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Latest from our Independent MP.
We’ve been fighting hard to get more money for our police and local services. Everyone knows that savings have needed to be made in recent years. It was the only way of dealing with the mountain of crippling debt left by Labour. Yet here in Kent the local authorities have done an incredible job. Rather than go on wild borrowing sprees, they’ve worked hard to balance the books. Of course, we need to speak up when we think they’ve got something wrong. That’s why we fought hard against proposals to slash subsidized bus services in Kent. The council did the right thing, listened to public concern and reversed the decision. Yet the money they need to run public services properly must come from somewhere. That’s why I and fellow Kent MPs have been battling more funding for local services and met with Ministers this week. We felt the funding being offered to Kent this financial year wasn’t enough – and demanded it be increased.
So I’m delighted that the Government listened to our case and boosted Kent County Council’s “core spending power” by £26.9 million to £938.1 million for the coming financial year. KCC was also handed an extra £3.9 million for social care spending. Kent Police’s funding was boosted too, from £279.3 million to £288 million. I’ve written to Matthew Scott, Kent’s impressive Police and Crime Commissioner, calling on him to use this opportunity to boost police presence in Dover and Deal. The more bobbies on the beat the better. In Deal in particular, residents tell me they want more opportunities to speak face-to-face with the police – the Deal Police Station front counter is only open two hours a day, Monday to Friday. So I’ve asked the Commissioner to consider doubling the number of hours residents have access to the local force.
We’ve achieved some real victories on local funding. Yet there is still more to do. I also met this week with Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes. The Home Office owes KCC nearly £5 million for caring for unaccompanied asylum seekers this financial year.
I have also written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd on the matter. My letter, signed by nine fellow Kent MPs, calls for KCC to be given additional funding to cover the costs of caring for the refugees.
In recent years Kent has cared for nearly a quarter of all unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the UK – and the council has had to cover the soaring costs. Meanwhile, we have handed over more than £200 million to the French to spend in Calais, where most of these vulnerable people are coming to Britain from. It’s not fair for taxpayers in Kent to shoulder so much of the burden.
We’re making progress but we need to keep the pressure up to ensure the Government invests more in our area – particularly at the Dover frontline.