Dover News - November 2016

Dover District Council is encouraging people to show their support for High Street shops and small businesses with free parking in its car parks for Small Business Saturday on 3 December 2016, and for two weeks over the key Christmas trading period from Monday 19 December 2016 to Monday 2 January 2017 inclusive. Kent County Council has agreed to offer free on-street parking over the same periods.

Students, job seekers, small businesses, and local people with an interest in new investment and developments in the district are being encouraged to attend the free Dover Skills & Business Expo 2016 at Dover Town Hall from 9am to 3pm on Tuesday, 15 November.

Oil spill specialists will be heading for the Dover seafront this month to test their antipollution kit and trial their latest emergency procedures as part of a national contingency exercise. The experts will set up mobile incident facilities on the beach and deploy booms offshore to contain the imaginary slick.

The British Torch of Remembrance commenced its 52nd Annual Pilgrimage to Belgium today with a Service of Remembrance to honour our First World War allied forces heroes at the famous War Memorial in the Old Dover Marine Station at the Port of Dover's Western Docks.

Community groups in the area are set to benefit from more than £22,000 funding from Dover District Council in the latest round of the Neighbourhood Forum Community Grants Scheme.

Following the sudden closure of De Bradelei Wharf on 4 October, both the Port of Dover and the new leaseholder, J. B. Armstrong, worked extremely hard to secure the continuation of the business with minimal impact and are thrilled to have completed and reopened in such a short time.

Two gymnasts from Dover Gym Club's Floor and Vault Squad recently became South East Regional Champions. 12-year-old Amy Laffranchi won a Gold medal in the Advanced Girls category and 11-year-old Libby Holness won a Gold in the Advanced Girls 2005 category, in the regional Floor & Vault Championships held at the Guildford Spectrum.

Police officers investigating a report of an attempted burglary in Dover have issued a computer generated image of a man they believe can help with their enquiries.

Police have arrested a man following a serious road traffic collision on a one-way street in Dover. The head-on collision is reported to have taken place in Frith Road just before 3.10am this morning.

Officers investigating a report of a rape in Dover have renewed their appeal for witnesses to come forward.

Crowds filled the Port of Dover's historic Cruise Terminal One building on Saturday as Chief Executive Tim Waggott officially opened the Port's first ever White Cliffs Christmas.

The Dover District saw a 15 year high in net additions to dwelling stock in 2015-16 with 726 new homes, including 648 new builds and 185 affordable homes.

The Port of Dover recorded its busiest day ever for freight traffic yesterday with 10,558 freight vehicles handled by the Port, nearly 500 more than the previous record.

Dover District Council has confirmed its consultancy team who will deliver a new £26m Leisure Centre for the district.

Police have dismantled a suspected cannabis factory in Dover. Officers were called to a house in London Road on the Wednesday morning after cannabis plants were reportedly found being grown.

A new exhibition of plans for the Kearsney Parks will be on show outside the café in Kearsney Abbey from 8 December to early January, following the announcement of £3m in Lottery funding for the parks earlier this year.

A range of renovations has been completed on public buildings and facilities across the district - including recent repair and painting works on the Dover Museum frontage and the tram shelter on Folkestone Road in Dover.