To balance KCC's budget for 2018/19 we have to find an estimated £66m of savings in response to additional spending demands and reduced government grant. Our consultation includes plans for £56m of savings with a further £9m yet to be identified.
We would really welcome your comments on these plans as well as suggestions as to where you think savings can and should be made.
KCC plans to increase Council Tax by the amount permitted under the referendum principles, including the additional social care levy. The estimated increase for 2018-19 is 3.99% (£41.84 per year for a band C property.) This will increase KCC's share of the Council Tax bill for a band C property to £1,089.68 in 2018/19.
Since 2011-12 KCC has saved £589m in response to the financial challenge.
Please visit: www.kent.gov.uk/budget to have your say on our proposals to fix the 2018/19 budget gap and tell us your priorities.
You will find information on all aspects of the Borough Council's work including plans, strategies and policies. There is also a wealth of information about Housing, Environment, Health, Transport and Leisure. You might also wish to look at Housing and Council Tax Benefits.
Click on the pdf document below to find out more.
Interact with your Council! A new portal has been set up to enable you to do this more easily.
Visitors to Local Vocal can join in Council-led discussions or begin their own discussions, watch film clips and submit their own, begin online petitions and pose questions to Roy Bullock, Leader of the Council. It gives local people another opportunity to interact with the Council. For more information click on the link above.
WANT TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILLS THIS WINTER?
TWBC offer you a free advisory visit to your own home. Click on the pdf document below for details.
In 2009/10 in touch Home Improvement Agencies received 1254 enquiries with a variety of requests for assistance. Some of these took the form of supporting people to access Disabled Facility Grants to pay for adaptations which enabled them to remain living independently in their own home.
Others received assistance with grants from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, utilising the Regional Housing Board fund addressing Decent Homes issues.
Our handyperson services also provided minor repairs assistance to people, often with jobs that smaller local contractors are unwilling to undertake. This is a service that directly delivers against preventative agendas and which make a significant difference to someone's ability to live independently.
opportunities for young people as part of the Backing Kent Jobs programme.
Do you have an idea on how to make your local area a better place to live using technology? Do you want to win the chance for your idea to be turned into reality and win up to £3000 in prizes?
We're organising a competition to stimulate collaboration between public services, entrepreneurs and communities to develop innovative ways of using technology to improve their neighbourhoods…and we need your ideas!
The Members Community Grants Programme is a new initiative set up to support local projects. From April 2011 Tunbridge Wells Borough Councillors will have the opportunity to support community groups and organisations within their wards.
towards community activities and events for 2011/12.
A new online guide to creating wildlife habitats is available at www.kentbap.org.uk/creatingareasfornature.
Why not try creating a pond or tree planting, composting, building raised beds, making boggy areas or building bird or bat boxes?
Any piece of ground can be transformed into a haven for wildlife, whether it is at school, in a community space, in your back garden or even on a rooftop. No matter how much space you have available, you will find ideas here that can be adapted to suit your needs.
Across the county, Kent's Countryside Management Partnerships, supported by Kent County Council, the Kent Eco-Schools Project and the London Borough of Bexley, have collaborated to produce this pack on behalf of the Kent Biodiversity Action Plan.
The guide is the first of its kind in Kent and takes the form of an online series of PDF information sheets that provide a step-by-step guide to creating wildlife habitats in your garden or grounds. As well as a helping with the practical side of creating nature areas, it also includes information on the kinds of wildlife you can expect to attract, planning tips and lots of useful links for further reading and information. Health and safety information is also included.
The Kent Karrier Community Transport service operates from each of our rural towns and villages on separate days of each week. The Kent Karrier is a fully accessible dial-a-ride service which takes its members directly from their door to the nearest town centre. Membership is £5 per year, with a small fee payable for each journey.
You have a medical condition that makes travelling on conventional public transport difficult.
You live in a rural area more than 500 metres from a conventional bus route.
You should book your journey at least a day in advance. A companion, for example, your carer can travel with you and does not need to be a member; they just pay the journey fare.
Click on the document below to learn more.
WANT TO REPORT A PROBLEM ON A HIGHWAY?
Kent Highways Services looks after most of the roads in Kent except motorways and some major "A" roads which are the responsibility of the Highways Agency, who can be contacted on 08457 50 40 30.