the website of South Ashford Community Forum
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/
The NHS in east Kent has begun a 12-month plan for improvement in emergency care, which includes immediate action for ensuring NHS services can meet the needs of a challenging winter period.
“Ensuring patients can access the care they need in the community, seeing patients more quickly in hospital emergency departments and improving the experience for patients is the priority for the NHS in east Kent,” said Simon Perks, Accountable Officer for NHS Ashford and NHS Canterbury and Coastal CCGs. “We are focussing on ensuring that the entire local NHS is caring for patients in the right place at the right time, whether that’s in a hospital bed, in a community setting or at home.”
Amongst the immediate actions in the plans are:
The NHS is also increasing information to the public about the services minor injuries units and pharmacists provide, and information on how to stay well. A vaccination programme starting in October will also protect staff and patients from catching flu.
East Kent Hospitals Acting Chief Executive Liz Shutler said: “Patients attending the emergency departments are assessed soon after arriving and critically ill patients are prioritised and treated quickly. However, this means that people attending with non-life threatening illnesses and injuries can wait for a long time and this is not the standard we want for any of our patients.
“We are carefully monitoring our services to ensure that patients are receiving safe standards of care. A wide range of doctors, nurses, therapists and other clinical staff make up the teams in our emergency departments and are working extremely hard to care for patients but it is challenging as we are still covering vacant posts with temporary staff.
“We have been successful in a bid for £800k to expand the departments at Ashford and Margate hospitals. This refurbishment work to increase the space available and provide a better environment for sick or injured patients, has begun and will be completed in October.
“We are continuing to work hard to recruit staff and have recently recruited 10 permanent emergency doctors that are joining East Kent Hospitals in the next two months.
“Every member of staff is working extremely hard to care for patients, and improving standards for emergency patients is our top priority.”
NHS Ashford and NHS Canterbury and Coastal CCGs 06 October 2017
Kent Police is investigating a report of a distraction burglary in Ashford in which money was stolen from an elderly woman’s purse.
The offender called on the woman at her home in the Brookfield Road area on the evening of Monday 2 October 2017.
Detective Sergeant Carl Evans said: ‘The man claimed there was a problem with the water supply and asked the elderly occupant to go upstairs to check a radiator.
‘After he’d gone she realised money had been stolen from her purse.’
The man is described as white, clean-shaven, in his 50s and about 5ft 2in tall. He was wearing a dark coat, dark trousers and a black cap.
Stay vigilant
Detective Sergeant Evans urged people to be vigilant and to look out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours and relatives.
He said: ‘Although unharmed, the victim was understandably shaken by this incident. But there are ways people can protect themselves.’
This includes:
Detective Sergeant Evans would like to hear from anyone who saw a man matching the above description or anyone acting suspiciously in the Brookfield Road area on Monday evening.
‘We would also like to hear from anyone with information about the offender,’ he said.
Please phone Kent Police on 01843 222289 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference number 02-1473.
Kent Police 03 October 2017
www.kent.police.uk/news/appeals-(witnesses-and-missing-people)/1017/witness-appeal-after-distraction-burglary-in-ashfo/
South Ashford Community Forum (SACF) have responded to an article regarding ParkRun in the Kentish Express on 28 September 2017. The article results from a discussion at the SACF June Meeting, the minutes of which can be viewed here (opens in Google online reader)
SACF recognise that ParkRun is the type of activity for which public parks, including Victoria Park, are suited. We do, however, believe that all users of Victoria Park should respect other users. However, it appears that some ParkRun participants are not giving other users that respect. This is illustrated by the reports we have received from some users and by the comments of some ParkRun supporters on the article on the Kent Online Facebook page and Kent Online website that imply that other Park users should not use the Park while ParkRun is in progress.
It may not be possible for more than 200 runners to use the main foot/cycle paths through the Park at a time when many other people are using them as part of their regular journey from South Ashford and Singleton into the Town Centre without causing some difficulties for both groups.
As a result of Ashford Borough Council’s successful bid for funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we are looking forward to the formation of a community group that will provide a practical contribution to the maintenance of the Park, and act as a forum for discussions on how the Park can be developed and used by all parties. We hope that all user groups, including ParkRun, will actively participate in that forum helping to promote understanding between users and make the Park a safer and more enjoyable place for everyone.
The East Kent Mental Health team are starting a new project looking at an adult, out of hours, therapeutic alternative place of safety (APoS) for east Kent residents experiencing mental health distress. We are inviting you to attend a workshop to get your views and ideas on what an Alternate Place of Safety in east Kent would look like, how it would operate and by whom.
Information, views and ideas gathered at these workshops will be used to develop an options paper on APoS for the East Kent Care Crisis Concordat steering group.
Ashford; date to be confirmed (to be mid October) 5 – 7pm Venue: Tesco Extra community room, Crooksfoot, Hythe Road, Wilesborough, Ashford, TN24 0YE
If you are interested in attending the workshop click the link here! https://goo.gl/forms/lRSJpYl60nBV3EIa2 (this will open up a google form)
These workshops will be run by Louise Piper and Sarah Parker from the East Kent Mental Health Team. If you can not access the booking form and would like a paper copy sent through or have other questions, please email: EKmentalhealth.commissioning@nhs.net
Discretionary Rate Relief – Autumn 2017Ashford Borough Council
Opens: 25 September 2017
Closes: 6th November 2017
The revaluation of business rates by the Valuation Office Agency took effect on 1st April 2017. This has led to some businesses, including some in the Ashford borough, seeing large increases in the rateable value of the premises they occupy.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has now stated that the government has put in place a £300m fund to enable local authorities to put in place a discretionary rate relief scheme. This is intended to help businesses apply for assistance if they have suffered from the impact of the first revaluation for seven years.
Ashford Borough Council has been allocated a share of the £300m funding pot to cover a four-year period, with £350,000 funding confirmed for year one and £175,000 for year two.
The government has issued guidance for local authorities and the council has put together a proposed scheme to help those business ratepayers who have suffered significant increases following the recalculation of the rateable value of the premise they occupy.
We are now consulting on our proposed scheme and invite you to comment. Please read the information in this summary document and then comment via this consultation portal.
You can respond to this consultation before 11.59pm on Monday 6th November 2017. Once the consultation has closed, an ‘output report’ showing all the responses received will be available on the council’s website from Friday 10th November.
Cabinet will meet on Thursday 9th November 2017 and consider the responses to the consultation. Full council will then consider the cabinet’s recommendations on 14th December 2017 and agree how the scheme will work for the remainder of the 2017-18 and then the 2018-19 financial years.
| Name | Discretionary Rate Relief – Autumn 2017 |
|---|---|
| Description | The council is consulting on its proposed discretionary rate relief scheme, following announcement of a funding allocation from government to help businesses adversely affected by the Valuation Office Agency’s revaluation that came into effect on 1st April 2017. |
| Dates | From 25 Sep 2017 at 00:00 to 6 Nov 2017 at 23:59. The results will be published by 10 Nov 2017. |
| Status | Open |
Ashford Borough Council 25 September 2017
https://haveyoursay.ashford.gov.uk/consult.ti/Discretionary_Rate_Relief/consultationHome
Gas Safety Week has ended but remember these six simple steps to help keep you safe and warm in your home:
To find this information in future go to Local Information > Safety and Security > Gas Safety
Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to a family home in Bowens Field, Ashford where one of the occupants had tried to remove a wasps nest by burning it. The wasp nest was in ivy growing close to the house – however the burning got out of control and set fire to the ivy before spreading to the roof of the property. KFRS was called and when crews arrived they found all occupants of the property safely outside. They used a hose reel jet to extinguish the small fire and checked for hot spots with a thermal imaging camera. The fire caused a small amount of damage to the ivy growth and the soffit and facia of the roof of the property. The cause was accidental. There were no reported injuries.
Firefighters have urged property owners to always seek professional advice around pest control and to never attempt to burn anything or use naked flames close to their property.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service 23 September 2017
www.kent.fire-uk.org/news/incidents/?entryid2=13848
Ashford Borough Council advice regarding pest control can be found on their website at www.ashford.gov.uk/the-environment/pest-control/
It’s the last day of Gas Safety Week 2017 – but of course gas safety is applicable all year round, so remember: