Swale Borough Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme

People are being asked their views on proposed changes to the council tax reduction scheme.

The scheme provides residents on low incomes with financial assistance with their council tax bills.

Currently, almost 10,000 people who qualify for the benefit must pay at least 25% of their council tax, and it is being proposed that this is reduced to 20%.

Other proposals include issues such as whether child maintenance should be included in the eligibility calculation, deductions when people live with working non-dependants and the implications of Universal Credit.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“The previous level was one of the highest in Kent and was too harsh, and in many cases was not being fully collected.

The current scheme is quite complicated for people to understand - and for us to run - so we want to find out whether there is anything we can do to simplify it.

To those on low incomes, the help can make a real difference, and any change - or not - could have a profound impact on their situation.

That is why it is important we hear as many views as possible so we can make an informed decision.”

The proposed changes would only affect working-age claimants and are set out in the consultation at: www.swale.gov.uk/council-tax-consultation which closes on 18th November.

Swale Borough Council

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The Greatest Showman Sing-Along

Look out 'cause here it comes - The Greatest Showman Charity Sing-Along.

Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for - the hit musical is coming to The Glassbox Theatre, Gillingham at 7:30pm on Thursday 14th November.

Come alive at the charity sing-along, hosted in partnership with Mid Kent College, to raise money to fund projects that fall outside of the NHS budget.

Inspired by the story of P. T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman (PG) is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business. It tells the story of a visionary entertainer who rose from humble beginnings to create a spectacular circus.

Fancy dress is strongly encouraged - with the best-dressed person winning a prize on the night - and full audience participation is welcome.

So, from now on, have fun, sing loud and experience The Greatest Showman in the best possible way by supporting your local hospital charity.

All proceeds raised goes to the Medway Hospital Charity.

Tickets:

Website: www.glassboxtheatre.com

Email: box.office@midkent.ac.uk

Telephone: 01634 825398

NHS staff receive a discount.

Cheryl Jones

Fundraising Officer

The Medway Hospital Charity

Medway Maritime Hospital

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Restart a Heart Day at Rainham Fire Station

When someone goes into cardiac arrest, prompt action by anyone nearby could offer their only chance of survival.

Would you know what to do to help save a life?

Come along to Rainham Fire Station's FREE life-support awareness session on Saturday 19th October, to learn hands-only CPR and learn about public access defibrillators (PAD) which are available for community use at all KFRS Fire Stations in Kent and Medway.

Rainham Firefighters will be holding their FREE drop-in session at Rainham Fire Station, Solomon Road, Rainham ME8 8EA between 10:00am and 2:00pm.

Booking is not required - just drop-in anytime to learn some valuable skills to save a life.

For more information about Kent Fire & Rescue Service, visit: www.kent.fire-uk.org

James Knight

Firefighter - Rainham

Kent Fire & Rescue Service

Tel: 01622 692121 Ext. 6745
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CANCELLED: Road Closure - Station Road, Rainham

UK Power Solutions will be completing utility works on Station Road. These works will be taking place from Monday 21st October until Friday 25th October 2019.

To carry out these works there will be a road closure in place between Lower Rainham Road and Ellison Way.

Please pay particular attention to the temporary signage in place. There may also be parking suspensions throughout the duration of the operation.

The diversion route for through traffic is via Lower Rainham Road, Otterham Quay Lane, A2 - High Street and Station Road.

The Nationwide Traffic Solutions phone number is: 01652 640996 Ext 308

The Medway Council phone number is: 01634 333333

For details of roadworks, see: https://one.network

Upchurch Matters
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The Great British Hedgerow Survey

UK hedgerows

The hedgerows of the UK criss-cross our countryside providing an invaluable home to many of our native animals and corridors to travel along for others. Both of these are important to the maintenance of many species.

Hedgerows are so teeming with life that one study counted 2070 species in one 85 metre stretch. But how healthy are our hedgerows?

The survey

People's Trust for Endangered Species is looking for landowners and volunteers to help them build a national picture of hedgerows in the UK. The Great British Hedgerow Survey provides a health check for our hedgerows and gives tailored management advice to help ensure this precious habitat can thrive in the future.

Although the rates of direct hedge removal have been reduced, People's Trust for Endangered Species is still seeing the loss of hedges through the way they are managed. With many farmland species now marginalised to hedgerows, they believe it's time to look at the features of our hedges we can use to protect them.

The battle against the outright loss of hedgerows is being won, but evidence points to a worrying decline in hedgerow condition through poor management. If this persists, these hedges too will perish, dealing a further blow to the chances of survival for all the animals that currently call them home.

This survey is comparatively simple to do, but collects enough vital information to give a good assessment of hedgerow health, as well as robust advice for future management. It has been designed for both land mangers that may want to improve the structural condition of their own hedgerows, but also for interested wildlife groups that want to assess the quality of habitat in any particular area. The data will be collected in order to give a good overview of the condition of our hedgerows nationally.

What are the aims of this survey?

The 2 main aims of the Great British Hedgerow Survey are:

1. A health-check to assess the condition of each hedgerow surveyed. The results offer instant feedback and tailored management advice for each hedge to ensure the hedge thrives for the benefit of our wildlife in the future.

2. To collect data to get a national view of the condition of our hedgerows. Understanding the condition of our hedges gives us the best chances of helping restore them.

How will this help hedgerows?

There are 3 main ways this health-check aims to help improve the health of hedgerows:

1. The survey provides instant feedback on the health of each hedge surveyed, as well as placing it in the hedge management cycle and providing tailored management advice. This advice will help land managers keep their hedge in, or return their hedge to the healthy region of the hedge management cycle, ensuring it thrives and provides for our wildlife in the future.

2. The survey will collate data on a national scale that will reveal trends about hedge health. This will help focus a conservation effort and messaging on these trends in the future.

3. As part of this survey People's Trust for Endangered Species aim to raise the profile of hedgerows and their value both to our native wildlife and to us. They will showcase hedgerows as an asset, discussing how and why landowners should manage them to produce a bigger, better and more joined up network.

Before you start the Great British Hedgerow Survey

Get permission - whether you are surveying hedges as part of a wildlife group, a hedge group or contributing as an individual, if you do not own the land you will need to check with the landowner that they are happy for you to survey and send the survey data.

Please do not upload any data for which you have not got permission to share.

If you would like to take part, please visit the link and read the survey guidlines first >> https://hedgerowsurvey.ptes.org

Upchurch Matters
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FareShare Food Collection at Tesco Metro - Rainham

Registration is now open for this year's Tesco Food Collection on Thursday 21st, Friday 22nd, and Saturday 23rd November.

FareShare needs volunteers to help them collect food donations from customers in Tesco Metro - Rainham - part of the UK's largest food collection.

As a volunteer, you will be in store handing out FareShare "shopping lists" with suggestions of what to donate and collecting donations from customers whilst spreading some Christmas cheer.

The food you collect will then be redistributed to nearly 11,000 charities across the country.

You can make a big difference to the 8.4 million people currently living in food poverty in the UK, as donating just 3 hours to help collect food on any of the days above, could collect enough food for 600 meals!

Want to know how it works? Watch the short video here.

The video may not be visible in your Email.

Watch it at the link here >> http://bit.ly/353uhEZ

Sign up to volunteer as an individual or bring your colleagues, family and friends with you.

Sign up at the link here >> http://bit.ly/2LP1P27

Want to sign up as a group? Shift already full?
Email FareShare >> tescofoodcollection@fareshare.org.uk and they will book you in.

Upchurch Matters

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