Tim Prater Reporting Back from KCC: August 2026
As a Councillor I try to be properly responsive to communication and WILL reply to casework, questions etc (as long as they are polite!). Although voicemail, Messenger, WhatsApp and the rest I try to keep on top of, the best will be to email to me, preferably to tim@prater.uk from where I can send it to the correct one of my 5 Councillor email accounts for action!
If you haven't had a reply back from me in a couple of WORKING days please come back to me (the person that emailed me New Years Day with a casework peeve some years ago did get a reply that day, but my Christmas holidays have improved since!). Certainly if you've had no reply at all in 4 working days, please do check the address you sent it to and re contact me - that's not the way I roll, so something may have gone awry. Finally, although I answer to Mr Prater, Cllr and a few other names, I'd much prefer Tim!
An update from me goes through (almost) all doors in the division 3 times a year, but you can also find more regular updates from me online at http://www.prater.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/timprater
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August 2026 Action List
Radnor Cliff: Correspondence regarding Radnor Cliff, and the idiot bus driver who caused havoc in Sandgate yesterday, firstly performing dangerous manoeuvres on Sandgate High Street, then following that by driving past a “No Buses” sign and driving into Radnor Cliff, where he proceeded to damage a series of cars. Although its difficult to legislate for idiots, we are looking at signage in the area to see if there is anything we can do to add more clarity a “No Buses" sign did not achieve.
East Kent Highways came back with speed tests that did not support the introduction of a new 20mph zone in Horn Street (central section, near The Britannia) that I've been calling for following requests from local residents. I have reviewed, and pointed out that one of the areas they monitored is some 350m away from the area we'd suggested, near the junction with Spring Lane and which has not, at any time, been proposed for a 20mph zone. Telling us the speeds there are too high is both not surprising, and not relevant. I look forward to the reply!
Cheriton High Street: Had further correspondence on the Cheriton High Street junction where we have had a safety audit making it clear that the junction is dangerous, especially for pedestrians. However after being presented with the safety audit, the developers that funded the scheme (Taylor Wimpey) seem to be allowed to simply disagree with the audit and not be required to fund changes. Kent Highways have no budget to make changes (I understand changes would cost around £150,000).
The position of Taylor Wimpey stems back to their consultants view in 2016 that “For the Cheriton Interchange there is a request for pedestrian crossing facilities even though there are not any at the existing uncontrolled crossing”. While that was true, it misses a fundamental point.
The revised junction introduced traffic flow from the direction of Tesco BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT when getting to that junction, whereas previously you could ONLY turn left. Pedestrians crossing from what is now The Range towards Tesco only had to watch traffic coming from J12. After the changes, they have to watch from 2 different directions (Tesco and J12) without any visibility of the colour of the lights from either of those two directions.
If there is an all-red phase for pedestrians crossing in that direction they can't see it. At least having crossed to the halfway point, they can SEE the lights controlling traffic coming from the direction of Cheriton towards J12, so don't have to GUESS if its red and safe to cross - they can see it. No such facility exists for the first section. It's not that its uncontrolled. Its that YOU CAN'T SEE ANY OF THE LIGHTS as a pedestrian so cannot tell if its red or green from either J12 or Tesco. How can that possibly be acceptable? I'm not letting go, but its not quick…
Sandgate High Street: Reported some fly tipping on Sandgate High Street. https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/environmental-protection/fly-posting
On 6th August, I attended the extraordinary meeting of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority.
That meeting was to discuss a proposal from the Authority's senior management to go to a consultation on proposals to shift engines and cover to day shifts (when there are most accidents and call outs) and reduce some night shifts in on call stations where there are low levels of call out, and low availability.
The proposal would have seen better day time cover across the entire county (faster first and second engine response times). For Folkestone & Hythe we would see an additional full time fire engine at Folkestone during the day (going from one to two), and the same at Ashford. That would cut average day response times by around 70 seconds across F&H District, and not change night response times here at all. Wildly, Folkestone Reform Councillors Lawes and Baker voted against better day fire cover across Kent in general and for their local local residents in particular. You'd have to ask them why they felt they would not vote for better fire cover at the busiest times for the County and their residents.
The full vote was 17-2 (myself and Mark Munday) against the putting the proposals out to consultation, so it will not go ahead. There is more on this meeting, and the proposals, at Voting FOR Better Fire Cover for Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh.
News of Interest:
Water returning after 3,000 properties impacted – South East Water is restoring supplies to more than 3,000 Kent homes after unprecedented demand caused outages, with service expected to return gradually. Customers may still experience low pressure while bottled water stations remain open.
For more information: BBC Kent
Plans to close four Kent fire stations rejected – Plans to close four Kent fire stations and cut 63 jobs have been stopped after councillors voted against the proposals. The Fire Brigades Union welcomed the decision, while Kent Fire & Rescue Service said it was disappointed.
For more information: BBC Kent
New open air music festival to get under way – Canterbury Live, a new three-day music festival at the St Lawrence Ground, is expected to attract 40,000 people and will feature headliners JLS, Becky Hill and Madness, alongside acts including Pixie Lott, The Wanted 2.0, Ella Eyre and Cast, while also showcasing emerging local artists through a partnership with BBC Introducing in Kent.
For more information: BBC Kent
Kent County Council Press Releases in August:
https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/update-on-works-to-the-aylesford-towpath-improvement-scheme
https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/eight-kent-country-parks-retain-green-flag-award2
https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/grow-in-kent-announces-sarah-roots-as-non-executive-chair
Folkestone & Hythe District Council Press Releases in August:
A monthly bulletin from F&HDC. https://www.fhld.uk/news/article/folkestone-hythe-district-council-monthly-update-august-2026
https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/article/444/plans-for-new-town-centre-play-zone
https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/article/443/breakwater-repair-work-agreed-by-council