NEW "MEET UP" FOR FORCES VETERANS

Support for armed forces veterans in the area has received a boost with the launch of the Veterans’ Mess Tins and Banter breakfast club. Based at the Royal Marines Association on The Strand, Walmer, it offers a range of help and information as well as the chance to catch up with friends and enjoy a hot meal.

Meetings are every second Wednesday of the month from 10am to 12noon and are free to attend. The group has been developed by Dover District Council as part of the Civil Military Partnership Board, facilitated by the Royal Marines Association Deal Branch, and funded by Forces Connect South East as part of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund. For more details, see: https://www.dover.gov.uk/News/Press-Releases/2019/Initiative-to-Support-Veterans-Launched.aspx    (December 18, 2019)

GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS

The Results for the Parliamentary Election for Dover Constituency held on Thursday 12 December 2019 are:

NEW DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Results of the Election of a District Councillor for Guston, Kingsdown and St Margaret's-at-Cliffe on Thursday 12 December 2019:

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR ELECTION THIS THURSDAY

As well as the General Election there's a poll for a District Councillor for the Guston, Kingsdown and St Margaret's-at-Cliffe Ward on Dover District Council on Thursday 12 December. The candidates are:

•  BATES Martin, The Conservative Party;
•  FRANKLIN Roben Colin, Liberal Democrats;
•  GLEAVE Sarah, The Green Party;
•  ROWBOTHAM Eileen Diane, Labour Party.

For full details - including location of polling stations - see: www.dover.gov.uk/Council--Democracy/Elections/Dover-District-Council-By-Election-Guston-Kingsdown-and-St-Margarets-at-Cliffe-Ward-12-December-2019-Notice-of-Poll-Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations.pdf .    (December 8, 2019)

A fully illustrated history of the Royal Marines in Deal, which has been "out-of-print" for many years, is set to return. The trustees of the Royal Marines Heritage Trails have arranged for a special edition of the “Royal Marines Deal - A Pictorial History” to be published next March.

Originally produced in 2000, the 160-page book features the Royal Marines Depots in Deal and Walmer from 1861 to 1996. Heritage Trails trustee Bill Butler said: "It includes photographs from The Royal Marines Museum Collection showing all aspects of Royal Marine life in Walmer and Deal. Other stunning photographs depict Royal visits to The Depot and Walmer; The "Freedom of the Borough of Deal" Ceremonies; sports and other activities on the Drill Field - before it became the Rugby Club sports ground and Deal Parochial School; the RM Swimming Pool and opening of the Bandstand on Walmer Green; The Royal Marines last Parade through the town before leaving in 1996; some amazing photographs of Kingsdown Rifle Range; First and Second World War actions; the huge guns of the Royal Marines Siege Regiment; and much more."

The Heritage Trails trustees are offering an opportunity for the public to pre-order copies with a special"Subscribers' Edition" in which the first 300 subscribers’ names will be listed in the back pages of the book. Copies are £30 each. To ensure inclusion and secure a copy, people need to order and pay before Monday 23 December 2019.

Delivery is expected in March 2020 and, when copies arrive, local purchasers will be advised about collection; orders from further afield will be forwarded by post. For full details and an order form, see: https://royalmarinesheritagetrails.org/   (November 22, 2019)

GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATES FOR DOVER CONSTITUENCY

The Candidates in the Parliamentary Election for Dover Constituency to be held on Thursday 12 December 2019 are:

• CORNELL Charlotte Diane - Labour Party
• DODD Simon James - Liberal Democrats
• ELPHICKE Natalie Cecilia - The Conservative Party Candidate
• MORAIS Eljai - Women`s Equality Party
• SAWBRIDGE Beccy - The Green Party
• SUTTON Nathan Mark - Independent

For more details and a list of polling stations, see:
https://www.dover.gov.uk/ Council--Democracy/Elections/
UK-Parliamentary-Election- 12-December-2019-Notice-of-Poll
-Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations.pdf  (November 15, 2019)

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR VACANCY
for Guston, Kingsdown and St Margaret's-at-Cliffe Ward

Nominations to fill a vacancy for a District Councillor to the Guston, Kingsdown and St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe Ward needed to be with Dover's Returning officer by 4pm today (Friday 15 November). It follows the resignation of Councillor Keith Morris. If more than one valid application is received, it will result in a contested by-election on Thursday 12 December. For more details, see: https://www.dover.gov.uk/Council--
Democracy/Elections/Future-Elections.aspx.  (November 15, 2019)

ACTION ON PARKED VEHICLES OBSTRUCTING WALMER BUSES

A solution is in sight for public concerns at parked vehicles preventing buses using the stop in the Gothic Close layby on the Dover Road at Upper Walmer.

Inconsiderate parking close to the entrance has resulted in some buses having to drop and load passengers on the main road; blocking traffic and creating difficulties for any passengers with mobility problems. According to one eyewitness, the restricted access had resulted in one double-decker bus attempting to reach the regular stop "tilting at an alarming angle when the driver-side wheels mounted the kerb on the roadside flowerbed. It came very close to hitting a large parked van".

Alerted to the problem, County Councillor Derek Murphy contacted Kent Highways officers to request a site meeting. This took place 10 days ago and has resulted in agreement that the current line markings for the bus stop will be extended to the entrance of the layby. Kent Highways say that bus operator Stagecoach are happy with the plan, immediate residents will be notified and an order placed for the work.

Councillor Murphy said he was hopeful this would resolve the current problem and was "pleased to get something sorted" for the Walmer division which he represents on the county council.  (October 18, 2019)

FREE POSTER

For anyone feeling anxious about "Trick or Treat" callers, Walmer Parish Council says it may be able to help. Staff in the Parish Council Office at 8 The Strand, Walmer, will print off a free door poster for any callers requesting a copy. The office is open: Monday to Thursday: 9am–3pm and Friday 9am–12noon.  (October 18, 2019)

Save the Goodwins Sands campaigner Joanna Thompson is asking supporters to respond to a new government consultation. She says: "Not content with creating 91 Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) that appear to offer no protection whatsoever to Protected Habitats, the Government is now researching another layer of cotton wool - namely Highly Protected Marine Areas."

A Marine Conservation Zone is a form of Marine Protected Area (MPA) which, the Government says, "focus on maintaining species and habitats at, or recovering them to, a favourable condition. This is a healthy state but not pristine, and so allows some sustainable activities to occur in MPAs. In Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), all human activities with the potential to damage are prohibited".

Joanna says: "The key word here is 'sustainable'. In no way can sand mining be considered sustainable since to the best of our knowledge, sand does not breed. If an MCZ can't protect the Goodwin Sands, we must try and get them redesignated as an HPMA."

The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an online questionnaire which Joanna suggests provides an opportunity for those concerned about our marine environment and the dredging threat to the Goodwins to have a say. She says: "There will be some questions you can't answer but please do what you can - every submission counts as it shows that we really do care."

Go to https://consult.defra.gov.uk/marine/
highly-protected-marine-areas-call-for-evidence/
and scroll down to the bottom of the page to start the questionnaire. The deadline for submissions is Thursday 31 October.  (October 7, 2019)

SORRY

We were unable to update these local news pages over the summer months.

However, you may find our Facebook pages helpful in catching up on local events.

For Walmer go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/walmer/

For Deal, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/742277899128634/