UK Power Networks Information on Weather and The Electricity Network

You may be aware that the current cold spell of icy winds and snow may bring ‘freezing rain’. Freezing rain is a very rare weather phenomenon and occurs when very cold rain freezes immediately on landing.

Our electricity network is built to be resilient but extreme weather can damage overhead power lines, resulting in some customers losing their electricity supply. Where this happens we work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible, and we have organised for additional staff in our contact centre and more engineers on the ground to be available to help customers whose electricity supply might be affected by the cold weather.

You will be able to find regular updates on our website www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk and social media @UKPowerNetworks throughout this period.

Anyone experiencing a power cut should:

• Call 105 to report power cuts and damage to the electricity network, or 0800 3163 105

(from a corded phone or mobile phone if you have no power)

• Visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk for the latest updates

• Visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/powercut and type in their postcode to view our live power cut map

• Tweet @ukpowernetworks to report a power cuts or to receive updates

We advise people to stay clear of power lines and report damaged power lines immediately by calling 105 free from either a landline or a mobile phone. If they see electricity lines that are down or causing significant risk to the public they should call 999.

We provide extra help to customers on our Priority Service Register during a power cut. Households with older or disabled people, those with children under five, or where someone uses medical or mobility equipment that requires electricity as well as other reasons can join the register. You can find out more information about our Priority Service on our website: ukpowernetworks.co.uk/priority.

If you would like to share information about reporting power cuts or the priority service register on social media you might like to use the following:

@UKPowerNetworks has extra staff on hand 24/7 to deal with the impact of the cold weather. Call 105 to report a powercut or visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/powercut

Do you need extra support during a power cut? @UKPowerNetworks provides free services to vulnerable customers. To register visit ukpowernetworks.co.uk/priority 

Michael Horwood

Community Affairs Officer – South East

UK Power Networks

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Swale Borough Council - Changes to Waste and Recycling Collection Dates

Due to severe weather conditions, Swale Borough Council have had to revise normal bin collections from Monday the 5th to Friday the 9th of March.

 

As many residents are aware, they have had to cancel collections on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week (27th and 28th of February, 1st and 2nd of March).

 

They aim to restart collections on Monday the 5th of March, although they have had to make several changes to planned collections.

 

With these changes in place, they aim to collect all outstanding refuse (green bins or sacks if you don’t have a wheeled bin) and food waste by Friday the 9th of March. To achieve this, they have had to take the difficult decision to suspend all recycling collections from Tuesday the 6th of March to Friday the 9th of March.

 

Because of these revised collection plans, They are no longer advising residents to leave their bins out for catch-up collections today or over the weekend. Please put your green bin and food waste bin out for collection as directed below.

• No recycling will be collected from Tuesday the 6th of March to Friday the 9th of March, as recycling crews will be redeployed to catch up with refuse collections. Please keep hold of your recyclables until your next scheduled collection: when this takes place, crews will take any amount of recyclables left next to your blue bin, as long as it is not presented in black sacks (clear carrier bags/cardboard boxes only please).

 

• Green bins and food waste bins will be emptied from Monday the 5th of March to Friday the 9th of March. If your collection is due next week, put your green bin and food waste bin out as normal; if it was due this week (27/02, 28/02, 01/03 or 02/03), put your green bin and food waste bin out on the day your recycling collection would normally take place. Crews will take up to two black sacks of refuse in addition to emptying your green bin - put these next to your bin for collection.

 

• To make up for missed clinical waste collections, crews will be able to take away double the number of bags next week.

 

• Swale apologise that garden waste collections missed this week will not be rescheduled. Instead, subscribers will be offered an additional collection at the end of their subscription period. Garden waste collections scheduled for Monday the the 5th to Friday the 9th of March will go ahead as planned.

 

• Bulky waste collections booked in for this week will be rescheduled to next week. Any bulky waste collections scheduled for next week will be moved to the following week (12th to 16th March).

 

• Rubbish tips will be open next week as usual. Please use these facilities to dispose of any additional recycling or garden waste which cannot be stored until your next collection.

Please reference the easy to use tables below for your revised collection dates.

Swale understand and share residents’ frustration with these arrangements, but they have to ensure that refuse and food waste is collected as a priority. If left uncollected when temperatures start to rise next week, this could pose a public health risk.

 

For any questions on any of the above, please call Customer services on: 01795 417888 or go online to fill out a contact form.

Upchurch Matters

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Newington History Group

What was the crime level in Swale during WWI and how did the police catch the criminals?

Historian Alan Anstee gives the answers at Newington History Group's meeting on Thursday, March 8th, at 7:30pm in the Methodist Hall, Church Lane, Newington ME9 7JT.

The group seeks to unearth, preserve and promote the history of the village and neighbouring areas.

Annual subscription is £15 and guests (£3) are welcome.

For more details contact Thelma Dudley on 01795 842711
Email: thelma@newingtonhistory.co.uk

Follow the History Group on Twitter: @newingtonhg

Richard Thompstone - Newington History Group

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Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham

The Chair welcomed three new members representing the Rainham Surgery.

The committee for this year are as follows:-

Mr Ray KEMSLEY (chair), Mr David CANDY (co-vice chair), Mrs Jackie BROWN (co-vice chair), Mrs Janice BUNTING (Secretary), Mrs Gill RENSHAW, David KEW, Rev Ron PARTRIDGE, Mrs Rosemary COWLING, Mrs Kathryn RUTSON and Mr Paul RUTSON.

Surgery Representatives - Mrs Marian RICHARDSON and Mrs Michelle WILLIAMSON.

VENTOLIN Inhaler (reliever)

Ventolin inhalers (reliever) are being overused by patients because preventive inhalers are NOT being used properly.

In future VENTOLIN issues MAY be reviewed by the nurse when requested and when necessary.

Preventer Inhalers are not being used as directed

Missed Appointments

As last time this still a major concern with patients not attending appointments and/or informing either their local surgery or the Medway Hospital that they cannot attend.

A total 37 patients failed to keep appointments during December 2017.

For the year, January to December 2017, a total of 475 patients failed to attend appointments (94 from the Upchurch/Lower Halstow area).

If you find you are unable to keep an appointment please give the surgery as much notice as as possible by Tel: 01634 231423 or also inform the Hospital of any appointments you are unable to attend.

With the increasing demand on the NHS, please inform your Doctor or Hospital if you are unable to attend.

Shingles Vaccination

If you are 74 years old this year, you should receive a letter inviting you to have a shingles vaccination just after your birthday, if not then please contact your surgery.

Bowel Cancer Screening

Patients are still NOT taking the offer up when they receive the letter/test kit in the post, and those failing to return are increasing monthly in the last 12 months.

Can you really afford to ignore such an offer?

It is your health, take care of it

Prevent before it’s too late!

Mobile Telephone Appointments

Have you informed your surgery that you have a mobile telephone and more importantly the mobile number?

If not, please do so.

This will enable you to receive a text message reminding you of the appointment you have made and hopefully reduce the number of missed appointments.

Purchasing of Minor Drugs (Paracetamol/Ibuprofen etc)

The response from patients has been very positive and a big ‘Thank you’ to all concerned. Please continue to do so. It not only saves time for the Doctors and receptionists but also helps in saving money.

Repeat Prescriptions/Register On-line with Patient Access

Please don’t ask for drugs that you DO NOT need.

NB Morning Surgery Dates

To accommodate staff training on the following dates the normal afternoon surgeries at UPCHURCH will be replaced by a morning session from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Wednesday 20th April

Thursday 21st June

Wednesday 18th July

Wednesday 22nd August 

Wednesday 17th October 2018

If you have any questions or suggestions on the local practice, then please Email

Jan Bunting (Secretary) janannbunting@outlook.com or 

Ray Kemsley (Chair) raykemsley@btinternet.com

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham
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The Great British Spring Clean 2018 - Upchurch - CANCELLED

Due to the current snow and bad weather forecast over the coming days, Upchurch Parish Council has decided to cancel this weekend's
“The Great British Spring Clean 2018 - Upchurch”

Thank you to Swale Borough Council and everyone who agreed to take part this year.

Cllr Tyrone Ripley
Chairman - Upchurch Parish Council
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Attempted Burglary - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: XY/010631/18

Between 7:30am and 9:44pm on Tuesday the 20th of February, there was an attempted burglary in the new part of Playstool Close, Newington and a door was damaged in the process.

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

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