Folkestone & Hythe District Council Monthly Update: May 2026
A monthly bulletin from F&HDC. This month: Financial support for community groups, Renters’ Rights Act, Play Areas, Road of Remembrance, Carton Recycling & Paws for Thought.
Monthly briefing - May 2026
Increased financial support for community groups
A £567,000 package of funding has been agreed to help residents facing hardship, support the voluntary sector and to allow more people across the district to improve their physical health.
Local organisations will receive funding enabling them to continue support for vulnerable residents previously funded by central government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The amount each of the district’s 30 councillors has to spend supporting activities and events in their local areas is also increasing, with each now having £5,000 to share.
As a significant step in addressing poor health outcomes in parts of the district, £75k has been allocated to increase activity levels and boost health and wellbeing.
Renters’ Rights Act
Renting is changing and the council’s private sector housing team has been working to get the message out to tenants, landlords and letting agents living and working in the private rented sector.
The first phase of the Act, which came into force on 1 May, is tenancy reforms and a handy guide is published on the council website.
The Act abolishes Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. Landlords will no longer be able to service a notice without providing a valid reason for eviction.
Play areas
Following completion of the cliff stabilisation above the Lower Leas Coastal Park in Folkestone, work has now begun on installing the exciting new play area equipment.
The project is due to complete before the start of the school summer holidays and the area will once again become the largest, free to use adventure playground in the south east.
Vandalism at the Seabrook Play Area in April prompted the removal of the timber multi-play structure. The area is due to be refurbished later this year along with others in the Folkestone & Hythe district.
Road of Remembrance
The district council is to contribute £236,000 towards the work required to reopen the Road of Remembrance in Folkestone.
The vital link between The Leas and the harbour area has been closed to vehicles and pedestrians since a series of landslips in January 2024.
Kent County Council has agreed a fully designed, technical solution to stabilise the cliff and re‑open the road safely, with works expected to cost approximately £5 million.
It is expected the work will take a year to complete and it is hoped to get it underway in the next couple of months.
Carton Recycling
As the digital advertisement on the new bus shelters across the district is currently telling passers-by – cartons can now be recycled.
Liquid cartons, including those made by Tetra Pak, can go in with other household recycling. All that is required is for the carton to be rinsed and the cap left on.
The council has the use of free advertising space as part of its renewal of 35 shelters in the district.
Paws for Thought event – Sunday 7 June, Radnor Park, Folkestone
For the second year running council staff are working with the RSPCA to put on another community day.
There will be stalls, a boot sale, agility course, dog show and council officers will be offering advice and support to pet owners.
The map on the council website guiding where dogs are welcome and when restrictions apply has been updated to help visitors and resident to plan their dog walking more easily.