Have Your Say - Kent PCC Matthew Scott's Police and Crime Plan Survey 2021

It's time to have your say on the future of policing in Kent

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott has launched a survey that will determine his focus for the next few years.

Every 4 years, the Police and Crime Commissioner must decide the priorities for the Kent Police Force. To do that, Matthew Scott has launched a survey and is seeking your opinion on whether the force is performing as it should and where you think resources should be focussed in the future.

It asks what type of crimes matter most to you: it asks about victim support and violent crime, as well as road safety and antisocial behaviour. It also asks whether you’ve been a victim of crime and whether you have installed your own security devices, like alarms and doorbell cameras.

The results of this survey will influence the Commissioner’s new Police and Crime Plan, which sets out the strategy for the police for the next 4 years.

The anonymous survey only takes around 5 minutes to complete at >> www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PCC2021

Watch Matthew's survey video at >> https://youtu.be/g5bdBd3Foao

The Office of Kent Police and Crime Commissioner website is >> www.kent-pcc.gov.uk

Upchurch Matters

St Mary’s Church: Uplift - A Cuppa and a Chat - Rainbow Café - Swale Foodbank

Uplift

Uplift will be celebrating Harvest in the Village Hall on Sunday the 3rd of October.

Starting at 10:30am - all welcome.

A Cuppa and a Chat

A Cuppa and a Chat will be on the 2nd week of the month. The next one is on the 13th of October, in St Mary's Church, 10:00am - 12 midday.

All welcome, come and have a cuppa. 

Rainbow Café

The Rainbow Café will be in St Mary's Church on the 1st Thursday of the month. October's Café will be open on Thursday the 7th, 2:00pm - 5:00pm.

Come and join us for homemade cakes and savouries. And kids, our snack deal is still available. Choose 5 items for £1. 

Swale Foodbank

Our monthly Foodbank collection will be on the 2nd week of the month. We will be opposite the Church on Wednesday the 13th of October from 10:30am - 11:30am.

After you have dropped off your wonderful donations, you can cross the road and get a cuppa!

Thank you

Gill Gay

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Temporary Road Closure - Horsham Lane, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close part of Horsham Lane, Upchurch from Monday 11th October 2021, with estimated completion by 15th October 2021.

Horsham Lane, Upchurch will be closed in the general vicinity of number 106, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for any through traffic is via Horsham Lane, Otterham Quay Lane, Lower Rainham Road, Moor Street, A2 London Road, Hartlip Hill, High Street, Boyces Hill, Keycol Hill, Key Street Roundabout, Sheppey Way, Ferry Road, The Street, Old Ferry Road, Raspberry Hill Lane, Sheerness Road, Halstow Lane, Forge Lane and vice versa.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while maintenance works are undertaken by Southern Water.

For information regarding this closure please contact Southern Water on: 0330 303 0368, who will able to assist with the scope of these works.

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Flu Vaccinations at Maidstone Road Surgery - Upchurch

Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi Subbiah

Flu vaccines are now available to those 65 yrs and over: plus those vulnerable patients.

Please contact the surgery to make an appointment.

For those patients who are ‘house bound’, the surgery will contact you to make an appointment for a home visit.

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham

Improvements at Upchurch Scout Hut - Thank You

The Scouts have enjoyed their Summer break, but that doesn't mean the leaders have been resting!

Two new fire escape doors have been installed at the hut, with many thanks to Kent Trade Frames, who so kindly donated the door to the wheelchair ramp.

Much needed new flooring has also been laid. Thanks to Dave Ingall, another local business who had it completed and ready for the new term.

We must also thank the Coop and their customers for funds towards our two new climbing walls and all the parents and friends who contributed. A team of Beaver leaders helped to level the ground before and clear some weeds from the back.

We intend to get a bell to hang from the traverse climbing wall, named after former leader Jim Harman - my next task!

Thank you

Julia Richardson

Group Scout Leader - Upchurch Scout Croup

Medway Joins No Use Empty Scheme

Medway Council joins KCC’s No Use Empty homes scheme

No Use Empty, the longest-running empty property initiative in the country which is run by KCC, is expanding its operations by partnering with Medway Council.

Latest council tax records show that there are a total of 6,798 long-term vacant dwellings in Kent alone. However, without the 500 properties per year which NUE is returning to use, the number of long-term empty properties would be significantly higher.

Medway’s figure for long-term vacant properties is 1,573.

The NUE team has seen an unprecedented increase in loan applications over the last 18 months with 63 individual loans being awarded with a value of £9.6million. This means a further 166 homes will soon be back into use providing much-needed homes across the county.

Since 2005 NUE has recycled loans to the value of £43million which has leveraged an additional £37million from the public/private sectors, making a total of £80million investment into tackling the problem of empty homes.

The programme is delivered by KCC in partnership with all 12 district councils in the county.

KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Derek Murphy, said:

“No Use Empty has been combating the on-going problem of empty homes through a variety of interventions with impressive results. In these challenging times, initiatives such as this are becoming increasingly important.

“We realised that the scheme could be replicated and are pleased to announce that Medway Council are our latest partner to join us.

“This is a tremendous boost for our nationally recognised NUE brand which continues to go from strength to strength and now has banket coverage across Kent and Medway. NUE is ready to administer new loan applications and help Kent’s economy recover as well as delivering the homes required.”

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

“I am pleased that we have joined the No Use Empty Scheme which will help bring empty properties in Medway back into use, providing much-needed homes for residents. I would encourage residents with empty properties to find out more about the scheme and how we can help them turn their house into someone’s home.”

Loan products offered by NUE are:

• Interest Free Loans - Funding available to help owners/developers refurbish/convert empty homes or redundant commercial buildings to provide good quality residential accommodation. On completion, properties must be made available for sale or rent. Loans are secured as a first or second charge and offered over 2 or 3 years.
• Top Up Loans - Folkestone & Hythe DC, Dover DC and Tunbridge Wells BC have allocated funds to offer an additional £15k on top of the NUE loan of £25k providing up to £40k per unit to help with refurbishment costs.
• Live Margate - The focus of the project is regeneration by converting or redeveloping poorly managed, dilapidated, or vacant HMOs into quality family homes (target of 66 homes to be created). NUE has an allocation of £2.9m from the Live Margate project.
• NUE Commercial - In 2018, KCC was awarded £1m Growing Places Fund (GPF) for the NUE Commercial project Funding allocated over two financial years. The project aims to return long-term empty commercial properties to use, for residential, alternative commercial or mixed-use purposes. A further £2m was awarded from GPF for a second phase to be launched 2021-22.
• Interest Bearing Loans - Subject to the level of funds available interest-bearing loans have been introduced to help developers bring projects which are of a larger scale either as a top up or to fund the whole scheme. Loans are secured and administered on a phased basis and interest will be charged at market rates.
• New Build Loans - Subject to the level of funds available interest-bearing loans have been introduced to help developers bring forward smaller plots of land which have planning permission for new build homes. Loans are secured as a first and only charge on title, interest charged at market rates and collected quarterly basis.

All funding is subject to availability.

For further information and/or to apply for a loan, go to: www.no-use-empty.org.uk

Murray Evans - Kent County Council