A Jab well done BREXIT How Britain’s Covid DONE! strategy defied the critics Let’s seize the opportunities for Kent KENT SUPER KENT WORDSEARCH ResidentA VOICE FOR KENT PEOPLE local election special If you want to build a community ask local people, NOT developers KCC’s CONSERVATIVE LEADER Roger Gough on making sure the quiet majority are heard FREE on housebuilding. 16 page magazine

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police & crimE commissioner“Residents don’t want gimmicks. matthew They want more police on the street. Scott That’s what I’ve delivered.” Conservative Kent on May 6th “ Running kcc isn’t about it’s abouT listening to protests, politics and taxpayers and deliverING pulling down statues the services they want” AS kent goes to the polls on may 6th, KCC’s I never forget my job is to stand up for Promises are easy. Making things conservative leader, roger gough, tells us why the quiet, sensible majority of ordinary happen is the hard part. these elections are a turning point for kent. Kent taxpayers who pay for services Today, as Britain emerges from this

and expect us to deliver them. awful pandemic and Kent seeks to All elections are important but the ones being held on The authentic face of Kent has been make the most from Brexit, the choice May 6th matter more than most. Deciding who runs revealed during this Covid crisis and I facing local residents on May 6th County Hall and sets a direction for Kent Police am proud of the role that KCC played. couldn’t be more important. are crucial decisions. Your county council is an enormous Kent needs common sense Get them wrong and you could find that many force for good - we look after the Conservative leadership at County of the services and places you take for granted vulnerable, enrich the skills and Hall and Kent Police HQ. are forever. education of the young and provide An increasing number seem to want to shout, care to the elderly. KCC and Police & Crime protest, demonstrate and sometimes bully For me, leading KCC is about jobs, commissioner elections their inflexible views on to the political skills, apprenticeships, community take place on may 6th. agenda. Some might think that defacing safety, defending the green belt, please don’t leave the statues, bringing town centres to a halt or working towards a greener economy future of our disrupting the lives of ordinary people are and delivering great public services. great county what politics is all about. to chance. It also means giving neighbourhoods I don’t. vote a voice on local housing, which too conservative pROTEST often seems a ‘David vs Goliath’ battle in person between developers and local people. or by post. When development does happen, our INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST policy Roger Gough means that schools, GP surgeries, open CONSERVATIVE spaces and transport links are planned LEADER of KCC BEFORE housing.

Conservativeon May Kent 6th WHY THIS ELECTION MATTERS TOO MANY politicians talk-the-talk a bigger voice on green policies but Conservative for RESIDENTS on Kent is actually getting things done. houSEBUILDING listening to Kent now has one of the most efficient waste recycling and disposal services All governments face a demand for in the country, regularly sending less housing. Tony Blair promised to local people is than 1% of waste to landfill. build 200,000 houses a year, Gordon It’s part of a serious journey towards Brown upped the target and Jeremy a carbon neutral KCC that seeks to Corbyn raised the stakes again by the way to keep work WITH local communities rather promising 150,000 state funded than impose unrealistic policies or homes alone. kent Green demands. Kent’s approach is to HELP They all miss the point. It’s not just families lead greener, more sustainable about HOW MANY homes you a greener future means lives, not limit their freedoms. build. It’s WHERE. So, while senior Green Party It’s time to LISTEN to local people. working with communities, politicians in Parliament suggest a . ludicrous 6.30pm curfew for half the Some communities welcome the not against them population, we’re cracking on with a growth and regeneration that comes REAL plan to reduce energy, save with new housebuilding, but where a community says ‘enough is enough’ Less than giving a resources and help the planet. When

bigGER VOice To you next see a Kent roadside meadow, their voice should be heard. local people on new LED streetlights, more schools We believe in spreading housing 1% HOUSING harnessing sustainable energy, new growth far more widely, and fairly,

of kent’s PLANS tree planting and even a pioneering around the country.

waste goes initiative to protect the vital bee In 2020, KCC successfully fought to Landfill population, just remember against a centralised UK housing IT’S NOT GREEN, IT’S BLUE. algorithm that took far too little Don’t throw away notice of local opinions. We KENT'S campaigned against it and Solar and LED A GREAT IN more than 100 PLAN they listened. kent schools BEE When development GREEN happens schools, GP surgeries, open spaces and transport links MUST be planned COnservative COUNCIL We’re

LIGHT FANTASTIC Planting BEFORE housing. NEW TREES we’ve converted across ROADSIDE That’s our policy. We call it more than 120,000 kent meadows Conservative Kent Street lights to LED INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST. how a county and its council stepped up to covid

Last spring, as Britain responded to It’s the same story here in Kent. the first Covid outbreak, there were By the time Britain entered plenty of politicians happy to criticise in March 2020, Conservative Kent from the sidelines and even score a had already mobilised a range of political point or two. support services to help the Kate Green, Labour in a crisis, residents and businesses of A jab Education Spokesperson, the county. KCC’s online TRUE leaders telling party activists they and 24 hour helpline, Kent should not ‘let a good don’t carp & criticise. Together opened its doors crisis go to waste’ was last March and remains open a particularly tasteless they focus today. Millions of pounds well milestone. on finding have been channelled to They claimed, of course, a SOLUTION. businesses and households. that Britain’s Covid re- Conservative Kent has sponse was ‘falling behind’ places like been at the forefront of this County’s Germany. response. done What’s now clear is that far from The NHS, care providers, keyworkers KCC has been supporting the NHS, covid , kent residents and local lagging behind other countries, and volunteers are the REAL heroes Britain had correctly recognised the of this pandemic but KCC has played businesses since the pandemic begaN. importance of vaccine in tackling this its part too. Kent can be proud of what appalling global virus. Today, it has done. Britain’s vaccine roll-out is one of Leadership isn’t about hindsight, it’s the most admired in the world. about making the right decision at the One German newspaper headline right time. speaks for the whole of Europe - ‘Dear Britain, We envy you’. NHS £3m 700,000+ to support vaccinated in kent £10m Kent’s smaller m Helping Hands businesses £6 for vulnerable counciL tax hardship families fund 25 million £5m vaccinated PPE supplied “Dear Britain, We envy you!” in 100 days to social That’s how one European careRs newspaper described Britain’s Conservative Kent vaccine rollout. Kent police & Crime commissioner election matthew scott Meet a real vision for real policing WHEN MATTHEW crime with PR stunts. You do SCOTT walked into Kent it by returning to the basic Police’s Maidstone HQ as principle that honest the newly elected Police residents expect to see MATTHEW and Crime Commissioner criminals apprehended. five years ago, one of his That means recruiting more first tasks was to repair the police officers and being damage done by some of clear about what Kent SCOTT his predecessor’s decisions residents want them to do.” which had, in the words of the in just 5 years, one local man from a “So far, we’ve recruited an extra 665 Chairman of the local Police officers and started to see the benefit. policing family has steered kent police to Federation, turned Kent Police into Crime is falling, the police are more a record number of new “something of a laughing stock”. visible and we are getting anti-social officers, cut crime and Coming from a policing family, behaviour under control.” set a clear vision Matthew is acutely aware of the Matthew is now advising a number for local policing. challenges that police officers and staff of national policing projects but Kent face in the course of their duty and remains his focus. “I get involved in it’s not decent, law knew they deserved better. things that really matter to me like abiding people who “Anyone with police in the family mental health and making sure police SHOULD be worried hears about the assaults and incidents budgets are well spent but serving about going out. that they have been involved with in the people of Kent and making sure their careers,” Matthew says. “It’s officers and the victims of crime feel it’s criminals. what drives me to make sure Kent supported is my first priority.” Police have everything they need to Matthew balances his busy work stay safe and get the job done. PR commitments and family life with his stunts don’t help.” wife and 2 children at their Kent home. “I also had to re-focus priorities to He says, “As a parent, I want Kent meet the expectations of taxpayers to be the safest possible place to be. and ensure that everybody has a voice There are always going to be a few in the criminal justice system.” bad people but there’s far more good Matthew halted the reduction of police ones about. Police officers need to and PCSO numbers and set about be respected and set free to do what Conservative Kent funding new ones. “You don’t stop residents want them to do.” in less than 5 years, matthew scott has earned Matthew a big reputation in national policing. why? because he’s not interested in ‘gimmicks or Scott PR’ . he is delivering what residents want.

KENT residents Policing in Kent has made real progress over the last five years, thanks to know that having more the efforts of Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott. “police officers on the The message is that your choice of PCC matters. streets is the key His six-point plan for Kent will see even more police hired and set free to to tackling crime. victims there’s no such meet the needs of our county’s residents, businesses and visitors. thing as a low level “I’m not interested in fashionable policing. My fingerprints are so do I. crime. They all matter. on a plan that prioritises what Kent residents want.”

That’s why I have taken full I’ve funded the return advantage of Boris Johnson’s of the police cadet promise to recruit 20,000 more Police units across Kent and and made sure Kent was first in the Medway for those aged queue. We’ve now got 665 extra 13 to 17, as well as other Some opposition politicians seem to forget that the police are the police officers with another 145 programmes focused on ‘good men and women’ in our society. They need support, a clear arriving in 2021. young people. Mental health provision vision, less red-tape and the freedom to tackle crime at every has always been a personal priority for level. That’s what my 6 priorities are about. Kent Police now has more officers than me and this pandemic has spurred me at any point in its history. on to do even more. Kent needs it. Recruit another 300 police officers and ensure they are active in our urban and rural areas It’s making a huge difference already. I am also determined that Kent We’ve been able to establish a crime taxpayers don’t pick up the bill for Work with residents, businesses and communities to squad that’s cut burglary and national priorities and have secured prevent and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour robbery and expanded the ‘County millions of pounds of extra support for Expand the popular police cadets scheme for young Line’ and Gangs Team to drive drugs Brexit preparations, tackling violence, people and bring back schools officers and weapons off our streets. supporting victims and managing I’ve boosted rural policing, road safety traffic to our ports.” Matthew Make Kent’s roads safe for everyone teams and expanded the number of Matthew Scott’s predecessor Boost the support available for all town centre beat officers. You know presided over a series of morale- victims of crime and abuse they work and so do I. sapping disasters and demonstrated Get drugs and weapons off our streets I’ve cut the average time it takes to exactly why your choice for Police by targeting gangs and county lines answer your 101 calls by 70% and and Crime Commissioner matters. you can vote for matthew scott focused PCSO numbers to tackle anti- Kent’s got a good PPC. for kent police and crime social behaviour. I also know that for Don’t let him go! commissioner on may 6th MatthewConservative Scott onfor May PCC 6th WHY THIS ELECTION MATTERS CONSERVATIVE KENT commits £millions to libraries, wardens, youth work, social A million care, the arts and so much more. acts of it’s not a cost. it’s an investment. EVEN THOUGH this dreadful library closures years ago, we’re kindness pandemic isn’t fully over, one thing working with local communities to is already clear - communities across find new and innovative ways to Kent have responded magnificently. reshape the network to make sure Kent families have access to great services. when kent We weren’t surprised. Our network of KCC community When you support, fund and work with wardens across Kent might work for needeD it communities as much as Conservative US but they are responsible to YOU. Kent does there’s no mistaking their strength, resilience and generosity. Some of our opponents just don’t most get it. You can’t switch community It’s why KCC commits tens of millions spirit on-and-off with here today, gone of pounds to everything from youth tomorrow gimmicks. You have to work, subsidised bus travel, sports, some of the invest in communities all year round. the arts, footpaths, country parks and parties in this community safety. Tune into any council meeting and the chances are you will hear a lot of We also take on some of the most election just our opponents talking endlessly about important responsibilities of all - reports, strategies and action plans. don’t get it. looking after vulnerable adults, children and the elderly. Brilliant communites aren’t built strategies and by red-tape and paperwork. And whilst some councils red-tape don’t responded to digital They are built by great people Make communities great. competition with hasty ... and a great council. people do.

Conservative Kent special feature why do some political parties find It so hard to be proud of our

BREXIT’s country and its achievements?

DONE NO ONE can deny that Britain’s exit Some political parties won’t admit it, from the EU turned out to be a long but Britain remains one of the most ‘leaver’ or drawn out affair. Sadly, it gave too influential and important nations on many sneering politicians and earth. Some will always search for ‘remainer’, it’s celebrities time to fill the airwaves things to sneer or complain about but, with dire predictions of impending in truth, Great Britain is great. time to unite disaster, chaos and disruption. It always has been. It is now. As it happens, Brexit has all gone and recognise Conservative Kent worked tirelessly much smoother than some predicted to prepare for Brexit and it has paid that this is - or perhaps hoped. The doomsayers dividends. Now, we must seize this have gone rather quiet. moment to make life better for There were honourable reasons to vote families, young people, the elderly, OPPORTUNITY Leave or Remain but one thing is clear, entrepreneurs, creatives, innovators Britain has now left the EU and and all those who make up our whilst the noisy political bandwagon community and economy. has moved on to find something else to KENT Our aim is simple. We BELIEVE in complain about, everyone who cares this country and want to ensure that about Britain will want us to make the SHOP LOCAL everyone benefits from a modern, most of our new global status. to boost kenT let’s invest in safe and prosperous county. Businesses kent ideas We call it OPPORTUNITY KENT . and research It means backing Kent business, shopping local and investing in Kent innovation. It means training, up-skilling and employing young people. It means investing in let’s support Our local producers LOCAL jobs and promoting

our county to the world. ‘ let’s trade freelywith If you believe in Britain too, Thanks for the world please support us on May 6th. let’s up-skill SHOPPING kent’s young let’s INVEST IN BRITISH JOBS LOCAL people Conservative Kent There are

to find

W H I T S T A B L E Y E B Y F R G R K R F L D M E F Y E I N A S S R M W T T A E S B P I F Y V I R G A I H R F S F N T I N X E T M E C V G S E V E N O A K S R T D V V A E N E T A G S M A R S I P R T O E S D A R T F O R D H N Q E O G D M E H X S N K K E A G V H N F M G C N H L N T O H M B V U Y Q H I Y E D A Z Q O T Q O D R Z O W S E L T E Y W R Y I U V O B D F R A A Z D N X B H D R S H N E N O T S D I A M N M G N N A T E N T E R D E N C A Z I E S M S S R I A T S D A O R B O G B S F O L K E S T O N E C O Q Y

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