Winter 2014 District Life

Winter 2014
Great views from
Herne Bay Clocktower –
but what’s going on below?
canterbury.gov.uk
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DISTRICT I NEWS
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DISTRICT I LIFE
NEWS
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Winter 2014
Page 34
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Page 11
Cover picture
The view from Herne Bay
Clocktower. See pages 26
and 27.
Back issues
Can be viewed online at
www.districtlife.co.uk
Contacts
Editor
Rob Davies
Phone 01227 862 050
Email robert.davies@
canterbury.gov.uk
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Page 20
Page 15
Welcome
Contents
It has been another busy six months at the
city council since the last edition of District
Life came through letterboxes.
From working on schemes to reduce
flooding and developing a new system for the
way we make decisions, through to embarking
on some major projects to look after our
historic buildings, it’s been as full on as ever.
You can find out more on all of these as you
leaf through this edition of the magazine.
Autumn is also awards season in the district,
and on page 15, we reveal who picked up a
gong at the Sports Awards and which local
heroes were recognised in the Lord Mayor’s
Awards.
And as usual in the winter edition of District
Life, we are giving you the chance to win
tickets for the Marlowe pantomime. This year,
it’s Aladdin, starring Scott Maslen, who will be
a familiar face to fans of programmes such as
Strictly Come Dancing, EastEnders and The Bill.
Turn to page 9 to enter – good luck!
Featured articles
Budget out to consultation
5
Improvements in Northgate
11
Work underway to reduce
flooding
16 and 17
Herne Bay’s amazing
benches
20 and 21
Conserving our heritage
buildings
26 and 27
31
Help at hand for food allergy
sufferers
Thirty-five years of the
Rising Sun
32 and 33
Regular features
Rob Davies
Editor
Leader’s column
4
Museum events
7
Competition
9
Published in December 2014
twitter.com/
TweetCanterbury
Community safety news
38 and 39
www.facebook.com/
CanterburyCityCouncil
www.linkedin.com/
company/canterburycity-council
You can also get this publication on CD, Braille or in large print. Please phone
Rob Davies on 01227 862 050 or email robert.davies@canterbury.gov.uk for details.
3
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
DISTRICT I NEWS
Leader’s
column
As you will see on the opposite
page, my administration has
announced its budget plans
for 2015/16. The proposals
are currently out to public
consultation.
The squeeze on local
government funding from
national government continues
unabated. Having found millions
of pounds in savings already, we
now estimate we’ll need to look
for more than £5 million in new
savings up to spring 2019.
It’s hard to talk about our
financial position without
sounding like a broken record,
such has been the sustained
attack on our budgets for several
years now. But nobody should be
in any doubt as to how difficult
the financial challenges ahead of
us will be to tackle.
There will be some very tough
decisions required in the next
few years, and people should
brace themselves for cuts in
services and increases in charges.
Leaving all of this aside,
however, I am very pleased
that we are able to put forward
budget proposals for 2015/16
that do not feature any new
service reductions or increases in
parking charges.
This is a result of much
hard work to look for as many
4
efficiency savings as possible
and reduce operational costs
wherever we can.
My administration took a
decision to increase parking
charges last year, having put up
the price of park and ride the
year before last. These changes
have now settled down and we
believe we have got the balance
between park and ride, use of
which is increasing, and city
centre charges right.
It’s therefore excellent news
for businesses that there will
be no further price rises next
year, which we’re sure will be
welcomed.
Our plans to increase our part
of the council tax by 1.99 per
cent may not be popular with
some people and we will be
interested to hear what you have
to say in the consultation.
But I would ask you to
consider what services you
would cut, or increase the price
of, if you want us to freeze
council tax – especially in light
of the future funding challenges
we face.
Do have a look at the budget
proposals on our website and
get in touch with your views.
Cllr John Gilbey, Leader,
Canterbury City Council
Canterbury’s
BID
gets to work
The Canterbury Connected Business Improvement
District started work in October following a ballot in
which businesses voted in support by 64 per cent to 36
per cent.
Funded by an additional levy raised on every business
with a Rateable Value of £1,700 or more, the BID is
tackling a number of key priorities in the city centre:
• Christmas lights across the city centre
• Christmas marketing
• Additional cleaning, with focus on deep cleaning in the
city
• A free directory entry on the MyCanterbury app for all
BID levy payers
We are here to make Canterbury better for
everyone: businesses, residents, students and
visitors alike.
In 2015, the BID will also employ a team of ‘street
ambassadors’ to support businesses, liaise with the
statutory authorities and welcome visitors to the
city; provide floral displays in the city centre for the
Canterbury in Bloom campaign; and set up a number of
‘working groups’ to enable businesses to decide on what
they want to see happen in the city in the future.
BID interim Chair, Clive Relf of Reeves, says:
“The BID is an excellent development in the city. We
are here to make Canterbury better for everyone:
businesses, residents, students and visitors alike and we
are really looking forward to making a positive impact in
many areas of the city centre.
“Bringing Christmas lights back after a year without
them is a great start!”
Public views sought on
draft council budget
The city council has published its draft budget for
2015/16, which is currently out to public consultation.
The council is consulting on a proposed
1.99 per cent increase in its share of the
council tax, which equates to around
seven pence a week extra for a typical
band D property.
It would mean residents would pay 52
pence per day for city council services.
The draft budget for 2015/16 is the final
year where previously agreed savings
from the council’s ‘customer focus reviews’
will be implemented. As a result, no new
reductions in services are being put
forward.
In addition, there are no proposed
increases to parking charges anywhere in
the district, or to Canterbury’s park and
ride service, in 2015/16.
The only changes to parking are the
removal of free parking in Watling Street
car park on Thursday evenings, a trial
scheme which has been unsuccessful in
attracting the extra trade it was hoped
to, and the introduction of a faith and
community parking permit to replace the
worshippers’ permit.
In line with the council’s approach of
the ‘user pays’ principle, increases are
proposed in some fees and charges the
council sets. This involves charging more
for services that are only used by a small
proportion of residents, so that the cost to
the general taxpayer is reduced.
Although the exact level of funding
the council will receive from national
government in the years ahead is
uncertain until after the general election,
all the major parties have indicated that
local government is an area that will see
further cuts in funding.
The council is therefore estimating
that it will have to find a further £5.1
million of new savings for the three
year period 2016/17 to 2018/19.
increases in charges are highly likely in the
years to come.
Full information on the draft budget
proposals, including how to make a
comment, is available on the council’s
website at www.canterbury.gov.uk.
In order to achieve this level of
saving, the council will be taking
a fundamental look at how it
operates, which services it provides
and how it provides them.
It will consider commissioning services
to other organisations to provide if it
proves cost effective, and will seek to
move more services online to save on
costs.
But with the savings that will be
required, cuts in services and further
City council services would cost just 52p a day
5
Winter 2014
Kent College
Canterbury
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canterbury.gov.uk
CULTURE I MUSEUMS
Winter warmers and
the First World War
commemorated
Visit your local museums in Canterbury, Herne Bay
and Whitstable for an exciting programme of great
value exhibitions, talks and creative activities this
winter and into next year.
At Kent College our Nursery enjoys idyllic surroundings
Do come and see us, every day is an open day!
In Remembrance
Jumping Beaneys: create
a winter landscape
Running now until Sunday 4 January 2015
Friday 19 December, 10.30am to 11.30am
Friday 5 June to Sunday 6 September 2015
The Drawing Room, The Beaney
The Learning Lab, The Beaney
The Beaney
Images, objects and words from the
First World War to commemorate the
centenary of its outbreak, and the role
played by local people, in particular
Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses and
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Enjoy a winter-themed story, explore
the galleries to discover paintings
of animals in the snow and have fun
creating your own snowy collage to
take home.
To celebrate the 800th anniversary
of the sealing of one of the world’s
greatest agreements, a new
exhibition, ‘Canterbury in the Age
of the Magna Carta’, will focus on
Canterbury residents’ stories and lives
during the age of Magna Carta. It will
also include the Canterbury Cathedral
copy of an original Magna Carta
transcribed into the Priory register.
Much more information about this
exciting exhibition will be available
nearer the time.
3.50 per child, accompanying adults free
Free admission
Winter Exhibition
Home Front Whitstable,
1914 – 18
Saturday 20 December to Sunday 4 January 2015
Running now until Sunday 18 January 2015
Whitstable Museum and Gallery
The Front Room, The Beaney
Exploring life on the British home
front 1914-18 through original
posters, cartoon artwork and popular
arts and souvenirs. Whitstable’s
stories are remembered via
individuals involved in recruitment
drives, convalescent nursing,
fundraising, rationing, supporting
family on the Front. In partnership
with the British Cartoon Archive and
Telling Whitstable’s Story.
“Winter is the time for comfort, for
good food and warmth, for the touch
of a friendly hand and for a talk beside
the fire: it is the time for home”, said
Edith Sitwell. Warm yourself by the
cultural fireside that is the Front
Room’s selling Winter exhibition,
celebrating all aspects of the season.
Free admission
Regain the use of this valuable space and start enjoying your
conservatory again by contacting iCon Roofs today for a free,
no obligation quotation
Canterbury in the Age of the
Magna Carta
Free admission
See museums website:
www.canterbury-museums.co.uk
for details of opening times,
locations and telephone numbers.
Free admission
7
East Kent ’s Premier Bike Store
DISTRICT I NEWS
BIKES • CLOTHING • ACCESSORIES • COMPONENTS • BIKEFIT • WORKSHOP
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
CULTURE I THEATRE
Former EastEnder Scott
heads for Canterbury
Scott Maslen, best known as Jack Branning from EastEnders,
stars in Aladdin, this year’s Marlowe Theatre pantomime.
City Centre Store 21 The Borough Canterbury CT1 2DR Call 01227 479353
HQ Barham Business Park Elham Valley Road Canterbury CT4 6DQ Call 01227 832582
Check us out at www.biketart.com
And joining him – back by popular demand – is Phil
Gallagher, Mister Maker from CBeebies, who plays
Wishee Washee.
You’ll be amazed at the
range of products your
local market has to offer.
Before his six-year stint in the BBC soap, Maslen appeared in
ITV’s police drama The Bill for five years. In 2010, he was a popular
contestant in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Kent-born Gallagher is a BAFTA-nominated performer, best
known for his role as Mister Maker. He has worked in children’s TV
for the last 17 years as a writer, actor and presenter.
As well as Gallagher, Ben Roddy and Lloyd Hollett return to The
Marlowe for Aladdin. Both were big successes in last year’s panto,
Jack And The Beanstalk, which was seen by more than 90,000
people. Roddy once again plays the dame (this time, Widow
Twankey) while Hollett is PC Pongo.
Aladdin runs at The Marlowe Theatre from Friday 28 November
to Sunday 11 January 2015.
There’s another treat for children of all ages early next year
when Shrek comes to Canterbury.
Direct from the West End
and larger than life, Shrek The Musical is based on the
award-winning DreamWorks animation film.
Featuring all-new songs (but including the cult
Shrek anthem, I’m A Believer), Shrek The Musical
brings the big green ogre to life, along with
his friends Donkey, Princess Fiona and Lord
Farquaad.
Shrek The Musical is at The Marlowe
Theatre from Wednesday 11 February to
Sunday 1 March 2015.
For times and ticket details for
Aladdin and Shrek The Musical, call the
Box Office on 01227 787 787, or
go to www.marlowetheatre.com.
Both shows are being audio
described, captioned and signed, and
there will be a relaxed performance of
Aladdin (for customers with disabilities,
including those on the autistic spectrum).
Canterbury Wednesday, Thursday (Green
Shoots) and Friday, St George’s Street
Herne Bay Saturday, Mortimer Street
Whitstable Thursday, Tankerton Car Park
District Life is offering one lucky reader and three guests the
chance to see Aladdin at The Marlowe Theatre. The tickets are
for the 7pm performance on Tuesday 6 January 2015. To enter,
simply answer the following question:
Q:
Canterbury district markets
canterbury.co.uk /markets
Green
What was the name of Scott Maslen’s character in The Bill?
Send your answer to District Life competition, Communications,
Canterbury City Council, Military Road, Canterbury, CT1 1YW
by Wednesday 17 December, including your name, address and
telephone number.
Shoots
9
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
DISTRICT I NEWS
Local Plan
heads for
examination
The city council has now submitted
its draft Local Plan to the Planning
Inspectorate to be examined by an
independent inspector.
Copies of evidence base reports and
representations have also been provided
by the council. Copies of the documents
submitted to the Inspectorate are available
to view on the council’s planning policy
webpage.
From this point, the timetable of the
examination will be determined by the
inspector. The council has appointed a
Programme Officer, who will be managing
the administration of the examination on
behalf of the inspector. The contact details
of the Programme Officer will be made
available on the council’s website in the
near future.
Any correspondence to the inspector
should be sent to the Programme Officer
at the Local Plan Programme Office,
Canterbury City Council, Military Road,
Canterbury, CT1 1YW.
It is anticipated that the inspector will
begin the examination of the draft plan
this year, but that any public hearings will
not take place until next year. Details will
be provided by the Programme Officer in
due course.
10
New ward
boundaries
set for green light
Parliament is expected to approve
changes to the city council ward
boundaries later this month (December).
Final recommendations for the new
wards were published by the Local
Government Boundary Commission for
England (LGBCE) in August.
The LGBCE is recommending that
Canterbury district is represented by 39
councillors in future, compared to the
current 50 councillors. There will be 21
wards, three fewer than at present, with
seven single-member wards, 10 twomember wards and four three-member
wards.
If Parliament approves the changes,
they will come into force for the council
election in May 2015.
The LGBCE, which is an independent
organisation, carried out extensive
consultation on the proposals this year.
In its final recommendations, it has
made changes to ward boundaries
in the Thanington area of Canterbury
as well as around Bridge, Barham and
Littlebourne. Full information including
a map showing the new boundaries can
be found at www.lgbce.org.uk – click on
‘current reviews’.
The council’s Chief Executive, Colin
Carmichael, said: “We’re close to the
end of this process, which means all the
new arrangements should be in place
well before the council election. Some
people will find they now come under
a new ward, or have to elect a different
number of councillors.
“As the May elections draw nearer,
and once Parliament has agreed the
changes, we will send out information
to electors about the new arrangements
well in time for voting.”
All change for decision making
The way the city council makes its
decisions is set to change from next May
when it moves to a committee system.
For the last few years, decisions have
been taken by an Executive, comprising
up to 10 councillors from the ruling party,
which takes the majority of decisions
about council services.
However, earlier this year, councillors
took a decision to return to a committee
system, where matters are decided by
committees made up of councillors of all
parties.
Since then, a special commission has
King’s Mile
improvements
set to start
Work on major improvements to
Northgate and The Borough in
Canterbury will get underway early
next year.
It involves extending the King’s Mile
enhancements into these roads, changing
them from vehicle-dominated areas into
places that encourage people to walk
and cycle. This should increase retail
opportunities and improve the overall
appearance of the street.
The first phase of the King’s Mile project
in Palace Street and Guildhall Street
was completed in 2008 and has been
acclaimed for its success in revitalising
the area. A public survey in 2013 rated the
King’s Mile as the best shopping area in
the city for overall satisfaction, a safe and
secure environment and cleanliness.
These improvements will now be
extended around 400 metres
into The Borough and
Northgate,
approximately as far as the junction with
Union Street.
Both roads are already within a 20mph
zone. The first phase of the project showed
that vehicles that need to use them for
access can mix safely with pedestrians and
cyclists, and the planned improvements
have been welcomed by businesses.
There are various elements to the work.
These include narrowing the road to allow
only single way traffic flow, providing
convenient passing points/loading bays
and a widened footway on one side, but
with a wider road at the junction of Palace
Street and The Borough to allow room for
HGVs to manoeuvre.
In addition, there will be special
coloured road surfacing, new street lights
with room for banners, planters, benches,
cycle racks, litter bins and finger
post signposts.
The city council project is costing
around £500,000, which is coming from
money from developers who have been
granted planning permission
Transportation and Environment
Manager, Richard Moore, said: “We were
very pleased with the positive response
to phase one of the scheme and are
pleased to have the opportunity to
extend the scheme further up the King’s
Mile. It should bring lots of benefits for
businesses and make a big improvement
to the appearance of the area.”
This artist’s impression gives a good
view of how the area where The Borough
meets Palace Street will look. Businesses
will have the opportunity to extend
onto the pavement in some areas but
pedestrian access will be maintained
throughout.
The work is due to start in February 2015
and be completed by June. Any comments
or questions on the project can be emailed
to richard.moore@canterbury.gov.uk.
been set up, chaired by the council’s
former Chief Executive Chris Gay, to
look at the structure of the committee
system and how it could operate. Several
sessions have been held, including
taking evidence from members of the
public and local groups.
As District Life went to press, the
commission was due to consider its final
report and recommend a structure to
the full council for consideration.
Keep an eye on the local press and the
council’s Facebook and Twitter pages for
the latest developments.
11
Winter 2014
DISTRICT I NEWS
canterbury.gov.uk
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
COMMUNITY I AWARDS
Lord Mayor’s Award
for local volunteers
Three local people have been presented with a
special Lord Mayor’s Award in recognition of
their volunteering work in the Canterbury district.
The annual award scheme honours people who go the extra mile to help others.
They are nominated by members of the public, and the final judging is made by
a cross-party panel of councillors. This year’s winners and their citations are:
Joan Wood
As Secretary for the Sturry Group of the
League of Friends over the past 28 years,
Joan has worked tirelessly, organising
countless fundraising events that have
benefited patients, staff and visitors. She
works without fuss and is an incredibly loyal
supporter, even going so far as to ask for
donations to the League instead of gifts for
her recent golden wedding anniversary.
Pamela Martin
Pamela has been a volunteer at
Canterbury Umbrella Centre teaching
art for the last 18 years. She also teaches
art to a small group of elderly residents
of several almshouses in Canterbury
and volunteers at Canterbury Cathedral.
She retired from the Umbrella Centre in
September and this award serves as a
fitting tribute.
Dr Agnieszka Gordon
Agnieszka has made a massive difference to
the lives of Polish families living in the district
through her volunteer work with Riverside
Children’s Centre. Her Polish parents and
children group has gone from strength to
strength, with more than 50 children and
their parents now attending. She also chairs
the Riverside management board, making
sure that parents’ voices are heard.
Another year of
sporting success
Junior Sports Performer of the Year
– Abbie Wyver. Abbie, from the City
of Canterbury Rhythmic Gymnastics
club, became the overall British Junior
Champion and British Champion at all four
individual disciplines earlier this year.
Senior Sports Performer of the Year
– Kwan Browne. Kwan played for
Trinidad and Tobago this summer at the
Commonwealth Games. He also took
Canterbury to the national premier league
hockey final of the indoor five-a-side.
Disabled Sports Performer of the Year –
Millie Knight. Millie was part of the British
disabled ski team and was the GB flag
bearer at the Sochi Winter Paralympics,
aged just 15. She finished fifth in both the
slalom and the giant slalom.
Talented sports stars and clubs and
community sporting heroes were
celebrated at the Canterbury
Junior Club of the Year – Canterbury
and District Sports Awards.
Cricket Club. The club continues to grow,
having increased the overall number of
teams by a third and added another girls’
team. The club’s coaches also help develop
‘kwik cricket’ in schools.
Coach of the Year – Jen Wilson. Jen
coached the Canterbury Ladies 1st XI
Hockey to the National Premier League.
This was the first time the side had won
the league and she was the league’s only
female coach.
Community Award – Kayleigh Weatherly.
Kayleigh started the new Back To
Netball programme at Herne Bay High.
She supported 35 new ladies into the
sport, helping them win silver at a Kent
tournament and play in the local league.
Unsung Hero – Margaret Ansted.
Margaret established the Canterbury and
District Netball league back in 1977 and
the more recent Monday night league.
She’s also involved in Harbledown cricket
club where she makes teas and supports
the team at away fixtures.
Senior Club of the Year – Canterbury
Ladies Hockey Club. The 1st XI was
National Premier League winners and
national indoor finalists. The over 35s
ladies team was National Champions
and the over 45s were runners up in the
National Championship.
15
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
DISTRICT I FLOODING
The Environment Agency’s
Recovery Programme
Measures funded by central government
to repair existing flood defences that were
damaged in the floods – is also progressing
well. These are:
• Reinstatement of the damaged river
bund on the Nailbourne at Bridge and
repairs to the bund beside the Little Stour
at Littlebourne
Extensive work
to tackle flood risk
Last winter’s flooding will live long in the memory for
those residents and businesses that were affected by it.
As the Nailbourne, Little Stour, Great
Stour and Petham Bourne burst their
banks in villages across the district,
a major relief effort involving local
communities and organisations
including the city and county councils,
the Environment Agency, Serco and
Southern Water, swung into action.
All in all, the city council gave out more
than 25,000 sandbags in a battle to protect
life and property over a period of several
weeks.
In the last edition of District Life in
June, we reflected on the winter’s events
and how the focus had shifted to making
sure all is done to prevent a repeat of
the flooding. As Bridge parish councillor
Alan Atkinson said at the time: “We have
concerns about the sewage system and
16
about the flooding happening next winter.”
Since then, city council engineers have
been working with partner organisations
and representatives from key parish
councils to develop a number of projects
to alleviate flooding.
Work on these schemes is either now
complete or well underway.
Projects managed and funded by
the city council are:
• A new floodgate at Brewery Lane ford in
Bridge
• Construction of a new drain from The
Street at Bishopsbourne through to the
Nailbourne
• Work to keep the Nailbourne in its course
at Derringstone using flood barriers
and other permanent works instead of
sandbags
• Short lengths of bunding at The Street in
Barham and at Bishopsbourne
• Major clearance of ditches along the
route of Petham Bourne from Waltham to
Shalmsford Street
• Clearance of the Blackhole Dike upstream
of Wickhambreaux
• Discussions are currently being held
with English Heritage about the possibility
of improving the flow of the Nailbourne
by increasing capacity at the listed
footbridges at The Causeway in Barham
and Keepers Hill in Patrixbourne
• Repairs to river walls in Wickhambreaux,
Stodmarsh and Grove
• Work on a more easily cleared
weedscreen at the existing culvert at
Wickham Lane
• An extension of the riverside bund at
Bridge, to prevent a reoccurrence of the
river coming out of the bank and flowing
down Brewery Lane
• A major clearance of growth, desilting
of the river and removal of gravel build
up, along with a small realignment of the
Nailbourne at Patrixbourne
• The Environment Agency has also
received additional funding to carry out a
major cut back of trees encroaching into
the river between Fordwich and Grove,
which will be starting shortly
These projects were all identified by a
technical group comprising representatives
of all the partners involved. Much of the
Environment Agency work is paid for
from central government funding that is
already available, while the city and county
councils have contributed £50,000 each
and local parish councils have also added
funding.
The group is also working on a longer
term plan of projects that will require
computer modelling, planning and
funding.
The city council’s Engineering Manager,
Ted Edwards, said: “This is a major
programme of work which we hope will
substantially reduce the risk of flooding in
the district this winter and in the winters
to come.
“It has involved numerous site visits
and assessments of the likely impact and
effectiveness of the various schemes,
both to ensure that any work does not
make matters worse elsewhere along the
rivers, and to achieve the best value with
the funding we had available from all the
partners involved.”
Tackling sewer
flooding together
An updated plan to tackle sewer flooding
in villages along the Little Stour and
Nailbourne has been published.
During the wettest winter on record
last year, groundwater levels reached
record highs, filling local sewers with
huge amounts of water they were never
designed to deal with.
Southern Water has invested £1.6
million in a long-term solution to reduce
groundwater infiltration into its sewers
in locations including Barham, Bridge,
Patrixbourne and Bekesbourne.
It has also further updated its local plan
for minimising infiltration, setting out
the actions it is taking, assisted by other
organisations. The plan has been approved
by the Environment Agency and is
available via www.southernwater.co.uk/
flooding.
While not an infiltration issue directly,
build-up of cooking fat, oil and grease
in sewers can cause blockages which,
in turn, affect services to customers. So,
Southern Water has worked with the local
community to distribute special funnels
which households can use to collect waste
oil in plastic bottles, rather than pouring it
down the drain.
These containers can be taken to the
waste recycling centre on Vauxhall Road,
Canterbury, or to Bridge Farmers’ Market
for collection and recycling into bio-fuel.
The next farmers’ market is on Wednesday
17 December between 9am and midday.
Further information on disposing of
cooking fat, oil and grease safely can be
found at www.southernwater.co.uk/
paininthedrain.
17
The
Create Print Mail
Hall
We can bring
your ideas to life
Kings
New Year’s
Eve Party with
Hullabaloo
Wednesday 31 December
Come and celebrate New Year with the
fantastic Hullabaloo!
Show starts 8.30pm. Tickets £10.

Are you a member of a charity, sports club or league, Parish
Council, theatre or social group, Parent Teacher Association or
any organisation working within the community?
Then maybe we can help!
From start to finish we offer a full design and print service for all
your projects including:



The Circus of Horrors
The Night of the
Zombie
Saturday 21 February
‘The Night of the Zombie’ is set in 2020,
a decrepit and corpse-ridden London,
plagued by a swamp of zombies.
Show starts 7.30pm. Tickets £18 to £26.
Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.
Wedding Fayre
Sunday 1 March
With up to 50 exhibitors you will be sure to
find all the inspiration you need for your
special day.
10am to 3pm. Receive a glass of bubby and a
goody bag on arrival. Free entry.
Food and Drink Fair



membership/business cards
fixture cards
magazines and newsletters
leaflets and posters
pull-up banners and vinyls



weatherproof posters/banners
mailshots
surveys (designing your
survey for paper copy or
web, inputting and analysis)
For friendly advice or a quotation email or give us a call.
Email: cpm@canterbury.gov.uk
Phone: 01227 862 275
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
ADVERTISER’S ANNOUNCEMENT
Canterbury district urged –
If you’re eligible for the flu vaccine,
don’t put it off, get it now
Protecting yourself against the flu has
never been easier and Kent County
Council is myth-busting in a bid to reach
those most at risk, including young
children, older people and pregnant
women.
Children aged from two to four-yearsold, alongside people aged 65 or older,
those with long term medical conditions
and mums-to-be, are among the priority
groups to get the vaccine.
Statistics from last year show that across
the Canterbury district, many people
over 65 are taking up the offer of a
vaccine, with around 70 per cent of that
age group having the jab. However, of the
other main target groups, only 35 per cent
of pregnant women, 41per cent of young
children and just under half of those with
medical conditions had the vaccine.
Leading the campaign to encourage
older people to have the vaccine is
66-year-old Graham Gibbens, KCC Cabinet
Member for Adult Social Care and Public
Health, who will be heading to his
Canterbury GP for the jab.
He said: “We want to break down
some of the misunderstandings and
misconceptions about the vaccine so that
people feel confident to come forward and
get themselves the best defence against
flu this winter.”
Dr Alyson Bowhay, NHS Canterbury and
Coastal CCG lead for health prevention,
said: “A quick jab of the needle is much
more preferable than a week or so of
illness. Flu is very different to a common
cold and can leave you exhausted for
quite some time.
“If you are in an ‘at risk’ group or
are a carer and receive an invitation
from your GP, then do consider
having an immunisation. Those
not in identified risk groups can
opt to be immunised at various
pharmacies across the district.”
Myths include:
• You get the flu by having the
vaccine. It is impossible to
get flu from the having the flu jab. This is
because the vaccine doesn’t contain any
live viruses. A very small number of people
experience side effects that are similar to
those of the flu, such as aching muscles,
but this is simply your immune system
responding to what it thinks is an attack
from flu.
• You won’t get the flu if you’re healthy.
Anyone can pick up the flu virus – even if
you are in general good health. Usually,
15 to 20 per cent of the population gets
flu each year and it is possible to pass it on
to those who are at more risk of serious
illness.
• The flu vaccine isn’t safe. The seasonal flu
vaccine is one of the safest vaccines in the
world and is given to millions of people in
the UK each year. The specific strains of flu
that are included may change from one
year to the next but that does not affect
the safety of the vaccine or change it in
any other way.
For more information contact your GP or
visit www.kent.gov.uk/health.
Sunday 8 March
Discover the vast range of food and drink
that Kent has to offer.
10am to 3pm. Free entry.
Jimmy Jones
The Return of the
Guvnor
Saturday 2 May
The King’s Hall welcomes the Godfather
of adult comedy to Herne Bay!
Strictly adults only.
Show starts 7.30pm. Tickets £16.50.
You can
Protect your
family against flu
this winter
Café and Gallery
Open all year round 11am to 4pm.
Follow us on facebook
Follow us on twitter
The King’s Hall, Herne Bay CT6 6BA
Telephone: 01227 374 188
Email: TheKingsHall@canterbury.gov.uk
Ticket information available from
thekingshall.com
2-4 yearold
can have s
the
free nasa
l spray
vaccine
– no
needles!
Free vaccines are available for at-risk
groups including;
• people with long term health conditions
• pregnant women
• 2-4 year-olds
• over 65s
Contact your GP for an appointment.
kent.gov.uk/health
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
CULTURE I SCULPTURE
Take a seat on
Herne Bay’s
amazing new
benches
One of the best bits about our
district is its fantastic coastline.
Whether it’s a bracing winter walk or a
relaxing summer bike ride, it can’t be beaten.
I
f you’re out for a walk or cycle ride, the
chances are you’ll want to stop for a
little rest at some point.
And now you can rest those weary
limbs on one of six unique benches that
have been installed along
the Coastal Park between
Hampton and Reculver.
The project aims to
improve accessibility
and facilities along the
coastline. Six artists and
craftspeople worked with
the city council and local
community arts group
Beach Creative to
20
design and make the benches.
At Hampton, Margot Laureau has
created a bench depicting carved books,
while above the former nuns’ huts on
the promenade in Central Parade is Nick
Stewart’s sea-themed carved bench.
On the pier plaza is Jane Piston’s Amy
Johnson bi-plane picnic bench/table,
while on the slopes above the King’s Hall
is Catherine Francis Yeats’ flocking bench
with its seagull design.
The final two benches can be found
at Ocean View car park – a distinctive
Reculver Towers design by Rob Turner –
and at Reculver Country Park, where Jason
Onion’s love bench has been installed.
The council’s Senior Environment
Officer, Rebecca
Booth, said:
“This has been
a wonderful
project to be
involved with and
we’re very grateful to Mandy Broughton
from Beach Creative and all the artists for
their hard work and commitment.
The benches look fantastic and
you can see how much creativity
and thought has gone into them.
They will take pride of place along
the seafront for years to come.
Mandy Broughton from Beach Creative
said: “It’s great to see that these six unique
and cleverly designed benches are now all
in place. The artists have worked very hard
on their creations.
“The plan now is to install an
interpretation board for each bench and
publish a bench trail leaflet, because we’d
love to see people walking the length of
the coastline and experiencing the project
in full.”
21
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
y
onl
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DISTRICT I NEWS
Advertise here in
This Christmas
Shop in Herne Bay and
Whitstable this Christmas for
original gifts and produce.
The coastal towns offer a magical Christmas shopping experience,
with hundreds of local independent stores and traders.
Whits
table
er
ecemb
D
3
1
ay
as
S at u rd n a l C h r i s t m
io
in
Tradit
ng day .
i
p
p
o
sh
centre
n
w
o
t
the
5
5
1
£per year
Find out how to reach your customers...
Be independent
He rn e
B
Show ay Christm
c ase a
as
n
s w i t c h d l i g ht s
on
Friday
5 Dec
embe
f ro m
r
4
p
m
t
Switc
h on a o 6pm.
t h e to t 5 . 3 0 p m i
n
wn ce
ntre.
District Life
Advertising
Sponsorship
Print
Digital
I’ve got the
Lygia joined the FSB for
the legal and HR advice
BIGdeal
When your business needs expert
support one membership covers all this...
Legal and Tax Protection Insurance, Legal Documents, Legal
Information Online, Legal Services, Legal and Tax Advice
Line, Health and Safety Information, Commercial Insurance
Helpline, FSB Care, with access to more Member Benefits.
Find out more at www.fsb.org.uk/benefits or
phone Customer Services on 0808 20 20 888
Follow the FSB on Facebook, Twitter and Google+
to find out the latest news and advice
Telephone: 01227 86 24 23
Email: sarah.cooper@canterbury.gov.uk
We think small Business Is Great
*Price includes a £30 registration fee for the first year only.
We are always
online
Save time and get your council services online.
Services include:
• Finding information
• Secure and fast online payments
• Reporting problems
canterbury.gov.uk
canterbury.co.uk
*
• Applying for council services
• Booking services
• News, events and activities
Winter 2014
Important
information
DISTRICT I WASTE
Christmas waste collections
Christmas collections
Due to Christmas and New Year bank
holidays your collection days will change.
Check your calendar or visit our website
to find out your collection days over the
festive season.
Alternatively you can call Serco on
0800 031 9091 for more information
and advice.
Over Christmas we generate around
30% more waste and most of this can be
recycled. Here’s how:
Extra recycling: If you have more
recycling than will fit in your red bin,
place it neatly by the side of it on
collection day in a recycling or cardboard
box - breaking down the cardboard as
small as you can.
Food waste: If you are entertaining this
Christmas you may find you have more
food waste than usual. Place any food
waste into your food caddy or find tips
on how to store and freeze food and
discover tantalising Christmas recipes,
visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.
Usual collection day
Revised collection day
Thursday 25 December
Friday 26 December
Monday 29 December
Tuesday 30 December
Wednesday 31 December
Thursday 1 January
Friday 2 January
Monday 5 January
Tuesday 6 January
Wednesday 7 January
Thursday 8 January
Friday 9 January
Saturday 27 December
Monday 29 December
Tuesday 30 December
Wednesday 31 December
Friday 2 January
Saturday 3 January
Monday 5 January
Tuesday 6 January
Wednesday 7 January
Thursday 8 January
Friday 9 January
Saturday 10 January
1 day later
canterbury.gov.uk
Real Christmas trees: Will be collected
in January, on specified dates with
garden waste. Look for the tree symbol
on your collection calendars.
Help us reduce
recycling contamination
Bad weather: In bad weather
conditions such as snow or ice, put your
waste out on your usual day and leave it
out. We will collect it as soon as we can.
The city council is urging residents to take care
with their recycling to avoid it becoming contaminated.
To check your Christmas collection
dates, visit www.canterbury.gov.uk/
recycling, or call Serco on
0800 031 9091.
Xmas tree collections
2 days later
3 days later
1 day later
1 day later
2 days later
2 days later
3 days later
1 day later
1 day later
1 day later
1 day later
1 day later
Monday A
Monday B
Tuesday A
Tuesday B
Wednesday A
Wednesday B
Thursday A
Thursday B
Friday A
Friday B
12 January
06 January
13 January
07 January
14 January
21 January
15 January
09 January
16 January
10 January
Contamination occurs when materials
that cannot be recycled are mistakenly
placed in the blue bin or red box for
recycling. And depending on what the
material is, it’s possible that the entire
contents of the bin can be rejected.
The biggest contamination issues are
when the blue bin or red box contains:
• Plastic bags and cellophane plastic wraps,
like crisp bags, carrier bags, and cling film
from food wrappings. These should go in
the black landfill bin.
• Food waste, which needs to go in your
silver food bin.
• Polystyrene, bubble wrap, plastic pallet
bags or other types of wrapping and
packaging. These should go in your black
landfill bin.
• Recycling in the old clear sacks, carrier
bags or black bags.
All recyclable items need to go into the
blue recycling bin loosely, while plastic
bags and sacks go in the black landfill bin.
Meanwhile, food bins will be rejected as
being contaminated if they contain:
• Food packaging with food in or on it, for
example pizza in pizza boxes or ready meal
trays not cleaned. Dirty food packaging
should go in your black landfill bin.
• Plastic bags, magazines and paper
wrapped in cellophane plastic and cling
film from food wrappings. These should go
in your black landfill bin.
• Wrong recycling items, such as glass
and cans. These should go in your blue
recycling bin.
If in doubt, leave it out
The council’s Contracts Manager, Chris
Wallis, said: “Residents are putting a lot of
effort into their recycling and we are very
grateful for this. It’s helping us to reach a
recycling rate of more than 50 per cent.
“But contaminated waste can be
rejected at the recycling depot and has to
be sent to landfill instead, which means all
hard work is for nothing.
“Please help us by making
sure the correct items go
in the correct containers
and that recyclable items
are loose, clean and
dry. If you are in any
doubt about whether
something can be
recycled, err on the
side of caution and
leave it out.”
Advice about what type
of rubbish goes in what
container is available on the
council’s website at www.
canterbury.gov.uk/recycling
or by calling Serco on 0800 031
9091.
Unfortunately, if collection
crews see an item in the
recycling that should not be
there, they will not be able to
empty the bin or box and will
leave a note to let the resident
know.
For up-to-date information:
www.facebook.com/CanterburyCityCouncil
@tweetcanterbury
Merry Christmas from the staff at the
council’s waste collection team and Serco.
25
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
DISTRICT I RESTORATION
Taking care of our
heritage buildings
Canterbury district is blessed with some wonderful historic
buildings and monuments that are in public ownership.
From war memorials and statues to
clocktowers and the city walls, it’s all part
of our rich heritage.
And considering that some of them are
very old indeed, you won’t be surprised to
hear that they take some looking after.
With restoration work underway on a
number of buildings, it’s a busy time for
the man in charge of these projects, the
council’s Building Services Manager, Colin
Pengelly. He’s part of a four-strong team
who between them keep the district’s
historic property looking in such great
shape.
Colin says: “I feel very proud to look
after these buildings. Without them,
our heritage would be a lot poorer, so
they deserve to be cared for. The team
gets an enormous sense of achievement
maintaining them and as you walk past
them when you’re out and about, you feel
like you’ve made a contribution to the
community. It makes the job so enjoyable.”
As District Life chatted with Colin, the
team was ensuring the district’s war
26
memorials were ready for Remembrance
Day.
“We inspect them regularly, but always
take particular care in the run up to
such an important event,” he says. “The
memorial in the Buttermarket is checked
every week, which is vital given its location
and significance.”
Big projects currently on the go are
Tower House, the Westgate Towers and
Herne Bay Clocktower. Recently, work
to improve the statues of Ethelbert
and Bertha in Lady Wootton’s Green in
Canterbury was completed, and the statue
of Barnes Wallis in Herne Bay will soon
receive a clean-up too.
Here, District Life takes a look at how
some of them are progressing.
Herne Bay Clocktower
Restoration of Herne Bay Clocktower is
going very well, with completion expected
in early 2015 – weather depending.
Work started in May and began with
a specialist clean of all exposed faces of
the structure. This revealed a number of
hidden defects, mostly minor in nature.
Two bigger issues were uncovered,
resulting in the need to replace the
pediment stone to the northwest side
and the drum section on the southwest
Corinthian column. These elements have
been completed.
Restoration of the clock itself is also
progressing. This has involved cleaning
the ironwork to the dials, regilding original
parts (including
the weather
vane), reglazing
each dial and
servicing all
the mechanical
parts.
The final
part of the
project is to
investigate the
strength and
support of the
steps around
the base and
tidy up the immediate paving around the
steps.
Other aspects underway include
lightning protection, ‘intelligent’ LED
lighting, bird protection and installation of
webcams, pictures from which will be fed
into the clocktower shop on the seafront
opposite and online.
Colin says: “It’s not been straightforward
because we knew the initial clean would
throw up some problems. But we are
pleased with how it’s going and I think the
results will be spectacular.”
Tower House
Tower House (main picture above) in
Canterbury – the former Lord Mayor’s
office in the Westgate Gardens – is
undergoing a makeover as it’s turned into
a new community venue.
Work includes releading the roof,
improving the electrical wiring, heating,
ventilation and water services, and
installing a lift to the first floor.
Plans for the exterior comprise new
gates and car park entrance, new railings
and lighting and improved garden
landscaping.
It’s all on track to be completed early in
2015 ahead of a spring reopening, when
Tower House will be available for private
hire for events such as weddings, family
parties and community and business
meetings.
Westgate Towers
The Westgate Towers had not had a full
condition survey for 15 years before one
took place earlier this year.
“It revealed the towers were in
reasonably good condition,” Colin says.
“It’s always difficult doing work to them
because it often involves road closures so
it can be done safely.”
In phase one, stonework on the east
and north sides is in the process of being
cleaned up, taking off moss, some plant
growth and the inevitable grime from
years of being exposed to traffic fumes.
Colin adds: “We are also repointing
any open mortar joints, removing loose
material and replacing stone that has
eroded away. And we have to re-roof the
flag turret and renew the flooring on the
turret.”
Phase two – the south and west sides –
is less extensive and will take place during
2016/17.
Ethelbert
and Bertha
The statues of Ethelbert and Bertha
(pictured above) in Lady Wootton’s Green
were installed in 2006. Eight years on, it
was time for them to get new bases and
have a brush up.
Work was carried out over two weeks
during the summer, during which time
Ethelbert and Bertha took a little holiday.
Two new specially designed bases were
designed and constructed and then
covered with new Portland stone panels.
The statues were then painstakingly
lowered back into position and Ethelbert
and Bertha were able to resume their
animated dialogue.
Colin says: “This was a very enjoyable
project. Ethelbert and Bertha are much
loved in Canterbury. Lots of people missed
them and were very pleased when they
returned.”
27
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
COMMUNITY I SAFETY
ParkandRide
&shop&eat&relax
Visit Canterbury this Christmas for festive
food and drink, late night shopping and
events. Park and Ride for only £3, buses
running till late.
&explore
Christmas timetable
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
10 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
11 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
12 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
13 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
14 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
15 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
16 November
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
17 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
18 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
19 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
20 November
Extended hours
7am to 8.30pm
21 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
22 November
9am to 6pm*
7am to 7.30pm
23 November
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
24 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
25 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
26 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
27 November
Extended hours
7am to 8.30pm
28 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
29 November
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
30 November
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
1 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
2 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
3 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
4 December
Extended hours
7am to 8.30pm
5 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
6 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
7 December
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
8 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
9 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
10 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
11 December
Extended hours
7am to 8.30pm
12 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
13 December
Normal service*
7am to 11.15pm
14 December
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
15 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
16 December
Normal service*
7am to 11.15pm
17 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
18 December
Extended hours
7am to 8.30pm
19 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
20 December
Normal service*
7am to 11.15pm
21 December
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
22 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
23 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
24 December
Reducing service**
7am to 7.30pm
25 December
No Service
26 December
No service
27 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
28 December
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
29 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
30 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
31 December
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
1 January
No service
2 January
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
3 January
Normal service*
7am to 7.30pm
4 January
Full Sunday service
9am to 6pm
*Extra services
**Holiday service
Stagecoach buses that go past New Dover Road and Sturry Road Park
and Ride sites will now accept your ticket. If you’re travelling after 7.30pm
(8.30pm on Thursdays) to the Sturry Road site you can catch buses 6, 6A, 8 or
8A. At Sturry Road the 6.57am and the 7.20am buses will be in Stagecoach
livery. For New Dover Road you can use buses 15 D4, 16 and 17.
Christmas Eve: Full Service (three buses) until 6pm, two buses until
6.30pm and one bus until 7.30pm on each route. Bank Holidays 25 and
26 December and 1 January: No Service. Hospital Park and ride will run
as usual from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, except Bank Holidays.
canterbury.gov.uk/parkandride
Safety is the key for the
Control Room team
Keeping the public safe continues to be
one of the city council’s priorities, and
an important part of that is the council’s
CCTV and Control Room.
Looking after three essential services
– CCTV, Lifeline and the council’s out-ofhours service – it requires a 24 hours a
day, seven days a week operation from a
dedicated and fully trained team.
There are currently 320 cameras around
the district, both in public areas and
inside council buildings such as sheltered
housing schemes, and they are recording
at all times.
Meanwhile, the Lifeline service
provides a human link to 3,700 of the
district’s residents, many of them senior
citizens who are alone, offering 24 hour
reassurance and an emergency response
when they are most in need.
And with council services such as
housing and street cleaning not limited to
a 9am to 5pm operation, the out-of-hours
emergency number is crucial in enabling
people to report problems that can’t wait
until morning.
At the helm of the team is Parking
Facilities and Control Room Manager, Colin
Perris.
Colin says: “It simply never stops. Even in
the middle of the night we get calls from
Lifeline customers who need reassurance
or assistance. The calls are answered
quickly and our staff can summon
immediate help if required. But that’s
what it’s there for, and it enables people
to carry on living in their home and stay
independent.
“We have at least two members of
the team on duty at all times, even
on Christmas Day. They are trained in
all aspects of the work we do, from
monitoring CCTV to liaising with the
emergency services where required.”
For Colin and his team, it’s the variety
of the work that keeps them coming in to
the office every day. And when District Life
popped in for a chat, the operators were
busy tracing someone who was suspected
of shoplifting.
“It’s always fascinating and always
different,” says Colin. “There is never a dull
day. We may be helping to trace a lost
child, assisting someone stuck in one of
our car parks or, as we are now, supporting
the police in apprehending a criminal.
We have an excellent team.
They tackle their work with
sensitivity and care, along with a
determination to see an issue all
the way through until it’s resolved.
To report an out-of-hours emergency
with a city council service, call
01227 781 879 and for more information
about Lifeline visit www.canterbury.
gov.uk/lifeline or see the advert on the
following page.
29
Winter 2014
DISTRICT I NEWS
canterbury.gov.uk
DISTRICT I NEWS
New food rules to help allergy sufferers
The gift of independence
Canterbury City Council’s Lifeline offers
peace of mind 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year, for only £2.83 (+ VAT) per week.
When others can’t be there . . .
. . .Lifeline can
Your Lifeline alarm will automatically call
our local monitoring centre at the touch of
a button.
Customer comments:
“A smooth procedure from the first enquiry to installation appointments kept on time with clear and concise instructions given”.
Mr M – Whitstable
“A very pleasant and friendly lady explained everything in detail, with
patience and good humour, made me feel very assured”.
Mrs H – Canterbury
For your FREE demonstration
and FREE installation, call
01227 862 540
canterbury.co.uk
If you suffer from a food allergy and find
going out to a restaurant or ordering a
takeaway is a bit of a nightmare, then
read on.
Because new national food safety
regulations coming into force on
Saturday 13 December require businesses
such as restaurants, cafes, pubs and
takeaways to improve the way they
provide information about allergens in
their products.
From that date, businesses must tell
their customers about the presence of 14
allergens in all non-packed food. These
include foodstuffs such as peanuts, milk,
celery, mustard, fish, sesame seeds and
cereals containing gluten.
Businesses are allowed to give
customers this information in ways that
best suit their individual needs. Some
will have fixed menus, while others
have menus that change frequently.
Providing allergy information on a menu,
a chalkboard or verbally would mean
they are meeting the requirements of the
regulations.
The city council’s food safety team
will be responsible for enforcing the
new regulations and has been giving
businesses advice on what they need to
do.
Environmental Health Officer Wendy
Osmond said: “For people with an allergy,
what should be a pleasant meal out is
often their most stressful time, wondering
what’s in the food and whether they
will have a bad reaction to it. These new
regulations are going to make life just
that little bit easier.
“It’s one of the biggest changes to food
safety rules in a long time and we’ve been
working hard to make sure businesses
have clear information.”
The council is keen to hear from anyone
who believes a business is not meeting
the requirements of the new regulations.
It will then work with the business to help
it improve. Call the food safety team on
01227 862 222.
More information can be found on the
council’s website at www.canterbury.
gov.uk/food.
Book now for
Lord Mayor’s
dinner dance
An evening of fine food, entertainment and charity
fundraising is on offer at the Lord Mayor’s annual dinner
dance.
The event, hosted by this year’s Lord Mayor Cllr Ann Taylor, is
on Saturday 7 February 2015 at Augustine House in Canterbury.
It begins with a sparkling reception, courtesy of Shepherd
Neame, from 7.15pm, followed by a sumptuous four course
dinner. After the meal, local entertainer Nick Bosworth will
provide the music.
The evening also features a silent raffle in aid of the Lady
Mayoress’ Charity to raise money for Kent Air Ambulance,
Catching Lives and Porchlight.
Tickets for the dinner dance cost £50 and include half a bottle
of fine wine and free parking for the evening in any city centre
council car park. Tables can accommodate up to 10 people.
To book, email fiona.balchin@canterbury.gov.uk or call
01227 862 080. Bookings and payment must be made by the
end of this year.
Allergy sufferers can also download
free ‘chef cards’ from the Food Standards
Agency. The cards have space for people
to write down the products they are
allergic to, which they then hand in to
serving staff when eating out. Visit www.
food.gov.uk/allergy, search for ‘chef
cards’ and click on ‘resources for allergen
information’ to download some.
Appointments
system cuts down
the queues
Queueing at the city council offices in Military Road in the
afternoons is set to become a thing of the past.
The council is moving to pre-booked appointments only in
the afternoons for all housing needs, planning, council tax and
benefits enquiries. This means people can book a time that suits
them without needing to wait.
The new system started on Monday 1 December.
Afternoon appointments are available between 2pm and
5pm and can be booked by calling 01227 862 148 or
popping into the Military Road offices.
People can still drop-in with enquiries about these services in
the mornings.
Parking-related enquiries and emergency homelessness
enquiries are not covered by the appointment system. Residents
can continue to drop-in about these any time between 8.30am
and 5pm.
For more information, visit www.canterbury.gov.uk/
appointments.
31
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
COMMUNITY I SUPPORT
Rising Sun marks
35 years helping
women and
children
Thirty-five years ago this
month, in December 1979,
a new charity was created in
Canterbury to help victims
of domestic violence.
It started with the establishment of a women’s
refuge for people who needed to leave an abusive
relationship, and since then, the Rising Sun Domestic
Violence and Abuse Service has helped thousands of
families to get free from abuse.
Now, the refuge itself is run independently, and
the work of the Rising Sun has moved into providing
community-based support for domestic abuse. And
as the charity enters its 36th year, it finds itself busier
than ever and with new challenges to face.
Anne Lyttle is the Rising Sun’s Service Director
and has been with the charity for 20 years. She has
seen attitudes towards domestic abuse change
considerably over her time.
“Those who have lived with abuse are now believed
so much more,” she says. “Years ago the response may
have been ‘what did you do to deserve it?’, but it is
now recognised as a crime and unacceptable on
any level. The fact that people have the right to
be safe in their own home has been taken on
by all agencies that deal with domestic
abuse.
“Even so, two women a week
in England and Wales are killed
by a current or former partner, and
that number has remained steady
over the years. If two people were
killed each week at football
matches, that would not be
tolerated.”
The domestic violence onestop-shops in Canterbury and
Herne Bay, which provide help
and support, are the busiest of
their kind in Kent, but Anne
stresses this does not mean
the district has more of a
problem than anywhere else.
She says: “We have
massively increased the
reporting of incidents locally.
Friends and family of victims,
and healthcare professionals,
are picking up problems
much earlier and ensuring
people are given the
support they need.”
The community-based
work the charity is involved in is wide-ranging, with a priority
being helping families become safe in their home.
Anne says: “Promoting healthy relationships is another key
part of our work. We deliver our award-winning Love Shouldn’t
Hurt programme to schools, which is geared towards promoting
relationships based on equality and respect.
“Our programmes are delivered in schools and youth centres
around Kent to highlight the different ways in which violent or
abusive relationships can be stopped and how to recognise the
early stages of an unsafe relationship.
“Domestic abuse is not exclusive to adult relationships. The
prevalence of domestic abuse is greater among young women
under 24 years old and those with a long term illness or disability.
“Our aim throughout is to challenge attitudes and beliefs that
perpetuate domestic violence and to promote healthy and nonabusive relationships. Our work is crucial in raising awareness of
abuse and changing perceptions of domestic violence, as many
young people view abuse as a normal aspect of intimate
relationships.”
The Rising Sun’s ethos over the years has been
to promote a ‘whole family approach’ and it’s clear
from talking to Anne that the charity has made a
life-changing impact on so many families.
The charity relies on donations in order to
be able to continue its work and 91 pence in
every pound donated goes towards its front line
services.
Rising Sun will be holding an information
day on 12 February 2015 to highlight their
work in the community. To find out more
email admin@risingsunkent.com or call
Gill on 01227 452 852.
And to find out more about the Rising Sun
Domestic Violence and Abuse Service, go to
www.risingsunkent.com.
Case study – Bridget’s story
Bridget (not her real name) moved to
Canterbury in 2005 with her husband.
After a period of time, she began
to suffer psychological abuse at his
hands. He would turn the heating and
hot water off, control all the household
money and gradually isolate her from
friends and family.
After a visit to her GP, Bridget was
referred to the Rising Sun and was introduced to an independent
domestic violence advisor in 2009.
“I received so much support,” Bridget says. “Sessions were
arranged to help me understand and recognise I was in an
abusive relationship. I got help with solicitors’ appointments and
even had my rent paid by the council for a while. Undoubtedly I
would have ended up under psychiatric care without this support.
“I divorced my husband in 2011 but because we have children
he is still in my life. He has continued to harass and abuse the
family but through court action and rulings we are nearing the
end.
“The legal process can be slow. It can also be scary and
expensive, but you have to trust it. The law will work for you.
“I lived in a nice, quiet, middle-class village. My husband was
a respectable member of the community. Nobody would have
known anything was wrong behind those closed doors.
“If you are suffering abuse, my message is clear – tell someone.
You will be believed and you will be supported. There is so much
help to enable you to become free from abuse. Have confidence
and strength.”
Bridget now volunteers for the Rising Sun, helping other
women and children who find themselves in a similar situation.
“Invaluble work in
the community”
The city council has worked
very closely with the Rising
Sun on domestic violence for
many years, providing funding
and officer support.
Head of Safer
Neighbourhoods, Doug
Rattray, says: “Rising Sun
offers an absolutely invaluable
service to the local community.
You only have to look at the
number of people they have helped over just the last year to
realise that. We are lucky to have them working in our district.
“Of course it is sad that a service like this needs to exist in the
first place, but so much domestic violence goes on behind closed
doors and is unreported. Organisations like Rising Sun have done
a lot to draw attention to the problem and provide vital support
to victims of a complex crime.
“We congratulate them on all they have achieved over the last
35 years and will continue to offer our support in the years ahead.”
The domestic violence one-stop-shops signpost
people to wide-ranging support
32
33
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
DISTRICT I NEWS
Gold pendant
donated to the Beaney
A wonderfully crafted gold pendant that is about
1400 years old is on display in the Beaney thanks to
funding from a local charitable trust.
The pendant, which is roughly the size of a
modern 10 pence piece, is made of beaded
gold wire in a circular shape. Inside the
circle is an intricate four-legged design
also made of beaded gold wire. This
design is known to archaeologists as a
tetraskele – meaning four-legged – and
it was much used in the early AngloSaxon period.
The Anglo-Saxon pendant was
found by chance near Manston by a
metal-detectorist, who followed the
correct Treasure Act procedure and
declared the find to the Kent officer of
the Portable Antiquities Scheme. This is a
government-funded initiative to encourage
the national recording of archaeological objects
found by members of the public.
Experts at the British Museum then dated the
pendant to the Early Anglo-Saxon period to the end
of the 6th century or early 7th century AD.
The Beaney already houses a fine collection of
Anglo-Saxon gold jewellery from east Kent, and
so this new find was the natural home for it.
Adding it to the display in the Explorers
and Collectors gallery has been made
possible by the Friends of Canterbury
Museums, a Registered Charity
whose members contributed the
funding.
The council’s Director of
Museums and Galleries, Jo
Jones, said: “We’re delighted
to receive the donation of this
stunning gold pendant from the
Friends of Canterbury Museums.
The group is very supportive of all
our museums in the city and we’re
grateful for their generosity. I’m sure
the pendant will prove popular with
our visitors.”
Friends group member, Mary Berg,
added: “Chance finds of long lost pieces such
as this can add so much to our knowledge of east
Kent. The Friends are glad to have ensured that this
little artistic masterpiece can be enjoyed by all of us as
well as being available for study.”
Sixth formers learn about
democracy and elections
Pupils from St Anselm’s and Simon Langton Girls’ Schools paid
a visit to the council chamber at the Guildhall in Canterbury to
learn more about voting, elections and democracy.
The sixth form pupils, who all study politics, were also given the
opportunity to register to vote under the new individual electoral
registration system, with the general, city and parish councils
council elections all taking place next May.
They took part in a number of exercises during the day,
including coming up with promotional campaigns to encourage
young people to vote and get interested in the democratic
process.
The pupils also faced a scenario where they were marooned
on an island after a plane crash and had to formulate a survival
plan, putting rules in place and planning tasks and a structure to
operate under.
34
And in the afternoon, they grilled a number of senior city
councillors in a question and answer session, covering a range of
local and national issues.
The city council organised the event as part of Local Democracy
Week, and Community Services Manager Alison Small said it had
been very successful.
She added: “We really enjoyed having them in the Guildhall. The
pupils were very enthusiastic and keen to learn. They seemed to
particularly like quizzing the councillors and gave them quite a
rough ride!”
Crackdown
on illegal
waste
carriers
Sea defences
upgrade for
Herne Bay
Work is almost complete on the
next phase of improvements to
Herne Bay’s sea defences to the
west of the pier.
The city council scheme sees
the existing sea wall between the
pier and the miniature golf course
raised by 12 inches, which allows
for sea level rise for approximately
another 30 years. This will increase
the level of protection of the town to
a one in 200 year storm, protecting
commercial and residential
properties within the flood basin.
To put this into context, the
famous Herne Bay flood of 1953 was
classed as a one in 150 year storm.
The work involves removing the
old coping blocks from the existing
wall and raising it, and installing new
flood gates to match those to the
east of the pier. Finally, coping blocks
will be replaced on the raised wall to
match the existing ones. All current
access points to the promenade will
remain.
The project brings the defences
up to the same standard as those
to the east of the pier, which were
improved in early 2013. It will mean
that in the event of a flood warning,
the gates can be closed along the
entire seafront to protect the town.
Engineering Manager Ted Edwards
said: “Work has progressed well
on this project. It’s good news for
Herne Bay that we have been able
to return for the next stage of these
improvements. Feedback from phase
one was very positive around the
town.
“Sea levels are predicted to rise in
the years ahead so this is important
protection work for our coastline.”
Illegal waste carriers have been targeted
in a joint operation by city council
enforcement officers and Kent Police.
Officers have been carrying out random
patrols across the district over the last
couple of months, pulling over drivers
carrying waste and scrap metal to check
their paperwork.
Some have received £300 on the spot
fixed penalty notices for not having a
waste transfer note, while others who
said they had documentation, just not on
them, were told they needed to come to
the council offices within seven days with
the correct paperwork.
In addition, one van was seized by
Kent Police for not having any tax or
insurance, and the four main scrap metal
dealerships in the district were all visited
and information letters left for them to
give to dealers.
Several drivers who were stopped had
the correct paperwork with them. Further
joint operations are planned before the
end of the year.
The council’s Head of Safer
Neighbourhoods, Doug Rattray,
said: “These operations target those
unscrupulous dealers who don’t conduct
their business within the law. They’re also
more likely to dump their rubbish in the
countryside, rather than act responsibly.”
Canterbury Inspector Sharon Adley said:
“It is important to carry out days such as
this one as it sends out a clear message
that we will not tolerate illegal activity
linked with waste carriers and scrap metal
dealers.
“Kent Police will continue to work closely
with Canterbury City Council to ensure a
fairer future for those traders who operate
legitimately and for the residents who use
these services.”
35
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
COUNCIL I FINANCE
Summary of accounts for
year ending 31 March 2014
Our accounts show you how we are managing the money we
receive to provide services to residents and visitors and to look
after our environment.
The full and audited Statement of Accounts is prepared using
proper accounting practice. The style and content can be difficult
to follow and so this summary gives the key information in a
simpler and more meaningful way.
Income and expenditure
Where does the rest of your Council Tax go?
Capital spending
Pie chart 4
Pie chart 3
Pie chart 5
Our Revenue account shows the cost of services for the year and where
the money came from to pay for them.
We hold the Council Tax in a separate fund because it is collected on
behalf of Kent County Council, the police and the fire service as well as to
What we spent
help pay for our own services. Pie chart 3 shows how it is distributed. We
Bar chart 1
only keep 13% per year of what you pay to us.
The cost of housing services
Table 2
Table 1
This is the money spent on buying, upgrading and improving the
council’s assets. It isn’t included in the other annual income and
expenditure tables because we receive the benefit of this spending over
many years, not just in the year we spend the money.
Bar chart 1 shows the net expenditure for each of the main service areas
The major areas of spending and how we paid for it are shown in pie
(see net expenditure (1) in table 1) as a percentage of the council’s total
charts 4 and 5
expenditure. ( ) is a net income.
Where the money came from
Balance sheet
Pie chart 2
Table 3
- what the council owns, what it owes and what it is owed.
The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is also a separately maintained
account showing the cost of running the council’s housing stock, used
to accommodate council tenants. It is separately financed by rents and
service charges. We currently have 5,213 properties in the Canterbury
district.
Would you like to?
* Revenue Support grant £6,100,000, Contribution from the Non-domestic Rate
pool £4,489,000. New Homes Bonus grant £1,539,000.
* Pie chart 2 shows the income from grants and Council Tax as a percentage of the
total (see total (2) in table 1)
• See this document in large print, Braille audio tape or another
The Revenue Support Grant (RSG) is money paid directly to us from
• See the full statement of accounts?
Audit approval
central government.Non-domestic Rates are paid by businesses in the
Go to www.canterbury.gov.uk/finance or call 01227 862 000
Our accounts are audited each year by external audit firm Grant
Canterbury district. The £4,489,000 is our share only for the year. The
• Comment on this summary… was it easy to read and understand?
Thornton. This makes sure our financial statements show the council’s
Council Tax Income is the proportion we keep from the total we collect.
Was it helpful? Was there anything else you would like to see included?
financial position and income and expenditure accurately and fairly.
The New Homes Bonus is a grant paid by government for new homes
36
language? Please call 01227 862 000
built and empty properties brought back into use.
Please call 01227 862 000 or go to www.canterbury.gov.uk/comments
37
Winter 2014
canterbury.gov.uk
COMMUNITY I SAFETY
KEEPING YOU
New ‘community trigger’
comes into force
Protect yourself this winter
when out and about
• Don’t advertise valuables – keep your
wallet, phone or MP3 player out of sight
and never leave them unattended.
• If you are going out, plan your journey
home in advance and travel with others if
you can.
• If you do have to walk stick to busy, well-lit
routes and don’t be distracted by your
phone or music.
• Be extra careful when using cashpoint
machines. Make sure nobody is hovering
nearby and don’t count your money in the
middle of the street.
• Avoid passing stationary cars with their
engines running and people sitting in them.
• Consider carrying a personal safety
alarm, which can be used to shock and
disorientate an attacker giving you
vital seconds to get away.
38
or registered social landlord, within the
previous six months. These are incidents
where the behaviour, nuisance or problem
has reoccurred and was reported in one
month of it happening. If you feel that
your concern meets the above threshold
you can request a ‘community trigger’.
When a ‘community trigger’ is requested
CCSP partner agencies will confirm details
of the reported incidents to verify the
Trigger has been met. If it has been met
they will form a panel who will review
your case including the reports made
and actions taken. They may make
recommendations outlining how the
concern should be dealt with in the future
to prevent it re-occurring. The panel
will write to you informing you of their
findings and recommendations.
The ‘community trigger’ does not replace
the existing reporting and complaint
procedures of individual organisations. It
further helps to ensures that all agencies
are working together to resolve incidents
of anti-social behaviour that are affecting
residents’ quality of life and by doing so
will help maintain safer neighbourhoods
within our district.
To find out further details on the
‘community trigger’ please visit
www.canterbury.gov.uk/yourcommunity/community-safety/
community-safety-unit/communitytrigger.
Congratulations to District Watch!
• Be sensible if you’re drinking and know
your limits – alcohol makes you more likely
to take risks.
• If you think you are being followed, trust
your instincts and take action. Cross the
road, turning to see who is behind you.
Make for a busy area and tell people what is
happening.
To resolve reports of anti-social
behaviour the partner agencies of
the Canterbury Community Safety
Partnership (CCSP) work closely together.
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and
Policing Act 2014 came into force in
October 2014. This gives new powers to
tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
It also includes a process, called the
‘community trigger’ which allows
members of the public to ask the CCSP to
review responses to persistent anti-social
behaviour.
The ‘community trigger’ can be used if
you have reported at least three incidents
of anti-social behaviour to a relevant
organisation, such as the council, police
Contact us
• 999 if a life is in danger
• 101 for non-urgent crime
• kent.police.uk
• twitter@kent_police
• facebook/CanterburyCSP
Well done District Watch following them being recognised in
helping to reduce crime in our city and towns!
District Watch supports a network of over 120 shops, pubs
and clubs to share information to reduce crime. It operates
in partnership with Canterbury City Council and Kent Police
keeping our
city and town
centres safe
and supporting
businesses to be
successful.
The great work
District Watch
undertakes has
recently been
recognised.
It has been
given a national award from the Association of Business Crime
Partnerships who gave District Watch a Distinction level award
following a recent vigorous assessment. This is a very strong
endorsement of how well the scheme is run and the benefits it
brings.
Scheme Co-ordinator, Dave Brenchley, said: “It is really good
news for our members and wider business community. We are a
non-profit making scheme with the aim of helping Canterbury
district to be a safe place to shop and socialise.
“Our work with Canterbury City Council, Kent Police and
other partners reduces crime and helps catch people intent
on stealing or causing anti-social behaviour. A lot of hard work
has gone into setting high standards and it is great to see it has
been recognised.”
If you are a local business, District Watch may be able
to help you. Further information can be found at www.
canterburydistrictwatch.co.uk.
39
Get prepared
for life and work
at Canterbury College
We have a wide range of full-time and part-time
programmes that start in January.
Make 2015 work for you!
To find out more call 01227 811188
or click www.canterburycollege.ac.uk
Aged 24+?
Students aged 24 or
over and studying a
Level 3 qualification
or higher can now
access 24+ Advanced
Learning Loans to help
fund their education.
www.gov.uk