Swale Foodbank Collection - October

Swale Foodbank Collection

Thank you to everyone who came and donated food and other needed items in September.

I will be collecting your foodbank donations at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday the 2nd of October, between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Please bring your items in carrier bags.

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

All donations are helpful, providing the food is long life and well within date.

Thank you

May God bless you ❤️

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Upchurch Parish Council: Public Bins - A Polite Request to all Residents

Upchurch Parish Council would like to remind all residents that the public waste bins placed throughout the village are intended for general public use and not for the disposal of household rubbish.

We have noticed an increase in household waste being placed in these bins, leading to overflowing containers and unnecessary strain on the waste management services.

These bins are provided to help keep public spaces clean and tidy, ensuring that litter from passers-by and small waste items are disposed of properly. However, they are not designed to accommodate large quantities of household rubbish.

Overuse and Overflowing Bins

When household waste is disposed of in public bins, it fills them up quickly, leaving no space for general litter. This leads to overflowing bins and litter scattered around the village, which not only looks unsightly but also poses health and environmental risks.

Collection and Capacity Issues

Public bins are collected on a regular schedule, and when they are filled with excessive rubbish, it can cause delays or require additional resources to manage the overflow.

Proper Disposal of Household Waste

All residents have their own designated household waste collection services, including bins for general waste, recycling, and other disposal needs. These are the appropriate facilities for household rubbish.

We kindly ask all residents to be mindful of the purpose of the public waste bins and to use them responsibly. Please refrain from disposing of household waste in these bins and ensure that all rubbish is placed in your own household waste containers for collection.

Upchurch Parish Council is committed to maintaining a clean, pleasant environment for all who live in and visit our village.

Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated, and together, we can ensure that our public spaces remain clean and welcoming.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Nina Henley

Clerk and Proper Officer to Upchurch Parish Council

Tel: 07798 600696

Email: clerk@upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Website: www.upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Kent Police Surgery - Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch Ward

PC Jez Chittim.

Swale Neighbourhood Officer PC Jez Chittim is holding a police surgery at Holywell School, Forge Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AE so residents can raise concerns about local policing issues they may have.

PC Chittim will be in the school reception on Saturday the 21st of September between 4:00pm and 8:00pm.

The surgery is for Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch residents, and it is an opportunity to find out what is being done to tackle the issues that matter to you.

If you are travelling by car, please park in the staff car park at the front of the school, and PC Chittim will let you in the gate.

Email: Jez.Chittim@kent.police.uk

Contact your local policing team at: https://bit.ly/3pprLHW

Is it an emergency? If so, please call: 999 now

Upchurch Matters

Fuel Stolen - Oak Lane, Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/155838/24

Between 17:00 on Thursday the 12th of September and 07:00 on Friday the 13th of September, somebody stole a large amount of fuel from a farm in Oak Lane, Upchurch.

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

Upchurch Bingo Group

Our bingo sessions are held in the back room of The Crown, Upchurch.

The next session is on Tuesday the 17th of September.

We open at 7:30pm with eyes down at 8:00pm.

Entry is £1.

To play costs £3 to £6 per set of books, for 12 games.

We are a non-profit group and all book sales are distributed as prizes.

There is also a small raffle. 

Why not join us for an evening of fun?

Sylvia Roberts

Swale Borough Council - Changes to Some Waste & Recycling Collections

Recycling and waste collection rounds across Swale are being updated to provide a more reliable service.

Around 1 in 8 households will have a change in the day their waste is collected and will receive a letter confirming their new days.

The council’s contract with SUEZ has been running for almost six months, and while improvements have been made, the service is not yet performing as well as expected.

To address this, a thorough review has been carried out to identify the remaining areas for improvement. This looked at factors such as the number of properties on a round, vehicle access issues, and the types of vehicles being used on rounds.

Changes are being made to address these issues with some rebalancing of collections throughout the week, along with some changes to routes, and the types of vehicles used.

Cllr Rich Lehmann, chair of the council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee, said:

“We know the contract has got off to a rocky start, and we sincerely apologise for the disruption and frustration people have suffered.

“We have spent a considerable amount of time and effort working to improve collections, but it’s clear that to make the final push to reach the level of service we want, we must make some changes to the rounds.

“The majority of people will continue to have the same collections on the same day as now, but it may be at an earlier or later time in the day.

“Around 1 in 8 will have a change to either their day of collection, the week for each type of collection, or both.

“We know this isn’t ideal, and the changes are likely to cause some short-term disruption, but we believe this will help us move the service towards where we need it to be.

“We are writing to those households affected to let them know their new days, and what the arrangements are during the transition. If you haven’t received a letter, then there will be no changes to your collection.”

The day changes may mean some households will receive the same type of collection two weeks in a row during the transition period.

It is important to note that the garden waste and clinical waste services will remain unaffected by these changes.

The council's website will continue to display the current collection schedule until after the last scheduled collection before the changes take effect.

Swale Borough Council