HAVE A SAY ON FUTURE LOCAL NHS AND SOCIAL CARE SERVICES

There's an opportunity for anyone with an interest in health and care services in this area to attend one of several public meetings happening across east Kent during July. As part of the current "Transforming Health and Social Care in Kent and Medway" process, the events will focus on proposals to improve the range and quality of NHS services available in local communities and GP practices. The idea is to let people find out more about what is involved, provide feedback and ask questions about local plans.

For Deal area, the public meeting is on Tuesday 4 July in The Landmark Centre, 129 High Street, Deal from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. To ensure a place e-mail the organisers at nelcsu.engagement@nhs.net. Local health campaigner Rosie Rechter says: "We have asked repeatedly for one of these meetings in Deal or Dover. So we are keen to get a good attendance at this important event for our NHS."

Others meeting are as follows:
Canterbury on 29 June 2017 (9.15am-12.30pm. at St Lawrence Cricket Ground, Old Dover Rd, Canterbury CT1 3NZ,
Ashford on 6 July 2017 (1pm-4pm) at Holiday Inn Central Hotel, Canterbury Rd, Kennington, Ashford TN24 8QQ.
Romney Marsh on 11 July 2017 (1:30pm-4:30pm) at Marsh Academy Community Hub, Station Road, New Romney, TN28 8BB.
Thanet on 27 July 2017 (time to be confirmed) at (venue to be confirmed).    (June 17, 2017)

ALL CHANGE FOR LOCAL BUS ROUTES AND TIMES?

Bus operators Stagecoach South East are consulting on proposed changes to their bus network in the Dover, Deal and Sandwich areas. The public needs to comment by Monday, 26 June. For details, see: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/service-updates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-12/06/2017-16:59:01:189.      (June 16, 2017)

CALL FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT SITES IN LOCAL PLAN REVIEW

As part of updating its Local Plan, Dover District Council is asking land owners to suggest sites that they consider have future development potential. The Local Plan covers the period to 2037 and will identify land for housing, employment and leisure development. The call for sites runs for eight weeks from Monday 12 June to 12midnight on Monday 7 August.

The council emphasises that suggesting potential land does not necessarily mean it will be developed. Each site will be assessed and those considered suitable for inclusion in the Local Plan will then be subject to public consultation and referred to an independent Inspector in a Local Plan Examination process. Any subsequent development would require planning permission.

Details and site submission forms are available on the council's website.   (June 10, 2017)

RAILWAY BRIDGE WORKS ON SOMERSET ROAD

Kent County Council say part of Somerset Road, Deal, will be closed to through traffic on Sunday 18 June to allow rail bridge repairs to be carried out. The closure is for just the one day, between 8am and 8pm.

The works will be at the railway bridge, with access from either direction up to where the road is closed, but no through access during the works. The alternative route is via Telegraph Road, Cornwall Road and Downs Road to Somerset Road.     (June 7, 2017)

A LAW THAT SAVED THE BEST OF DEAL

The Deal Society and Deal Maritime and Local History Museum are joining forces to celebrate legislation introduced 50 years ago that helped to safeguard Deal's historic buildings. The new law enabled local councils to designate Conservation Areas and, within months, Middle Street conservation area in Deal was created - the first in Kent and one of the first in the country. Members of the town's civic society and the museum are mounting an exhibition at the museum building in St George's Road between Tuesday 13 June and Sunday 25 June. It will explain the history of conservation areas and why they are still important. Deal Society members will also be available to answer visitors' questions.

On Saturday 17 June, Deal Society chairman David White will give a talk about conservation areas at the museum starting at 1.30pm. At 2pm he will then lead a one-hour walk around the Nelson Street conservation area, returning to the museum where tea and cakes will be on sale. The talk and walk are free but normal museum entry fees* will apply. No pre-booking is necessary.

The timing of the legislation to create conservation areas was very fortunate for Deal. Just three years earlier, in 1964, a plan had been proposed which would have demolished much of the historic centre of the town in order to make way for office blocks, ring roads, a shopping centre, housing and lots of car parks. Amongst the many potential casualties was Deal’s Georgian Town Hall to make way for a road. Fortunately, the plan was rejected and the later establishment of the first conservation area in Deal ensured that the buildings, now highly prized, would never again be threatened.

Deal Maritime and Local History Museum at 22 St George’s Road, Deal, is open Tuesdays-Saturdays 11am-4.30pm, Sundays 12noon-4pm during June, July and August; for other months see the museum website. *Entry fees are £3 adults, £2 concessions and children, £9 family ticket.     (June 3, 2017)

WALK TO SUPPORT KENT'S CHARITY FOR THE BLIND

Kent Association for the Blind’s annual sponsored walk comes to Betteshanger Park on Sunday 2 July. The fundraising event, with its five-kilometer course round the grounds of the park, starts at 1pm. Registration is £5 with all proceeds benefiting the charity and its work with people experiencing sight impairment and blindness. Participants can also boost this by inviting family and friends to sponsor them. For more details, see www.kab.org.uk and to register call Madeleine on 01227 763366 or .     (May 28, 2017)

CONSULTATION: PLANS TO EXPAND DEAL PAROCHIAL SCHOOL

Kent County Council is inviting the public's views on a proposal to increase the size of the Deal Parochial Primary School in Gladstone Road, Walmer. Included is construction of a new block of classrooms with toilets and group rooms. The larger building would then be able to cater for double the current number of pupils, up from 210 to 420 with the increase spread over seven years.

The proposed scheme will require planning permission but, before that, the public can comment in a consultation process. Details are available on-line at: http://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/
DealParochialExpansion/consultationHome. The deadline for commenting is 11am on Friday 9 June.     (May 19, 2017)

Train operator Southeastern's new timetable starts on Sunday 21 May and runs until Saturday 30 December 2017. Copies are available at local stations or can be downloaded online at: www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/live-travel-information/timetables.    (May 15, 2017)

ROADWORKS

Kent Highways say the following roadworks are scheduled for the Walmer area:

• Thursday 20 April - Monday 24 April: A258 Dover Road, Ringwould - at the junction with Queens Rise. Traffic control signals will be in place and some delays are possible.
• Wednesday 19 April - Friday 21 April: Roselands, Walmer. Works by British Telecom - with delays to traffic unlikely.
• Wednesday 19 April - Friday 21 April: Channel Lea, Walmer. Roadworks with Stop/Go boards traffic control - making some delays possible.

For more information call: KCC Highway Contact Centre on 03000 418181.   (April 14, 2017)

CONSULTATION ON NEW HOUSING PROPOSALS

Gladman Developments is proposing a residential development of approximately 235 new homes, plus public open space with recreational facilities on land off Cross Road, Deal. The company has opened a public consultation on its initial ideas for the scheme. For more details and how to submit comments, see: www.your-views.co.uk/deal.

ALL SET TO CLEAN UP IN DEAL

Deal residents are being invited to join in this month's nationwide ‘Great British Spring Clean’. Local green campaigners Deal With It have two local events - a Beach Clean on Sunday 5 March and a Park Clean on Saturday 18 March. The introduction of the new "clean up" drive is backed by major anti-litter charities including Keep Britain Tidy, Keep Wales Tidy and the Marine Conservation Society. The hope is that it will become an annual event, bringing people together to clean up their neighbourhoods.

The community beach clean on Sunday 5 March will tackle a section of Walmer beach. New and existing supporters are invited to meet at 9.30am at the Sea Café on Walmer Green. The Park Clean on Saturday 18 March is at Victoria Park, starting at 2pm. Again, everyone is invited to turn up at the Mill Road carpark end of the park. For more details, see www.dealwithit.org.uk, or call 01304 372673.    (March 3, 2017)

HEALTH CHANGES PROTEST AT COUNTY HALL

Local campaigner Rosemary Rechter is urging people to support a public protest against proposed changes to health services. She says: "There will be a demonstration at County Hall in Maidstone on Friday 3 March to protest at the proposed local Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) and fears of NHS privatisation. There is a KCC meeting to consider the STP that starts at 10am so it would be great if as many people as possible could turn up at around 9.30am to make clear to our councillors what we think. Please come along if you can."

The Kent and Medway NHS proposals for STP changes can be seen at www.kmpt.nhs.uk/information-and-advice/stp.htm. Whilst the stated aims to improve health and social care over the next five years are laudable, concerns have been raised by some at the practical effects on local services. Among the critics, Rosemary Rechter considers "STP" is an acronym for "Slash, Trash and Privatise".    (February 25, 2017)

ALL CHANGE FOR £1 COINS AND BANKNOTES

A new 12-sided £1 coin is being rolled out in March and the current round version will stop being legal tender on Sunday 15 October. The public is being advised to gather up any of the old coins - possibly saved in jars and piggy banks - and use or change them at a bank before the deadline. Although some vending and slot machines may require modification, the main supermarket chains have all said that shoppers won't have problems using the new coins in their trolleys.

The new polymer £5 note, issued last September, replaces the old paper fiver which will no longer be legal tender after Friday 5 May. Again the advice is to use or exchange them. The Bank of England says that a new polymer £10 note will be issued in September 2017 and a new £20 note by 2020.    (February 25, 2017)

GROW HOPS FOR A TASTY LOCAL BREW

Deal and Walmer residents are being invited to sign up for a "grow your own beer" project. It's the idea of local "green" group Deal With It who are launching a community hop growing project under the banner of Deal Hop Farm. Organiser Steve Wakeford explained: “We hope to create a patchwork hop farm made up of private gardens, allotments and community gardens and spaces in the town. There are several similar successful schemes around the country. So far we have about 20 people interested including English Heritage’s Walmer Castle."

Ripple Steam Brewery is supporting the project to help produce a local Deal Beer when the first viable crop of hops becomes available. Steve Wakeford says hops can be easily grown and advice will be available if needed. The hops have to be planted by early March, so participants will need to order one of the £20 hop plant (rhizome) and starter kits by 23 February. The first harvest will be on a single day in September.

For people who want to know more there will be information at the Landmark Garden in Deal High Street on Saturdays 4 and 11 February; or at a launch meeting on Thursday 9 February at 6pm in The Lighthouse pub. The Strand, Walmer. Membership forms and leaflets are also available at The Lighthouse, The Green Berry, The Just Reproach, The Freed Man, The Landmark Centre, The Astor, Golf Road Centre, Das Bar, Deal Town Hall and online at www.dealwithit.org.uk; or call 01304 372673.    (January 31, 2017)

JOIN IN THE GREAT NURDLE HUNT

Buoyed up by a turnout of over 42 volunteers and an 85kilogram haul of junk last Sunday (29 January), Deal Beach Clean organisers are inviting people to join in a "Nurdle Hunt" next Sunday. Nurdles are the small pellets used to make plastics products. Careless handling and spillage means that many end up in the sea and washing up along the coast. Environmental charity FIDRA say that scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about their effect on marine life. The findings from the Nurdle Hunt could provide valuable evidence for Government and the plastics industry on the problem. For more details, see www.nurdlehunt.org.uk.

To join in Deal's Nurdle Hunt, volunteers are asked to meet up at Deal Pier at 12noon on Sunday 5 February. The hunt along the low water mark lasts just one hour. There's more about this on DealWithIt's website, by or calling 01304 372673.    (January 31, 2017)