Swale Borough Council - Affordable Housing for Local People

Plans to increase the amount of affordable housing available for local people will be discussed next week.

Swale Borough Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve measures to meet the demand for affordable homes at a meeting next week.

An initial proposal being considered is to use council-owned land in Sittingbourne town centre, possibly selling it to registered social housing providers to include affordable housing.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“We are looking at making use of Cockleshell Walk, Fountain Street and the Old Bus Depot.

The crucial difference would be that unlike the Spirit of Sittingbourne plans, we would be focusing on local need, the need for quality affordable homes and at a much lower density than previously planned.

Carefully planned development on this land will make the town centre and its retail offer, more viable in difficult times.”

The council would also work to set up a wholly owned housing company to deliver more affordable homes. This would allow the council to develop, buy and manage properties, and offers greater influence and control of developments, as well as a financial return which would fund future projects.

Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at the council, said:

“Affordable housing is in short supply across Swale, and the developments we are seeing coming through the planning systems aren’t filling the gap.

Too many local people are being priced out of the housing market, and we want to try to give them a realistic option of finding a home.

This administration is committed to delivering more affordable homes, and we want a borough wide approach to meet our ambitions.”

Cllr Ghlin Whelan, deputy cabinet member for housing at the council, said:

“Developers don’t have a great track record of delivering affordable homes locally, and whilst we’re hoping to see that pick up in the next few years, there is still a long way to go.

By using the land we hold, we’ve can have more say on what is built there, and we can make sure it is built to benefit local people, not to make profits for developers.”

The plans will be discussed on Wednesday, 18th March 2020, and the report on the plans is available here

Swale Borough Council

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Fishing Gear Stolen - Upchurch | Tyre Slashed - Hartlip | Office Broken Into - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/46569/20

Between Sunday the 8th and Thursday the 12th of March, £2,000 worth of fishing gear was stolen from a vehicle in Oak Lane, Upchurch.

Crime Number: 46/47866/20

Between Thursday the 12th and Friday the 13th of March, a white Transit van tyre was slashed while parked on a public road in Grainey Field, Hartlip.

Crime Number: 46/48111/20

A computer and several folders were stolen when an office site in Newington Enterprise Centre, Wardwell Lane was broken into between Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th of March.

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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Compaid - Kent Karrier Swale Dial-a-ride Service

Kent Karrier 

Kent Karrier is a dial-a-ride service administered by Kent County Council that will take you from your home to set locations, such as the nearest town centre or supermarket.

All services are operated with wheelchair accessible vehicles and experienced drivers who will give passengers all the help they need.

You must join the scheme to be able to use it. It costs £5 per year and a small fare for each journey.

Concessionary fare passes are not valid for travel on Kent Karrier services. Carers or companions can also travel. They don't need to be members but companions will need to pay the journey fare and carers can travel for free.

You can become a member if:

• You have a mobility impairment or other medical condition that makes travelling on public transport difficult.

• You live in a rural area more than 500 metres away from a bus stop or railway station.
• You are 85+ (proof of age required).

You only need to meet one of these criteria, not all of them.

For more information about the Kent Karrier service, please look at the local Swale scheme information leaflet, which includes an application form and gives a timetable for our area, where you can travel and who to contact to book a journey.

To apply, post your application form to:

Kent Karrier Membership, Public Transport, Kent County Council, PO Box 441, Aylesford, ME6 9HJ

For more information, visit: www.compaid.org.uk/our-services/kent-karrier

Compaid

Compaid is the largest disability charity in the Kent, supporting over 1,800 disabled and vulnerable people every year.

Their services are designed to help disabled and other vulnerable people overcome the barriers of social, digital and economic exclusion. This ensures they are able to do things like their weekly shopping, get to the doctors, chemists or the bank, and socialise with friends.

Thanks very much to Pat New for sharing this information.

Upchurch Matters

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POSTPONED - Upchurch VE Day 75 Cream Tea Celebrations

Due to the current situation with the Coronavirus COVID-19, this event has been postponed and will take place at a later date.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01622 739324

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

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Important Announcement from Upchurch Parish Council regarding Meetings and Events

Due to the current situation with the Coronavirus COVID-19, the following events have been postponed and will take place at a later date:

Upchurch Great British Spring Clean - weekend of Saturday 18th April

Annual Parish Meeting on Thursday 30th April

The VE Day 75th Anniversary Cream Tea Celebrations on Friday 8th May 2020

The situation and developments in this public health crisis seem to be very fast-moving and somewhat confusing, at the moment.

The government now seems to be favouring a ‘delay’ strategy, but logically, it seems only a matter of time before meetings and assemblies will have to be shut down, if only for a short time, therefore Parish Council meetings and Committee meetings have also been cancelled until further notice.

The Council will keep the public health situation and government advice under review.

Please monitor the Parish Council website for further updates.

Thank you

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01622 739324

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

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NEW ADVICE - Coronavirus: Protect Yourself and Others

We are moving into the delay phase of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

If you have: a new continuous cough OR high temperature (37.8 degrees or higher) you should stay at home for 7 days.

Coronavirus: Here's what you can do to protect yourself and others:

✅ Wash your hands more often

✅ Use soap and water for 20 seconds

✅ Or use hand sanitiser

Read the full guidance now: nhs.uk/coronavirus

#coronavirus | #COVID_19

Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC

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