‘If they lose control, there will be a majority who will vote to have it binned’

The Liberal Democrats are struggling nationally. The party only has 11 seats in the House of Commons, its leader is becoming increasingly anonymous and its prospects for the next general election – whenever that may be – appear to be bleak.

However, in Canterbury – a district where it has a history of success – it’s bullish about its chances in May’s local elections.

I’m perched on the edge of a dreadfully uncomfortable seat in the cafe of the Waterstones in Rose Lane. Opposite me is Michael Dixey – the leader of the Lib Dems in Canterbury.

Currently, the group has just four councillors on the local authority. But Michael, who has sat on the city council since 1987, is aiming to replicate the success the party enjoyed in the 1990s and early noughties.

“We’re confident we’ll win more seats,” he announces. “I’m hoping we’ll get into double figures. We’re targeting all the Canterbury seats and we hope to claw back some of the ones we lost in Whitstable.”

In his crosshairs is Simon Cook’s seat. The leader of the city council clung onto Nailbourne in 2015 with a narrow majority of 75 votes – fending off stiff competition from Lib Dem Mike Sole.

“I think Simon’s going to have difficulty holding onto his seat,” Michael says. “His majority was less than the Greens’ vote last time and I don’t think the Greens and Labour will be fighting that seat as hard as they would otherwise.

“We’ve got an extremely experienced candidate in Mike Sole and Highland Court is a very big issue there. We hope to win that seat and there are other rural ones we hope to win.”

The party’s surprising success in the Canterbury North county council by-election in Novem-

Thursday, January 31, 2019 Kentish Gazette (KG) www.kentonline.co.uk

Thursday, January 31, 2019 Kentish Gazette (KG) www.kentonline.co.uk

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Time is almost up for the first term of a divisive scheme aimed at boosting trade and footfall in the city centre.

The Canterbury Connected Business Improvement District – known as BID – was launched in 2014, after being voted for by 64% of Canterbury traders.

Funded by a mandatory levy paid by businesses, voluntary contributions, sponsorship and commercial income, the money raised is invested back into the city, with the total spend in the past five years almost topping £3 million.

The initiative has earned its fair share of supporters, who praise the help given to start-up companies and the running of the city’s Christmas lights.

But the tenure has not come without its critics, including those angry at being forced to stump up cash for a scheme they do not support, and some who say the BID has failed to do enough to prevent small businesses from shutting up shop.

With BID1 ending in just a few a months time, the question on traders’ lips is should BID2 become a reality?

On Thursday, councillors sitting on the regeneration and property committee unanimously agreed that a ballot should take place in the summer.

Businesses will have the chance to vote with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as to whether they would like the initiative to remain in the city for another term. To go ahead, the vote must be won on two counts: a straightt majority and a majority y based on the rateable e value of the business ses involved.

A 44-pa age document detailing g the proposals for a seco ond term have been pu ublished, with one of th he group’s key pledges being to bolster the e city cen-

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