Consultation

Banning letting agent fees paid by tenants

9 April 2017 0 Comments

Department for Communities and Local Government

Opens: 7 April 2017
Closes: 2 June 2017

This consultation seeks views on the implementation of a ban on letting agent fees paid by tenants.

The government announced at the 2016 Autumn Statement that it would consult on introducing a ban on letting agent fees paid by tenants, to improve competition in the private rental market and give renters greater clarity and control over what they will pay.

This consultation paper invites views and comments on how the ban on letting agent fees paid by tenants in England should be implemented and enforced.

To support the consultation process, the government has organised a series of workshops. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis and the workshops will be tailored to different parts of the sector. Find out more details on the workshops and book your place. (more…)

Consultation, Consumer, Government, Housing, News

Speakup CIC survey on Mental Health services

10 March 2017 0 Comments

Feedback on services in Kent and Medway – survey

Speakup CIC

Speakup CIC has released a new survey this week and would like to hear your experiences using mental health services, whether in the past or currently.

This information will be made anonymous and used towards improving local mental health services in the future.

Click this link for the survey:  www.speakupcic.co.uk/survey

Healthwatch Kent 09 March 2017
www.healthwatchkent.co.uk/news/speakup-cic-wants-know-your-thoughts-mental-health-services

Consultation, Health, News, Wellbeing

KCC Mental Health Service Consultation

13 February 2017 0 Comments

Mental Health Service – Promoting IndependenceKent County Council

Kent County Council

Opens: 10 February 2017
Closes: 24 March 2017

Kent County Council is proposing to integrate two existing services into a single service when the existing contracts expire in October 2017.

The Housing Related Support and Supporting Independence Service both work to enable people with mental health issues to live independent lives in the community. The proposal is to join up these services to allow for more flexible support, a more person focused system which is easier to access and promotes independence.

Bringing these services together and working differently with our service providers, enabling them to meet people’s needs in a person centred and more responsive way will mean that people receive the support they need, when they need it and will enable us to deliver the efficiencies required.

We would like to hear your views on how the new service should work to best meet the needs of the people of Kent. Please read through our consultation document which sets out the existing and proposed service, then use the online questionnaire to tell us what you think.

For alternative formats, please email alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk or telephone 03000 421553 (text relay 18001 03000 421553). This number goes to an answer machine which is monitored during office hours.

Consultation Documents

Respond to this Consultation

Consultation Links

Consultation Summary

Name Mental Health Service – Promoting Independence
Description KCC is consulting on a proposal to combine contracts for Housing Related Support and Supporting Independence into one integrated Mental Health Service – Promoting Independence.
Dates From 10 Feb 2017 at 16:00 to 24 Mar 2017 at 23:59.
Status Open
Consulting Organisation Type Kent County Council
Consulting Organisation Name Kent County Council
District / Borough areas affected by the consultation Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells
Consultation Topic General interest, Adult social care, Healthcare and public health
Consultation Methods Online survey / questionnaire / forms
Contact Details

Kent County Council 10 February 2017
http://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/MentalHealthIndependence/consultationHome

Consultation, Health, Kent County Council, News, Wellbeing

Overview and scrutiny in local government inquiry

27 January 2017 0 Comments

Commons Select Committee for Communities and Local Government

Opens: 24 January 2017
Closes: 10 March 2017

The Communities and Local Government (CLG) Committee launches inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government. The Committee will consider whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England are working effectively and whether local communities are able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils

Governance failings

Overview and scrutiny arrangements were introduced by the Local Government Act in 2000 as a counterweight to increasing decision-making powers of Leaders and Cabinets or directly elected mayors. Shortcomings have been exposed, however, following a number of high profile cases, including child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, poor care and high mortality rates at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and governance failings in Tower Hamlets. (more…)

Consultation, Democracy, Government, News

Minerals and Waste Sites Plans – Safeguarding SPD Consultation

19 January 2017 0 Comments

Minerals and Waste Sites Plans – Safeguarding Supplementary Planning Document

Kent County Council

Opens: 5 Dec 2016
Closes: 30 Jan 2017

Kent County Council is currently consulting on a Minerals and Waste Safeguard Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The SPD accompanies the adopted Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan and offers guidance on how to proceed with planning applications which have minerals and/or waste safeguarding implications. Details of the SPD consultation can be found on our Planning Policy Consultation Portal – click here.

The period for the SPD consultation is 9:00am 5th December 2016 – 17:00pm 30th January 2017.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Minerals and Waste Planning Policy team

Email:  mwlp@kent.gov.uk

Phone:  03000 413328

Consultation Links

Consultation Summary

Name Minerals and Waste Sites Plans – Safeguarding Supplementary Planning Document
Description KCC is consulting on our Safeguarding Supplementary Planning Document. Tell us your views.
Dates From 5 Dec 2016 at 09:00 to 30 Jan 2017 at 17:00.
Status Open
Consulting Organisation Type Kent County Council
Consulting Organisation Name Kent County Council
District / Borough areas affected by the consultation Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells
Consultation Topic General interest, Environment and countryside, Planning and planning applications, Recycling, rubbish and waste management
Consultation Methods Online survey / questionnaire / forms
Contact Details Minerals and Waste Planning Policy team

Email:  mwlp@kent.gov.uk

Phone:  03000 413328

Kent County Council 5 December 2016
http://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/safeguardingspd/consultationHome

Consultation, Kent County Council, News, Planning and Development

KCC Freight Action Plan Consultation

17 January 2017 0 Comments

Freight Action Plan Front CoverFreight Action Plan for Kent

Kent County Council

Opens: 16 Jan 2017
Closes: 12 Mar 2017

Introduction

Kent is unique in its strategic location in the country as a gateway to mainland Europe. Despite the positive economic benefits road freight brings to the county and UK, the negative implications are felt across the county. The Freight Action Plan for Kent includes nationally and locally important priorities such as Operation Stack and the provision of overnight lorry parking as well as looking into HGV routeing and the powers that KCC can use to reduce the negative impacts of road freight. The plan incorporates a refresh of the original Freight Action Plan but brings it up to date with what we have already achieved and what we will plan and continue to do to mitigate the negative impacts of road freight in Kent. (more…)

Consultation, Environment, Kent County Council, News, Transport

Consultation on policing precept

7 January 2017 0 Comments

A boost for security and frontline policing in Kent

Office of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner

Opens: 06 January 2017
Closes: 23 January 2017

A message from the Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott:

“I am responsible, as Police and Crime Commissioner, for determining the overall budget for policing in the county and for setting the amount that Kent Police receives from the annual council tax. Policing is mainly funded in two ways; about two thirds come from grants we receive from the Home Office and the rest from the council tax.

“For the next financial year, Kent will lose more than £2million of funding from the Home Office, as money is set to be taken away to pay for other things. I believe some of these, such as giving money to the courts service to pay for changes to police bail, are unfair and I will be challenging those.

“So in my first year as your Police and Crime Commissioner, I have been faced with a difficult choice. Ideologically, I am a low-tax Conservative. During the course of my campaign, I said that I did not want the precept to rise, unless it was needed to protect frontline policing. However, I believe that this announcement meets that test. In 2017/18, I am proposing that the council tax precept for Kent Police rises by 3.3%, equivalent to £5 for an average Band D household, supported by a contribution from reserves. (more…)

Consultation, Crime, Finance, News, Safety, Security

KFRS Budget Consultation

3 January 2017 0 Comments

Kent Fire and Rescue LogoCouncil Tax consultation 2017/18

Kent Fire and Rescue Service

Opens: 5 December 2016
Closes: 16 January 2017 (12:00 noon)

Where your money is spent

Your local fire service gets its money from two places, the Government and Council Tax. This is the amount we have to spend each year on all of the services we provide which include:

  • Providing a 24/7 emergency service for fires, road traffic collisions, floods and a whole range of other emergencies where the skills and equipment of firefighters are needed.
  • Safety advice and support to help local people stay safe in their own homes, this includes home safety visits particularly targeted at the most vulnerable in the community such as older people and those with disabilities.
  • Assistance to the ambulance service for serious medical emergencies such as heart attacks, where trained local fire crews are located closer to the casualty.
  • Education for around 90,000 children each year on fire and road safety in schools and at our road safety centre.
A few important facts:
  • Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s day-to-day budget in 2016/17 is £69m
  • Along with others in the public sector, Kent Fire and Rescue Service has made savings over recent years – £22m over the last 7 years
  • We expect to have to make further savings of around £7m over the next four years

Help us plan for the future

We are determined to continue to provide a safe and efficient service whilst balancing changing local needs and working with reducing grant funding from central Government. We believe that the plans we have put in place over the last few years have provided a good foundation to meet that challenge. Our previous investment in new equipment is already paying off, helping us fight fires and deal with rescues more effectively. We are also looking at new ways of working that are more flexible and responsive to local needs. This will help us make the necessary savings while still maintaining the quality service that we believe local people want. (more…)

Consultation, Finance, News, Safety

ABC Budget Consultation

3 January 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council Logo2017-18 Budget consultation

Ashford Borough Council

Opens: 23 December 2016
Closes: 8 February 2017

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) have published their 2017-18 Budget consultation summary document and are inviting comments on their draft budget.

ABC has announced the consultation on 12 December 2016, ahead of publication of the summary document on 23 December, by saying that it  is likely to still set the lowest council tax in Kent following the approval of its draft budget for 2017-18 by Cabinet members on 11 December.

Residents, businesses and parishes will now be given the opportunity to comment on the draft budget. It will also be considered in detail by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee’s budget task group, as the report makes its way through the democratic process before being considered again by cabinet and council in February 2017. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Consultation, Finance, News

Inquiry into supported housing funding reform launched

15 December 2016 0 Comments

HousesJoint inquiry into the Government’s funding reform for supported housing.

Commons Select Committee for Work and Pensions and
Commons Select Committee for Communities and Local Government

Opens: 15 December 2016
Closes: 3 February 2017

The Work and Pensions Committee and the Communities and Local Government Committee launch a joint inquiry into the Government’s funding reform for supported housing.

Scope of the inquiry

The inquiry examines the planned changes for 2019–20, when core rent and service charges for supported housing will be funded through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit up to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate. For costs above this, funding will go to local authorities for disbursement locally.

The Committee considers whether the new system will ensure that the varied rate of the LHA cap will not adversely affect tenants and providers in low-value parts of the country. It examines how existing tenants will be protected following the switch and ask whether the changes should be piloted.

The inquiry also looks at the effect that uncertainty about the new model is having on the sector and explores whether separate funding models are needed for refuges and other short-term supported housing services, or sheltered housing services for the elderly, which would require a higher cap.

How the localised funding pots would work, including how the money will be ring-fenced and which factors should be used to determine an areas allocation, are also investigated by the Committees. (more…)

Consultation, Government, Housing, News