Shepway Liberal Democrats

Kent Highways are planning to take up the existing concrete slabs and resurface the footway along Bouverie Road West, creating a smooth even surface. The works are programmed to start on the 6th February 2011 for a period of approximately 2 weeks.

The works will take place on the southern side of Bouverie Road West between No1 Bouverie Road West and Manor Road to improve the footpath.

After hearing many rumblings over the last few months of the proposal to change Tram Road from a one way system into a two way road I heard from several local residents that there was to be an exhibition to showcase the changes. A few local residents had also received letters explaining this, and there was a small article (although publishing the wrong opening times!) appeared in the Folkestone Herald.

Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today [Thursday] gave a speech on supporting working families. He said:

Today I want to make clear that I want the Coalition to go further and faster in delivering the full £10,000 allowance.

Because the pressure on family finances is reaching boiling point.

As families face more of a squeeze, today Liberal Democrats are arguing for greater tax cuts for hard working people.

Between now and the Budget, Nick and Danny and I will be arguing for faster tax cuts, giving you a reward for hard work. And Nick will be setting out our case in a speech today.

Given the budget constraint we have to raise money for the tax cut elsewhere and have plans to raise an equivalent amount from the wealthiest taxpayers.

At the last election the Liberal Democrats promised to raise the personal allowance for ordinary taxpayers to £10,000. I am proud that the Coalition has committed to doing so over the course of this Parliament.

For millions of ordinary hard working people, that means paying £700 less in income tax each year. Low earners, mostly women will benefit from being lifted out of tax altogether.

But times are tough and quite simply, Liberal Democrats in Government want to help families who are currently being squeezed by moving more quickly.

Whether it's targeting an extra £7bn from tax evaders and avoiders, taking an extra £2.5bn every year from the banks in a balance sheet tax, or the announcement I made on Monday to curb the excesses of executive pay, this Coalition is taking important steps to deliver a fairer economy.

And we have already made a big difference, click here to see how.

We are building a new economy, one that benefits the whole country, not just bankers in the City of London. Making the tax system fairer is crucial to that. This is a huge task that will make Britain a fairer and more liberal country for generations to come.

The Co-operative is recalling two batch codes of its own-brand Scottish salmon due to high levels of Listeria found in a small number of retail packs. As a precaution they are recalling stock of the product with use by dates of 21st and 24th of December.

Co-operative Scottish Smoked Salmon 160g - "Use By" 21st and 24th Dec

Following the Sandgate Community Trust's successful application for a £50,000 grant from Kent County Council I am delighted to tell you that communityUk has been chosen by the Steering Group to provide Sandgate with its WiFi broadband service. The monthly costs for this service will be:

• Up to 2Mbps FREE
• Up to 4Mbps £3.99
• Up to 8 Mbps £7.99

There has (rightly) been a lot of press coverage of the departure of Kent County Council Managing Director Katherine Kerswell, including a few articles where I seem to have been quoted. Some links include:

• The Telegraph [12 December]: Katherine Kerswell to leave Kent County Council with £450,000 pay-off
• Kent Online [12 December]: Council under pressure over Kerswell departure
• BBC Kent [9 December]; Kent County Council boss leaves with £400,000
• Paul Francis in Kent Online [7 December]: Did KCC's 'urgent' personnel committee to discuss future of its MD comply with the rules?

Key parts of Conservative Shepway's Parking Strategy were torn to shreds by voters across Folkestone, Hythe and Sandgate tonight as massive majorities voted against the proposals to introduce parking charges and parking permits for local people.

The poll questions were:

1. Do you support Shepway District Council's parking proposals to introduce parking charges for Folkestone and the rest of Shepway?

Paul Carter, Conservative Leader of Kent County Council, has refuted suggestions in the press that KCC would like to see all Kent schools convert to academies. He made a statement in July 2011 saying that Kent did not want to see all schools change to academies.

Paul Carter said in an email to all schools in Kent: