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It's time to have your say on the future of policing in Kent
Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott has launched a survey that will determine his focus for the next few years.
Every 4 years, the Police and Crime Commissioner must decide the priorities for the Kent Police Force. To do that, Matthew Scott has launched a survey and is seeking your opinion on whether the force is performing as it should and where you think resources should be focussed in the future.
It asks what type of crimes matter most to you: it asks about victim support and violent crime, as well as road safety and antisocial behaviour. It also asks whether you’ve been a victim of crime and whether you have installed your own security devices, like alarms and doorbell cameras.
The results of this survey will influence the Commissioner’s new Police and Crime Plan, which sets out the strategy for the police for the next 4 years.
Upchurch Matters
Uplift
Uplift will be celebrating Harvest in the Village Hall on Sunday the 3rd of October.
Starting at 10:30am - all welcome.
A Cuppa and a Chat
A Cuppa and a Chat will be on the 2nd week of the month. The next one is on the 13th of October, in St Mary's Church, 10:00am - 12 midday.
All welcome, come and have a cuppa.
Rainbow Café
The Rainbow Café will be in St Mary's Church on the 1st Thursday of the month. October's Café will be open on Thursday the 7th, 2:00pm - 5:00pm.
Come and join us for homemade cakes and savouries. And kids, our snack deal is still available. Choose 5 items for £1.
Swale Foodbank
Our monthly Foodbank collection will be on the 2nd week of the month. We will be opposite the Church on Wednesday the 13th of October from 10:30am - 11:30am.
After you have dropped off your wonderful donations, you can cross the road and get a cuppa!
Thank you
Gill Gay
It will be necessary to close part of Horsham Lane, Upchurch from Monday 11th October 2021, with estimated completion by 15th October 2021.
Horsham Lane, Upchurch will be closed in the general vicinity of number 106, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route for any through traffic is via Horsham Lane, Otterham Quay Lane, Lower Rainham Road, Moor Street, A2 London Road, Hartlip Hill, High Street, Boyces Hill, Keycol Hill, Key Street Roundabout, Sheppey Way, Ferry Road, The Street, Old Ferry Road, Raspberry Hill Lane, Sheerness Road, Halstow Lane, Forge Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while maintenance works are undertaken by Southern Water.
For information regarding this closure please contact Southern Water on: 0330 303 0368, who will able to assist with the scope of these works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi Subbiah
Flu vaccines are now available to those 65 yrs and over: plus those vulnerable patients.
Please contact the surgery to make an appointment.
For those patients who are ‘house bound’, the surgery will contact you to make an appointment for a home visit.
Ray KemsleyChair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham
The Scouts have enjoyed their Summer break, but that doesn't mean the leaders have been resting!
Two new fire escape doors have been installed at the hut, with many thanks to Kent Trade Frames, who so kindly donated the door to the wheelchair ramp.
Much needed new flooring has also been laid. Thanks to Dave Ingall, another local business who had it completed and ready for the new term.
We must also thank the Coop and their customers for funds towards our two new climbing walls and all the parents and friends who contributed. A team of Beaver leaders helped to level the ground before and clear some weeds from the back.
We intend to get a bell to hang from the traverse climbing wall, named after former leader Jim Harman - my next task!
Thank you
Julia Richardson
Group Scout Leader - Upchurch Scout Croup
Medway Council joins KCC’s No Use Empty homes scheme
No Use Empty, the longest-running empty property initiative in the country which is run by KCC, is expanding its operations by partnering with Medway Council.
Latest council tax records show that there are a total of 6,798 long-term vacant dwellings in Kent alone. However, without the 500 properties per year which NUE is returning to use, the number of long-term empty properties would be significantly higher.
Medway’s figure for long-term vacant properties is 1,573.
The NUE team has seen an unprecedented increase in loan applications over the last 18 months with 63 individual loans being awarded with a value of £9.6million. This means a further 166 homes will soon be back into use providing much-needed homes across the county.
Since 2005 NUE has recycled loans to the value of £43million which has leveraged an additional £37million from the public/private sectors, making a total of £80million investment into tackling the problem of empty homes.
The programme is delivered by KCC in partnership with all 12 district councils in the county.
KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Derek Murphy, said:
“No Use Empty has been combating the on-going problem of empty homes through a variety of interventions with impressive results. In these challenging times, initiatives such as this are becoming increasingly important.
“We realised that the scheme could be replicated and are pleased to announce that Medway Council are our latest partner to join us.
“This is a tremendous boost for our nationally recognised NUE brand which continues to go from strength to strength and now has banket coverage across Kent and Medway. NUE is ready to administer new loan applications and help Kent’s economy recover as well as delivering the homes required.”
Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, said:
“I am pleased that we have joined the No Use Empty Scheme which will help bring empty properties in Medway back into use, providing much-needed homes for residents. I would encourage residents with empty properties to find out more about the scheme and how we can help them turn their house into someone’s home.”
Loan products offered by NUE are:
• Interest Free Loans - Funding available to help owners/developers refurbish/convert empty homes or redundant commercial buildings to provide good quality residential accommodation. On completion, properties must be made available for sale or rent. Loans are secured as a first or second charge and offered over 2 or 3 years.
• Top Up Loans - Folkestone & Hythe DC, Dover DC and Tunbridge Wells BC have allocated funds to offer an additional £15k on top of the NUE loan of £25k providing up to £40k per unit to help with refurbishment costs.
• Live Margate - The focus of the project is regeneration by converting or redeveloping poorly managed, dilapidated, or vacant HMOs into quality family homes (target of 66 homes to be created). NUE has an allocation of £2.9m from the Live Margate project.
• NUE Commercial - In 2018, KCC was awarded £1m Growing Places Fund (GPF) for the NUE Commercial project Funding allocated over two financial years. The project aims to return long-term empty commercial properties to use, for residential, alternative commercial or mixed-use purposes. A further £2m was awarded from GPF for a second phase to be launched 2021-22.
• Interest Bearing Loans - Subject to the level of funds available interest-bearing loans have been introduced to help developers bring projects which are of a larger scale either as a top up or to fund the whole scheme. Loans are secured and administered on a phased basis and interest will be charged at market rates.
• New Build Loans - Subject to the level of funds available interest-bearing loans have been introduced to help developers bring forward smaller plots of land which have planning permission for new build homes. Loans are secured as a first and only charge on title, interest charged at market rates and collected quarterly basis.
All funding is subject to availability.
For further information and/or to apply for a loan, go to: www.no-use-empty.org.uk
Murray Evans - Kent County Council
It will be necessary to close part of Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow from Monday 27th September 2021, with estimated completion by 8th October 2021.
Wardwell Lane will be closed in the general vicinity of The Cobbs, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route is Wardwell Lane, Vicarage Lane, The Street, Breach Lane, Boxted Lane, School Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while cabling and splicing works are carried out to complete BT spinal works, undertaken by Openreach.
For information regarding this closure please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Upchurch Afternoon Tea.
As part of the full re-opening of the Village Hall, the Management Committee held an open to all Afternoon Tea, on August 21st, to thank the residents and organisations of Upchurch for supporting us prior to and during the Covid-19 closure. During that closure, a significant amount of work was commissioned on refreshing the hall ceiling, floor, electrics, and fire systems.
Free tea and slices of cake were offered [and superbly prepared by members of the Upchurch WI] enabling those who attended to sit and talk to friends without disruption. Also present were many village organisations signing up new members or raising funds for their causes plus a chance to tell others their plans. In fact a chance for us all to reconnect with each other again in the life of this village.
Thanks to the following organisations, who are all from Upchurch, for attending - Book Art [trade stand], Bug & Beagle Books [trade stand], The Choral Society, the Friends of St Mary, the Guides, the Horticultural Society, Mr Fizz the Magician, “Old School Afternoon Tea” [trade stand], the Players, The Royal British Legion, the Scouts, “Smile Malawi”, St Mary’s Church, UpARA, the Women’s Institute and “Wooden Crafts” [trade stand]. There was no charge to any of the stall holders.
The feedback about the event was very positive on the day from attendees and stall holders. The Committee received many plaudits about the work on the hall.
The Committee especially wishes to express its gratitude to the Upchurch WI whose contribution on the day was outstanding. The cakes that you ate were all made and donated at no charge by the WI members - in recognition of this the UVH committee has made a goodly donation to Upchurch WI funds.
David Steward - Chairman UVH
Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward
Crime Number: 46/178610/21
Between 16:00 on Tuesday the 14th of September and 07:30 on Wednesday the 15th of September, somebody stole a doorbell from a door in Playstool Road, Newington.
Crime Number: 46/181507/21
On Friday the 17th of September between 11:15 and 12:00, somebody broke into a residential property in Playstool Road, Newington.
Crime Number: 46/181348/21
On Sunday the 19th of September, somebody stole a green Toyota Landcruiser, S156***, from the road in Keycol Hill, Newington.
If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.
For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk
Kent Community Messaging
The reconstructed foundations of a Romano-British temple, uncovered in 2018 during an 18-month archaeological excavation at Watling Place, Newington, will be officially unveiled next Tuesday. (Sept 28th)
A short ceremony will be held at 11:00am on the recreation area off Watling Drive, ME9 7FX.
A selection of Iron Age and Roman artefacts uncovered during the dig will be displayed.
Reconstruction of the 2,000-year-old temple’s foundations has been completed by Newington History Group and Swale and Thames Archaeology Survey Company (SWAT), with the support of Persimmon Homes.
The history group succeeded in persuading Persimmon to spare the foundations only days before they were due to be covered by the 124-home housing project.
The original stones have been re-laid only 70m from their previous location, on the same orientation and alignment. The main structure of the temple was demolished around the 2nd century.
The temple foundations will be on permanent open display along with an information board explaining the importance of the site and the history of the Romans in Newington.
If you are attending the opening, please walk there if you’re able due to the limited parking on the Watling Place estate and in village car parks. Please respect areas of residents’ parking.
Remembrance Sunday will be on the 14th of November - details of the service in Upchurch will be announced by the church.
The Royal British Legion is at the heart of a national network that supports our Armed Forces community. It is the country’s largest Armed Forces charity with about 235,000 members and 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities helping it give support wherever and whenever it is needed. Each year it leads the nation in commemorating and honouring those who have served and sacrificed.
This year we celebrate the centenary of the Royal British Legion and special centenary pins will be available from the collectors for a four pound donation when they come round. If you would like your centenary pin earlier please contact me.
In Upchurch, a team of local volunteers will again be making the annual house-to-house collections from Saturday the 30th of October to Saturday the 13th of November.
Volunteer house-to-house collectors are needed for Butchers Green, Eastwood Meadow, Forge Lane, Kent Terrace, Pear Tree Grove, Quilters Yard, The Street and Woods Edge - if you would be willing to give a few hours of your time to collect in one or more of these roads during the appeal please contact me. I will offer full support and assistance so that you only have to do the house-to-house collecting in your allocated street.
Also, I would welcome help with organising which covers the periods leading up to, during and after the appeal. Ideally, I would like someone to come forward and be willing “to learn the ropes” with a view to taking over in 2022.
“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”
Hon. Alderman Gerry Lewin - Poppy Day Appeal Organiser
Telephone: 01634 366113 - 07946 996789
Local community groups can now apply for funding to cover the cost of buying and installing a public access defibrillator.
Swale Borough Council is making £20,250 available to encourage the installation of a public access defibrillator at village halls and community centres around Swale.
Local community groups can apply for up to £750 towards the cost of purchasing and installing the equipment that can help save someone’s life.
Public access defibrillators must be located in places fully accessible to the public 24/7. Applicants would also need to appoint a nominated person to maintain them.
All defibrillators must be purchased and installed by the end of March 2022.
Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, said:
“We’re making £20,250 available to support lifesaving equipment at village halls and community centres around Swale.
“Community groups and local organisations can apply for up to £750 to go towards the cost of purchasing and installing a public access defibrillator and housing cabinet.
“Defibrillators can provide lifesaving support to people in cardiac arrest. For every minute someone is in cardiac arrest without CPR and access to a defibrillator, their chances of survival drop by up to 10 per cent.
“With ambulance response times increasing, having a publicly accessible defibrillator nearby can mean the difference between life and death for someone in cardiac arrest.
“The grant scheme is now open, and I encourage any local group with a community building to head over to our website to see if you’re eligible.”
Upchurch Players invite you to join them for their thirtieth extravaganza
Cinderella
At Upchurch Village Hall on
Thursday 2nd December 2021 at 7:30pm
Friday 3rd December 2021 at 7:30pm
Saturday 4th December 2021 at 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Tickets £7.50 each, are available online at: https://upchurchplayers.co.uk
Or from Upchurch Village Hall every Monday evening from 6th September from 7:30pm onwards.
Rozz Dyett
Secretary - Upchurch Players
Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward
Crime Number: 46/177098/21
Between 16:00 on Tuesday the 14th of September and 07:30 on Wednesday the 15th of September, somebody slashed the tyres of a vehicle parked in Playstool Road, Newington.
If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.
For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk
Kent Community Messaging
Visit ‘Newington Uncovered’ this weekend
The annual Newington Uncovered returns this weekend with a Village Picnic and Heritage Events at St Mary’s Church on Saturday and Sunday (2:00pm - 5:00pm).
The free family event, part of the National Trust’s Heritage Open Days, is organised by Newington History Group (NHG). Events will reflect the theme - Edible England.
Discover Newington-grown foods and other aspects of village life through displays and exhibitions in the church. In addition, self-guided Newington heritage walks will be available to download from the history group’s website www.newingtonhistory.uk
The picnic, in the church grounds, will start at 1:00pm on the Saturday (or, if wet, Sunday). Bring your own food (look out for tasty ideas on NHG’s Facebook page) but no alcohol. Other refreshments will be available.
It’ll be the first main village social event since lockdown. You are requested to wear a mask while inside the church.
To allow for social distancing at the picnic, please book in advance by messaging via the event on NHG’s Facebook page or Email newingtonhistorygroup@outlook.com
For updated information follow the history group on Twitter @NewingtonHG, check their Facebook page or view the website www.newingtonhistory.uk
Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward
Crime Number: 46/171681/21
Between 4:00am and 4:33am on Friday the 10th of September, there was an attempted theft of a blue transit van from The Happy Pants Ranch, Iwade Road, Newington.
Crime Number: 46/173479/21
Between Thursday the 9th and Saturday the 11th of September, reg number plates: GC17 XSK were stolen from a vehicle in St Mary's View, Newington.
If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.
For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk
Kent Community Messaging
We would like to let all of our customers know that as of the 21st September 2021 we will be closed every Tuesday until further notice.
Thank you all for your continued support, kind words and encouragement through these most difficult times.
Chris and Carol Haines - The Three Tuns
The Street, Lower Halstow, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 7DY
Telephone: 01795 842840
Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch
A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.
50 crimes are shown on the map in July 2021 including:
5 Anti-social Behaviour
1 Burglary
3 Criminal Damage and Arson
3 Other Theft
2 Possession of Weapons
4 Public Order
4 Vehicle Crime
25 Violence and Sexual Offences
3 Other Crime
31 crimes were shown on the map in June 2021.
Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.
Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.
Lower Halstow and Iwade
A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.
33 crimes are shown on the map in July 2021 including:
7 Anti-social Behaviour
1 Burglary
7 Criminal Damage and Arson
3 Public Order
2 Shoplifting
1 Vehicle Crime
12 Violence and Sexual Offences
24 crimes were shown on the map in June 2021.
Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.
Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.
Upchurch Matters
St Mary's Church, Upchurch welcomes Sonare Choir performing 'My Spirit Sang All Day' on Sunday 26th September 2021 between 7:00pm - 9:00pm.
Or pay £12 at the door - Student Tickets are £9
Sonare Choir is a new, London - based choral quartet looking to bring sophisticated and accessible choir concerts to the city and beyond.
The concert will be one of the choir's first performances as a quartet and promises to be a delightful evening of choral explorations across Europe. Featuring works from Finzi, Mozart, Stravinsky, Messiaen, and many more!
Upchurch Matters
Report of the Parish Council September 2021
Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice Chairman), Cllr John Bodycomb, Cllr Pam Denny, Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence.
Vacancy
Would you like to make a difference to your local community?
Would you like to assist in decisions that affect your community?
If so why not apply to become a Parish Councillor.
Upchurch Parish Council currently has a vacancy for a Parish Councillor and is looking to fill this position by co-option. We invite anyone who is interested in being considered to notify the Chairman Cllr Tyrone Ripley for an informal discussion.
To be eligible for the role, you must be a British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union, and 18 years or older on the day they apply. Also, for the whole of the 12 months prior to nomination he/she must have been an elector of the parish and either occupied or owned/rented premises in the parish, or resided within 3 miles of the boundary of the parish, or had his/her principal or only place of work in that area.
Expressions of interest must be received in writing by the Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence, 14 Trapfield Close, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent ME14 4HT or Email: clerkupc@outlook.com
Planning
Ref: MC/21/2225
Address: Land To The East Of Seymour Road And North Of London Road Rainham Gillingham ME8 6YX
Proposal: Outline Application with all matters reserved (except access) for a residential development of up to 48 dwellings, including associated access, parking, landscaping and open space.
Councillors considered the application and how the development affects Upchurch. An access on the A2 built directly opposite South Bush Lane does not seem sensible especially when there is a very good junction with the A2 at Seymour Road which has excellent sight lines. The development further erodes the Important Local Countryside Gap between Medway and Swale, as does the housing and Academy in Otterham Quay Lane. The site has poor access to services requiring new residents to be dependent on private transport which will use local roads, including rural lanes which are already congested. It was noted that the layout plan contains two references to “Proposed Swale”, the site is entirely within Medway and the references refer to when the word swale means “a marshy area between two ridges” designed to help with rainwater runoff/or act as a wildlife habitat.
It was agreed unanimously to object to the proposal.
Environment
The detritus in the area between the bus stop and hedge has been cleaned after being reported to Swale Borough Council.
There has been a request for a litter bin at Four Gun Field, Swale Borough Council says this is the responsibility of the developer/management company as it is a private estate, Gem Management Company has been contacted.
Highways and Street Lighting
The Council is progressing its Parish Highways Improvement Plan and is waiting to hear when work on the safety scheme at Church Farm Road will commence. A speed survey will be conducted in Spring 2022 to give the best comparison to ensure the Parish Council’s measures have mitigated some of the issues within the village. The issue of vehicles cutting the corner when turning right into Horsham Lane from The Street still needs to be addressed.
The upgrade of the streetlights in the village is near completion, there is one more light at the bottom of Windmill Hill to be connected. This has not been possible because there is a fault on the overhead line.
The Queen's Platinum Jubliee Beacons 2nd June 2022
Plans continue to progress for the celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The beacon will be lit as part of the national celebration at 9:30pm, the Council has secured the services of a piper for the event. The Council has submitted its plans to the Swale Safety Advisory Group.
The Council has agreed to purchase an Oak tree to commemorate the Jubilee.
This is a precis of Council business; full minutes of all meetings can be found on the website when ratified.
Date of next meetings:
Full Council - Thursday 7th October at 7:30pm in Upchurch Village Hall.
The Planning Committee and General Purposes Committee - Wednesday 20th October at 7:30pm in the Small Hall of the Village Hall.
All residents are welcome to attend the meetings and there is a time for members of the public to comment, raise concerns or ask questions.
To help keep loved ones safe, please DO NOT attend the meeting if you have had any known contact with COVID-19 in the previous 14 days or have experienced symptoms. Questions and comments can be sent to the Clerk to be raised at the meeting.
It would be helpful if residents could inform the Clerk if they wish to attend to allow the appropriate measures to be taken to comply with social distancing guidelines.
Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
