Swale Borough Council Opens Member Grants Scheme to Support Community

Swale Borough Council has opened their member grants scheme to help voluntary and community groups provide COVID-19 support.

Every year the scheme provides each of Swale’s 47 councillors with £2,400 to support small scale, local community projects that benefit areas such as culture, sport, recreation, health, environment, heritage, community safety, crime reduction and education.

Normally launched in June, the scheme is being launched early to provide financial support to the community and volunteers groups who are caring for their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cllr Julian Saunders, deputy cabinet member for community at the council, said:

“We make more than £136,000 available every year for local people and organisations to use on what’s important in their community.

This year we’ve decided to launch the scheme now so that local people who are organising efforts on the ground to support the vulnerable people in their communities with the money and support they need.

Each councillor has £2,400 to use on projects and efforts in their area, and they can also come together to provide the money needed by the community.

It has never been more important for us to come together as a community and support those who are less able, vulnerable and more at risk.

We encourage any community and volunteer group to reach out to their local councillor for the financial support they need to help continue their great work and protect their communities.”

For more information on how to apply for a member grant visit: www.swale.gov.uk/member-grants

Swale Borough Council

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Swale Borough Council - Stay Home This Bank Holiday Weekend

People should not be visiting beaches like Minster leas, Shingle bank or Leysdown, or country parks like Oare, Milton Creek, Perry Wood or Barton’s Point this weekend.

We will be working with Kent Police over the long weekend to make sure people are complying with government instructions to not travel unless essential, by checking on car parks and areas of interest.

Last weekend, most people stayed away, but with the bank holidays coming up, we want to remind people that they need to be minimising the time they’re spending out of their home.

If everyone assumes it will be fine to nip to the beach or park for their exercise, it will dramatically increase the chances of coronavirus being transmitted as it is more difficult to avoid coming into contact with people.

The government have said that you should only leave the house for very limited purposes:

• shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.

• one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.

• any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.

• travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home.

These reasons are exceptions - even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

We’ve had to send officers out to request camper vans parked up on the Island move on. People might think they’re isolated, but the government guidance is clear that essential travel does not include visits to second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People must remain in their primary residence.

Even isolated places like Shellness or the Shingle Bank should be avoided as there aren’t suitable waste or welfare facilities and people need to move about in order to get essential supplies.

Not taking these steps puts additional pressure on communities and services that are already at risk.

Swale Borough Council

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Working from Home

The video may not be visible in our Email version of this post.

Alan Horton

Ward Councillor serving Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch Ward

Email: alanhorton@swale.gov.uk

Tel: 07447 925760

Newington History Group

Unsurprisingly, there are no Newington History Group meetings until further notice.

That means that cancelled are Thursday, April 9th meeting (The Barber-Surgeon with Dave Lamberton) and the AGM including The Mystery of the Yew Tree with Cliff Hansford on Thursday, May 14th.

Also not going ahead will be the history group's planned public celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday, May 8th.

For more details contact: newingtonhistorygroup@outlook.com

Call: 01795 842711.
Visit the website: www.newingtonhistorygroup.btck.co.uk
Follow on Facebook: Newington History Group

Richard Thompstone - Newington History Group

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Swale Borough Council - Business Grants

We’ve written to 2,600 local businesses to let them know they’re eligible for grants of up to £25,000.

The letter explains how the businesses can apply for the cash grants that are available as part of the government’s measures to support small businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through the period of disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

There are two schemes available:

• The small business grant

• The cash grant for retail, hospitality and leisure

Only one grant can be awarded per property.

If you think you’re eligible but you can’t access your business premises to receive your post at the moment, you can Email us at edu@swale.gov.uk

You’ll need to include:

• your business rates account number, shown on your business rates statement

• the name and address registered on your business rates account

If you have any queries about whether you are eligible for the grant or not, please Email edu@swale.gov.uk with a telephone number that we can contact you on to discuss the criteria.

For more information, and to apply if you haven’t already, visit www.swale.gov.uk/support-scheme-registration

Swale Borough Council

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Coronavirus Public Information Leaflet

Coronavirus

We've published a public information leaflet online about Coronavirus (#COVID19).

Information on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, symptoms and government support.

This resource contains:

▶️ Guidance on spotting the symptoms

▶️ Advice for vulnerable groups

▶️ Information about government support for businesses and workers

The leaflet is available in different languages and formats.

▶️ Read it here: https://bit.ly/2xfHQ7Y

Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC

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