Dover News - May 2008

People and places of Dover's past, from images of everyday community life, to pictures of war damage and new building in the town, can be seen in a special new stairwell exhibition at Dover Museum. The exhibition features some of the reserve collection of photographs of the town in the Fifties and Sixties and runs until 20 August.

Successful partnership working has led to a significant reduction in reported crime over the last year, and has led to the performance of the Dover District Community Safety Partnership being congratulated by the Government Office for the South East (GOSE).

Henryk Centner, 50, a German national of no fixed abode was sentenced last Thursday (1 May) at Canterbury Crown Court to 14 years imprisonment for the importation of 60kgs of pure Amphetamine Sulphate and 8 years for importing 200kgs of cannabis.

Plans for the development of the Port of Dover will be on display at a public exhibition and meeting being held in Dover Town Hall on Tuesday 27 May. The exhibition will run from 11am to 6pm and will show progress so far regarding proposals for Terminal 2.

As part of their ongoing commitment to support communities and address quality of life issues across the area, Dover District Council's Environmental Health team is helping to promote national Noise Action Week.

Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) have seized approximately 12 kilos of ecstasy and half a kilo of cocaine worth about £260,000 in total at Dover. It was found in a car being driven by a 24 year-old Lithuanian man, who has today been charged.

Police are investigating the discovery of a suspected cannabis factory at an address in Beaconsfield Road, Dover. Police carried out a warrant at the address early on Monday 5 May and discovered two floors were being used to cultivate cannabis.

Dover has a new arts centre. It has opened on the first floor of the Charlton Shopping Centre in High Street where nine purpose-built studios and an exhibition space have been established. It is hoped that artists and craftspeople will make use of the centre, by renting studios and displaying their work.

A garage unit at Holmestone Road, Dover, has been severely damaged by fire. The alarm was raised in the early hours of this morning at Ashford Motorsport, off Poulton Close, when a car was reported to be alight.

Four people and their 10 metre yacht were rescued overnight after grounding on the Goodwin Sands in very rough sea conditions. Lifeboats and a Rescue Helicopter worked together to get a line to the stricken yacht before the vessel was flooded or broken up.

Officers from Kent Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit and Tactical Support Group have arrested 20 people in dawn raids over two days. The planned enforcement targeted the importation, supply and distribution of cocaine.

The Port of Dover, Europe's busiest ferry port, is one of the "Top 50 Green Companies" in the UK. A new award, presented by The Sunday Times, recognises not just the most radically improved environmental performances, but also takes account of the views of employees - who get to rate their organisation's green credentials.

Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in Dover have seized approximately 7 kilos of cocaine worth about £280,000 and a small quantity of amphetamine worth about £40.

A Bangladeshi national was jailed for five years at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of tobacco smuggling and laundering an estimated £434,000 through the Port of Dover. The revenue loss on the tobacco was estimated to be £3.3 million.

Kent Wildlife Trust's first official Kent Seasearch dive survey of the year has discovered a seahorse close to Dover Harbour. Two volunteer divers found the animal in Shakespeare Bay, southwest of the harbour, in a depth of about 15 metres.

Have you ever wondered what happens to your recycled garden waste? Dover District Council in partnership with Kent County Council is holding a series of special days to answer questions about home composting and to give gardeners an opportunity to buy 50 litre bags of soil improver at a specially reduced price.

Calls have been made for Dover to be given a major hospital, at a rally and march through the town centre today. The event was organised by campaigner Reg Hansell and town councillor David Hannent who said he was pleased with the superb turnout.