Wilmington Conservatives

02/06/2026

Got a local issue you'd like to raise in person?

Join us for our next Councillor Surgery on 20th June, 1:00pm to 3:00pm at The Ship Pub, Main Road, Sutton-at-Hone.

We're incredibly grateful to The Ship - Sutton at Hone - who are allowing us to use their newly reopened venue.

📅 Saturday 20th June
🕐 1:00pm to 3:00pm
📍 The Ship Pub, Main Road, Sutton-at-Hone

Please use this link to book a slot:

https://us6.list-manage.com/survey?u=e29c348632bdae0db07274dfb&id=99ab0a70e6&attribution=false

We look forward to seeing you there!

18/05/2026

🏫 Stock Lane - Rowhill School (Wilmington) Update 🏫

As you know, Kent County Council (KCC) are in the process of selling the Rowhill School site on Stock Lane. It's something myself, Eddy and Avtar have serious concerns with, as Dartford Borough Council (DBC) Councillors we reached out to the KCC Cabinet Member in February asking them to consult on their plans for the site with local residents, but no response was received.

KCC's sale documents reference a successful pre-application for 20 new homes on the site. However, our further enquiries have confirmed that KCC was advised of Dartford Borough Council’s view that housing development on the site is considered unacceptable, and contact has therefore been made with KCC to request that the information on their website is corrected.

Any proposals for development/changes of use will have to be considered against the policies within the Local Plan:

Policy M17 states that “Development of existing community facilities/land for non-community purposes will be refused unless there is clear evidence that” the facility is not needed and that solutions for other community uses have been explored. (Just because KCC have deemed it surplus to their education requirements does not mean that it is not needed for other community uses.) The site lies within the Green Belt and as Dartford has a supply of land for housing development for the next five years, it would be difficult for a developer to justify the need to build houses on this Green Belt site. Proposals for housing development on the site would therefore also be contrary to Local Plan policy.

Prospective purchasers may of course have other plans for development/use on the site, and neighbours will be consulted on any planning applications that could be made on the site.

Each application for planning permission will be considered against national and local planning policy at the time of the application and will take into account material considerations made by the applicant. Of course, if planning permission is refused then the applicant does have a right to appeal.

12/05/2026

🥀 Dartford's MP has given Starmer his full support - do you think he's right to do so? 🥀

Surely, any replacement chosen by Labour will only be worse - should he put the choice back to the people? 🗳️

06/05/2026

02/05/2026

02/05/2026

🍻 THE SHIP IN SUTTON-AT-HONE IS BACK 🍻

Yes - I'm very happy to report this village pub back is open and ready for business.

It was great to meet with Nathan (pictured) the new owner, and his bar manager Lee, yesterday to hear about their plans for the pub.

I was really pleased to hear that they're focusing on a local offering, and want to make this delightful venue a great place for neighbours and families. With plans for meals at some point and expanding their collection of beers.

I urge everyone to get down to the pub as soon as possible!

Let's all get behind Nathan and his team, so we can get this once great place back up and running properly again 👏🏻

You can follow their socials here: The Ship - Sutton at Hone

01/05/2026

We were very pleased to host the dynamic Katie Lam yesterday in Greenhithe, for a very interesting discussion on the future of Britain!

Thank you to the Greenhithe Royal British Legion for hosting us 💙

30/04/2026

When Labour parachuted their man from Lambeth into Dartford - everyone was rightly upset.

The Dartford Conservatives campaigned for Jim to quit his Lambeth Council seat, and succeeded.

And now Reform are doing the same; with one of their Councillors here in Dartford seeking election to the London Borough of Greenwich this Thursday.

If Cllr Alan Cecil is successful in his bid to become a Councillor in Greenwich; how will he find time to be a Councillor in Dartford?

29/04/2026

Jim Dickson has voted to protect the Prime Minister.

Against the wishes of Dartford residents - Dartford's Labour MP, Jim Dickson has backed the Prime Minister in his sleaze vote.

Do you think Jim made the right decision?

28/04/2026

Today, MPs will vote on whether to investigate the Prime Minister over his appointment of Peter Mandelson.

Yesterday we wrote to Dartford's MP, Jim Dickson urging him to let the investigation go ahead.