Turning the tide on Covid

The last few days have finally felt like spring.
 
The warmer weather and longer days have arrived just in time for friends and family to meet up outside in groups of six, and the return of outdoor sport.
 
While it’s still a long way from being a normal Easter weekend, we are in a much better place than we were this time last year in terms of controlling the virus.

In the past year we have increased our testing capacity to over 1 million tests per day, we’re on track to be producing 70% of our PPE demand in the UK, and over 860,000 people have stepped forward as NHS Volunteer Responders.
 
It’s also been a year since the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce was created. We now have three vaccines approved for use in the UK, with over 30 million people across the country having received their first vaccination.

One of the highlights of the past few weeks has been meeting people involved in the vaccine rollout. When I visited the Glebe Medical Centre in Harrietsham last month, volunteers were clearing snow from the roads and scraping icicles off the roof to make sure not a single day was lost in getting these life-saving vaccinations into people’s arms.
 
This hard work and dedication can be seen by NHS staff and volunteers in vaccination sites across the country – many have been working flat out for the past three months.
 
The success of the vaccine rollout has helped us take the first steps out of lockdown. As long as progress continues, we can look forward to further restrictions being lifted in April – with more shops reopening, pints in pub gardens, and people finally able to get a haircut!
 
Everyone can play their part in helping to control the virus by following the guidance, taking up the offer to get vaccinated, and getting tested regularly.

Together, we can turn the tide on Covid.

800,000 vaccinations in Kent

I’ve seen first-hand the hard work and dedication of our local NHS staff and volunteers in getting people vaccinated.
 
Latest figures show that over 800,000 people in Kent have received their first vaccine dose, including 80% of people in the top nine priority groups. If you’re in one of the eligible groups but have not yet been vaccinated, you can book an appointment online here.
 
March also saw our five large scale vaccination centres in Kent vaccinate their 100,000^th person – a truly impressive milestone.
 
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, who have been coordinating the large-scale vaccination centres, was recently rated one of the best Trusts in the country to work for in the annual NHS staff survey. Huge congratulations to everyone at the Trust.

Budget helps businesses back on their feet

The Chancellor's Budget was good news for many of our local businesses, including those in the hospitality sector.
 
I know the past year has been incredibly tough for tourism and hospitality businesses, and the reopening of pub gardens in April can't come soon enough for many.
 
In the meantime, the extension of business rates relief is welcome news. And continuing a lower rate of VAT for the hospitality sector and a freeze on beer duty will give a boost to our pubs when they are finally able to reopen.
 
Restart grants to help businesses back on their feet were also announced as part of the Budget. More information can be found here.

Clearing up Kent's roads

The amount of litter on some of Kent’s roads is shocking. I’ve written to local councils and Highways England asking them to take action.

I know that a number of volunteer groups are organising litter picks - including the Swale Litter Squad - which is fantastic, but we also need help from our local authorities. 

I'm pleased that Highways England have begun work to clear up the M20 between Junctions 8 and 13, which should be completed by the end of April.
 
Maidstone Borough Council have committed to regular litter picks on the A20, while Swale Borough Council have told me about plans to trial litter cameras which can identify vehicles discarding waste. 

Tell me what you think about Swale’s Local Plan

Over 900 hundred people have already taken my survey on Swale Borough Council’s new Local Plan.
 
The Local Plan shifts the housing allocation in the borough firmly towards Faversham and the surrounding villages.
 
While I’m pleased the Council has listened to concerns from me and others, and extended the deadline for giving feedback on the Local Plan to 30 April - this remains a consultation in name only.

People can only comment on the soundness on the proposals in planning terms, rather than giving their view on where development should be located in the borough.
 
With such huge changes proposed compared to the last Local Plan, I’m asking people directly what they think about the proposals. Take my survey here.

Fixing bottlenecks in Maidstone

Major road improvements in Maidstone have been given the green light as part of the Keep Maidstone Moving schemes.
 
Upgrading the Ashford Road and Sutton Road junctions on Willington Street should make a big difference to people locally – with less traffic and better air quality.
 
I’ll continue to work with local councillors, our local enterprise partnership, and colleagues in Government to drive forward these improvements. People in Maidstone are fed up of sitting in traffic.
 
I set out my views on the transport improvements we need in Kent in my response to a Transport for the South East questionnaire.

Indoor visits to care homes resume

Allowing more meaningful visits to care homes was a top priority in our first steps out of lockdown earlier this month.

Restricting visits to care homes has been one of the hardest aspects of lockdown for people many people. I’m glad that friends and family now have more options for visiting.
 
We’re also giving care homes extra support to make visiting safe. This includes an extra £341 million for infection control measures - taking spending on infection control in social care during the pandemic to over £1.3 billion.
 
Combined with free PPE, priority for vaccinations, and better mental health services, we’re continuing to do everything possible to support the care sector during the pandemic.

New powers to tackle unauthorised encampments

New legislation to tackle unauthorised encampments is a step in the right direction.
 
The new powers will make it quicker and easier to take action against unauthorised encampments on private land, but I know this is only one part of the problem. People want to see planning rules enforced equally across the board, including at Gypsy and Traveller sites.

I’m continuing to work with local residents and councillors in Headcorn and Ulcombe as well as officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to help make the planning system fairer and simpler.
 
I’m pleased that Ministers are committed to introducing new enforcement powers as part of much needed reforms to the planning system.

Helping our high streets recover

Help is on the way to revive our high streets after the pandemic.
 
Our local councils will benefit from a new £56 million Welcome Back Fund to boost tourism, improve green spaces, and provide more outdoor seating areas for friends and family to meet up safely.
 
Maidstone Borough Council has been allocated £153,551 from the fund, while Swale Borough Council will be getting £199,058 and will also be benefitting from the Government’s High Streets Task Force.
 
In addition to extra funding, planning rules are being relaxed to allow businesses such as pubs and restaurants to serve more customers outside, and councils are being encouraged to extend opening hours for shops.

Action on pet theft

I know pets mean the world to people. Having a much-loved dog or cat stolen is truly heart-breaking.
 
This is something I have raised with our local councils to help provide advice and support to people affected.
 
I’m pleased that Ministers are looking at introducing higher sentences for pet theft, and the Government are also setting up a Taskforce to help tackle the problem.

Earlier this month, plans to increase maximum sentences for animal welfare offences from 6 months to 5 years in prison took a step closer to becoming law. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill has cleared the House of Commons and is now being considered by the House of Lords.

Please remember to keep following the guidance over the Easter weekend.

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