John Wishart - Chairman
Tel: 07971 511956
Email: john@togthedog.co.uk
Website: www.upara.club
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Sunday, 1 March 2020
Friday, 28 February 2020
Swale Borough Council Among Best in Country for Tackling Rough Sleeping
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s annual report showed that the number of people found sleeping rough in the borough fell by 69 per cent between 2018 and 2019, from 32 to 10.
Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at the council said:
“It’s great to see the work we’re doing to tackle rough sleeping is having an impact, but this isn’t just about numbers, it’s about people.
There are a host of reasons someone can find themselves sleeping rough, and often they are complex and difficult to resolve.
This isn’t easy, and there’s still more to do, but we will continue to work with other agencies to try to get people off the streets and into permanent accommodation.
Last year we invested £150,000 to create a new support team that helped rough sleepers get into housing.
They help support people living on the streets by assessing their housing, social and healthcare needs, and working with partner agencies to help them move towards a more positive future.
We also worked with Riverside Housing Association to lease 24-units of accommodation at The Quays.
This year we received £218,000 from the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative and allocated £70,000 in the budget to continue the great work of the team.
Not only will we focus on initiatives that help those who are sleeping rough, but also those who are at risk of becoming homeless in the first place.”
The report shows a snapshot of the number of people sleeping rough on one night in November 2018 and again in November 2019, then measures the difference.
To view the full report visit: here
Swale Borough council
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Medway Receives Nearly £5 million Government Funding for Medway Tunnel Improvement Works
Medway Council has been awarded nearly £5million of funding from the Department of Transport for works for the Medway Tunnel.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere has announced today (28th February) that 32 local authorities will receive investment for essential repair works, levelling up infrastructure, cutting congestion, improving road conditions and making journeys easier.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere has announced today (28th February) that 32 local authorities will receive investment for essential repair works, levelling up infrastructure, cutting congestion, improving road conditions and making journeys easier.
Medway has been awarded £4.972 million for capital investment works on the Medway Tunnel.
The funding will be spent on new ventilation fans, crash barriers, a vehicle monitoring system and slip road improvements.
Works are expected to begin later on this year and are due to be completed in the next five years.
Cllr Phil Filmer, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Frontline Services, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to be awarded nearly £5million funding from the Department for Transport. This comes as a result of the continuous lobbying and meetings with the Transport Secretary by Medway Council for government funding for an essential part of Medway’s infrastructure. We are committed to keeping Medway moving.”
For more information about Medway’s highways visit: www.medway.gov.uk/highways
Medway Council
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Thursday, 27 February 2020
Swale Borough Council - Support for Families and Households with Lower Incomes
Councillors have approved changes to the council tax reduction scheme at last night’s council meeting (26th Feb).
The scheme provides residents on low incomes with financial assistance with their council tax bills.
The changes mean that more than 5,000 people who qualify for the council tax support will only need to pay 20 per cent of their council tax bill instead of the current 25 per cent.
The process will also be streamlined making it easier for residents to use.
The cost for households who have non-dependant people living with them will also be reduced from £15 to £10 per week and child maintenance and child benefits will not be included as income.
The council carried out consultation on the proposed changes at the end of last year so people could give their views on what changes they wanted to see.
Cllr Derek Carnell, deputy cabinet member for finance at the council, said:
“We found that the current scheme has been confusing for residents to use, as well as being difficult for us to run.
These new changes will simplify the current scheme and provide extra support for those residents on a low income.
It is important to us that we do our very best to support those who need it, and the reduction to 20 per cent for those who qualify could make a big difference.”
Changes will come into effect on 1st April 2020.
For more information about council tax support visit: www.swale.gov.uk/council-tax
Swale Borough Council
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Latest 2020 Police Surgery Dates for Upchurch
PCSO John Cork holds regular Police Surgeries in Upchurch so residents can speak to him about any local Policing issues they may have.
Police Surgery dates for Upchurch are:
Saturday 14th March 2020 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles
CANCELLED - Saturday 18th April 2020 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles
Saturday 14th March 2020 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles
CANCELLED - Saturday 18th April 2020 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles
PCSO John Cork
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Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Swale Borough Council Agrees New Two-year Framework for Staying Put
Staying Put provides home adaptations and repairs to help elderly and vulnerable residents stay safe and reduce falls in their homes.
The new framework consists of 18 contractors that can carry out the service for the next two years, offering residents peace of mind and a competitive rate.
Staying put also helps residents who qualify apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to help pay for any adaptations and repairs they need.
Staying Put services include:
• Home adaptations - repair and install grab rails and key safes, lower door thresholds
• Home repairs - replace glass, fit draught excluders, repair doors and bannisters, and replace curtain rails
• Home safety - replace locks, install spy holes and door chains
• Home security - install smoke detectors, light bulbs and door hinges
Cllr Angela Harrison, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at the council, said:
“We’ve seen first hand how this service can make a difference to people’s lives.
Even making a minor change can give someone the opportunity to remain in their home instead of needing to stay in a hospital or other care facility.
We carried out more than 1,000 jobs last year, including the installation of grab rails, flush showers and accessible ramps.
We encourage anybody who would like advice or help to make changes in their home to get in touch and speak to our Staying Put team.”
Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at the council, said:
“Staying Put is a fantastic service and we’re pleased to commit to helping residents for another two years.
It’s an important service that helps elderly, vulnerable and less mobile people stay in their homes with the necessary modifications.
Not only do we recommend suitable contractors at competitive prices, we also help people apply for funding and give advice on how they can modify their home to make it safer for them.
Falls can be dangerous, so we want to support vulnerable residents reduce the risk of hospitalisation by installing safety measures, home adaptations and general repairs.”
The new contractor framework will come into effect in April.
The new contractor framework will come into effect in April.
The full report can be read here
For more information about the Staying Put service visit www.swale.gov.uk/staying-put
Swale Borough Council
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