Notice Board

Thursday 22 June 2017

Garage Burglary - The Street, Lower Halstow

Iwade & Lower Halstow Ward

Crime Number: XY/028861/17

Between Thursday the 15th and Friday the 16th of June, several power tools and a road breaker were stolen during a garage burglary in The Street, Lower Halstow.

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
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Tuesday 20 June 2017

Swale Borough Council - Local Plan Approved

A Government inspector has approved the council’s strategy for future development in Swale.

Swale’s Local Plan – Bearing Fruits 2031 - looks at the need for jobs, homes, schools, shops, open space, transport and other services until 2031, and where development will take place to meet that need.

A report from the inspector has endorsed the plan, which once adopted will put the council in a much stronger position to defend against ad hoc planning applications from landowners and developers.

The plan also includes 410 hectares of local green space across 126 sites. This gives areas special protection against development due to their value to the local community, and the inspector also endorsed the countryside protection policies in the plan.

The draft local plan was amended last year after the inspector set an increased target of 776 homes to be built every year, when the council initially proposed 540.

Cllr Gerry Lewin.

Cllr Gerry Lewin, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for planning services, said:

"It has taken a tremendous amount of work to defend our position for meeting the new higher housing target. Developers and landowners wanted an even higher number so their own schemes could be included, but we were able to persuade the inspector of the merits of our approach.

"The additional 16 sites that we needed to include to meet the higher target weren’t chosen lightly. The evidence we gathered showed – and the inspector agreed – that these were the most appropriate of the 170 schemes that developers proposed across local towns and villages.

"By having an adopted plan – we believe the first in Kent since the major changes to national policy in 2012 - we are now in a much stronger position to fight off speculative planning applications, and we can work to ensure those allocated for housing provide sufficient infrastructure for the local community."

The plan will be reviewed by April 2022, with a revised transport strategy to address the potential adverse traffic impacts from developments beyond 2022.

The inspectors report is available on the local plan examination library page (ID/12 & ID/12a) and the Local Plan will be moved to be adopted at the full council meeting on the 26th of July.

Upchurch Matters

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Global Biking Initiative 10th Anniversary - Cyclists Resting in Upchurch

Click to enlarge.

Amateur cyclists from all over the world will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Global Biking Initiative with a re-run of the very first GBI Europe tour, but in reverse direction.

Starting on the 2nd and finishing on the 7th of July 2017, they will be cycling from London via Canterbury to Dover, and through the Benelux countries in six days to Dusseldorf.

Riders have to raise at least €100 in sponsorship for a children's charity in their own country. Last year they raised over half a million € !

Teams of up to 10 cyclists will leave the Excel Centre, London around 11:00am.

Upchurch will be a nutrition point and the cyclists will begin arriving at The Recreation Ground in Oak Lane on Sunday the 2nd of July at around 12 noon where they will be resting for 15-30 minutes. It is expected cyclists will be in the area for around 2 hours.

ROAD USERS PLEASE BE AWARE:

Oak Lane and other roads around the village may be busy during this short time. In the interests of road safety, please be patient and courteous to our guests.

Thank you

More info at the GBI website ☞ http://bit.ly/2sPz0dq

Upchurch Matters

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Thank You from the Village Fete Committee

The Village Fete Committee would like to give a BIG thank you to everyone that came along on Saturday and helped make our 4th fete a good day out for all.

We had a lovely sunny day this year, perhaps too hot for some, but we were well attended by residents as well as relatives and visitors from further afield.

We thank all our stall holders for their continued support and hope the day helped with their individual fund raising. We also thank the Crown for taking on the beer tent this year.

Sky Birds of Prey returned to perform for us, their demonstrations were hampered only by some rather naughty birds!!! We had our regular variety of musical acts with excellent performances from the Holywell School choir, The Rock Choir, The Syncopators Jazz Band and The Lynx. We were also introduced to the Kent Musical Theatre Society who volunteered their services in return for promoting their Little Shop of Horrors show at the Hazlitt Theatre in August. For the younger visitors we had Mrs Back To Front performing magic and a Punch & Judy show.

Keeping up with tradition, the guides and brownies did an excellent turn around the maypole and we persuaded some ladies and gents to finish the day with a friendly tug of war. Both matches were declared a draw!!!

Our local PCSO John Cork was on hand for informal chats with residents and to promote the services of the PCSOs.

We cannot hold the fete without the continued support from our sponsors and volunteers. We must therefore thank the following:

• Kent Trade Frames, Upchurch River Valley Golf Course, Gransden Construction Ltd, ATS Resurfacing Specialists, Kinloch & Sons, Hidsons Group Ltd, Ward Cllr Gerry Lewin, Ward Cllr John Wright and Upchurch Parish Council for their financial support.

• Hidsons Group Ltd, The Edith May Thames Barge, The BarnYard for their donation of prizes.

• Jascom Electrical Contractors Ltd, Countrystyle Recycling, First Highways, Upchurch Matters, Gabriel, Upchurch Cricket Club and Peter Boakes for the donation of various services.

• The Upchurch Scouts for overseeing the parking on the Recreation Ground.

• Dave Neale who does an excellent job hosting the day, keeping it on track as well as cajoling participation in the tug of war! He also provides the sound system for all our musical acts.

And finally, without you the residents and friends coming along to share the day our event would not be so successful in raising funds for all the local organisations.

Thanks to everyone once again and we look forward to next year which will celebrate the conclusion of World War 1.

The Village Fete Committee

Monday 19 June 2017

Outbuildings Entered Illegally - Bull Lane, Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: XY/028632/17

Between 5:00pm and 8:00pm on Saturday 17th of June, 3 outbuildings were entered illegally at a Cottage in Bull Lane, 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

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