DDC continues to work closely with partners to support communities throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and to help get the district back to business.

As lockdown measures continue to adjust, and communities work together, the Leader of DDC has praised the outstanding community response across the district.

We continue to remind everyone to stay alert, control the virus, save lives.

• See latest government advice

A new round of funding under the Dover District Community Grants Scheme is now open for applications. 

DDC allocated more than £20,000 to 31 different community and voluntary groups as part of its Summer Community Grants Scheme.The scheme encourages and supports community-led activities that result in a direct benefit for residents in the district.

DDC is allocating a total budget of £44,500 for the Community Grants Scheme in 20/21.

• DDC Community Grants Scheme

DDC has offered support to over 3,000 local businesses as part of its campaign to help the district get back to business.

The Back to Business Hub was launched by the Council on 15 June to provide proactive support to help local small and medium sized enterprises to reopen safely as lockdown restrictions started to ease.

DDC helped a new Mediterranean-style restaurant/deli in Deal to open its doors (pictured) with a £10,000 business grant. We also joined Dover Co-Innovation Hub in celebrating as another business started trading from new premises. 

We continue to work to help put local businesses on the map with a new map-based app. 

• Back to Business Hub

Plans have been approved for a £3m project to build 24 affordable homes designed to offer interim accommodation for local people who find themselves homeless. The plans include 8 one-bedroom flats at Stockdale Gardens in Deal and 16 studio flats at Kimberley Close in Dover.

Dover District Council has an ambitious programme to build up to 500 new affordable homes across the district. 

Development projects currently underway include 65 new homes at William Muge and Snelgrove, eight units at Folkestone Road in Dover, and planning permission for 26 new homes at Napchester Road in Whitfield.

• DDC builds back better

DDC has completed a £450,000 upgrade of its CCTV system, including the installation of 57 high-definition digital cameras and a new state-of-the-art control room.

The capital investment extends CCTV coverage across the district, including the Market Square in Aylesham.  

The new digital cameras provide enhanced image quality and also feature automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.  The infrastructure enables further investment to support the introduction of town centre Wi-Fi.

• More on CCTV investment

Work has started on a major £831k project to boost sea defences and help protect local homes for the future - with a key programme of beach management works in the Deal, Walmer and Kingsdown area. 

Works include a new rock groyne at Sandown Castle, Deal, and three rock groynes at Wellington Parade, Walmer. The project forms a significant part of the five year Oldstairs Bay to Sandwich Bay Estate Beach Management Works, for which DDC secured £1.5 million of funding from the Environment Agency. 

• More on coast protection

To receive the award, organisations must demonstrate that they have supportive policies in place for veterans, reservists, cadet force adult volunteers, and spouses and partners of those serving in the armed forces. Recipients also advocate the benefits of supporting those within the armed forces community, encouraging others to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and to engage in the Employer Recognition Scheme.

• More on Armed Forces Covenant

Do you want to get involved in helping to keep our district clean and tidy?

DDC is pleased to support Keep Britain Tidy's Great British September Clean from 11-27 September. For more information on how DDC can help provide equipment and collect waste bags, please see our waste pages. Please make sure you continue to follow all the latest safety advice.

We’re also inviting under 18s to send in poster designs to remind people to pick up after their dog and not drop litter, to help us keep the district a great place. A selection will be made into posters around the district.

• Great British September Clean

Your vote matters – make sure you don’t lose it.  The Annual Canvass has changed and not every household will be required to respond.  Check the form you have received for details. 

If you do need to respond, you can respond in one of 4 ways - simply click it, text it, ring it or post it.  For more information, please email vote@dover.gov.uk

Find out more about registering to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

• More on Annual Canvass