Upchurch Parish Council Report - June 2021

Report of the Parish Council June 2021

Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice Chairman), Cllr John Bodycomb, Cllr Pam Denny, Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence

Defibrillator

The defibrillator has been removed from The Three Sisters, the pub is being redecorated and a new site needs to be found for the defibrillator.

The Council is extremely grateful to the landlord of The Three Sisters for having the defibrillator at the pub, this has been an important service to the village and greatly appreciated.

 

Highways and Street Lighting

The contractor is confident the remainder of the lights will be completed week beginning 19th July. A certificate of work will need to be completed and there will be further paperwork. The streetlights need to be labelled in case of an accident. A UMS Certificate will be obtained.

 

Footpaths

The Council had applied many times for a kissing gate to be installed at the footpath opposite Bradshaw Close. The landowner agreed to this and KCC PROW has installed kissing gates at both ends. Councillors are grateful to the landowner for agreeing to the gate which will make the footpath more accessible.

 

The Queen's Platinum Jubliee Beacons 2^nd June 2022

Councillors have agreed to take part in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacons in 2022. A subcommittee will progress the plans for the event.

 

Planning

i) Ref: 21/502543/FULL 

Address: 18 The Poles Upchurch Sittingbourne Kent ME9 7EX.

Proposal: Erection of a single storey front extension to form wet room.

Councillors considered the application and had supported the proposal.

 

ii) Ref: 21/502694/FULL

Address: 76 Wallbridge Lane Upchurch Gillingham Kent ME8 7XH.

Proposal: Section 73 - Application for minor material amendment to approved plans condition 2 (to allow small increase in footprint of ground floor and internal layout alterations) pursuant to 19/503930/FULL for - Erection of a detached two storey, 3 bedroom house with associated car parking at 76 Wallbridge Lane, Upchurch, Kent.

Councillors considered the application and had no further comment to make save that the views of neighbours be taken into account.

 

iii) Ref: 21/503136/ADV

Address: Suzuki (Medway) Rainham London Road Rainham Gillingham Kent ME8 8PT.

Proposal: Advertisement consent for 1no. internally illuminated folded aluminium freestanding double sided 'Suzuki' totem sign, 2no. internally illuminated folded aluminium 'Suzuki Medway' fascia signs, 1no. non illuminated folded aluminium freestanding single sided 'Welcome' totem sign, and 2no. non illuminated free standing directional signs.

Councillors considered the application and had no comments to make.

 

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

 

Date of next meetings:

The Planning Committee and General Purposes Committee - Wednesday 18^th August at 7:30pm in the Small Hall of the Village Hall.

Full Council - Thursday 2^nd September at 7:30pm in Upchurch Village Hall.

 

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

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01622 739324

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

The Rivers Restaurant Open Day at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Email: rivers@rivervalleygolf.co.uk
Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Swale Councillors Vote to Support New Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill

Councillors have voted unanimously to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, which has been presented to the House of Commons.

At the last council meeting (23rd June), following a speech by the newly appointed climate and ecological emergency cabinet member Cllr Tim Valentine, councillors voted unanimously to support the new bill.

The bill requires the Government to draw up a strategy to meet our commitments under the Paris agreement to cut carbon emissions to halt the degradation and loss of nature and to restore soils and habitats.

Cllr Tim Valentine, cabinet member for the climate emergency at the council, said:

“Last December the Government announced a new target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 and a 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution.

“The new Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill requires the Government to draw up a strategy to turn this ambition into climate action.

“We declared a climate and ecological emergency here at the council in June 2019 and our action plan outlines steps we will take to reduce our carbon emissions and restore nature across the borough by 2030.

“We are doing all we can, however, as a borough council, we need support and funding from the Government to reach our goals. For example, by insulating homes and investing in better, cleaner public transport.

“We committed to call on the Government to provide the powers and resources we need to reach our 2030 target, and that is exactly what we are doing by supporting the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

“At the current Government targets, the planet only has a 50 per cent chance of limiting global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is just not enough.

“We are calling on the Government to pass the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill and make good on its promise to significantly reduce emissions.

“With the proper funding and support, local councils and organisations around the country can make the leaps and strides needed to meet the targets that humanity needs.”

To find out more about the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, visit www.ceebill.uk/bill

For more information about Swale Council’s actions to tackle the Climate and Ecological Emergency, visit www.swale.gov.uk/cee-update

Changes to Upchurch Surgery Times on Wednesday 21st July

Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi Subbiah

Upchurch Surgery will be closed on the afternoon and evening of Wednesday 21st July but will be open between 10:00am until 1:00pm instead.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Please call NHS 111 if you require urgent medical care.

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham

Latest POLICE.UK Crime Data for the Area - May 2021

Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch

A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.

60 crimes are shown on the map in May 2021 including:

3 Anti-social Behaviour

2 Burglary

9 Criminal Damage and Arson

3 Drugs

3 Other Theft
6 Public Order

1 Shoplifting

5 Vehicle Crime
27 Violence and Sexual Offences
1 Other Crime

33 crimes were shown on the map in April 2021.

Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.

Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.

Lower Halstow and Iwade

A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.

38 crimes are shown on the map in May 2021 including:

13 Anti-social Behaviour

1 Burglary
4 Criminal Damage and Arson

1 Other Theft

4 Public Order

1 Shoplifting

14 Violence and Sexual Offences

25 crimes were shown on the map in April 2021.

Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.

Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.

Upchurch Matters

UpARA - July 2021 Newsletter

Hello All,

With the end of restrictions upon us, this Email is to inform everyone of what we are planning from now on.

This Friday as you know we have our Friday Walk setting off from Riverside Country Park, and, (for the last time), we need you to let us know if you are coming.

On Tuesday, 20th at 2:00pm there will be the normal monthly session of Petanque at the side of the Golf Course driving range alongside Oak Lane. We have had record numbers taking part over the last month or two - just turn up if you wish to take part...

Wednesday, 21st July, is the date that Weekly Line Dancing sessions are commencing. This will now be for one hour, starting at 10:30am, and will be beginners line dancing, (for beginners and those that may have got a bit rusty...).

The following week we will be re-commencing bi-monthly Coffee Mornings, Art and Table Tennis and weekly Soft Tennis; and then in August our regular monthly Friday meetings, and Monday afternoon Kurling sessions.

Ten Pin Bowling will not restart until after the school holidays.

We are unsure about Pilates at present and will confirm with all in due course.

Initially, we will mail out when each activity restarts as a reminder to all; we don't expect that everything will necessarily resume at the same time or days or format as we left it back in March 2020, and there may be some changes.

Our first Monthly Meeting is on Friday, 13th August and our speaker is Guy Bartlett with a talk on the Battle of Britain (which was originally scheduled to coincide with the 80th anniversary last year).

On the same night, we are celebrating with our BreakOut Party with live entertainment. Those who have booked a place on the original date at the beginning of July will have received a mail confirming the change, please let us know if you can no longer attend the date. There are still a few places if any members who have not booked, wish to party with us, please Email: uparaupchurch@gmail.com There will be a table plan to ensure people can sit with friends etc. More info nearer the time...

Our first trip, to Oxford, leaves on 17th August and Malcolm has many more planned, see the link below.

We will have more to say in the coming weeks as things settle down and the committee has had a chance to meet, (our first in-person committee meeting for a long while takes place on Monday). We have a number of plans, and we will also be asking for your help to help us go forward.

One question we are asking at the moment is whether anyone would be interested in Ballroom Dancing Lessons - if you do, let us know and if there is enough potential support, we can take it further. 

We have tried to keep the website up to date as much as we can: www.upara.club

Please click on the links below to view the calendar, and the outing and speaker lists that are currently in our plans:

UpARA - Calendar

UpARA - Outings & Holidays

UpARA - Speakers

Regards and hopefully see you all soon

Your UpARA Committee