Dover District Council has published the first draft of its new Local Plan setting out the vision and framework for development in the district to 2040. 

Local residents, businesses, community groups, and statutory consultees are invited to review and comment on the draft Local Plan during the first round of public consultation, which launched in January and runs to 17 March. 

A dedicated Local Plan website has been developed, as well as online events.  Recordings of previous Teams Live Events are available to view. Please contact the team with any questions or queries by emailing localplan@dover.gov.uk or calling 01304 872244, 10am-12 noon, Mon–Thurs. 

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With local elections on the way on 6 May, residents are being asked to confirm their details on the Electoral Register - and in these uncertain times, we’re reminding people of the various ways in which they can cast their vote, including  postal voting.

Every household within the Dover District has been sent a letter from the Electoral Registration Officer, asking residents to check if the electoral register information held for their address is correct, and giving the opportunity for residents to amend their method of voting should they wish to.

If you’d like to get involved by working at polling stations or at the count, please contact the team at vote@dover.gov.uk or on 01304 872344 with your name and address and details of any relevant work experience.

• Making sure you have your say

• See latest Government guidance

Council Tax levels for 2021/22 were confirmed at a remote meeting of Full Council last night. This follows an unprecedented year for everyone, where DDC has continued to provide key services, and plan for the future, while providing a whole range of vital support to communities through the pandemic. 

DDC confirmed the district council part of the bill for a Band D property will be £197.19, an increase of 2.57%.  The average total Council Tax bill for Band D properties in the district will be £1,986, an increase of 4.84%.

The total Council Tax bill includes elements of Council Tax for KCC, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent, DDC, Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue, and Town and Parish Councils. The Dover District Council Tax element remains the lowest in East Kent

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Do you want to get involved in volunteering at The 149th Open, learn new skills with like-minded individuals, and give a warm welcome to Kent?

Key partners have launched Event Makers, an exciting new programme to promote and coordinate volunteering opportunities as The Open returns to Royal St George's in Sandwich this July.  

This follows the R&A's announcement that The 149th Open will go ahead this year. The R&A is continuing to plan for a full-scale championship but also has robust plans in place for a reduced capacity or behind closed doors model.

• Preparing for The Open

Work on the historic Deal Timeball Tower is set to continue soon, after initial works got underway before Christmas.

This follows news that the tower was being given a special bicentennial boost to help turn back some of the wear and tear of time, after Dover District Council's Cabinet agreed to carry out a key £80,000 renovation to refurbish the popular local attraction. 

The building is owned by DDC and is run as a successful and award winning museum and visitor attraction by the Deal Museum Trust and its amazing local volunteers. The Trust has also been fundraising to help with the renovation costs.   

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DDC is to install 49 electric vehicle charging points at 18 locations in the district, including DDC-owned public car parks and on-street, in the biggest single investment in electric vehicle charging points in the district to date. DDC has received £224,270 following a funding bid to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.

DDC is also to introduce cheaper resident parking permits for low emission vehicles as part of a review of parking charges, and is to decarbonise its Whitfield offices and Dover Museum as part of its ambition to become a net zero carbon emitter by 2030.

This follows news that DDC’s Cabinet has approved a Climate Change Strategy.

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As part of our commitment to provide more affordable housing across the district, DDC has taken ownership of 8 flats on Folkestone Road, Dover, (pictured), which will be let at affordable rents and provide interim housing for local people facing homelessness. 

The building, called Ottaway House, is named after Dover-born sportsman, Cuthbert Ottaway, who captained England in their first football match. The project is supported by Homes England funding. 

DDC has an ambitious programme to build up to 500 new affordable homes. A range of development projects are underway including 65 new homes at William Muge and Snelgrove.  DDC has also recently submitted plans for 24 new homes at Poulton Close, Dover, and work is due to start on the development of 26 new homes at Napchester Road, Whitfield, as well as 24 interim homes  at Kimberley Close, Dover and Stockdale Gardens, Deal.

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Census day is on March 21 - households will now be receiving letters with online codes explaining how they can complete their forms. If you don’t get one in the next couple of weeks, please get in touch with the census contact centre. You can also request a paper questionnaire if you’d prefer to complete your census that way.

Local census support centres will be open while the census is happening. Staff will offer help for people not confident online, who don’t have a computer or need help completing on paper.

The census is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales. It has been carried out every decade since 1801, except in 1941. For more information, and to find out how to get help, please visit www.census.gov.uk or call the contact centre on 0800 141 2021.

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