Medway Council - Spring Events Cancelled

The English Festival at Riverside Country Park.

Medway’s spring festivals and events will not go ahead this year amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Government restrictions on mass gatherings remain in place, with social distancing requirements anticipated for some time while the roll-out of the vaccine continues.

Medway Council has cancelled The English Festival, which would have been held in April, and May’s Rochester Sweeps Festival. Both events would usually attract large crowds of thousands of residents and visitors from outside of Medway, making social distancing almost impossible. There are currently no plans to reschedule these events.

Future events beyond the end of May 2021 will be kept under review by the council, as the government announces more information about its roadmap for recovery.

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said:

“I know this will be disappointing news to many, but it’s important we continue to take measures to protect the health and well-being of our residents and staff. We are continuing to closely monitor government guidance and review other scheduled events planned for the year ahead.”

In the meantime, Medway Council is reminding other potential event organisers to think carefully before going ahead with plans for public gatherings and encouraging them not to jeopardise the wellbeing of the public.

Event organisers have a legal responsibility to ensure the necessary plans are in place to help keep the public safe. For advice and guidance when organising an event, contact the Medway Safety Advisory Group. For contact details and more information, visit: medway.gov.uk/organisingevents

Cllr Doe added: 

“We know how much everyone is looking forward to getting back to some sense of normality, but we would urge people to take caution to ensure Medway’s case rate does not rocket again. If you were thinking about organising or attending a spring event, such as a public Easter egg hunt, then please think again. The virus is still living amongst us and even those who have been vaccinated are at risk of spreading it to others. We are not out of the woods yet and everyone should continue to play their part to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, as well as protect our NHS.”

Medway Council and Kent Police are continuing to work closely together to offer guidance and advice to the public, including businesses, about the government restrictions and will not hesitate to issue fines to those caught breaking them.

Medway Council

Bicycle Stolen - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/25092/21

Between Monday the 15th and Tuesday the 16th of February, a bicycle was stolen from a garden shed in Merton Drive, Newington.

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

Emergency Road Closure - South Bush Lane, Rainham

It will be necessary to close South Bush Lane, Rainham from Thursday 18th February 2021 for up to 2 days.

The road will be closed from the junction with Meresborough Lane, for 1170 meters heading north on South Bush Lane.

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

It is planned that the road will be closed between 09:30 hrs and 15:30 hrs each day.

This is to enable restoration of customers services to be carried out by BT Openreach.

Kent County Council 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

KCC - Council Tax Help for Kent’s Most in Need

A further £6million of emergency COVID funding will be used to help Kent’s struggling households pay their Council Tax.

The move proposed by Kent County Council at last week’s annual Budget meeting, and now approved, means all existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) working-age households will automatically have their 2021-22 Council Tax reduced by £50 - or by the total Council Tax due if this is less than £50.

There are over 65,000 families eligible for the CTRS scheme, compared to 56,000 a year ago.

New claimants eligible for CTRS throughout the year will also receive the additional reduction to their Council Tax bills.

On top of this extra help, one-off funding will also be given to every Kent district council to boost their Council Tax Hardship Fund. This will enable the districts to provide Council Tax relief to those who have been seriously impacted by the pandemic - suffering a loss in income, or a change in their financial circumstances, such as furlough or redundancy.

The Council Tax Hardship Relief Support Scheme is being rolled out as part of the Helping Hands Scheme announced by the County Council last week.

The latest cash injection means support available for individuals, families and businesses in Kent via the Helping Hands Scheme now stands at £16m. This wide-ranging initiative includes support for those most under pressure because of Coronavirus, including help with paying utility bills and tackling digital poverty.

The £16m comes from the final tranche of Emergency COVID-19 Grant funding awarded to KCC by government in recent months to help contain the outbreak. It also follows a 1.99% rise in general Council Tax increase (and 3% for adult social care) set in KCC’s 2021-22 Budget, as COVID continues to stretch public services and spending.

Kent Council Council Leader Roger Gough said:

“We know the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on the finances of households who qualify for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

“The various lockdowns and restrictions, furlough, redundancy, or loss of self-employment, have also hit hard those who were just-about managing before the virus changed all our lives.

“We have lobbied hard for significant support from national government and continued to look at ways to support the county’s most vulnerable, particularly because of the unavoidable need to increase Council Tax for the next year.

“Directly targeting households under pressure now, and over the next 12 months, and boosting district hardship relief schemes, will make a difference.”

In total KCC has received £95m of COVID-19 Emergency Grant Funding from central government since March 2020.

Working with a range of partners, the Council has used the much-needed money to cover COVID-related costs on vital public services and to support Kent residents, families and businesses most in need. Initiatives supported include the setting up of a Business Recovery helpline, providing food packages for the clinically vulnerable and providing additional funding to voluntary organisations.

For more information about the Helping Hands Scheme and COVID emergency funding visit: https://kccmediahub.net/new-multi-million-fund-unveiled-to-help-most-in-need745

If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing support networks, you can contact the Kent Together Helpline at: www.kent.gov.uk/KentTogether or by calling on: 03000 41 92 92. It is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service. You can read more about the helpline here and here

Kent County Council

Margaret Boakes

Margaret and husband Cyril, taken on their trip to Bruges. 

Margaret sadly passed away swiftly and unexpectedly

in the early hours of Christmas Day 2020.

A number of people have expressed an interest in seeing Mum off on her final journey.

Apparently in these 'new times', it has become quite common for people to pay their respects in this way, as only small funerals are permitted.

Mum (Margaret Boakes) will leave 103 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch on her final journey at 3:30pm on Tuesday 23rd February. Please remember to stay safe and observe current social distancing guidelines.

Thank you

Colin Boakes

Upchurch Parish Council Report - February 2021

Report of the Parish Council February 2021

Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice-Chairman), Cllr Pam Denny,

Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Peter Masson, Cllr Janet Marshall, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence.

Planning

i. Ref: 20/506123/FULL

Address: 8 Grenadier Close Upchurch Gillingham Kent ME8 8NQ

Proposal: Proposed single storey rear extension with rooflights.

Councillors considered the application and had no comment to make save that due weight be given to comments from neighbours.

 

ii. Ref: 21/500035/FULL

Address: 96 Chaffes Lane Upchurch Kent ME9 7BH

Proposal: Demolition of existing single storey extension and erection of part single and part two storey rear extension.

Councillors considered the application and had no comment to make save that due weight be given to comments from neighbours.

 

Upchurch Awards

Councillors considered the nominations received. All nominees were considered to be worthy of an award but only one adult award and one young person can be given. It is hoped to make the presentation at the Annual Parish Meeting, depending on any Government restrictions in place at the time.

 

Recreation Ground 

The Council has received positive feedback concerning the new fence at the Recreation Ground.

 

Burial Ground and Churchyard

Work has started to cut back overgrown bushes in the Burial Ground.

 

Street Lighting

UK Power Networks will start work to connect the new lights and will be finished by mid-March. The old lights will be removed.  

 

This is a precis of Council business; full minutes of all meetings can be found on the website when ratified.

 

Date of next meetings:

Full Council - Thursday 4^th March 2021 at 7:30pm.

The Planning Committee and General Purposes Committee - Wednesday 17^th March at 7:30pm. 

 

The Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Meetings) Regulations 2020 now gives Local Councils the power to meet remotely during this COVID-19 pandemic and Upchurch Parish Council is now holding meetings virtually.  Please check the website for details of the meetings.

All residents are welcome to view the meetings and there is a time for members of the public to comment, raise concerns or ask questions.

Please contact the Clerk, clerkupc@outlook.com to obtain login details for the meeting.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01622 739324
Email: clerkupc@outlook.com
Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk