Council Progress Report: Folca, Coast Drive Beach Huts, Waste Water Works, and Road of Remembrance Make Strides

At the Full Council meeting of Folkestone & Hythe District Council on 2 April 2025, Cabinet Members will update Cllrs on progress made since the 26 Feb. The progress report spans, Otterpool, planning, finance, community development, transport, environment, housing, and regeneration (FOLCA & Bus Station). 

Planning Policy and Otterpool Park

Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Otterpool Park and Planning Policy, Cllr. Jim Martin (Green), will report a second “Call for Sites” has been launched to gather more land for consideration in response to increased national housing targets. The planning team continues to manage a full workload while preparing a local response to the Government’s Planning Reform consultation. The draft response has been circulated to all Council Members for comment and will go to Cabinet for approval.

The Otterpool Park project is progressing. The Council has signed a six-month Collaboration Agreement with Homes England to explore forming a strategic partnership and submitting a joint bid to HM Treasury. Financial modelling work is ongoing. The planning application for the Waste Water Treatment Works has been validated by Kent County Council. The Council is in discussions with Ashford and Canterbury to reduce phosphate and nitrate impact on the River Stour.

Finance and Governance

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance, Cllr. Tim Prater (Lib Dem), will confirm all outstanding audits have now been cleared, with certificates issued up to the 2023–24 year. This marks the first time in five years that the Council is fully up to date with its audit obligations. The 2025–26 budget has been approved. A new Director of Finance (s151 officer), Alan Mitchell, has now joined the Council and will take over the role from Lydia Morrison on the 3 April.

Cllr. Prater has attended several meetings in the past month, including Audit & Governance Committees and the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Sub-Committee, and acknowledged the constructive input of Members during scrutiny processes.

Community and Collaboration

Cllr. Mike Blakemore (Green), Cabinet Member for Community and Collaboration, will report on the launch of the district’s first Youth Forum, which was attended by 45 students from local schools and colleges. Topics included climate projects—linked to the new Green Grants scheme—and community safety. Participants were invited to take part in a future walkabout in Folkestone to identify areas where they feel unsafe.

The Romney Marsh Visitor Centre is scheduled to reopen in May 2025 with a new café concession. Discussions continue with stakeholders to further develop the site as a community and tourist destination.

The Folkestone & Hythe Health Alliance met in Greatstone to discuss healthcare service navigation and transport access, with practical steps being identified. Cllr. Blakemore also attended several cultural events, including, Holi Festival in Cheriton, and the 20th anniversary of the Folkestone Nepalese Community.

Transport, Regulatory Services and Building Control

Cllr. Polly Blakemore (Green) will report that the Council has applied to the 2025 Consolidated Active Travel Fund to support the installation of bicycle hangars across the district. Demand for these facilities has been demonstrated by a waiting list in Clifton Crescent, Folkestone.

An update on reducing the speed limit through Densole from 40mph to 30mph was presented at the February Joint Transportation Board. Although not currently supported by Kent Police or KCC, the issue remains under review.

A walk-through has been scheduled for the Cheriton Active Travel scheme. Stagecoach was unable to attend the most recent JTB meeting, so their item has been postponed. An extraordinary meeting of the District Focus Group discussed the £10 million DfT revenue grant awarded to KCC. Most of the funding has been allocated to maintain essential but uncommercial services. Capital funding is available for shelter upgrades. Locations for improvements are being identified.

The ANPR trial at Sandgate Road Car Park will continue for another year. The Tudor Road CPZ in Cheriton will be implemented in April/May 2025.

The Corporate Enforcement Policy is under review, and the Gambling Statement of Principles is undergoing its three-year update.

Resident Engagement and Accountability

Cllr. Gary Fuller (Lib Dem) will report that the Council is meeting monthly targets for closing housing and general service complaints. Information governance functions are meeting statutory timeframes for FOI, EIR, SAR and data breach assessments.

The Customer Feedback and Complaints Policy has been updated and was discussed by Cabinet on 26 March. Electoral preparations are in progress: there are 85,122 registered electors and 1,843 draft electors. Nominations for KCC elections are open, and the Hythe North and West by-elections will be held on 17 April. All polling stations are booked.

Place, Heritage, Tourism and Economy

Cllr. Rich Holgate (Green) will report that illustrated maps of Hythe, Sandgate and Romney Marsh are in development and will be distributed to hotels, attractions and used online.

The Council will not renew its investor fee with Visit Kent for 2025–26. Savings will be reallocated to the tourism budget. The “Extraordinary Experiences Await You” campaign showed a strong return on Instagram advertising and through a newsletter collaboration with Time Out.

The Heritage Strategy consultation launched on 24 February for a four-week period. Engagement with heritage groups is ongoing.

Folca: Draft specifications for Levelling Up Fund – funded works have been prepared, and procurement planning is underway. Options for Folca 1 and Folca 2 (including a medical centre) will be presented to Cabinet in June. The Civic Centre relocation project has been halted due to local government reform considerations.

Folkestone: A Brighter Future transformation will begin on 7 April 2025, led by Jackson Civil Engineering, with completion due in Summer 2026. A public engagement event will be held 4–5 April at Folkestone Town Hall, including a virtual reality experience of the new design.

UKSPF: 450 low-income households have received cost-of-living support. East Kent College has delivered fully funded courses in green and construction sectors, enrolling over 100 individuals. The bespoke skills grant scheme has funded training at organisations including Screen South and the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund (£389,710 over two years) has been fully allocated to 22 projects, including broadband, renewable energy and tourism schemes.

Green Grants: The scheme launched recently. Microgrants of up to £1,000 and larger grants of up to £20,000 (at 80% funding) are available. The application deadline is 21 April 2025.

Romney Marsh Visitor Centre: A stakeholder working group has met three times. Concession bids for the café are being reviewed, with the preferred operator to be selected by the end of March. Public survey results are being used in the process. Access improvements and signage upgrades are under review.

Climate Change, Environment and Biodiversity

Cllr. Stephen Scoffham (Green) will report continued progress on the “Raise the Rate” campaign to increase the district’s recycling rate to 50%. The joint project with KCC to add “no food waste” stickers to refuse bins led to a 15% increase in food waste recycling. Next steps will focus on improving paper and card recycling.

A poster competition for under-18s, part of the Great British Spring Clean, is now open until 20 April. Winners will receive vouchers and see their posters displayed on Veolia vehicles.

A joint expression of interest has been submitted to the National Lottery Climate Action Fund by Folkestone & Hythe, Dover and Ashford Councils. If successful, a full proposal will be developed by May/June. The bid builds on the Sustainable Futures Forum and aims to support community-led climate projects.

Policy regarding the Kent Downs National Landscape is expected later in 2025. Government focus on protected landscapes is increasing.

Assets and Operations

Cllr. Jeremy Speakman (Green) will report that the Road of Remembrance remains closed until August 2025. Design work following ground investigations is complete, and work is expected to begin in June. Investigations continue at the Coastal Park, with landslip stabilisation works expected in autumn.

Over 1,000 responses were received in the consultation on replacing the Coastal Park play area. These will inform a Cabinet proposal.

Grounds maintenance and grass cutting are underway across the district. KCC has commenced cutting highway verges.

Radnor Park Lodge has been vacated by East Kent College. A new café tenant has been selected and will take occupation shortly.

The Biggins Wood site sale was completed before Christmas. It will deliver 77 affordable homes and 5,600 sqm of commercial space. Work has started on the access road and homes.

Planning for the Ship Street site is expected in spring. The sale of the High View site is due to complete within two months. Coast Drive beach hut development will begin by the end of March and complete later in 2025.

Waste services continue to perform well. Fly-tipping remains a concern, especially in rural areas. The Council is working with Hythe Environmental Community Group to expand e-waste recycling. Veolia remains within contract standards for missed bin collections. A garden waste round re-route in February was implemented successfully.

Housing and Homelessness

Cllr. Rebecca Shoob (Green) Cabinet Member for Housing, will report the completion of new 9 HRA properties at Arras Way in Folkestone. The Council has also acquired 26 homes to be built in Hythe—its first new acquisitions there in many years.

The level of homelessness and use of temporary accommodation remains high. The winter shelter, run by the Rainbow Centre, has now closed, with most users successfully moved into long-term housing. The Rainbow Centre has received approval for a permanent emergency shelter.

Cllr. Shoob also attended the Strategic Tenants Advisory Panel and Independent Living Forum. Neighbourhood inspections will begin on 20 May and run throughout the summer.

The Shepway Vox Team

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