Tim Prater Reporting Back from KCC: June 2026
As a Councillor I try to be properly responsive to communication and WILL reply to casework, questions etc (as long as they are polite!). Although voicemail, Messenger, WhatsApp and the rest I try to keep on top of, the best will be to email to me, preferably to tim@prater.uk from where I can send it to the correct one of my 5 Councillor email accounts for action!
If you haven't had a reply back from me in a couple of WORKING days please come back to me (the person that emailed me New Years Day with a casework peeve some years ago did get a reply that day, but my Christmas holidays have improved since!). Certainly if you've had no reply at all in 4 working days, please do check the address you sent it to and re contact me - that's not the way I roll, so something may have gone awry. Finally, although I answer to Mr Prater, Cllr and a few other names, I'd much prefer Tim!
An update from me goes through (almost) all doors in the division 3 times a year, but you can also find more regular updates from me online at http://www.prater.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/timprater
Finally - sign up on the form at the bottom of https://www.fhld.uk/news/prater to receive monthly Councillor Updates from me and the Lib Dem team in Folkestone & Hythe. It's fast and free! This will sign you up only to local news from the area, NOT campaigns and campaigning events.
June 2026 Action List
I was delighted to see Folkestone Town Council complete the purchase of 2 Grace Hill (the former Grace Hill Library) from Kent County Council on 1 June. When Kent County Council said they were sending the building to auction back in January, I convinced the Town Council we should attempt to buy the building from KCC prior to auction, in order to protect its ownership for the town.
I have then been involved in the negotiations throughout, learning not to blink through offer and counter offer, and then getting Folkestone Town Council to agree to buy the building on the terms offered on 21 April. On 1st June the sale completed, and the freehold of 2 Grace Hill was secured for £1. There is now a mountain more work to do to get the funding to renovate and bring the building back into use with partners, but we are now in the best place: an iconic Folkestone building owned by Folkestone.
I attended KCC Scrutiny Committee on 11th June to look at the published decision to raise the cost of the Kent Travel Saver bus pass for students by £35 per year, regardless of ability to pay. this meeting was the result of a “call in” of this decision.
You can't “call-in” a decision made by a Cabinet Member just because you don't like it. You can only call it in if you make the case that it was made without justification, or without evidence, or contrary to the evidence presented. You write the case, you submit it to officers at Kent Council Council, and they judge it against the rules.
Most call in requests are rejected. In this case the call-in was judged to "articulate a reasonable concern that limited information and explanation has been provided as part of the decision-making to evidence full consideration of the varied level of impact on different service users given the application of a flat rate increase."
“In particular, the call-in highlights that no substantive justification is presented for progressing a flat rate approach rather than a tiered or proportionate increase model and this is not further explored within the list of options considered by rejected or within the EqIA which does not identify the potential for disproportionate impact to certain groups in relation to low income.”
During the course of the debate, which the administration tried to close down almost immediately, and repeatedly, it became clear that it was the intention of the Cabinet Member to disproportionately penalise those in receipt of free school meals with a much larger percentage increase in cost of the Kent Travel Saver than those paying full price. He said he was comfortable with his decision, despite no alternative options being considered in the report, or supporting papers, or arguments put before this meeting.
In summation, I made it clear that although I fundamentally disagreed with him on that, it would have been his right to make that decision if he had proved that the point had been considered. He had not:
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Go to Public II suspect many people who see their child's Kent Travel Saver go up almost 27% from £135 to £170 next year will be amazed to learn that was the intention of the Kent Reform administration and Cabinet Member for Transport. But it was.
My official meeting attendance at KCC can be seen alongside all other Councillors at https://www.local-democracy.uk/kent/councillors (to the end of April 2026, showing at 100%).
News of Interest:
Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election with 55% of the vote share - For further information: BBC News
Scottish Conservatives win first Westminster by-election in more than 50 years - Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden won the Aberdeen South Westminster by-election with almost 50% of the vote, while Lara Bird (SNP) held Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, winning by a majority of more than 5,000 votes over the Conservatives.
For further information: BBC News
Deputy Reform UK leader on Medway Council Cllr Robbie Lammas quits party, calling defection a 'mistake' - Cllr Robbie Lammas has left Reform UK on Medway Council just seven months after defecting from the Conservatives, citing disorganisation, infighting, and a lack of support from the party. He will now sit as an independent and has apologised for leaving the Conservatives, saying the party has improved under Kemi Badenoch.
For further information: Kent Online / BBC Kent
South East Water reassures Tunbridge Wells councillors that supply issues are in hand, despite support for nationalisation - South East Water apologised to Tunbridge Wells councillors for recent water outages and said it is investing £2.1 billion in upgrades to improve supplies, reduce leaks and restore public trust. The company insists future demand can be met, despite concerns over new housing developments.
For further information: Kent Online
Water shortage compensation doubles for businesses: South East Water has doubled its compensation fund to £1.2m for businesses affected by recent outages, following criticism from Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin that the original amount was inadequate. The increase comes as investigations into supply failures continue, with extended claim deadlines and the possibility of regulatory fines.
For further information: BBC News
Mental health support teams based in schools, have improved pupils’ wellbeing and attendance: Nearly six million children in England can now access mental health support in schools, an increase of around 800,000 from last year, with teams operating in almost 11,800 settings. The programme is improving wellbeing and attendance, with the government aiming for every school and college to have access by 2029 and emphasising early intervention to support young people’s futures.
For further information: GOV.UK
Former minister urges Starmer to 'find more money' for defence after resignations put PM under pressure: Yesterday, former Defence Secretary John Healey told the PM the upcoming DIP "falls well short of what is required for defence".
For further information: BBC News
Kent Police - Summer crackdown on antisocial behaviour: Increased high-visibility patrols and targeted operations will be used this summer to address the seasonal rise in incidents across beaches, parks and town centres. The approach includes using powers such as dispersal orders and focusing on issues like nuisance gatherings and vehicles, with recent deployments already leading to arrests and positive feedback, as officers aim to deter disruption and keep communities safe during the busy summer months.
For further information: Kent Police
Counties warn Starmer of ‘significant’ LGR risks: County councils have warned that the government’s local government reorganisation plans risk undermining service delivery by creating smaller, fragmented authorities that could increase costs and strain essential services. They also raised concerns about the speed and lack of transparency in decision-making, though the government insists the reforms will save money and improve public services.
For further information: LGC
NHS rolls out life-extending drug for hundreds of women with ovarian cancer: The NHS has introduced a new targeted drug, mirvetuximab soravtansine, for women with ovarian cancer that no longer responds to standard chemotherapy—the first new treatment for this group in over 20 years—offering a more precise approach that can extend survival (around 16.5 vs 12.8 months), potentially reduce side effects, and benefit up to 400 patients in England each year.
For further information: NHS England / BBC News / The Guardian
One in four births in England is now emergency caesarean, BBC analysis shows: BBC analysis finds that one in four births in England are now emergency caesareans, rising sharply over the past five years alongside an increase in planned C-sections and a drop in births without medical instruments. Experts say there’s no single clear cause, but point to factors such as fear following maternity scandals, pressure on NHS services, and legal concerns—raising questions about safety, costs, and whether the increase is improving outcomes.
For further information: BBC News
'World-first' vaccine designed by artificial intelligence: Scientists have used artificial intelligence to design a new type of vaccine that could protect against entire families of viruses, including future pandemic threats. Early human trials show it is safe and promising, raising hopes for faster, broader protection against diseases like Covid, flu, and Ebola.
For further information: BBC News / Sky News
Kent County Council Press Releases in June:
https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/new-rural-course
https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/building-carer-friendly-communities-the-carers-week
https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/community-day-celebrates-temple-hill-library-and-family-hub
Folkestone & Hythe District Council Press Releases in June:
A monthly bulletin from F&HDC. https://www.fhld.uk/news/article/folkestone-hythe-district-council-monthly-update-june-2026
https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/article/431/council-supports-illegal-sales-day-of-action
https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/article/430/a-saving-on-your-local-car-park-stays