The nuclear decommissioning programme at Dungeness A station received a boost last week, in a move which will bring in millions of pounds of investment and create new jobs. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has granted over £12million to bring forward the clearance of the land to the south of the reactor buildings. This phase of the decommissioning of the site will now be completed in five years instead of the originally planned fifteen. This investment will also create seventy additional jobs at Dungeness whilst this work is completed. There will be a change to the familiar landscape at Dungeness with the removal of the large turbine building, and the work will also make available a large area of land that could be used in the future as a works yard for the construction of a new nuclear power station at Dungeness. This new land would considerably reduce the need to encroach on previously undeveloped areas of Dungeness, reducing the environmental impact of a new power station; a benefit that was not previously considered by Natural England when they raised concerns about development there.
For the last five years I have been involved with the work of the Folkestone Youth Project located at ‘The Shed’ in the harbour, as chairman of the management committee. The youth project and skate park have been a great success and are regularly used by hundreds of young people. The youth project is also a great example of partnership between the local councils, the Folkestone Harbour Company who own the building which they provide rent free, and the many businesses and individuals who have supported it over the years. I was delighted to hear that Kent County Council have made a grant to the Folkestone Youth Project which guarantees the next three years of funding for the excellent youth work delivered there. This is a real vote of confidence in the work of the staff and young people at the Shed.
On Saturday evening I was delighted to be invited as the guest speak at the Old Harveians dinner held at the Harvey Grammar school in Folkestone. The event brings together former members of the school from across the decades; the most senior former student at the dinner enrolled at the school in 1929. There were also families at this event represented by three generations who had all attended the Harvey. The Old Harveians Association raises money to support the work of the school, and it was good to hear how both are going from strength to strength; with the school achieving its best ever exam results in 2012, as well as notable success in sports.
Last week I was also invited to speak at the newest education establishment in our area; Earlscliffe independent A level college in Folkestone. The College Director, Tim Fish, gave me a tour of their facilities and introduced me to a number of the students. I would like to wish them all every success for the future.