By Jeremy Speakman, Cabinet member for Assets and Operations, Folkestone & Hythe District Council

From ensuring efficient rubbish and recycling collection to oversight of council assets ranging from the Leas Cliff Hall to the Royal Military Canal, my portfolio is wide ranging. It covers two main areas – household waste collection and management of the Council’s property and parks portfolio.

The first of these requires regular meetings with chief officers to consider the strategic development of waste services as well as monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation on the ground. Currently, for example, I am discussing how we might deliver garden waste collection more efficiently and cut carbon emissions.  Jointly with Dover District Council, Folkestone and Hythe has a contract with Veolia to deliver household waste collection services. At over £4 million, it is the Council’s largest service agreement.

My role is to monitor the contract management process and ensure the Council continues to get good value for money.  The contract is very detailed, setting targets, for example, covering the number of times streets are cleaned and bins emptied, limits to missed collections, and improving recycling rates. Most of these targets are set nationally and Veolia provide a detailed monthly report so we can see how well the service is being delivered.

There were noticeable shortfalls in service delivery at the start of our term in office.  Working as a team with officers, we turned this around to make the service much more flexible, responsive and solution focused. In practice this means establishing a culture of giving prompt attention to any complaints. Although relatively few given the size of the district, these still take up the bulk of my time each day.

At a more strategic level, notable achievements include the planning and delivery of a comprehensive waste collection service that previously did not exist for over 600 properties in hard to access areas.

There has also been much more emphasis on promoting recycling, including supporting local community initiatives like Go Folkestone’s stand in Folkestone town centre every Saturday to collect unwanted electrical items and the Council’s Raise the Rate campaign. This included distributing stickers and free food waste bags to encourage residents to put things in the right bins.

Folkestone & Hythe is doing very well and, in areas such as food recycling, is well ahead of national recycling rates, but we want to do even better.

The Council’s existing assets include parks, gardens, cemeteries and roadside verges as well as properties such as the Leas Cliff Hall, Hythe Swimming Pool and the Royal Military Canal, all of which require ongoing maintenance. And then there are property developments such as Ship Street and Biggins Wood, in Folkestone, which can earn significant capital funding for the Council.

The Council’s grounds maintenance staff serve us particularly well in keeping our parks looking good all year round, often winning awards with their spectacular flower displays.  Again, the bulk of my time is taken up with complaints, though in context these  are remarkably few.

On 28 January 2024, I woke up to news of the major landslip that closed Folkestone’s Road of Remembrance as well as affecting significant parts of the Coastal Park.  This was a massive disruption for a time as officers already stretched with normal day to day issues worked with colleagues at Kent County Council to undertake extensive surveys and analysis.  This was necessary before cliff stabilisation works could take place (due to begin this summer).

Another project I have taken a key role in is the future management and development of Romney Marsh Visitor Centre. The centre was previously managed by Kent Wildlife Trust, who terminated their lease last year. This provided the Council with an opportunity to engage with local groups to develop the site as a community resource.  I have been directly involved in liaising with these groups and chairing a steering committee, which has been a model of collaborative working. It is linked with my portfolio responsibility for supporting the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership which the Council part funds.

Councillor Jeremy Speakman: Leading efforts to raise recycling rates and reopen Romney Marsh Visitor Centre