People Power.

What is it they say: If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Or if you don’t try, you’ll never know. We the people of Shepway CAN change things we do have that Power, we must lift up our voices and be heard if we want any of the £347,064 from the New Homes Bonus Money.

Well, SDC & the Cabinet have known about the NEW HOMES BONUS  Income since 2011/12, They have thus far received close to £2 million. There is documentary evidence from 2014 onwards that we can find.

Now it is EXPECTED that council’s use this money for their communities, according to the Dept of Communities & Local Government (DCLG), but as we have said previously they are not required to do so. The only way we can change how SDC use this money is PEOPLE POWER. This is when your voice, your email, your letter can and could change things and bring this money down to the community projects which matter so much in this time of Austerity. Things like Village Halls, Scouts, Headway, DISK, New Romney Resources Centre and other excellent community organisations across our wonderful district.

In this Document at pages 1,4,5,6,8,9,10 & 11 both Alistair Stewart & Leader of the Council David Monk (below)

both knew about this money and elected NOT to use it for the benefit of the community, but for SDC’s ends.

Shepway currently utilises half of its existing New Homes Bonus to support services with the remaining amounts being set aside within a reserve to fund the additional cost of services.

Why?  When it is expected to help the Community.  Alistair Stewart (CEO of SDC),  Cllr David Drury Monk, Leader of SDC and his Predecessor Robert Bliss all knew about this money and would have been fully aware of the DCLG’s expectation that it be used for the community.

All Councils who build new homes get this money. So that means all 12 Councils in Kent. Are all our communities being deprived? Who knows?

Anyway, 80% of the money stays with SDC. That means SDC could spend £277,651 across our district. 20%; which equals £69,413, goes to KCC. What are KCC doing with their portion? The only way to find out is ask your County Cllr as well as your District Cllr.

SDC Cllrs Contact Details

KCC Cllrs Contact Details

People of Shepway, the only way we can bring this money into use for our communities and the projects we all hold so dear, is to lobby our Cllrs to create the change of allocation on how this money is used. The power is in your hands. We hope and pray you will use the contact details above to lobby your Cllrs, as we need these community projects now more than ever.

Shepwayvox