statutory social care services, community wardens and the cost of the Kent Travel Saver. Other measures are currently out to consultation, including our proposals for community services.

The council debate was long, wide-ranging, occasionally contentious and often thoughtful. At its conclusion, the administration's budget passed without amendment. I concluded by setting out the longer-term measures - sustainable budgets, work with the health service, making the most of the national devolution agenda -needed to secure the long-term future of the council and the services we provide. "So, we have a narrow path to tread. There are some very tough choices this year and some very big challenges for the years ahead."

You can find the KCC media release here.

KCC challenges London Mayor over ULEZ

As Leader of Kent County Council, I have written to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, concerning the proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) to the outer London border.

During last year's consultation on the ULEZ expansion, KCC set out its view that the scheme would not be acceptable without an extension of the scrappage scheme to areas bordering London, including affected areas of Kent. This view has not been accepted by the Mayor as he takes the scheme forward (with implementation planned for August this year).

My letter therefore reiterates this concern, and raises the question as to why the proposed ULEZ border does not match that of the Air Quality Management Areas in London. It also makes clear that we will not continue works to install warning signage on our road network unless and until we see these concerns addressed.

In taking this stance, KCC is representing the concerns and interests of our many residents who may be affected by the ULEZ extension in its current form, and joining the growing concern and opposition expressed by outer London boroughs and authorities who border London. We are considering further steps. You can find KCC's media release about this here.

Drainage works on the A225

Drainage work is set to be carried out on the A225 between Shoreham and Eynsford tonight. Recent bouts of heavy rainfall have led to flooding and dangerous amounts of water in several places on the carriageway, in particular by the railway bridge near Preston Farm. 

Contractors did undertake works pre Christmas (21 December) but these did not deliver the desired result, and so Kent Highways drainage officers have required more works. At least two of the key sites are being worked on tonight, and I will update when I have further information.

Councillor Cameron Beart

This morning I got the awful news that Cameron Beart, Kent County Councillor for Sheppey, had died suddenly. He was 31. 

Cameron was elected to the County Council in May 2021. He was utterly rooted in the Island, and deeply proud of it. He also served on Swale Borough Council and was Deputy Mayor at Queensborough Town Council.

He was deeply concerned to boost educational opportunities for young people on Sheppey and was a constant and strong community champion - as seen last summer when he and his County Division colleague, Andy Booth, put in a huge effort to support local people when Southern Water’s systems failed and brought huge distress and disruption to residents.

Our statement and tribute from KCC is here. It is hard to fully take in the sudden death of a young man, or to comprehend his family’s grief and loss. That loss is also felt by friends, fellow councillors and the community he was so proud to represent. RIP.

Levelling Up Fund: good news for Kent

This morning the Department of Levelling Up, Homes and Communities (DLUHC) announced awards under round 2 of the Levelling Up Fund - and it was good news for Kent.

As a County Council, KCC was able to submit one bid – and this proved to be very successful. The Dover Access Improvements scheme secured £45 million in funding. This is designed to improve the flow of traffic through the port of Dover, addressing at least part of the problems that have dogged the county for years and currently seem whenever Operation Brock has to be triggered.

The scheme involves extensive reconfiguration and investment in the port of Dover site. In particular, there will be changes to the order of the various border and customs controls, which are currently set on the basis of arrangements of two decades ago and can be much improved.

There will also be an increase in the buffer zone, removing a lot of traffic from the roads, as well as a doubling in the number of border control posts and a new dock exit route. The latter will help particularly with vehicles that have to be turned away, for example because the paperwork has not been completed.

As I have emphasised in a number of interviews today, this is not a silver bullet; there are a number of measures that need to be taken to ensure that our borders operate effectively, and the damage done to communities and businesses in Dover, East Kent and the county as a whole is ended. It is nonetheless a major step forward. There are still some further parts of approval process to be gone through with government, and the scheme will then take a number of years to implement, not least because it will have to be phased while the port and the border systems continue to operate.

Four other schemes across Kent, put forward by District and Borough councils, were successful: in Dover (so doubly good news for the town and district), in Canterbury, in Swale and in Folkestone and Hythe. All told, this represents £123 million in government investment in Kent. 

Although some have criticised awards to sites in London and the Southeast, DLUHC Secretary Michael Gove points out that proportionately more of the fund still goes to areas such as the North West; and, in an interview on the Radio 4 Today Programme this morning, he cited Kent, and the Kent coast in particular, as an example of an area in the Southeast with significant social and economic needs. We agree; in KCC‘s strategic statement, Framing Kent’s Future, our first priority was Levelling Up Kent. Today marks a good start.

You can find the KCC media release about the funding award here.

KCC launches community services consultation

Kent County Council has today (17 January) launched a 10 week consultation  on the future of our community services and buildings. This includes areas such as children’s centres and youth centres, adult education, some public health services and community services for adults with learning difficulties.

This reflects extensive work by KCC to model new ways to deliver these services; this will require fewer buildings, focused where they are most needed, a greater reliance on outreach and in a number of cases co-location of services. The proposals, if enacted,  would deliver - reflecting the severe financial pressures which KCC is experiencing - savings of some £6 million, though this comes after reinvestment of £4 million in improved outreach. The proposals also aim to tackle the unsustainable maintenance backlog on the KCC community estate, much of which is open for only a limited number of hours per week.

The consultation, which includes drop-in events, runs until 26 March. The details, including the link to the consultation, are set out in this KCC media release.