West Kent Independents

01/09/2026

🍾 BOTTLE BANK UPDATE

We know many residents have been concerned about the overflowing bottle banks and glass being left on the ground.

We’ve now had an update from Sevenoaks District Council:

🚛 The bottle bank collection vehicle is still off the road, but the glass left on the ground at affected sites is being cleared today.

♻️ An outside contractor will be emptying all bottle banks from tomorrow and will be doing so for the next few weeks while the normal service is restored.

The expectation is that the service should be back to normal within a few days.

Thank you to residents for your patience — and please continue to report any issues you see.

Please share this update so residents know what is happening. 🙏

— West Kent Independents (WKI)

30/08/2026

🗑️ BIN COLLECTION UPDATE – AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY

A quick reminder from West Kent Independents 👇

There will be no bin collections on Monday 31 August due to the Bank Holiday.

📅 All collections across the district this week will be one day later than usual, with the revised schedule running through to Saturday 5 September.

Please remember to put your bins out by your revised collection day and help make sure nothing gets missed.

👍 Please share this post with neighbours who may find it useful.

West Kent Independents – keeping you informed on the issues that matter locally.

28/08/2026

🚦 Local councillors matter – Edenbridge traffic update

The current traffic problems in Edenbridge show exactly why having local councillors who listen, act and keep pushing for answers matters.

Following numerous concerns from residents, WKI councillors have been raising the issue of the severe congestion caused by the combination of road closures and temporary traffic lights.

KCC Highways has now:
✅ Inspected the Station Road traffic lights and confirmed manual traffic control is in place.
✅ Raised concerns with SES Water about the impact of the Main Road closure.
✅ Asked for the road to be reinstated and reopened as soon as it is safe.
✅ Contacted the contractor responsible for the temporary lights and requested they are removed at the earliest opportunity.
✅ Specifically highlighted the additional traffic expected for the Edenbridge & Oxted Agricultural Show this weekend.

Not every problem can be solved by a local councillor — but making sure residents’ concerns reach the right authority, asking questions and continuing to push for action absolutely can make a difference.

That is what local representation should be about: listening, acting and getting answers for our communities.

West Kent Independents – putting local people first.

18/08/2026

A little fact-checking on the Reform UK leaflet doing the rounds… 👀

There are some pretty strong claims in the latest Reform UK leaflet about Sevenoaks District Council’s recycling service.

The headline claim is that the reusable green recycling sacks were a “£1 million waste of taxpayers’ money.”

And Cllr James Barnett describes the scheme as a “vanity project”, while saying the way Cllr Irene Roy pushed it through is “an outrage”.

Strong words.

But before accepting political leaflets at face value, we think residents deserve the facts.

So, was £1 million wasted?❌

No.

Sevenoaks District Council’s own published figures say the reusable sacks cost just over £300,000 to introduce.

By the time they are replaced by the new wheelie-bin system, they are expected to have saved around £525,000 in the purchase and delivery of single-use clear recycling sacks.

That’s an expected net saving of around £225,000.

They will also have avoided around four million single-use plastic sacks, while recycling rates increased by 3.5% during their time in service.

So how does Reform arrive at its £1 million figure?

The leaflet appears to use an unexplained calculation of:

£22 per household × 47,000 households = £1 million

But where does the £22 figure come from?

It isn’t the Council’s published cost.❌

It doesn’t reflect the actual implementation cost.❌

And it doesn’t take account of the substantial savings the reusable sacks generated.❌

That’s not fact-checking. That’s creating a headline! ❌

This is about accountability and making sure all the facts that are important to our residents are available.

And that is exactly why WKI group believes independent local politics matters.

We don’t have to defend a national party.

We don’t have to repeat a national party’s talking points.

And we don’t have to turn every local issue into a political culture war.

We can look at the evidence and say:

✅ If a decision is good for residents, we’ll support it.

✅ If a decision isn’t working, we’ll challenge it.

✅ If public money isn’t being spent properly, we’ll ask questions.

✅ And if a political party makes a claim that doesn’t stand up to the published evidence, we’ll say so.

We are happy to give credit to councillors from any political party when they get things right — including Cllr Irene Roy on this particular issue.

Because local government should not be about settling scores or scoring political points.

It should be about getting things done for the people who elected us.

With the new West Kent unitary authority elections coming in 2027, residents will have a choice.

So look beyond the logos on the leaflets.

Look at the people. ✔️
Look at their record.✔️
Look at the evidence.✔️
And check the claims.✔️

Because local politics deserves better than national party politics dressed up as local campaigning.

Local issues. Local voices. Local accountability.

That’s what we as West Kent Independent Group stands for. 💚

13/08/2026

🌟 What a lovely evening at Bore Place! 🌟

Some of our WKI members had a wonderful evening at Bore Place and we’re delighted to share Cllr Bakers post.

Bore Place is such a fantastic local organisation, offering a brilliant range of activities, events and opportunities for the community to enjoy. From wonderful outdoor experiences and nature-based activities to food, learning and community events, there really is something for everyone.

It was lovely to see so many people coming together and to experience first-hand what a fantastic place Bore Place is. 💚

A huge thank you to everyone involved for putting on such a memorable evening — we’re very lucky to have organisations like this across West Kent! 🌿👏🦇🍕

11/08/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CLPoQ8Mg6/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Fast-responding officers arrested two suspected rogue traders at a pensioner's property in near

Read more on our website, here: https://www.kent.police.uk/news/kent/latest/policing-news/two-suspected-rogue-traders-arrested-near-sevenoaks/

11/08/2026

What a fabulous initiative.
Please share with your network, and anyone with young people.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14rFa4QqzrN/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Finished school, college, sixth form or university and not sure what comes next?

Our Future Ready programme, for people aged 18-24, can help you build confidence, develop new skills and explore opportunities for work, training and further education.

Over five weeks, you'll receive support from employment specialists, take part in practical workshops and have the opportunity to apply for a local work experience placement.

✅ Understanding your skills and strengths
✅ CV and interview support
✅ Career advice and guidance
✅ Volunteering and self-employment insights
✅ Online learning opportunities
✅ Ongoing support after the programme

📍 The Alexandra Suite, Swanley.
📅 Course starts 9 September. Workshops run from 10am to 11.30am.
⏰ Applications close 1 September.

To find out more, contact our Employment team: [email protected]

10/08/2026

🎉 WKI councillors out and about supporting local families this summer! ☀️

One of the things we really value as West Kent Independents is being visible, accessible and involved in our local communities — not just sitting in council meetings.

Our local WKI District Councillors Julia Thornton, Chris Haslam and Margot McArthur, who is also Chair of Sevenoaks District Council, have all taken the time to visit some of the free Family Fun Days taking place across the district.

It’s been fantastic to see these events being so well supported and to hear directly from families about how much they are enjoying them. 👏

There are still lots more free sessions coming up, so if you haven’t been along yet, check out the remaining dates and locations here:

👉 Sevenoaks District Council – Family Fun Days

https://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/info/20026/your_community/344/free_family_fun_days

And for families in Edenbridge, a special reminder that Edenbridge Town Council has also funded some additional local sessions, following the fantastic response and demand for the Family Fun Days in the town. ❤️

https://www.edenbridgetowncouncil.gov.uk/fun-in-the-park-family-fun-days-are-back/

This is exactly the kind of practical, community-focused work we want to see — making the most of council resources, supporting families and ensuring that local people benefit directly from the services and activities available in their communities.

We’ll keep getting out, listening to residents and supporting initiatives that make a real difference locally. 💚

West Kent Independents — local councillors, working for local communities.

07/08/2026

♻️ A new recycling and waste collection service is coming this October

📬 You should have received a letter and leaflet through your door explaining the changes, what you will need to do and how the new service will work. Please keep the information somewhere safe so you can refer back to it when the new collections begin.

There is also further information available on the Sevenoaks District Council website, including details about the new recycling arrangements and what can and can’t go in your bins.

We appreciate that any change to household waste collections can take a little getting used to, so we hope the information being provided will help residents prepare.

If you have questions once you’ve received your information, please do get in touch and one of your WKI local Cllrs will do their best to help. ♻️🌳

31/07/2026

One of our WKI members has shared this very informative post all about the Local Plan Reg 19 Publication, the process, the importance of commenting and how to do it effectively!
Please share round your communities.

https://www.facebook.com/share/19Hg1qcdhQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

📢 The Local Plan – How to Respond

Following the first Regulation 19 drop-in session yesterday, I wanted to summarise some of the advice provided about completing the Local Plan response form.

Representations submitted during the Regulation 19 Publication will be sent to the Planning Inspector, who will independently examine the Plan.

If you have concerns, please take the opportunity to respond.

If you want to comment on the Plan, you do not need to respond to every policy or proposal. You can focus on the parts of the Plan that are important to you.

🏘️ Want to comment on the overall level of development across the District?
You can respond to Policy ST1, which sets out the overall housing target.

🏡 Want to comment on the level of development proposed for Edenbridge or the area you live in?
You can respond to Policy ST2, which sets out the proposed level of development for each area.

📍 Want to comment on a particular development proposal?
You can respond directly to that proposal and explain your views.

📝 Using the response form

After selecting the relevant policy or proposal, use the “Please provide your comments” box to explain your views clearly.

You may wish to explain:

➡️ Why you support or agree with a policy or proposal
➡️ Why you believe a policy or proposal is appropriate and justified
➡️ Any concerns you have
➡️ Why you believe changes may be needed
➡️ What changes you would like to see

If you are objecting to part of the Plan, the response form asks whether you consider it to be “unsound.” For many objections, the most relevant reason may be that the policy or proposal is not justified.

However, residents do not have to object. The response form can also be used to express support for a policy or proposal, or to provide constructive comments and suggestions.

You do not need to select every possible reason for unsoundness. Clear, relevant and well-explained responses are likely to be more helpful.

You can also explain what changes you believe could address your concerns, such as:

➡️ Changes to the overall level of development
➡️ Changes to a specific proposal
➡️ Stronger infrastructure, environmental or community requirements
➡️ Additional safeguards or requirements

The Planning Inspector will be interested in whether there are realistic changes that could address concerns raised.

Your views matter. Whether you support parts of the Plan, have concerns, or believe changes are needed, please take the opportunity to respond before the consultation closes.

🔗 https://engagement.sevenoaks.gov.uk/strategic-planning/localplanregulation19