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Wednesday October 19 | 2022
NO STRINGS Thousands of people descended on Calverley Grounds at the weekend as the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival returned for a one-day spectacular with an underwater theme. Full story page 4...
Council’s cost of living fund has no money in it
A £100,000 pot of cash earmarked for town’s ‘neediest’ doesn’t exist EXCLUSIVE By Richard Williams A FUND setup by the Council’s new ‘Borough Partnership’ to help Tunbridge Wells’ ‘neediest and poorest’ through the cost-of-living crisis has no money in it, the Times can reveal. Back in July, the coalition Cabinet at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC), which is made up of Lib Dem, Labour and Alliance councillors, announced that it would provide a £100,000 Community Support Fund. The pot of cash was meant ‘to provide support for those struggling on low incomes and help them cope with the cost-of-living crisis amid rising inflation and energy and fuel prices’. Council Leader Ben Chapelard (Lib Dem) announced the financial help
during the July 20 Cabinet meeting, saying afterwards: “Tonight, the Borough Partnership Cabinet took decisive and urgent action to tackle the multi-million pound deficit that we have inherited from the previous administration.
‘The Lib Dem-led coalition is very quick to make announcements before understanding the difficulties of delivery’ “As part of that action I am proud to say that the Cabinet has agreed to look to raise £100,000 to support the neediest and poorest residents in the borough
through our Community Support Fund.” But the Times can reveal that three months on, the balance of the fund still stands at zero with no money having been paid into the cash lifeline since it was setup. It had been hoped the £100,000 for the Community Support Fund would come from any surplus money the Council had left over following its budget review that it began in July. In that review, the Borough Partnership laid out plans to scrap free parking at Council-run car parks in Southborough and Paddock Wood, as well as introducing parking charges at Dunorlan Park.
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