Tim Prater Reporting Back from KCC: December 2025

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!

I am planning to ensure 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

Finally - sign up on the form at the bottom of https://www.fhld.uk/news/prater to receive monthly Councillor Updates from me and the Lib Dem team in Folkestone & Hythe. It's fast and free! This will sign you up only to local news from the area, NOT campaigns and campaigning events. 

December 2025 Action List

On 3rd December I'm attending an extraordinary meeting of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority. That followed the departure of the previous Chair and Vice Chair from the Kent Reform Group, which defacto removed them from the Fore Authority. This is not just another example of the chaos of Reform in Kent, but has left the authority with a nasty governance gap, as the Chair is empowered in serious emergencies to authorise expenditure outside a budget. Clearly that's critically important, and needs resolving as soon as possible. As the calling notice from the Chief Executive officer Ann Millington observed:

"due to recent unforeseen developments resulting in the immediate vacancies of both the Chair and Vice-Chair positions, we are faced with an urgent and unavoidable requirement to restore full governance oversight.

“The prompt appointment of leadership is not merely procedural; the temporary absence of confirmed political and governance leadership constitutes a governance gap that must be closed without delay.”

I'll attend to ensure we have in place a Chair and Vice Chair to fill that governance gap, and hope Reform doesn't put residents at risk by further games on political hokey-cokey.

At this time, I have a Selection and Member Services Committee on 16th December, and a Full Kent County Council meeting on 18th December.

The rumours are that the Reform administration will be bringing a motion to hugely cut the numbers of committees offering oversight and scrutiny to the Council and its decisions. Given that they have has such a terrible start running the authority, I would have thought we need more scrutiny and consideration of decisions, not less. I spoke about that in answer to a question from Liz McShane at Folkestone and Hythe District Council last week. 

Also on 3rd December I was delighted to see published notification on a road safety scheme on Twiss Road in Hythe that Hythe Town Council have been pursuing for some years:

"TWISS ROAD – DYL – (1) On the west side join up the existing double yellow lines from its junction with Twiss Avenue for a distance of 61 metres in a southerly direction. (2) On its east side from a point 9.5 metres south of its junction with the canal tow path extend the existing lines for a distance of 47.5 metres in a southerly direction. 

“A full statement of the Council’s reasons for making the proposed Order, a plan indicating the location and the effect and a copy of any other Orders which will be amended by the proposed Order may viewed online from 5 December 2025 at www.kent.gov.uk/highwaysconsultations ”

More sadly, I was pushing with the East Kent Highways team for Active Travel funding for scheme to introduce drop kerbs in Seabrook to improve pedestrian, wheelchair and buggy crossing at the junctions between Spring Lane and:

• Woodlands Drive
• Highridge
• Seadown Close
• Hampton Vale
• Paraker Way
• Eversley Road
• Springfield Way

This is in direct response to a parent who struggles to help his child get around the area in her wheelchair. Sadly, I've been told that the “funding opportunity via Active Travel is not an option for us. Therefore, we are going to create designs within our team here at Highway Improvements and obtain a cost to then ascertain how we can go about funding this scheme and which junctions we can include.” I'll continue to push to make pavements and walking routes through the area accessible to all where possible.

News of Interest:

Lower Thames Crossing gets extra £891m in Budget - The UK government has allocated an extra £891 million for the Lower Thames Crossing, a £9 billion project to build the country’s largest road tunnel linking Essex and Kent. Construction is set to start in 2026 and finish in the early 2030s, aiming to improve connectivity, reduce congestion, and support economic growth, while incorporating low-carbon construction methods.

Further information can be found here: BBC News

Kent’s Council Leaders Issue Devolution Desert Warning - All 14 council leaders in Kent and Medway have jointly urged the UK government to grant devolution powers to the region, warning that without this, Kent risks becoming a “devolution desert.” They argue that devolution would enable a strategic authority to tackle countywide challenges, improve infrastructure, manage borders, and drive economic growth. The letter emphasizes Kent’s readiness, its importance to the national economy, and broad support from key partners.

For further information: Kent Council Leaders

Kent County Council Press Releases in December:

https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/extended-fastrack-timetable-to-boost-dovers-public-transport-links

Folkestone & Hythe District Council Press Releases in December:

https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/article/386/backing-volunteers-with-right-support

A monthly bulletin from F&HDC. This month: LGR, Protecting our district’s coastline, Plan for greener district, Affordable homes taking shape, Folca 1 up for sale, Suggestions for council debate & Your District Today.