An extra £17.7 million is going to Kent County Council to support local services this winter.
The announcement last week means Kent has received over £138 million in extra funding from the Government since the pandemic began.
Council services are relied on by some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. In many cases demand for these services has increased, but council revenues have fallen because of coronavirus.
Extra funding from the Government is helping frontline services like social care, mental health support, and child services to keep going during this difficult time.
The latest announcement also includes a new £100 million fund to help leisure centres across the country. It’s crucial we continue to support people’s physical and mental wellbeing in our efforts to control the virus.
There were concerns that some leisure centres were falling through the cracks of previous Government support. I raised concerns about the future of local leisure centres with Minsters and called for more support for these facilities. I’m pleased to see these concerned have been listened to.
This new funding should help places like Maidstone Leisure Centre stay open for people to enjoy. I hope councils will make full use of the support available.
