A number of Highways projects are being carried out in Swanley Village with support from my Member Highway Fund (now the Combined Member Fund). Progress is being made, albeit on a piecemeal basis.
High-friction surfacing is set to be installed as part of the establishment of gateways at the entry points to the village. It was originally intended that these would be installed before Christmas, but this was deferred until the February half term. It has now been confirmed that this will take place on Monday 16 February, and will involve a very short road closure (lasting about an hour).
Gateway signs were installed before Christmas, but appear not to have been painted. Residents have understandably questioned this; I have duly taken up the issue, and this has produced some head scratching at Kent Highways, since the signs should have been painted in a similar fashion to those seen in other villages. Officers are looking into this and hopefully it should be rectified soon.
Finally, we seem to be close to a point where we can move ahead in securing the village sign. I hope to confirm the precise status of this with officers next week.
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Friday, 30 January 2015
KCC moves ahead with LED lighting
Kent County Council plans to invest some £40 m to convert its street lights to LED (light emitting diode) technology, delivering huge cost and energy savings while offering the prospect of restoring full-night lighting in residential areas. This will be the biggest conversion scheme of its kind in the country.
The council has secured low-cost financing and will go out to procurement for delivery of the lighting. Subject to this process being completed satisfactorily, installation could start late this year or in early 2016. The initial focus will be on installation in residential areas.
Installing LED should deliver savings of 60% on KCC's highways lighting bills, enabling full-night lighting to be restored. This is a very welcome development; a number of constituents, especially in Swanley, have been strongly opposed to the part-night lighting that was instituted at the end of 2013. The County Council has argued that it had to deliver both cost and carbon savings. If LED is installed successfully, it should enable savings to be delivered and residents' concerns to be met.
You can find an article on this from the KCC media hub here.
The council has secured low-cost financing and will go out to procurement for delivery of the lighting. Subject to this process being completed satisfactorily, installation could start late this year or in early 2016. The initial focus will be on installation in residential areas.
Installing LED should deliver savings of 60% on KCC's highways lighting bills, enabling full-night lighting to be restored. This is a very welcome development; a number of constituents, especially in Swanley, have been strongly opposed to the part-night lighting that was instituted at the end of 2013. The County Council has argued that it had to deliver both cost and carbon savings. If LED is installed successfully, it should enable savings to be delivered and residents' concerns to be met.
You can find an article on this from the KCC media hub here.
Friday, 19 December 2014
Shoreham School: encouraging Ofsted report
Ofsted inspectors have issued a very encouraging report on Shoreham School. This was the latest of a series of so-called Section 8 reports, which track developments at the school since it went into Special Measures late last year. Reports in December 2013 and March 2014 were relatively encouraging, but the July report - issued just before the summer holidays - was much more negative.
The latest report, based on a visit on 25-26 November, praises progress under the new head teacher, Mrs Gillian Lovatt-Young, and highlights improvements in teaching and children's progress. Having visited the school and met Mrs Lovatt-Young and the chair of governors a couple of weeks before the inspection, I picked up a sense of strong momentum under her leadership. Mrs Lovatt-Young, the governors, staff and pupils at Shoreham are all to be congratulated.
Since the summer I have visited six of the seven primary schools in Darent Valley. It is not very long since we were in a position where one (Shoreham) was in Special Measures and three (High Firs, Horton Kirby and St. Paul's) were rated as Requires Improvement (the former 'Satisfactory' rating by Ofsted, or 3 on the 1-4 scale). In July, High Firs under Colin Turtle's leadership has regained its Good rating. A visit to Horton Kirby left me hopeful that we could see a better rating there soon, and now we have this encouraging report on Shoreham. I will be visiting St. Paul's and meeting its new head in the New Year.
Overall, Kent's primary schools have demonstrated a sharp improvement in Ofsted ratings in the last few years. It is good that Darent Valley seems to be sharing in this progress.
The latest report, based on a visit on 25-26 November, praises progress under the new head teacher, Mrs Gillian Lovatt-Young, and highlights improvements in teaching and children's progress. Having visited the school and met Mrs Lovatt-Young and the chair of governors a couple of weeks before the inspection, I picked up a sense of strong momentum under her leadership. Mrs Lovatt-Young, the governors, staff and pupils at Shoreham are all to be congratulated.
Since the summer I have visited six of the seven primary schools in Darent Valley. It is not very long since we were in a position where one (Shoreham) was in Special Measures and three (High Firs, Horton Kirby and St. Paul's) were rated as Requires Improvement (the former 'Satisfactory' rating by Ofsted, or 3 on the 1-4 scale). In July, High Firs under Colin Turtle's leadership has regained its Good rating. A visit to Horton Kirby left me hopeful that we could see a better rating there soon, and now we have this encouraging report on Shoreham. I will be visiting St. Paul's and meeting its new head in the New Year.
Overall, Kent's primary schools have demonstrated a sharp improvement in Ofsted ratings in the last few years. It is good that Darent Valley seems to be sharing in this progress.
Thursday, 18 December 2014
Gateway signs go into Swanley Village
As promised earlier in the year, some key projects in Swanley Village are being paid for from my Member Fund. I told a meeting of the Swanley Village Residents Association a few weeks ago that village gateway signs should be installed before Christmas; this has happened today. Some other promised works, such as installation of high friction surfacing, should take place during the February half term. Action to remove and replace the village sign should also take place shortly.
Also in Swanley Village (though not paid for from my Fund), I understand that the gullies in Button Street from just south of the motorway bridge to the junction with Wood Street should be cleansed before the end of tomorrow.
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Crockenhill: works go ahead at Green Court Road
I have worked with Crockenhill Parish Council and Kent Highways to improve safety at the junction of Cray Road, Main Road and Broadway for some years. Last year, high friction surfacing and an interactive sign were among the measures introduced, but more needs to be done. Although it seemed that we had some potential ways forward over a year ago, we have come up against the stumbling block that many of them would involve road closures that would be unacceptable to the Parish Council and to local opinion. Attempts to establish a safe crossing in the area have proved similarly difficult to take forward.
Having undertaken speed surveys in the area, we are now looking at a range of measures that would include hanged to parking and to the interactive sign, as well as village signs. These can be paid for from money set aside from my Member a highway Fund for earlier versions of the scheme. Meanwhile, there were a number of agreed enhancements to tackle speeding as traffic comes down to Broadway from Green Court Road that do not require a road closure, including safety fencing by the village green to highlight that pedestrians are approaching a road crossing.
Frustratingly, there have been a variety of delays and contractor problems. However, work started today to install the fencing. Additional works for which orders have been raised and which should be carried out in the near future include a SLOW sign in the road, improvements to signage and a refreshing of lines in the road around the junction. Hopefully this will be the start of further progress on tackling problems at the heart of Crockenhill.
Having undertaken speed surveys in the area, we are now looking at a range of measures that would include hanged to parking and to the interactive sign, as well as village signs. These can be paid for from money set aside from my Member a highway Fund for earlier versions of the scheme. Meanwhile, there were a number of agreed enhancements to tackle speeding as traffic comes down to Broadway from Green Court Road that do not require a road closure, including safety fencing by the village green to highlight that pedestrians are approaching a road crossing.
Frustratingly, there have been a variety of delays and contractor problems. However, work started today to install the fencing. Additional works for which orders have been raised and which should be carried out in the near future include a SLOW sign in the road, improvements to signage and a refreshing of lines in the road around the junction. Hopefully this will be the start of further progress on tackling problems at the heart of Crockenhill.
Monday, 15 December 2014
Community wardens: responding to the consultation
Following the consultation on proposals to reshape the community warden service, reducing the number of wardens to 45, KCC announced last week that warden numbers would be kept at the present level of 70.
The County Council will still take half of the proposed saving of £1.3 million by reductions in management and supervisory structures, but the remaining funds will be found elsewhere within the Growth, Environment and Transport (GET) directorate.
This follows a powerful public response to the consultation, making clear how much the warden service is valued by communities across Kent. The response was particularly strong from Parish Councils; almost all of those within Darent Valley responded to the consultation.
At the start of the process, I said to Parish Councils that the consultation was for real rather than a sham process. Last week's announcement confirms that, and is good news for the wardens and for the communities they serve across the County.
The County Council will still take half of the proposed saving of £1.3 million by reductions in management and supervisory structures, but the remaining funds will be found elsewhere within the Growth, Environment and Transport (GET) directorate.
This follows a powerful public response to the consultation, making clear how much the warden service is valued by communities across Kent. The response was particularly strong from Parish Councils; almost all of those within Darent Valley responded to the consultation.
At the start of the process, I said to Parish Councils that the consultation was for real rather than a sham process. Last week's announcement confirms that, and is good news for the wardens and for the communities they serve across the County.
Monday, 17 November 2014
Over to Nicky Morgan
A year ago, we were waiting for then Education Secretary Michael Gove to rule on the two applications for a grammar annexe in Sevenoaks. Now it is down to his successor, Nicky Morgan, to rule on a new application from the Weald of Kent Grammar School Academy Trust.
As was widely reported last week – in the Sevenoaks Chronicle, but also in the national press – Weald of Kent has submitted an application for a 3 Forms of Entry girls grammar school annexe on the former Wildernesse School site. At KCC we have worked closely with Weald of Kent regarding their application, notably through our projections of the growing need for West Kent grammar school places.
There are many positive indications for this application. It is true that Weald of Kent was - along with Valley Invicta Academies Trust - one of the unsuccessful applicants last year. Both applications were, however, for a coeducational annexe, and this issue - that a single sex school setting up a coeducational annexe was seen to be in effect creating a new grammar school - was at the heart of Michael Gove's decision to turn the applications down. At the same time, the Department for Education made clear that the high proportion of students that Weald of Kent draws from Sevenoaks was a powerful argument for viewing their proposed grammar provision as an annexe.
In the meantime, the grammar annexe secured planning permission (from KCC's Planning Applications Committee) in the summer, and work is getting under way to demolish the existing buildings on the Wildernesse site and then start work on the buildings for the Trinity Free School, which will share use of the site with the proposed grammar annexe.
In the longer term, our aim remains to secure boys' provision in the site as well, but Weald of Kent's application is a very welcome step - a strong proposal from an outstanding Kent grammar school. What remains now is the Secretary of State's decision. KCC and Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon have urged that the decision should be a speedy one.
As was widely reported last week – in the Sevenoaks Chronicle, but also in the national press – Weald of Kent has submitted an application for a 3 Forms of Entry girls grammar school annexe on the former Wildernesse School site. At KCC we have worked closely with Weald of Kent regarding their application, notably through our projections of the growing need for West Kent grammar school places.
There are many positive indications for this application. It is true that Weald of Kent was - along with Valley Invicta Academies Trust - one of the unsuccessful applicants last year. Both applications were, however, for a coeducational annexe, and this issue - that a single sex school setting up a coeducational annexe was seen to be in effect creating a new grammar school - was at the heart of Michael Gove's decision to turn the applications down. At the same time, the Department for Education made clear that the high proportion of students that Weald of Kent draws from Sevenoaks was a powerful argument for viewing their proposed grammar provision as an annexe.
In the meantime, the grammar annexe secured planning permission (from KCC's Planning Applications Committee) in the summer, and work is getting under way to demolish the existing buildings on the Wildernesse site and then start work on the buildings for the Trinity Free School, which will share use of the site with the proposed grammar annexe.
In the longer term, our aim remains to secure boys' provision in the site as well, but Weald of Kent's application is a very welcome step - a strong proposal from an outstanding Kent grammar school. What remains now is the Secretary of State's decision. KCC and Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon have urged that the decision should be a speedy one.
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