Goldsel Road - lights reported back on

Perhaps my shortest ever post ...  I have just had an email from a resident telling me that the lights in Goldsel Road are back on. Good news, and I'm only sorry that it has taken quite so long.

Works to go ahead in South Darenth

Some time ago, I committed to support some works outside Giffords Cottages in Holmesdale Road, South Darenth, from my Combined Member Fund.

An unwanted rumble strip that is highly damaging to nearby properties will be removed. At the same time, new bollards will be installed outside Giffords Cottages, providing some protection from large vehicles and replacing the rather unsightly barrier currently in place. 

I visited the site with Highways officers a few days ago, along with the Horton Kirby and South Darenth Parish Clerk, to check final details of the project. It will require a road closure and Kent Highways will take the opportunity to carry out some much-needed repairs to the surface (paid for from the general Highways budget rather than my Member Fund). The works should certainly be soon; if all goes well, they could be carried out as soon as January.

Goldsel Road latest

Since my previous post, I have kept in contact with Kent Highways' lighting engineer regarding the work that UK Power Networks are undertaking to fix the fault in Goldsel Road. I understand that UKPN were on siteyesterday; they have identified the cable that is causing the problem, but not the exact point at which there is a fault. They have been in the area again today, trying to get another power supply to the cable, which would help them identify the fault more precisely. Three vans were on site and a large trench was dug.

I understand that, to hit UKPN’s own targets for fixing faults, the issue should be resolved by today; however, that will clearly depend on their ability to identify what needs to be done. Hopefully that will be soon.

As before, I will post again as soon as I have further news.

Lights out in Goldsel Road

Since late October, Crockenhill residents have been increasingly concerned about the darkness in a major part of Goldsel Road, running from alongside Dibsdall Meadow to the bridge over the A20. The street lights have now been out for the best part of a month. I have taken a number of calls and emails from local residents, and have taken the matter up repeatedly with Kent Highways.

The difficulty has been identifying the root of the problem. Kent Highways recently replaced nine out of the twelve columns in this area, and it seemed quite possible that the failure of the street lights was related to this. However, there was also the possibility that the problem reflected a fault in the electricity supply from UK Power Networks (UKPN). Several visits took place from Kent Highways teams before the problem was definitively established last week as one that related to the UKPN supply.

I understand that a UKPN team was in the area yesterday afternoon and it is hoped that they will be able to revisit today to make a damaged cable in the area safe. This is not the cause of the lighting fault, but making it safe is necessary for other work to be undertaken. It is not possible to say how long it will take to fix the fault until its precise nature is diagnosed.

It is frustrating that it has taken us several weeks to get to this point, and it is still not clear exactly when the problem will be resolved. However, it is at least positive that UKPN are on site and I will provide an update as soon as I know more.

Crockenhill 20 mph consultation starts today

A 20 mph zone in the centre of Crockenhill - in particular in the approaches to the junction of Cray Road, Main Road and Broadway - is a central part of proposals to enhance road safety in the village. Plans for the 20 mph zone are now being brought forward, with a consultation that starts today.

The consultation can be found here on the KCC website. It will run for three weeks until 7 December.  Subject to there being few or no objections, and the contractor securing the road space from Kent Highways' road works team, we can hope to see the zone in place early in the New Year.

Crockenhill junction latest

Following on from my most recent post on the Main Rosd/ Cray Road/ Broadway junction project, there have been some further developments - albeit two steps forward and one back.

At a recent meeting of the Parish Council, we agreed the full scope of the 20 mph zone. This now allows for a traffic regulation order to be issued, which starts a three month process (hopefully slightly less) to get the zone established. Yellow lines have now been painted in the area around the entry to Broadway. I have committed to putting in gateway signs in the village, and have got this process underway through my Combined Member Fund.

However, the installation of granite sets is proving more problematic because of the need to work around various forms of utilities equipment in the area. I had hoped that these works could be carried out during this half term week, but this is now subject to significant delays. I will post again when the timing of this is clearer.

Nicky Morgan approves the Sevenoaks grammar annex

With KCC Leader Paul Carter at this morning's press conference

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan issued a Written Statement in Parliament this morning approving Weald of Kent's proposals for expansion through an annex on the former Wildernesse School site in Sevenoaks.

In her statement, the Secretary of State made clear that this is "a genuine expansion of the existing school", with full integration in terms of "leadership, management, governance, admissions and and curriculum?" The 3 Forms of Entry girls annex is proposed to open in September 2017.

The County Council has worked closely with Weald of Kent on this project, and has been committed to the concept of grammar provision in Sevenoaks since early 2012. KCC's role has included leading the call for partners schools to take forward the proposal for an annex, following the original County Council debate in March 2012; developing the evidence base of the need for new grammar provision in the area; funding the project; securing the site and reaching agreement with the government for it to be shared with Trinity Free School; and leading the building projects for both Trinity and the annex. We have also worked closely with Weald of Kent in setting out the case for the Sevenoaks annex to government. It has been important project for me, as both Education Cabinet Member and a Sevenoaks County Councillor.

For me, much of today has passed in media interviews; the interest, both locally and nationally has been intense. Throughout I have sought to convey a number of arguments:

• The Secretary of State has, quite rightly - even if this has sometimes been trying for local opinion, including ours - insisted that the most important thing was to get this decision right, and has been painstaking in determining that the proposal was for an annex, not a new school, and so was compliant with the law. We at KCC always believed this; it is good to see it confirmed
• This is the expansion of an Outstanding school, and one that has made great efforts to ensure that its proposal was robust. Weald of Kent already educates many girls from Sevenoaks and will add a lot to the education offer of the area
• As far as the County Council is concerned, the annex is a pragmatic response to a genuine issue. There is a Sevenoaks problem - it is an anomaly that an area that has so many children taking and passing the Kent Test has no grammar provision; there is also a West Kent problem, of growing pressure on secondary places (including grammar places). It is logical to seek to tackle both problems together

You can find KCC's response, including an interview clip from me, here.