From my Winter 2008/9 newsletter

RURAL ROUND-UP

Bus Services
At a time when everyone else is highlighting the benefits of clean and reliable public transport, Kent County Council are presiding over a regime that is allowing Bus Companies to cut back yet again on the already rather poor rural bus services. I have had many calls and letters from residents worried about their local service getting removed, and have raised the issue with KCC on several occasions. Hopefully through the Swale West Group we can arrange some alternative provisions for these residents, but is it really respectable for KCC to be allowing public services to disappear at the same time as trying to improve their climate impact ratings? Does their right hand know what their left hand is doing? Or are they simply taking the rural vote for granted?

Dumping
Despite dismissing the proposal just 2 years ago, the Tories on Swale have sneaked through a scheme to charge people for the collection of large items, such as furniture, TVs, etc. This is clearly another attempt to cover up the black hole that sits at the centre of their financial adventures, and sits awkwardly with their claims to be moving forward with rubbish and litter problems. Because rural people know exactly what happens to a lot of the rubbish that people can’t afford to get collected – it gets dumped in the countryside! Another example of the Tories taking the rural vote for granted?


StreetLights
In 2008 the Tory Executive announced a nasty surprise for many residents when they decided to cap the funding for streetlights in some parished areas, with the threat to remove the funding altogether next year. This resulted in some huge increases in Parish Council Tax rates, and real concerns over future lighting in rural areas. I highlighted these concerns at several forums and meetings, and have pushed for both a retention of the funding in next years budget and a guarantee that parishes will know the impacts of any proposed changes in time to set their own budget accordingly. Hopefully this pressure is paying off, and the funding will continue in some form for the new year – otherwise it will be yet another example of the Tories taking the rural vote for granted!