Dover News - May 2009

Dover District's Community Safety Partnership has launched a new campaign to help raise awareness and address issues of substance misuse in the area, as part of its ongoing work to ensure the district remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

A man from Eire has been charged with the attempted importation of approximately 35kgs of Amphetamine at Dover's Eastern Docks over the weekend. The drugs have an estimated street value of £350,000.

Work has started today (6 May) on installing the Olympic Live Site big screen in Dover Market Square. This means the screen could be up and running by the end of June for use by the community for information and local events, as well as for national events and the Olympics in 2012.

Dover is set to come alive for the weekend of 25 - 26 July as it celebrates the hundredth anniversary of Louis Blériot's epic flight across the English Channel from Calais.

Dover District Council, The Pension Service and partners have been working together to ensure that residents in the district who are 60 and over have access to all the benefits and services to which they are entitled.

A 'ruff' guide to problems caused by barking canines will be coming to Dover on Tuesday 19 May, from 1pm to 4pm, as part of a joint initiative with Dover District Council and Shepway District Council to mark Noise Awareness Week.

A lorry driver has started an eight year jail term after HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers investigated the attempted importation of over 700 kilos of Amphetamine and 119 kilos of cannabis into the UK through Dover's Eastern Docks. The estimated street value of the drugs is over £4 million.

Fourteen taxi drivers within the Dover District have had their professionalism recognised by the award of a qualification in Road Passenger Transport. The Chairman of Dover District Council, Cllr Bernard Butcher, presented the certificates.

Dover District Council has announced free parking for Dover in a number of Council-owned car parks from 4pm to 6pm from Sunday 24 May to 29 November.

A German national appeared in court on Monday (18 May) after officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) seized approximately 30 kilos of heroin at Dover's Eastern Docks over the weekend. The drugs have an estimated street value of £1.5 million.

A series of spectacular events is set to take off for the Dover 2009 Bleriot centenary celebrations - and to make sure everyone is being kept fully up to speed, a special free public evening is being held in Dover Town Hall on 8 June from 7pm.

People across Dover District will be casting their votes for European and County elections, and also for some Parish and Town Council seats, on Thursday 4 June.

As part of their ongoing work to provide help and support in these challenging times, Dover District Council and Citizens Advice Bureau have launched a new initiative - and a member of the Health and Well-being Team at the Council now works in the Citizens Advice Bureau in Dover between 9.30am and 3pm every Monday.

As part of its ongoing work to keep the district a safe place to live, work and visit, the Dover District Community Safety Partnership has funded the purchase of a large quantity of testing strips, which show the presence of alcohol mixed with soft drinks.