Temporary Road Closures - Breach Lane, Lower Halstow - The Street, Lower Halstow - Spade Lane, Upchurch - Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow

Temporary Road Closures - 30th November - 1st December 2020

Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on various roads in Swale from Monday 30th November 2020, with estimated completion by Tuesday 1st December 2020.

The following roads will be closed, as detailed below:

Breach Lane, Lower Halstow - 30th November 2020

The road will be closed between the junctions with The Street and A2 Hartlip Hill, from 30th November 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 12:00 and 16:00.

The alternative route is via The Street, Forge Lane, Oak Lane, A2 London Road and Hartlip Hill.

The Street, Lower Halstow - 30th November 2020

The road will be closed between the junctions with Breach Lane and Hollywell Lane, from 30th November 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 08:00 and 12:00.

The alternative route is via Breach Lane and Hollywell Lane.

Spade Lane, Upchurch - 1st December 2020

The road will be closed between the junctions with A2 London Road and Meresborough Lane, from 1st December 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 08:00 and 12:00.

The alternative route is via A2 London Road, South Bush Lane and Meresborough Lane.

Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow - 1st December 2020

The road will be closed between the junctions with School Lane and Vicarage Lane, from 1st December 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 12:00 and 16:00.

The alternative route is via School Lane, Boxted Lane, Breach Lane and School Lane.

Access for emergency service vehicles, pedestrians and residents will be maintained at all times during the closure, when it is safe to do so.

The closures are required for the safety of the public and workforce while street cleansing works are undertaken by Swale Borough Council.

For information regarding the closures, please contact Swale Borough Council on: 01795 417850, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

Kent County Council 24hr Contact Centre:

03000 418181 (9:00am - 5:00pm)

03000 419191 (5:00pm - 9:00am)

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Swale Borough Council Calls Emergency Meeting to Address The High Number of Coronavirus Cases Across The Borough

Swale Borough Council has called an emergency meeting of partner agencies to address the high number of cases of Coronavirus across the borough.

The council has invited senior representatives from partners such as Kent County Council, Kent Police, HM Prison Service, The Department for Work and Pensions and the local voluntary sector.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“We have been working with partners for quite some time in response to the pandemic, but the recent rise in cases is a significant cause for concern.

“We are particularly concerned about compliance with the restrictions in place. I know most people and businesses are doing what they should, but it is frustrating to still see people not wearing face coverings or keeping their distance when they should. 

“This kind of wilful disregard of the rules means we are more likely to have further restrictions imposed on us in December, which is hugely unfair for people and businesses who have been doing the right thing since March.

“I want to make sure we are all doing everything we can to address the situation and keep local people safe.

“This is not where we wanted to be, but this is a chance for us all to come together to make sure we are responding effectively, and reassure people that we are all doing all we can to stop the spread of this deadly virus.”

Swale Borough Council

Gill Gay Will Be Collecting For Swale Foodbank Again

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank you all for the wonderful support we have received on behalf of Swale Foodbank so far.

My husband Ron and I will be collecting again in the bus stop lay-by opposite the Church in Horsham Lane on Wednesday 25th November between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Please come along with your donations (in carrier bags would be helpful) and put them into our open car boot while we remain at a safe distance.

We will then deliver your donations to the Swale Foodbank Warehouse, part of the Trussell Trust.

Due to harvest donations last month they have plenty of Pasta, Rice, Beans, Spaghetti and Soup.

If you have some more shoe box items, I can take those too. Thank you.

My December pick up will be a week early on Wednesday 16th December.

All gifts of food and toiletries are welcome but they are in urgent need of:

Rice Pudding
Custard
Tinned Potatoes
Instant Mash
Shampoo
Conditioner
Nappies Sizes 3,4,5,6,7
Christmas Treats

Thank you for your generosity and care.

You really are a blessing for those who are struggling daily.

Please tell your friends and family.

Thank you

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Urgent Road Closure - Wallbridge Lane, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close Wallbridge Lane, Upchurch from Monday 23rd November 2020 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed at the junction of Horsham Lane and Upchurch Stables.

The alternative route is via Horsham Lane and Oak Lane.

This is to enable drainage cleansing works to be carried out by Kent County Council.

Kent County Council 24hr Contact Centre:

03000 418181 (9:00am - 5:00pm)

03000 419191 (5:00pm - 9:00am)

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Swale Borough Council - Government Grants for Businesses Affected by COVID-19 Restrictions

Businesses that have been forced to close or have been severely affected by the new restrictions can apply for one of the following business grants from Swale Borough Council:

• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) or

• Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)

Businesses in rated commercial premises that have been forced to close can get grants of between £1,334 and £3,000 to cover the 28-day period from 5th November through the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed).

Businesses that are affected by the new restrictions, but haven’t been forced to close, could receive one-off payments of between £1,334 and £3,000, through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

Cllr Monique Bonney, cabinet member for economy and property at the council, said:

“We’re pleased that the Government is providing some financial support to help businesses which are significantly impacted by the restrictions put in place to control the spread of Covid-19.

“As before, the government guidelines on who can qualify for business support are strict, but we’ll be working hard to ensure that those that do qualify receive help.

“Businesses can apply now until 2nd January, so I urge anyone needing help to visit our website for more information and to apply.

“Local businesses are at the heart of Swale’s economy and I’m glad the government is providing additional support this time around.”

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“While we do what we can to support local businesses, it’s important for local people to do their bit and act responsibly and stop the spread of the virus.

“The number of cases in Swale is still rising at an alarming rate and we all have to do our bit to ensure we don’t end up in a higher tier when these new restrictions end.

“If we don’t lower the rate of cases, local lockdown for Swale could continue if we’re placed in a higher tier than we had before.

“Please stay home unless going for essential shopping, work or medical appointments and remember to wash your hands, cover your face and allow space for social distancing.

“We can get on top of this if we all work together. It’s down to all of us.”

To qualify for a grant a business must meet certain criteria, and there’s more information, including how to apply for either grant, at: www.swale.gov.uk/coronavirus

Other support is available from the Government, and businesses can find what is available to them at: www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder

Swale Borough Council

Medway Council - Further Support for Medway Businesses

Millions of pounds worth of government funding is available to help Medway businesses struggling as a result of the new national restrictions.

Medway Council is encouraging residents and businesses financially impacted by the new lockdown to access government support.

Earlier this year, Medway Council helped thousands of Medway businesses and self-employed people access government grant schemes.

The council has distributed £36.360million to 2,955 Medway businesses in Small Business Grants and in Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants, and has also paid out £1.848million to 321 businesses in Discretionary Grants.

More than 1,300 retail businesses also benefitted from £33.786million Expanded Retail Relief.

The government has now announced that Medway has been allocated £3.526million Local Restrictions Support Grant funding for businesses which have been affected by the new national restrictions. The grant will be payable to businesses that were open as usual, providing in-person services to customers, but legally had to close due to the national lockdown on 5 November.

• Medway businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under will qualify for a grant of £1,334 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.

• Businesses with a rateable value of more than £15,000 and less than £51,000 will qualify for a grant of £2,000 per 28-day qualifying restriction period. 

• Businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over will qualify for a grant of £3,000 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.

Medway Council will be writing to almost 2,000 businesses, which may be eligible for the new grants, to encourage them to apply.

Businesses will be able to apply on the council’s website in the coming weeks and the deadline for applications is Sunday, 31st January 2021.

The government has also announced a discretionary grant scheme for businesses which are able to remain open during the new lockdown but their business has been severely impacted by coronavirus restrictions. The £5.571million Additional Restrictions Grant funding is to further support businesses between December 2020 and March 2022. The council is currently considering the best ways to use the funding to support Medway’s businesses and economy throughout the next 16 months, in line with government guidance.

Supporting residents

Medway Council has also been given more than £900,000 Winter Support Grant funding to continue to support vulnerable residents, including children and families. The council is waiting for the details of the grant scheme to be published, before deciding the best way to support residents.

Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Alan Jarrett, said:

“We are committed to continuing to support Medway’s most vulnerable residents as well as our local businesses. It is vital that anyone who is concerned about the impact of the pandemic reaches out and accesses the support available, whether that is help with getting food items or accessing financial support through government grants. I’m pleased we have already provided £71.994 million in financial support to thousands of businesses during these challenging times and would encourage residents to continue supporting our local businesses to protect our economy. Medway is resilient and it’s incredibly important that we all continue to follow the latest government guidelines and play our part to help stop the spread of coronavirus.”

For more information about the support available to businesses visit: medway.gov.uk/coronavirusbusinesses

Medway Council