Tim Prater Reporting Back from KCC: June 2025
I did think June might start a bit quieter than May, but seems not. I came home on the evening of Sunday 1st June after a few very happy hours at the Folkestone Festival on The Leas to hear that Reform UK had put out a press statement and were “sending a team in” to Kent County Council on Monday morning. More below…
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 .
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
June 2025 Action List
By 30th May, it had become clear the Reform administration were cancelling many committee meetings at the County Council. At the time of writing this article it was 4 of the 5 full committee meetings scheduled for the first three weeks of May that had been cancelled - a day or so later, they cancelled the fifth as well. You can see the Kent County Council Meeting calendar online. At the time of writing, a number of meetings in the 4th week of June have now been postponed too…
My comments on that article got picked up in a number of places:
https://x.com/reformexposed/status/1929043016599179586?s=46
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/reform-kent-county-council-393776
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmHzMAsQc34
Then on Sunday 1st June Reform UK sent an embarrassing, threatening and totally misjudged letter to Kent County Council in an attack on Kent by Reform UK national leadership, countersigned by their new Kent leader who clearly doesn't have a clue.
Anyone with the first understanding of how local Government has worked for the last 30 years knows the information they request is almost all public anyway. I suggest their highly expert DOGE team try "googling a bit". The rest is either subject to the same FOI constraints as apply to the public or other Councillors. To suggest there is top secret information here is nonsense on shifts, brought to you by people who have no understanding of how any public organisation in this country works.
Comedically during the first week of June the Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf leading their team first resigned, and then another team member resigned, then 2 days later unresigned. OK then. All perfectly normal.
Followed up for a local resident who is disabled and has a camper van to get around in, and was having issues being allowed into Ross Way recycling centre with the van. He'd had little joy with the council directly, and asked me to intervene. I did, confirming to the complaints team that this is a disabled person, and the Camper Van was his main vehicle, and that from the guidance at https://www.kent.gov.uk/environment-waste-and-planning/rubbish-and-recycling/household-waste-recycling-centres/vehicle-restrictions-and-vouchers#tab-1
...then a camper van over 2m CAN be allowed if the only household vehicle (especially if it is a disability adapted vehicle), but he may need to apply for vouchers to prove it. On 4th June, the resident had it confirmed they can do so (but will need vouchers, which should be issued).
In response to yet another accident on 4th June at the Cherry Garden Avenue / Cheriton Road lights sent photos of the accident to the Highways Team to reinforce the accident record at that location. The more we sent, the higher the priority it will become.
Raised an issue with the Head of Transportation with a resident in Somerset Road, Cheriton being refused a drop-kerb. Argued the case, and on 4th June was told that an option to allow a drop-kerb had now been offered to the resident, which sounds like good news to me!
Following confirmation of the Cabinet committees that will be set up by the new administration, it looks like I will have a place on the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee, Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, and Selection and Members Services Committee.
11th June had an in-person meeting with Clive, James and Marton from Kent Highways to discuss a number of highways issues I have been chasing locally. Great progress being made and really good to talk to a “can-do” team, albeit that with more money, especially around pothole repairs they absolutely can do more! Key points:
- The Undercliffe, Sandgate - the road edges are collapsing, which is a serious concern given the road. Highways have investigated, agreed and are planning works to fix the edges around the top bend later in the summer. When complete, double yellow lines will be installed by F&HDC in line with the TRO in place around that bend and opposite the streetlight half way down The Undercliffe to reduce blocking of access by parking;
- Confirmation that various potholes I reported for repair in Hawkins Road, Cheriton have been repaired;
- Confirmed that the “Jacobs Ladder” path running from Sandgate Hill to Coolinge Lane IS a Kent Highways responsibility, and they will be making temporary repairs to the surface to make safe as required, and more complete repairs are planned for late summer;
- Potholes on car running track in Cheriton Road (approaching the lights from the Folkestone side) will be filled in the near future, alongside other works to the surface around the junction;
- Problem parking in public section / turning circle of Highfield, Saltwood will be looked at, with some limited double yellow lines proposed to protect the turning circle, where people parking is causing some vehicles to have to “back out” of the road;
- Had it confirmed that, subject to funding / other works that Romney Avenue should be resurfaced this financial year, as should Sandgate Hill & Sandgate High Street from Coolinge Lane to at least the junction with Military Road;
- Pointed out a kerb / pavement repair needed on Sandgate High Street by Orchard Lane coffee shop!