Folkestone and Hythe District

Coordinates: 51°4′43.86″N 1°10′28.61″E / 51.0788500°N 1.1746139°E / 51.0788500; 1.1746139
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Folkestone and Hythe District
Non-metropolitan district
Folkstone skyline and surrounding coastline
Folkstone skyline and surrounding coastline
Folkestone and Hythe shown within Kent
Folkestone and Hythe shown within Kent
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countyKent
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQFolkestone
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyFolkestone & Hythe District Council
 • MPsDamian Collins
Area
 • Total137.7 sq mi (356.7 km2)
 • Rank100th (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total110,237
 • Rank220th (of 296)
 • Density800/sq mi (310/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code29UL (ONS)
E07000112 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTR2233835912

Folkestone and Hythe is a local government district in Kent, England. It lies in the south-east of the county, on the coast of the English Channel. The district was formed in 1974 and was originally named Shepway after one of the ancient lathes of Kent, which had covered a similar area. The district was renamed in 2018. The council is based in Folkestone, the district's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Hawkinge, Hythe, Lydd and New Romney, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas.

The North Downs hills extend into the north of the district, parts of which fall within the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of the Kent Downs. Much of the south of the district forms the low-lying Romney Marsh, an area of land partly reclaimed from the sea. The district contains the Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal, the main interchange for road vehicles at the UK end of the Channel Tunnel.

The neighbouring districts (anti-clockwise from north-east) are Dover, Canterbury, Ashford and Rother. The latter is in East Sussex, the rest are in Kent. To the south-east is the sea.

History[edit]

The modern district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of six former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[2]

The new district was originally named Shepway, after one of the lathes of Kent.[3] The lathe had historically covered a similar, but not identical, area to the modern district; some parts from the north-east of the old lathe are in Dover District, some parts from the north-west are in Ashford Borough.[4]

Map showing the lathe of Shepway in 1900 compared with the district of Shepway in 1974, with the parishes now in Dover and Ashford districts indicated

Lathes were administrative and judicial subdivisions of Kent from Anglo-Saxon times.[5] This lathe had probably originated in the 6th century, during the Jutish colonisation, as the territory of the Limenwara people. It was originally named Lympne after the village where its courts were held, but by the 13th century the lathe's name had been changed to Shepway.[6][7] The court of Shepway, which met at Shepway Cross at Lympne, also played an important role in the administration of the Cinque Ports.[8]

The lathes were never formally abolished, but gradually lost their administrative functions from the 17th century onwards. By the end of the 19th century they had no remaining functions.

In 2018 the council voted to change the name of the district, on the basis that the name Shepway only had limited recognition from the public and businesses. It decided to rename the district after its two largest towns, which together have nearly two thirds of the district's population. Supporters of the change argued it would improve awareness of the area and encourage investment and regeneration. The change of name took effect on 1 April 2018.[9][10] The name was already used for the Folkestone and Hythe constituency, created in 1950, which covers a similar area to the district.

Governance[edit]

Folkestone & Hythe District Council
Leadership
Abena Akuffo-Kelly,
Labour
since 24 May 2023
Jim Martin,
Green
since 24 May 2023
Susan Priest
since 1 April 2018
Structure
Seats30 councillors
Political groups
Administration (13)
  Green (11)
  Liberal Democrats (2)
Other parties (17)
  Labour (10)
  Conservative (5)
  Independent (2)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, CT20 2QY
Website
www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk
Davison's Mill in Stelling Minnis

Folkestone and Hythe District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Kent County Council.[11] The district is also entirely covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[12]

Political control[edit]

The council has been under no overall control since 2019. Following the 2023 election a minority administration of the Green Party and Liberal Democrats formed to run the council, led by Green councillor Jim Martin.[13][14]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[15][16]

Party in control Years
Conservative 1974–1987
No overall control 1987–1991
Liberal Democrats 1991–1995
No overall control 1995–1999
Conservative 1999–2003
Liberal Democrats 2003–2004
No overall control 2004–2007
Conservative 2007–2019
No overall control 2019–present

Leadership[edit]

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:[17]

Councillor Party From To
Rory Love Conservative 12 May 1999 14 May 2003
Linda Cufley[18] Liberal Democrats 14 May 2003 5 Aug 2004
Robert Bliss Conservative 5 Aug 2004 15 May 2013
David Monk Conservative 15 May 2013 7 May 2023
Jim Martin Green 24 May 2023

Compositions[edit]

Following the 2023 election and a subsequent by-election in February 2024, the composition of the council was:[19][20]

Party Councillors
Green 11
Labour 10
Conservative 5
Liberal Democrats 2
Independent 2
Total 30

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections[edit]

See also: Folkestone and Hythe District Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 30 councillors representing 13 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[21]

Controversies[edit]

Undeclared gifts from Lydd Airport[edit]

In 2011, Lydd Airport's owners, seeking to expand the airport, gave gifts to councillors that the councillors did not declare.[22]

Otterpool Park planning permission[edit]

Folkestone and Hythe District Council was reported to have spent over £50m up to July 2020 on a proposed housing development on the former Folkestone Racecourse site, despite the 10,000 home scheme not having planning permission. The site had been bought for £4m in 2016 by the billionaire Reuben brothers via a British Virgin Islands-registered company 'Cozumel Estates' who then submitted development proposals to the council for approval, in a partnership with the council. The brothers withdrew from the scheme in 2019 and sold the site to the council for £25m in 2020.[23][24] The local authority granted permission for Otterpool Park in 2023.

Geography[edit]

Folkestone and Hythe occupies the most southerly part of Kent. It is bounded on the north by Ashford and Canterbury Districts; on the east by Dover District and on the south by the Strait of Dover. The Romney and Walland Marshes cover a good deal of its area to the west; where the North Downs begin to reach the sea there is much more in the way of settlement. Four out of five towns in the District are located along the coast. The district area is the same size as the similarly named Folkestone & Hythe parliamentary constituency, but leaves out the Saxon Shore ward from the neighbouring Borough of Ashford.

Climate[edit]

Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[25]

Climate data for Folkestone & Hythe, UK
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8
(46) 		8
(46) 		11
(52) 		12
(54) 		17
(63) 		19
(66) 		22
(72) 		22
(72) 		18
(64) 		14
(57) 		10
(50) 		8
(46) 		14
(57)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3
(37) 		3
(37) 		5
(41) 		5
(41) 		9
(48) 		11
(52) 		14
(57) 		13
(55) 		11
(52) 		7
(45) 		5
(41) 		3
(37) 		7
(45)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 38
(1.5) 		15
(0.6) 		15
(0.6) 		23
(0.9) 		23
(0.9) 		15
(0.6) 		18
(0.7) 		25
(1) 		36
(1.4) 		33
(1.3) 		18
(0.7) 		46
(1.8) 		300
(12)
Source: Weatherbase[26]

Housing and architecture[edit]

Saltwood Castle
Ivychurch

The layout of the main towns is one of Victorian streets interspersed with apartment blocks, including a few tower blocks with otherwise housing in the district formed of low-rise apartments, semi-detached, terraced or (less often) detached homes with typically smallholdings or small gardens.

See also: Grade I listed buildings in Folkestone and Hythe

The number of listed buildings in the district exceeds 200. This includes 18 churches listed in the highest grading in the national listing system (Grade I). Three castles or their bailey towers survive from the medieval period.

An examples at Grade I is Davison's Mill, a large windmill set by a green rolling lawn.

Economy[edit]

In economic terms, Folkestone and Hythe is the third most deprived area in Kent, after Thanet and Swale. Like them, it has a high rate of unemployment; poor educational attainment figures; and with the majority of businesses being small operations.[27] The major source of economy is, however, tourism. Events and venues are widely publicised.[28][29]

Media[edit]

In terms of television, the area is served by BBC South East and ITV Meridian (East) broadcasting from the Dover transmitter. [30]

Local radio stations are:

Transport[edit]

The M20 crosses the north of the District to end at Folkestone, carrying traffic from London, M25 and Maidstone to the district.

Also following the M20 is the A20 which goes by nearby villages in the district. The A20 also continues onto Dover.

The A259 south coast road starts at Folkestone via Hythe, Kent and Romney Marsh in the district to Rye, East Sussex, Hastings, Bexhill-on-Sea, Eastbourne, Brighton, Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Chichester to Emsworth near Portsmouth.

The A260 leaves Folkestone to the A2 for Canterbury.

The A2070 links the Romney Marsh to Ashford and the M20.

Stagecoach South East operate all local buses in the district to Dover, Canterbury, Hastings, Maidstone and Ashford. Stagecoach also run coach route 021 to London from the district on behalf of National Express.

The South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 both cross the district. Domestic trains are provided by Southeastern and serve the stations of Westenhanger, Sandling, Folkestone West and Folkestone Central in the district. Trains go to London Charing Cross via Ashford International and Tonbridge to the west and Ramsgate via Dover Priory to the east.

The western end of the Channel Tunnel is at Cheriton, just west of Folkestone and trains that carry cars are provided by Eurotunnel. The tunnel is accessed by the M20 and the A20. Eurostar also use the tunnel but its nearest station to the district is next door in Ashford at Ashford International.

There are no longer cross channel ferry services in the district and these are now concentrated at the Port of Dover..

The Royal Military Canal starts at Seabrook, near the sea at Sandgate, and runs through Hythe town centre and the northern edge of the Romney Marsh.

The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is a light railway that operates over almost 14 miles from Hythe to Dungeness via Dymchurch, New Romney, and some smaller intermediate stations.

The North Downs Way, and the other Kent long-distance footpaths.

Several long distance footpaths cross the District, including the Saxon Shore Way and the North Downs Way; shorter walks include the "Elham Valley Walk" and the "Royal Military Canal Path".

Lydd Airport is also in this district which handles small passenger flights to Le Touquet in France and Cargo flights to Ostend, Belgium. The Airport is served by routes 11 and 101.

Towns and parishes[edit]

Further information: List of civil parishes in Kent

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for Folkestone, Hawkinge, Hythe, Lydd and New Romney take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[31]

(M) Parishes marked thus are served by a parish meeting, not a parish council

Notable people[edit]

See also: Category:People from Folkestone and Hythe District

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Folkstone and Hythe Local Authority (E07000112)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 12 May 2024
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 3 March 2023
  4. ^ See list of parishes by lathe and hundred in the census tables in Victoria County History, Kent Volume 3 (publ.1932, ed William Page, ISBN 9780712906081)
  5. ^ "Status details for Lathe". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  6. ^ Brooks, Nicholas (1998), Anglo-Saxon Myths: State and Church, 400-1066, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, p. 59, ISBN 0826457924, retrieved 21 June 2014
  7. ^ Porteus, Geoff (1985). Dartford Country - The Story of the Hundred of Axstane. p. 13. ISBN 9780860232032.
  8. ^ "The Cinque Ports: Royal Court of Shepway". Archived from the original on 15 December 2000. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  9. ^ "Change of name approved". Shepway District Council. January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Council changes name because no one knows where it is". The Guardian. 18 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  12. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  13. ^ Esson, Daniel (26 May 2023). "Kent's first-ever 'Green' council in Hythe axes Princes Parade". Kent Online. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  14. ^ "New cabinet for Folkestone & Hythe District Council". England local elections 2023. Folkestone & Hythe District Council. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Shepway". BBC News Online. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  17. ^ "Council minutes". Folkestone and Hythe District Council. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Council leader in quit shock". Kent Online. 29 July 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  20. ^ "Folkestone & Hythe election result". England local elections 2023. BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  21. ^ "The Shepway (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/1908, retrieved 15 May 2024
  22. ^ "Lifting the Lydd". Private Eye. No. 1300. November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  23. ^ Private Eye, Issue 1527, p21
  24. ^ "Kent Online".
  25. ^ Climate Summary for Folkestone & Hythe, UK
  26. ^ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on July 9, 2013.
  27. ^ ""Choose Shepway": Economic Regeneration Strategy, 2007-2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  28. ^ "Community website for Folkestone & Hythe". Archived from the original on 5 March 2005. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  29. ^ Tourist information and community website for Folkestone & Hythe[permanent dead link]
  30. ^ "Full Freeview on the Dover (Kent, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  31. ^ "Details of town and parish councils". Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
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