News

Kent Police want to hear from you

10 July 2017 0 Comments

Kent Police would like to hear your experiences and interactions with the police or a family member as a result of a mental health crisis.

To help improve the services and future learning, share a summary of how the police responded to the crisis. All information provided will be anonymous.

If you would like to share your experiences, email Melinda Ghirardi Melinda.Ghirardi@kent.pnn.police.uk or call 01622 652643 by Friday 14th July. Help make a difference today!

If you have any experiences you would like to share, good or bad, talk to Healthwatch Kent.
You can

call the Healthwatch Kent freephone on 0808 801 01 02,

click https://kent.healthwatchcrm.co.uk/your-views, or

email info@healthwatchkent.co.uk.

Healthwatch Kent 10 July 2017
www.healthwatchkent.co.uk/news/kent-police-want-hear-you

Health, News, Wellbeing

Ashford Heritage Strategy

7 July 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council

Opens: 07 July 2017
Closes: 31 August 2017

Ashford Borough is home to an extraordinarily rich and significant stock of heritage assets which provide important and wide-ranging evidence of the rural history of this country and its tapestry of rural settlements. The Borough’s heritage is extensive too, with more listed buildings than any other in Kent, and with more grade 1 and II* listed buildings than other districts also.

This Heritage Strategy describes the rich history of Ashford Borough and its broad wealth of heritage assets. In doing so it responds to, and is compliant with the requirement for a ‘positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment’ promoted by the NPPF. It sets out how the historic environment can play an important role in delivering regeneration in the Borough, particularly supporting the objectives of the Local Plan for the regeneration of Ashford Town Centre, and the role of heritage in growing the tourism offer of the Borough. Having regard to the Government’s localism agenda, the Strategy promotes an agenda of further understanding and engagement with the historic environment, where the public play a leading role in delivering the outcomes of the strategy and shaping where they live, work and visit.

The borough’s attractive natural environment, including two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the successful Ashford Green Corridors initiative are widely recognised. However, the historic environment is equally one of the Borough’s most valuable assets, and one which can and should play an important role in its future development.

Have your Say

The Council is inviting you to have your say on the Ashford Heritage Strategy from Friday 7th July 2017 until midnight on the 31st August 2017.

(more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Consultation, Heritage, News, Planning and Development, Planning Policy

ABC Local Plan changes

7 July 2017 0 Comments

Help shape our Local Plan

Main Changes to Local Plan 2030

Ashford Borough Council

Opens: 07 July 2017
Closes: 31 August 2017

Ashford Borough Council are preparing a new Local Plan to 2030. It is being prepared with the aim of ensuring that future development within Ashford is well planned and managed effectively whilst having a positive impact on local communities, the economy and the environment. The new Local Plan will provide a consistent approach to planning into the future across the whole of the borough. Once adopted, the Local Plan 2030 will form the statutory development plan. A draft of the Plan was formally published and made available for consultation during the summer of 2016.

Ashford Borough Council are now consulting upon a series of Proposed Main Changes to that Publication Draft of the Local Plan. These changes are intended to:

  • resolve issues that were raised during public consultation on the previous draft of the Plan;
  • meet the increased housing need requirements identified through an update of national population projections;
  • ensure that the Plan is up to date; and
  • make sure that it meets the requirements of current national planning policy and guidance.

It is considered appropriate to address these issues before the Local Plan 2030 is submitted to the Secretary of State to be examined by a Planning Inspector. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Consultation, News, Planning and Development, Planning Policy

Is someone you know being scammed?

6 July 2017 0 Comments

Older people and those who are isolated in their community are often targeted by scammers. If you know or visit someone who might be a target you can support them by keeping an eye out for potential signs of scams.

Someone you know might be being targeted if they:

  • have letters piling up – usually from abroad or what looks like junk mail
  • have a lot of items delivered, such as health or beauty products or fake jewellery
  • are anxious when the phone rings, or get a lot of phone calls
  • become secretive when discussing finances or have unexplained expenses to ‘friends’

Citizens Advice
http://scams.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Consumer, Crime, Finance, News

Why you should report scams

5 July 2017 0 Comments

Reporting is really important in the fight against scams and fraud. It might help you to recover your losses and it helps the authorities to learn more about the tactics used by scammers.

The more we know about scams the better we can tackle them.

If you suspect a scam report it to Action Fraud – you can use their online reporting tool: www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud.

If you’ve lost money in a scam, tell your bank, finance company or pension provider.

For more advice call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06.

#scamaware

Citizen’s Advice
http://scams.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Consumer, Crime, Finance, News

Make the right call

5 July 2017 0 Comments

There are times where it would be unthinkable for you to use your mobile phone – such as playing football, or getting married – so why do it while driving?

KCC – Make The Right Call from Kent Road Safety on Vimeo.

Despite legislation, recent figures have shown that over a third of individuals admitted to using their mobile phones whilst driving to text or access apps. This is troubling statistic considering that when using a mobile device, your ability to react quickly in an emergency is likely to be worse than that of a driver at the drink-drive limit.

Crashes caused by mobile phone use are completely avoidable – so make the right call, don’t use your phone and drive.

Kent County Council
www.kentroadsafety.info/mobiles/

Kent County Council, News, Safety

How to spot a scam

4 July 2017 0 Comments

Scams are often hard to spot as they’re complex and use psychological tricks. You can keep yourself and others safe by knowing when it might be a scam.
If you’re not sure if something is a scam, get advice.

Talk to friends and family if something seems too good to be true, or call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06.

It could be a scam if you:

  • Get a call, text or email out of the blue – genuine companies and banks won’t ask for your full personal or security details
  • Are rushed to make a decision or give someone your details – if it’s real, you shouldn’t have to make a decision straight away
  • See a deal that’s very cheap or too good to be true
  • Are asked to pay for something up-front, like collecting a loan, or starting a job
  • Are asked to send money or your bank details to someone you’ve never met, especially friends online
  • Get a text or email saying that your bank needs to contact you ‘urgently’ especially if there’s a link to a website or a premium rate number

Find out more about common scams:
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/scams/common-scams/

#scamaware

Citizens Advice
http://scams.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Consumer, Crime, Finance, News

New mental health and eating disorders services

30 June 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Clinical Commissioning GroupFrom 1 September 2017, people of any age in east Kent with an eating disorder, and children and young people who need specialist mental healthcare, will get more joined-up services.

This is because contracts for a new all-age eating disorders service in Kent and Medway and an innovative children and young people’s mental health service in Kent have been awarded to the same organisation: NHS trust NELFT.

Currently, different trusts provide different aspects of the service, and there is no separate specialist service for people with eating disorders: it is part of wider mental health services.

Although the contracts were awarded separately, NELFT won both of them after being judged best for quality and value for money by each of the teams involved, who included GPs and mental health specialists. All the Kent services provided by NELFT will be based locally.

Children, young people and families with experience of mental health problems, and teenagers and adults with experience of eating disorders played a key role in the process, including setting out what they expect from the new service. (more…)

Children, Health, News, Wellbeing, Young people