In a meeting of the Kent County Council (KCC) local board on Tuesday, Hythe resident Darren Briddock was invited to join the KCC transport team in answer to his question about traffic levels around Nickolls Quarry. The meeting was held in Dymchurch specifically to discuss traffic issues around the proposed Nickolls Quarry development.
Labour general secretary Peter Watt has resigned following the revelation that a property developer made donations to the party via three associates. David Abrahams gave almost £600,000 over four years through colleagues Janet Kidd and Ray Ruddick, and solicitor John McCarthy. Mr Watt admitted he had known about the arrangement. Under the law, those making donations on behalf of others must give details of who is providing the money. Mr Watt claimed he did know this. However the Liberal Democrats have highlighted that an email sent from the Electoral Commission to a number of political party officials, including Mr Watt personally, in July last year, set out explicitly that this was required. The Electoral Commission is investigating whether the donations broke the law. Gordon Brown said today the donations were "completely unacceptable" and would be repaid. He said a donation from Ms Kidd had been offered to his own leadership campaign, but had been rejected as only donations from people known to the campaig
The 101 telephone line, which provides help and action on anti-social behaviour in the city is to close on 7th December, thanks to the withdrawal of funding from the Home Office.
Gordon Brown has backed away from answering questions over his planned reform of the Capital Gains Tax despite fears that it could intensify the shortage of affordable homes in Cornwall.
Surrey County Council Liberal Democrats have called on the ruling Conservative administration to urgently prioritize filling vacancies to front-line services in what group leader Cllr Hazel Watson said was a clear case of the Council "taking its eye off the ball". Nearly two years on from SCC's Business Delivery Review (BDR) which was supposed to result in a "Council fit for purpose" with the right workforce to deliver those services, front-line services are still short on essential staff according to the Liberal Democrats.
A British Energy report into the suitability of its eight UK sites as possible locations for next-generation nuclear plants has said that for Dungeness to be a suitable location there would have to be re-positioning and new sea defences. British Energy named its sites at Dungeness on Romney Marsh, Sizewell in Suffolk, Hinkley in Somerset and Bradwell in Essex as the most likely places for new reactors.