Canterbury Retailers optimistic about spending cuts

Although the government’s spending review has been said to lead Britain

into an austerity regime some retailers are not so much worried as others.

The spending review scheme, argued the Treasury, was a difficult decision

to make yet necessary to the UKs economic confidence.

With public sector spending cuts having already started Keith Raes of Gold

and Silversmith, Canterbury says his business will continue to prosper.

“ Unusually the jewellery trade is something that people buy for very

special occasions, weddings, engagements, that sort of thing and that will

always go on, “ Mr Raes said.

Mature students to suffer

It is claimed that mature students looking for a change of career or further qualifications will be hit hardest if tuition fees are inflated.

Steve Godwin, the President of the Union at Canterbury Christ Church University said: "Mature students who can quite easily come through, access courses and change career paths will find it almost impossible to pay off £20,000 worth of debts at the age of 40, 50 or 60."

The Government proposed the plans to allow Universities to set their own tuition fees which are currently restricted throughout the country.

It is reported that tuition fees could rise to around £7,000 per year of tuition. This would leave the average student in a debt of £21,000 before taking accomodation, books and food into the equation.

The proposal is not set in stone and protests will continue until the last possible moment. One thing is for sure - such high tuition fees will certainly have a massive impact on the number of people going to University.

HMO cap would affect us all

STUDENTS will not be the only ones affected by a restriction on HMO's.

Steve Godwin President of the Union at Canterbury Christ Church University claims that plans to cap the number of houses of multiple occupency(HMO's) will have a negative impact on a wide range of people living in the area.

HMO's are properties where three or more unrelated occupants rent together. It has been widely suggested that this proposal is aimed at students who are well known for living together in rented properties. At a closer look though, the problem is not specifically student directed.

Mr Godwin said "There is a wider demographic who will share houses of multiple occupancy, teachers who will come together to share properties, nurses who will come together at the local hospital to share a propoerty. It's not just students involved."

He added "It's a generic issue and affects people in light of sharing houses. I think that the concentration of HMO's is something that they have looked at and wanted to reduce and taken a view that it should be applied to students, but of course there is a wider aspect."

This news comes as the council plans to restrict the number of HMO's in the area to just 20 per cent.

Despite Canterbury never struggling for student accomodation, this news along with possible inflated tuition fees is likely to deter students from the historic city.

Underpass re-opens for public use

AFTER four weeks of renovating, the first arm of the Canterbury underpasses at New Dover Road has reopened for public use.

Artist, Elisa Hudson, who originally painted the murals in 2000 to mark the millennium, completed the subway connecting the Odeon cinema and Fenwick’s last week and is set to begin the second stage in the next few days.

This morning graffiti busters sprayed the walls with a varnish resin in an effort to prevent anti-social acts being repeated.

However, while work begins on the second underpass, the completion of all three tunnels may not be until next spring.

Miss Hudson said: “We’re probably going to do one in the next two or three weeks and then the next one may be a project that happens in the spring when the weather’s better.

“So it will take through until next year to actually complete it all. It sounds like a long time but we obviously need to wait because paint isn’t going to dry during winter.”

Work on the second underpass is scheduled to be completed on November 1 and Miss Hudson is keen to put her own mark on the murals.

She said: “Initially it’s re-painting what’s there. However, some of the figures are quite small on the Canterbury Tales one and I was going to make them larger or just update them slightly and I suppose put my own stamp on it.

“Sometimes it’s easier to paint something completely new rather than re-touching what was there.

“I’ve got some proposals to completely re-paint if need be but it does depend on the damage that’s been done and our time constraints because it’s a public and highways project."

Save Sampson Court!

LOCALS in Mongeham and Deal are continuing to fight for the future of Sampson Court. The care home that houses elderly patients and dementia sufferers is threatened with closure due to government cuts.

The Facebook group that has been set up by the Friends of Sampson Court (FOSC) to raise awareness and support for the residential care home has nearly 500 members and a new sign has appeared by Fowlmead Country Park near Sholden.

Despite the incorrect spelling, the message on the sign is clear and the intense bid to save the home is gathering pace as time runs out.

Lynn Gill, a carer at the home said: “It is vital that we keep resisting this closure for everyone here. We provide a great environment for our residents and they would be deeply affected if they are moved on to another care home.”

The FOSC are holding an American Supper evening on October 22, which will be attended by guest star Mandy Winters. This is the latest bid by the FOSC to gain further support in the ongoing battle to fight off closure.

On Wednesday, Hornbeam Primary school announced their support for Sampson Court with a series of letters written by the children to the council. The children of the local school have been through a similar scenario when south Deal and Mongeham schools were forced to merge due to financial reasons.

The homes consultation period ends on November 1 and efforts are increasing within the community to save what is believed to be a vital and integral part of the local area. With private care homes too expensive for most, much would be lost if Samson Court was to lose its battle next month.

Trash crisis in Canterbury

CANTERBURY City Council’s new recycling policy is leading to a massive trash problem. According to the new scheme each household is to receive only one roll of clear recycling bags every three months which is not enough to cover the needs of domestic use.

If you need additional bags because you have more recyclable trash to despose of, you have to go to the City Council and fill in a form stating that it's urgent. But this won't solve your problem right away. According to the new rules you are entitled to receive the additional roll when you have the usual delivery. This means if you have got one roll of recycling bags a month ago and you have run out of them you have to wait two more months in order to receive two new rolls.

Green party member Geoff Meaden said: "Canterbury City Council has a big problem because they have a different population at one time of the year to another time of the year. And when the students come after the summer they have to cope with nearly twice as much rubbish as they do in the rest of the year. But that's no reason why they shouldn't solve the problem as they've known about it for a long time."

Kent county council starts a new eBook scheme

KENT County Council is supporting the new revolution of digital reading by offering free eBooks.

Currently users are able to download from a selection of 700 eBooks and eAudiobooks which can be read or played on computers and some portable devices.

The service can be accessed from the KCC website where users can browse and download books using the e-lending library.

Suzanna Darling who is involved with the scheme said:“Most people in nine to five jobs do not have the time to visit a library. However, eBooks allow people to fit reading into their lifestyles by downloading and reading books on the go on a laptop, netbook or other portable device.”

“We see digital reading as a compliment to holding a physical book rather than phasing out traditional libraries. User feedback so far has been very positive and we expect reference books especially to be delivered in the eBook format.”

What you need to make use of the service:

A Kent library card

Access to the Kent County Website click here (link)