More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Councils in Kent are to get another government handout to help them prepare for Brexit.
Ministers say that they are to share an additional injection of cash to the tune of £2.6m the bulk of which is destined for County Hall, with the county council receiving £1m.
The remainder will be shared by the other district and borough councils.
The news comes on the back of a leaked report on the government’s contingency plans that warned Kent’s road network could be caught in a prolonged period of disruption caused by delays in HGVs being able to cross the Channel.
The leaked report said that 85% of hauliers had yet to prepare for French Customs checks.
The minister in charge of local councils, Robert Jenrick said the money had been allocated in recognition of Kent’s particular challenges ahead of Brexit.
“We recognise Kent is playing a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transition for its businesses and residents after we leave the EU in October, and that’s why we’re giving over £2.6 million of additional funding to support the county to boost its Brexit preparations.”
There will also be a cash boost for the Kent Resilience Forum which is coordinating contingency plans for Brexit across the county. It will receive £217,300.
The amount being given to the remaining local authorities varies according to their needs.
Dover District Council and Folkestone and Hythe District Council will each receive £300,000.
Ashford Borough Council, Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council, will each receive £150,000.
Canterbury City Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Medway Council, Sevenoaks District Council, Swale Borough Council, Thanet District Council, Tonbridge and Malling District Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will each receive £70,000.
In a statement, the Department for Communities and Local Government added: “The allocations have been based on a number of factors including the expected impact on the local area, the amount of EU goods received by port areas into the country and the areas wider importance to the UK’s trade network.”
Some councils in Kent have complained that they have received too little in order to deal with potential problems caused by a No Deal brexit.
Maidstone council had previously complained that its government grant allocation for Brexit represented about 5% of its expected costs.
