Part 235. Campaigning in Kent.

Kent is a big county with many centres of population. Local government is in the hands of Medway Council (unitary authority) and Kent County Council.  The KCC area is served also by 12 district councils.  KCC's area includes Dartford, Gravesend, Sheerness, Margate, Ramsgate, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. Sadly, the Salvation Army does not have a presence in all the major towns, nor in many smaller communities such as Edenbridge, Swanley, Paddock Wood and Tenterden.

A matter I have raised with TSA is how it responds to Kent County Council consultations.  How may a response be made to a consultation that includes  inputs from corps in the area? Does a process or mechanism exist to achieve this?  Should an online network be established to discuss social justice issues in the county? What is the role of Social Justice Champions? 

KCC is responsible for, inter alia, social care.  Social care affects all age groups: particularly individuals and families TSA comes in contact with and seeks to support.  KCC is currently consulting on its Adult Social Care Charging Policy. Will TSA express an opinion? We should be campaigning, writing to our KCC councillors and cabinet members, meeting them,  but we must do so with a united voice.