By Polly Blakemore
Ward councillor for Cheriton

I was struck by the surprise of residents when I replied promptly to emails on first starting in my role as Cabinet Member for Transport, Regulatory Services and Building Control.

People seemed resigned to the fact that it was difficult to get the council to sit up and take notice. As Green councillors, we are changing that and residents are beginning to feel listened to.

Not that the job is done, far from it – there is still a long way to go.

My portfolio covers all the rules and regulations: parking, planning enforcement, environmental health and licensing, environmental enforcement – you name it, it is in there!

With such an operational portfolio, it is relatively easy to get out there, listen to people’s issues and take action to help improve residents’ daily lives, for example:

  • The new zig zags outside the Surrenden Road entrance to the Turner School
  • The disabled parking space relined in Connaught Road, Folkestone, for a resident who was unable to park near his home
  • The low-level barrier installed at Dymchurch Central Car Park to prevent damage to a resident’s fence

It’s the bigger issues that are harder to crack such as how to deal with parking in streets which weren’t designed with cars in mind. What we’re trying to do is step back and look at the problem from a new perspective. Rather than just bowing to what is often seen shortsightedly as the inevitable why don’t we look at offering alternatives? As someone said to me recently: ‘Adding another lane to the M25 is like putting another hole in your belt so you can keep loosening it – where does it end?’ You can apply the same imagery to parking…

But offering choices is easier said than done and this is where we come up against the most intractable issues, those which are beyond our direct control such as local bus services. When Stagecoach introduced swingeing cuts in September 2023, Green councillors swung into lobbying action, engaging with residents whose journeys to work and school were disrupted, listening to their problems and the impact that decisions taken elsewhere were having on their daily lives. It has been, and continues to be, an uphill struggle but a tangible result was that the No 10 was re-introduced through Lympne and, looking ahead, I am in the process of establishing a District Focus Group to ensure that local residents have a say in how our bus services are run.

It’s all about listening to residents and having a can-do attitude. This was the approach behind the ‘Reach the Beach’ free Crosskeys bus service linking Folkestone stations with the town centre and the harbour area. We were ready to work together: Crosskeys’ initiative and industry know-how, KCC’s funding, FHDC’s facilitation and Southeastern’s support and promotion. I got involved with the initiative early on, meeting and talking to partners, and when it looked like the extra push the service needed was some onboard and station announcements, I was able to call on the good relationships built up over the months to make them happen.

I have to admit to feeling a warm glow of satisfaction when I got on at Folkestone West one day and began chatting to a family who had caught the bus having heard an announcement promoting it on the train from London.

Thousands of residents and visitors have benefited from the service over the summer holidays.

It’s nice to get a thank you once in a while!

Councillor Polly Blakemore: Leading with action and a can-do attitude to ensure residents' voices are heard.