Grammar annexe: on with the work

The three month deadline for a Judicial Review of Education Secretary Nicky Morgan's decision to approve the expansion of Weald of Kent Grammar School on the former Wildernesse School site in Sevenoaks expired last week. Pressure group Comprehensive Future effectively abandoned its JR attempt, alleging that it had not been able to secure the documentation it needed. The County Council's view - and mine - was always that WoK's expansion plan in Sevenoaks were a strong and legally compliant proposal, making the Education Secretary's decision hard to challenge.

As I commented to the Sevenoaks Chronicle, this removes the last legal uncertainty regarding the annexe; work to build it can now go on. We will not instantly see activity taking place on the ground; over the next few months there will need to be some further elaboration of the design, mobilisation of sub-contractors and other essential preparatory work. But there should be work taking place on site from late spring, and that will be needed to deliver the annexe for its opening date of September 2017.

I have long argued that there was both a Sevenoaks problem (lack of grammar provision in an area in which many students pass the Kent Test) and a West Kent problem (the need for more grammar places as part of the response to rising secondary rolls); it is logical to tackle the two problems together. For girls' provision at least, that is now in sight.

Country parks - no change for Lullingstone

Back in the early autumn, there was considerable concern from Parish Councils in Darent Valley over a Prior Information Notice (PIN) issued by Kent County Council relating to the nine principal Country Parks that it operates, among them Lullingstone. The PIN, issued in late July (but only coming to the attention of Parish Councils, and me as a local Member, in September) was to test the market regarding interest from commercial or not for profit operators in operating one or more of these Country Parks, or bringing forward other proposals that could contribute to their better operation.

The concept of some external involvement in Country Parks has been on the table for a number of years, and KCC undertook a service review of Country Parks (as it has of many other services) in 2014. The PIN was one element that emerged from that review, alongside a 2014-17 strategy for Country Parks.
 
The unintentionally late communication of the PIN to Parish Councils - towards the end of the eight-week market testing process - added to local concerns. At the same time, KCC made clear that, at this point, it was committing itself to nothing more than to test the market for ideas. Any significant change arising from this would have been subject to extensive consultation.

I spoke directly with the officers leading the process, and the senior officer involved came to speak to the Lullingstone Liaison Group (which I chair and which brings together three Parish Councils and others with a strong interest in the park) in November.

The outcomes of the PIN were taken to a KCC internal board in December. It can now be confirmed that the County Council has responded to those who expressed an interest in the PIN, and that no organisation expressed an interest in Lullingstone Country Park.

Date set for South Darenth works

As I reported in an earlier post, Kent Highways will be removing an unwanted rumble strip and installing additional bollards in Holmesdale Road, South Darenth. The project is paid for from my Combined Member Fund.

A date for the works, which will require a week's road closure, has been set for 25 January. Given the time of year, there is always some uncertainty because of the weather, but hopefully thus can go ahead.

KCC publishes draft budget

The County Council has published its draft budget for 2016-17, to be put before County Councillors on 11 February.

As in previous years - but perhaps even more so - the key factors shaping the County Council's proposals have been increasing need for social care services, especially for the frail elderly, and reductions in government grant.

The Chancellor's Autumn Statement and Sprending Review in November set out the overall reduction in Revenue Support Grant (the main, non-ring fenced transfer from central to local government) but not how this would affect individual authorities. When these figures were released - as in previous years, just before Christmas - it became clear that shire authorities had suffered much more severe reductions than local government as a whole. For KCC, it was £46 million.

Pressures on adult social care for the coming year amount to £31 million (out of overall pressures of £80 million). As a result of this and the reductions in grant, KCC has had to find around £100 million in savings. It will also have to raise council tax by almost 4%, which raises £22m. In part, this will come from the 1.99% increase that the council is able to undertake without triggering a referendum, in addition, the government - recognising the pressures from demographic change and the National Living Wage on social care expenditure - is allowing councils with social care responsibilities, such as KCC, to levy a further 2% 'precept'.

Taken together, this will mean just over £40 extra on a Band C property, and of course more for higher banded properties. The Council is proposing this with considerable reluctance, but it is having to do so at a time when local government continues to deliver very large savings.

You can find out more about the council's proposals, including links to more detailed pages here.

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.