GDPR Christmas Myths

“He’s making a list,
He’s checking it twice,
He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice,
Santa Claus is in contravention of Article 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679”

In the run up to Christmas, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has seen common misconceptions around General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) circulating which has taken the law to the extreme so they have written a myth busting blog to help you understand how the law might affect your Christmas.

Find out if:

• Parents can take videos or pictures of their child's Nativity play
• If schools can contact parents about the Christmas Fayre
• If children should write public letters to Santa
• If churches can ask for Christmas prayers for named parishioners who are ill or sick?

Find out what the law really says >> http://bit.ly/2EIptLn

Upchurch Matters

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Register My Appliance - Right Now

Research carried out by Which? revealed 60 fires a week are caused by faulty appliances, mainly washing machines and tumble dryers.

Registering your appliance means you'll be the first to know if your product has been recalled or if it needs an upgrade.

Why register?

• Be the first to know of any safety repairs or recalls
• Improve your after sales service
• Keep in touch with upgrade news

Registering is a wise safety precaution.

In a very small number of cases, manufacturers may identify problems with an appliance once the product has been in use for some time. They then need to contact you to get the fault corrected as quickly as possible. Normally a quick in-home fix by a qualified technician will banish any risk.

It can be very difficult to trace customers as they often do not provide contact details when they buy a product. So as a consumer, it is important that you take the responsibility to let manufacturers know that you own the appliance and ensure that they can get in touch directly should they need to.

Registering can sometimes save you money too by entitling you to an extended warranty or guarantee period.

When?

If you’ve just purchased, register right now at >> www.registermyappliance.org.uk/registration

Check the details of your older appliances. Most brands will let you register these too.

AMDEA

AMDEA is the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, the UK trade association that represents over 85% of all small and large domestic appliances sold in the UK. Products include most of the UK’s top selling brands of major white goods, other large and small kitchen appliances, heating, water heating, floor care, waste disposal and ventilation equipment.

All AMDEA members adhere to a Code of Practice which ensures that their products are designed, tested and manufactured to be compliant with safety requirements laid down by European Directives, UK Regulations, British and European Standards. Many members also have their products tested and approved by independent third party approval bodies and have their facilities approved to ISO quality management system standards. AMDEA members often initiate changes to safety standards, and are actively involved in improving product designs in order to raise consumer protection above current safety standards.

Product recalls

Product recalls are made by traders about products that have problems which could affect the safety of the consumer. These products should NOT be used and should be returned to the trader.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute list many product recalls on their website at >> www.tradingstandards.uk/consumers/product-recalls

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A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols at St. Mary the Virgin, Upchurch

A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols

At St. Mary the Virgin, Upchurch

Christmas Eve at 7:30pm

Upchurch Matters

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Swale Borough Council Draft Air Quality Action Plan - Focus Group Workshops

People are being asked for their views on Swale Borough Council’s plans to improve air quality across the borough by 2022.

Under the provisions of the Environment Act 1995, each local authority is obliged to review and assess the air quality within its area. The aim of this review and assessment process is to establish whether or not the Statutory Air Quality objectives for the 7 named pollutants are likely to be exceeded.

The 7 pollutants are as follows:

• Benzene

• 1,3 - butadiene

• Carbon monoxide (CO)

• Lead

• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

• Particles (PM10)

• Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

Swale Borough Council have considered all 7 pollutants and by a process of elimination identified pollutants for which there may be a risk of exceedance.

To help tackle air pollution in the borough, a consultation on the council’s draft Air Quality Action Plan is running to help get views from residents, parish and town councils and community groups.

The draft plans were put together following extensive research and monitoring of air quality, including latest traffic modelling to account for developments currently planned across the borough.

Swale currently has 5 air quality management areas (AQMAs) - East Street, St Pauls, Newington, Teynham and Ospringe - where levels of nitrogen dioxide are above the annual mean objective of 40ug/m3.

The plans contain 12 measures to help the council focus resources to deliver improvements in air quality - 7 borough-wide strategic measures, and 5 local measures focussed within each AQMA.

The latest modelling predicts all except East Street and Ospringe will be compliant by 2022, but the council is proposing taking action that will benefit the whole borough.

Proposals include:

• Reducing emissions from HGV’s
• Reducing the volume of HGV's using the A2, especially through East Street and Ospringe
• Encouraging smoother traffic flows through the AQMAs
• Developing policies to encourage lower emission developments
• Encouraging alternatives to car use

To deliver these, the council is proposing a new clean air zone/corridor along the A2 and revising planning guidance on air quality.

Focus group workshops

If you would like to respond to the draft Air Quality Action Plan consultation, but have questions or are not sure how to take part, attending a focus group workshop may help.

Swale Borough Council is holding 3 workshops in January 2019 where you will be able to get advice and ask questions ahead of filling out the consultation. The workshops will be held in Sittingbourne, Faversham and Newington at:

Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne - 7:00pm Tuesday 8th January 2019.

Guildhall, Market Place, Faversham - 7:00pm Thursday 10th January 2019.

Village Hall, High Street, Newington - 7:00pm Thursday 17th January 2019.

To find out more about the consultation, visit >> www.swale.gov.uk/swale-aqap-consultation

The consultation is running until Tuesday 29th January 2019 and can be completed at >> www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/AQAPSwale2018

For further information on air quality in the borough >> www.swale.gov.uk/air-quality

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Kent County Council ALERT! - Doorstep Criminals Active In The Swale Area

Kent County Council has received reports of doorstep criminals cold calling residents in the Swale area.

How it works

They claim to be carrying out work as part of ‘Swale Funding Information’ on behalf of the government and councils. This company is NOT working with Swale Borough Council and is not an official provider of Energy Company Obligation Grants.

What to do

• Do not open the door to the doorstep cold caller

• If you want to apply for an Energy Company Obligation Grant, contact the Warm Homes scheme direct who provide quotes from trusted contractors at: www.kent.gov.uk/warmhomes

• For more information on Energy Company Obligation Grants contact your energy supplier

• Warn vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours living in the area

If you feel afraid or threatened by a doorstep caller, phone 999 

Want to report a doorstep criminal?

Report them to Trading Standards at the link here >> www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards

For advice and to report issues to KCC Trading Standards, contact Citizens Advice consumer service on: 03454 04 05 06
Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm

Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer

Kent County Council Public Protection

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New Children’s Play Equipment in The Paddock

Outdoor play facilities specialists, Streetscape have installed new children’s play equipment in the Paddock.

4 small swings, a flying saucer and a springer suitable for disabled children, all with essential safety matting have been added to compliment the existing play equipment.

Upchurch Parish Councillor, Pam Denny worked with Streetscape to secure the grant of £9805.00 from The Big Lottery Fund which has paid for the new play equipment.

The Parish Council hope children enjoy the new play equipment and that it will be treated respectfully, particularly as it was a gift! Councillor Denny would like to add some more play equipment for older children at some point too.

Upchurch Matters

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