3 Reported Frauds to Look Out For

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Here are 3 reported frauds to look out for:

1. Courier Fraud

2. Royal Mail

3. Covid Vaccination

These scams usually arrive unsolicited on your Mobile Phone, Tablet, PC or Laptop, insisting that you click on a link that enables them to steal from you, so please do not click on anything.

Ignore Emails, calls and messages that seem suspicious, and please report them. 

If you think you might have given away sensitive information or lost money to a scam, report it online to: ActionFraud@police.uk 

Kent Community Messaging

New Owners for Beckenham Park

The new sign for Beckenham Park in Otterham Quay Lane.

Wyldecrest Parks, the UK’s largest park home operator has purchased Beckenham Park at Otterham Creek, Otterham Quay Lane.

The residential park was offered for sale on a confidential basis by real estate advisor Savills on behalf of previous owners Haulfryn Group Ltd in July last year and the sale completed for an undisclosed amount in December.

Beckenham Park is approximately 6 acres and currently comprises 35 single units and 39 twins.

Matt Britton, Chief Financial Officer at Haulfryn Group Ltd, said:

“The decision to put our Beckenham residential park up for sale was certainly not one taken lightly. We would like to thank all the residents for the time they have spent with us on park and we hope that we have made it a safe and happy place for them to live. We wish them, and new owners Wyldecrest, all the best for the future.”

Alfie Best, Chairman at Wyldecrest Parks, said:

“Wyldecrest Parks are the market leaders in the Park-Home industry and the biggest park home operator in the UK. We are the first company in the sector to be ISO 9001 certified and are committed to providing retired and semi-retired people with affordable and attractive homes on residential parks, where they can live comfortably in a tranquil and secure environment.”

“We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the residents of Beckenham Park into the Wyldecrest family.”

Details of Beckenham Residential Park have been added to the Wyldecrest Parks website at >> www.wyldecrestparks.co.uk/property_location/beckenham-residential-park

Upchurch Matters

Upchurch Parish Council - March 2021 Monthly Meeting Agenda

Upchurch Parish Council will be holding the above meeting via Zoom on Thursday 4th March 2021 at 7:30pm.

Virtual meetings are open to members of the public.

Anyone wishing to join should contact the Clerk for the login details, they will also be allowed to raise questions or comments to Councillors during public time.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01622 739324

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Next round of Swale Borough Council Area Committee Meetings in March

Local communities can have their say on council decision making for their community at the next round of area committee meetings in March.

The first meeting will be the Western committee on 2nd March, followed by Sittingbourne on 9th March, Sheppey on 16th March and Eastern on 18th March.

Currently, each meeting is held virtually and has a dedicated 20-minute public forum to give local people the opportunity to have greater involvement in council decision making.

This round of meetings will discuss walking and cycling routes around villages, town centre regenerations and improving parish and town travel connections.

Cllr Mike Baldock, deputy leader of the council, said:

“This is our third round of area committee meetings since they began last summer.

“The meetings are held virtually and give local people the opportunity to be involved with council decision making.

“At the western meeting, we’ll be discussing how we can improve walking and cycle routes around villages.

“An update on the town centre regeneration will be discussed at the Sittingbourne meeting.

“The Sheerness town centre regeneration and a proposal for new toilets at Beachfields will be discussed at the Sheppey meeting.

“We’ll also be discussing how we can improve the travel connections between villages and the town centre to make it easier for people to visit the high street at the eastern meeting.”

To submit a question to an area committee meeting, Email: areacommittees@swale.gov.uk or call: 01795 417438 up to two working days before the meeting takes place.

To take part in the next round of area committee meetings (the skype link will be available 24 hours before the meeting begins) visit:

• Western 2nd March at 7:00pm
• Sittingbourne 9th March at 7:00pm
• Sheppey 16th March at 7:00pm
• Eastern 18th March at 7:00pm

The four committees will be made up of all the councillors representing wards in the following areas:

• Eastern - Abbey, Boughton and Courtenay, East Downs, Priory, St Ann’s, Teynham and Lynsted and Watling wards.
• Sheppey - Minster Cliffs, Queenborough and Halfway, Sheerness, Sheppey Central and Sheppey East
• Sittingbourne - Chalkwell, Homewood, Kemsley, Milton Regis, Murston and Roman
• Western - Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow, Borden and Grove Park, Hartlip Newington and Upchurch, the Meads, Woodstock and West Down.

Swale Borough Council

Swale Borough Council - Council Tax and Budget Agreed for 2021/22

Band D households in Swale will be asked to pay just £3.54 per week for Swale Borough Council services in the coming financial year.

The proposals for Swale’s share of the council tax were agreed at a full council meeting this week (Wednesday, 24th February).

The rise will see band D households pay £184.32 a year for Swale Borough Council services, a rise of £4.95.

Most properties in Swale are in bands A-C, which means they will pay less than this.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“The budget for the coming financial year is under severe pressure.

“We’ve managed to resist these pressures with regular support from Government through Covid related grants and with good internal financial management, but we still have a long road ahead as the local economy starts to recover.

“With the budget set for 2021-22, we can manage the challenges for the next year through the same combination of Government grants and sound control of expenditure we’ve demonstrated this year.

“We will only be asking for a council tax increase of 9p a week for band D properties, though I am aware that people’s overall charge will be affected by a larger Kent County Council precept which accounts for almost three-quarters of the total council tax bill for residents.

“The budget for the coming year outlines how we will carefully manage internal spending as well as drawing on our reserves to ensure we are delivering our core services and making improvements to the borough.

“We’ll be setting up the Rainbow Housing Company to provide more affordable housing, a project which is financially stable and allocating funds from our reserves to encourage growth and recovery in the borough.

“We’ll make it our priority to stimulate the local economy, our visitor economy, our heritage, our environment and public realm and our local community groups.”

Charges for Swale Borough Council services are only one element of the final council tax bill residents receive.

Householders’ council tax bills also include charges for Kent County Council, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Kent & Medway Fire and Rescue Service, and parish or town councils where these exist. These are set by the respective organisations and are collected on their behalf by Swale.

The council tax bill for a band D household for 2021/22 will be made up of:

• £1,418.79 - Kent County Council

• £218.15 - Kent Police
• £184.32 - Swale Borough Council
• £80.82 - Kent & Medway Fire and Rescue Authority

Along with any town or parish council precepts in areas where these exist.

The full report from the full council meeting can be found here

For more information about council tax, visit www.swale.gov.uk/council-tax

Swale Borough Council

Swale Borough Council - Local Plan Consultation Extended Until the 30th of April

Councillors have agreed to extend Swale Borough Council’s local plan review consultation to Friday, 30th April.

The extension was discussed at last night’s full council meeting (Wednesday, 25th February 2021).

Cllr Mike Baldock, deputy leader and cabinet member for planning, said:

“We are pleased the local plan consultation has been extended by an additional 38 days, increasing the total consultation period to almost 12 weeks - twice the length of the previous consultation for the Local Plan Review in 2018.

“We’ve worked hard during a difficult year to finalise a local plan with innovative policies that we are proud of, and we want people to have the time they need to submit their representations

“With libraries and council offices closed due to the pandemic, we’re unable to provide physical copies of the plans at these locations as we normally would, but the plan can be viewed on our website, and hard copies can be mailed out to those who need them.

“To make sure as many people as possible have the chance to respond, we’ll be writing to all households to let them know how they can share their views.”

The consultation started on Monday, 8th February and the local plan review can be viewed on the council’s website here

To request hard copies, or extracts from documents, Email: LPcomments@swale.gov.uk or call 01795 417 014.

Swale Borough Council