Council Services during lockdown
Check the council websites for the latest information on how the Coronovirus pandemic and the lockdown have affected Council Services
News
Stagecoach Easter services
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In order to serve key workers who need to travel on Good Friday and Easter Monday, Stagecoach buses will be running their current Monday to Saturday service on most routes. Their journey planner is now updated, so you can plan your essential journey over Easter now: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/plan-a-journey
Unfortunately there are a few routes that cannot be operated on Good Friday and Easter Monday:
- Route 649 in Canterbury will not operate.
- Route 93 in Dover will not operate.
- Routes 312/313 & 95/96/97 in the Hastings area will not operate.
On Easter Sunday we they be operating normal Sunday bus timetables.
The customer service centre will not be open on Good Friday or Easter Monday.
They will re-open on Tuesday 14th April.
You can contact them via
- email at southeast.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com,
- Tweet us @StagecoachSE or
- phone us on 03456 00 22 99,
between 10:00 – 12:00 and again between 13:00 – 15:00.
Covid-19 scams
Criminals use any opportunity to trick people into parting with their money. The Coronavirus pandemic is no exception.
Think before responding to unexpected letters, phone calls, emails or texts.
Be wary of messages and posts on social media.
The following details some of the scams reported:
(more…)KFRS customer promise consultation
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) are consulting on their Customer Promise
KFRS exist to help keep you safe whether at work, home or as you move around Kent and Medway. They deliver services for everyone working and living in our changing community. They aim to give people advice and support in order to reduce the risk of fire and other emergencies as they go about their daily lives. Of course, accidents still happen and they aim to provide an excellent emergency response when it is needed, meeting the needs of every individual involved.
The KFRS customer promise sets out what you are entitled to expect from them, and what they expect from our staff. It also outlines the standards that they have set in the key areas of service that they know are important to you. And because a statement is simply a statement, you will find quantifiable targets by which their performance can be measured in their action plans. Above all, it is their commitment to provide you with an assured level of service, giving you the peace of mind that they are working to help you stay safe in your home, at work and when you’re out and about in Kent and Medway.
There when you need them
- Everyone in Kent has a right to expect an excellent response from Kent Fire and Rescue Service.
- They will always seek to innovate so we can deliver a service that meets changing local needs.
- To develop a better understanding of our customers’ needs so they can provide services that fit your needs and accessible advice to help you keep yourself, your home and your business safe.
Respect, fairness, compassion
- KFRS recognise without bias the rights, needs and dignity of others in all our contact with you.
- They will work to see things from our customers’ perspective and treat everyone with compassion, fairness and respect
- They will ensure all people, but particularly those with a disability; lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people (LGBT); ethnic minority people; older people; and people from minority faiths, are aware of ther services, feel confident to access them and understand how they can be adapted to meet individual needs.
Working with you to deliver good value services
- KFRS will seek your views and listen to your feedback to help them shape and deliver services.
- They will continue to deliver the best service they can by setting targets and honestly reviewing performance to see where they can improve.
- They will spend public money in a way that maximises community benefits.
- They will take a common sense approach to our work with partners including police, ambulance and public health to save money, avoid waste and build safer, resilient communities.
- They will continue to work in a way that minimises their impact on the environment.
To listen, learn, and resolve your problems
- KFRS will make it easy for you to contact them.
- Staff will listen and deal with you in a professional, friendly way, avoiding jargon and taking responsibility to resolve your issue.
- They will respect and protect your privacy and personal data. They maintain a secure network and servers to safeguard your data against malicious activity.
- Despite best efforts they occasionally make mistakes. When things do go wrong, they want you to feel confident that they will listen and deal with your complaint quickly and learn lessons to improve their services.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service
https://www.kent.fire-uk.org/about-us/our-customer-promise/
Enjoy bonfires and barbecues responsibly
With many spending their extra time at home in the garden we remind you to be careful and considerate when lighting bonfires and barbecues.
Please consult your neighbours before lighting a bonfire or barbecue, essential workers may need to wash clothes more frequently and smoke can aggravate some medical conditions. Neighbours may also mistake bonfire smoke as being from a property or uncontrolled fire and call the fire brigade.
Rules regarding bonfires.
You must not burn general household waste, but may burn garden waste from your own garden if this is done without causing a nuisance to others.
If there is no alternative to having a bonfire, you must:
- Ensure that smoke does not cause a nuisance to neighbours.
- Ensure that the smoke does not affect highway safety
and you should:
- Avoid burning in hot weather – when neighbours are more likely to need windows open
- Notify neighbours that you will be having a fire
- Ensure that the fire burns quickly, rather than be left to smoulder
- Ensure that green waste has completely dried out prior to burning
- Ensure that the fire is not left unattended, and have a means to extinguish a fire if necessary
- Ensure that the wind direction will take any smoke away from neighbouring properties
Burning of commercial waste
In addition to the law of nuisance, it is an offence to burn commercial waste (including construction and demolition waste), and to produce dark smoke from industrial or trade premises. No bonfires should be lit on commercial premises, except for the burning of ‘green’ landscaping waste cut down at that property.
Fire service safety advice:
- Remember to build your bonfire well clear of buildings, garden sheds, fences, hedges and overhanging branches.
- Keep it to a manageable size and make sure it is evenly built so it collapses inwards as it burns.
- Always have a bucket of water or hosepipe nearby in case of emergency. If the bonfire becomes out of control and catches foliage or property alight, call 999.
- Be sure not to leave bonfires unattended and dampen them down fully once you’re done.
Those enjoying barbecues are also urged to do so safely, keeping cooking well away from fences, foliage and buildings even if there are no flames, because radiated heat alone can cause nearby plants or structures catch fire.
Ashford Borough Council
https://www.ashford.gov.uk/the-environment/environmental-health/bonfires-and-wood-burners/bonfires/
Kent Fire and Rescue Service
https://www.kent.fire-uk.org/news/news-releases/april-2020/rise-in-bonfire-999-calls-linked-to-covid-19-isolation/
Crime statistics February 2020
Statistics for crimes committed in the unparished area of South Ashford have been provided by www.police.uk/
Compare these statistics with previous months and years on our Crime Statistics page
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/local-information/safety-and-security/crime-statistics/
Stagecoach timetable changes
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Stagecoach bus services and timetables are temporarily changing due to COVID-19
Following government advice to limit non-essential travel, we’re making changes to our South East services and timetables from Monday 30 March 2020.
The changes ensure that essential routes are maintained wherever possible. Please make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date information. At the moment, the latest information won’t be available on our journey planner but click below to download the temporary timetables:
If you’re a key worker and need to give us feedback on our temporary timetables across West Scotland because you’re concerned they don’t meet your needs, or you have comments about social distancing you can do so here.
If you need more information about our response to COVID- 19, please visit our Coronavirus webpage
We want to reassure you that our absolute priority is to protect the safety of our customers and employees. So, we’ve introduced enhanced hygiene measures across all our buses and are encouraging the use of contactless payment, which keeps us all a little safer. You can pay by contactless with your card or device on all our buses so please go contactless if you can.
Coronavirus advice
We are compiling the latest advice about COVID-19. Use the links to find more information.
All of our information is taken from authorative UK sources.
(more…)Coronovirus update
You will have seen/heard that the Government is planning to ask those over 70 to stop social contact for a prolonged period.
The Minister for Health has emphasised that the Government have not yet decided when this period should start. Starting too early will prolong the period that over 70s need to ‘self-isolate’.
Those with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic lung disease and some cancers may be more suscetible to more severe affects of the virus and should take extra care to protect themselves.
For more advice on Coronavirus see our earlier post
Coronovirus latest advice
The Prime Minister, supported by the Chief Scientific Advisor and the Chief Medical Officer announced new measures to limit the impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) this afternoon.
No new restrictions on events were announced. Schools are expected to continue to open as normal, unless advised otherwise by local public health officers.
Stay at home guidance for coronavirus symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- new continuous cough and/or
- high temperature
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection
- if you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See Ending Isolation section below for more information)
- this action will help protect others in your community whilst you are infectious.
- plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home.
- ask your employer, friends and family to help you to get the things you need to stay at home.
- stay at least 2 metres (about 3 steps) away from other people in your home whenever possible.
- sleep alone, if that is possible.
- wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water.
- stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible.
- you do not need to call NHS111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111.
Those self-isolating with mild symptoms will not be tested.
Continue to good hygiene practice
The Chief Medical Officer emphasised that the most important thing for individuals to continue to use good hygiene practice previously recommended.
Do
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- always wash your hands when you get home or into work
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
- try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
Don’t
- do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean