16 September 2022
I usually stick to writing about local matters in my updates, but it would be wrong not to acknowledge the national events of the past month.
In the space of just a few days we saw a new Prime Minister and new government, and then on the 8th September came the sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth was an incredible public servant, and the news of her passing has left many of us disoriented. Not only because the first week of September was already a time of great change, but mainly because Queen Elizabeth was the only monarch many of us had ever known. She was a constant in our lives (for many, most notably at family Christmases) from childhood right through to the present day and we not only feel her loss, but the loss of our connection to a fading generation. We mourn the past and feel a collective anxiety about what comes next. She will be greatly missed as a stable presence in our lives.
Coming back to local matters, the ongoing issue of the proposed cuts to bus services across many parts of Swale East still looms over us. KCC's cabinet member made the decision in mid July to push ahead with the cuts, but I successfully appealed for the decision to be reviewed by KCC's Scrutiny Committee. This meeting took place in mid August and the decision was referred back to full council for further debate. The full council meeting was scheduled for 15th September, but has been postponed in respect of the national period of mourning and has not yet been rescheduled.
Over the coming month I plan to start talking with parish councils to see what plans can be made to help vulnerable residents during the coming winter. Even with the newly announced price cap, energy prices will be soaring and some residents may find it difficult to keep their homes heated throughout the winter. I will provide an update on this in next month's column.
In the meantime, if you are concerned about energy bills, this Which magazine calculator provides a useful estimate of what you can expect to pay for energy over the next couple of years.
www.tinyurl.com/energycosts22
Swale residents needing extra support can also contact The Fuel and Water Home Adviser Service; contact Steve Pettit on spettitt@children-families.org or telephone 01795 889233.
Rich Lehmann
https://kentgreencouncillorsnews.wordpress.com
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