News

Snow forecast prompts safety advice

11 January 2017 0 Comments

Kent Fire and Rescue LogoWith snow forecast for Kent tomorrow, Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) wants to help the public to keep themselves safe and not to make unnecessary calls to the emergency services.

KFRS Assistant Director for community safety, Ian Thomson, said: “We would like to reassure people that we have place practical plans in place to ensure the Service is prepared during this period of cold weather and snow, and that our staff will be working really hard to ensure fire stations are ready to provide a 999 response when needed.”

He added: “We are asking the public to help us by only calling if they really need us, to avoid making non-essential journeys on the roads, adjust their driving to the weather conditions and to follow the safety tips below to keep themselves safe in the home. Remember that a fire can quickly take hold, which is why it’s vital you have working smoke alarms on every floor of your home to provide early warning in the unfortunate event of a fire.” (more…)

News, Safety

Helplines

9 January 2017 0 Comments

Are you looking for urgent help or advice

We have added details of some national helplines to our links page https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/417-2/#helplines

Women’s Aid www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/helpline/ Tel: 0808 2000 247
provides services to women and children experiencing domestic violence.

Samaritans www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us Tel:116 123. or
visit the local branch www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritans-ashford-and-tenterden
offers confidential and emotional support for those who are experiencing despair.

Saneline www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/  0300 304 7000 from 4:30pm – 10:30pm every evening
offers information and support for those with mental health issues.

FRANK www.talktofrank.com/contact-frank Tel: 0300 123 6600,
Need a quick answer? Text a question and FRANK will text you back Text 82111 or
Chat online www.talktofrank.com/livechat 2pm – 6pm every day
helps people with drug problems.

Drinkline Tel: 0300 123 1110
free, confidential helpline for people who are concerned about their drinking, or someone else’s.

Shelter http://england.shelter.org.uk/contact_us Tel: 0808 800 4444
offers housing advice.

Runaway www.runawayhelpline.org.uk/advice/  Tel or Text 116 000,
Chat online using link above, or
email: 116000@runawayhelpline.org.uk
advises young people aged 17 if they are thinking about running away, if they have already run away, or if they have been away and come back and those that are worried that someone else is going to run away or if they are being treated badly or abused.

Childline www.childline.org.uk/get-support/ Tel: 0800 1111,
Chat online: www.childline.org.uk/get-support/1-2-1-counsellor-chat/, or
Email: www.childline.org.uk/locker/inbox/
helps children or young people in distress. Tel: 0800 1111

Silverline www.thesilverline.org.uk/ Tel: 0800 470 8090
provides information, friendship and advice for older folk.

Care, Emergency, News, Wellbeing

SACF January Meeting

9 January 2017

The next meeting of South Ashford Community Forum will take place

at 7:00 pm
on 25th January 2017
at South Ashford Baptist Church
Brookfield Road, TN23 4EY

The Draft Agenda can be downloaded from this link or from the Minutes and Agendas page on the South Ashford website. If there are any items that you would like added, please contact us by 17th January.

Please do encourage your friends, colleagues and acquaintances, that live or work in South Ashford to come to this meeting.

News, SACF

Council Tax set to rise by £ 5.56 pm

7 January 2017 2 Comments

The publication of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner’s draft budget completes the picture for Council Tax rises for this year.

Council tax for a Band D property will rise from £ 1,507.70 to £ 1,563.32, a increase of £ 55.62, equivalent to £ 5.56 per month when paid over 10 months. This is subject to ongoing consultations, ratification by the precepting authorities and a decision by Kent County whether they should take up the government’s offer of an increase in the Social Care precept of 3% rather than the 2% allowed in its draft budget. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Finance, Kent County Council, News

Consultation on policing precept

7 January 2017 0 Comments

A boost for security and frontline policing in Kent

Office of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner

Opens: 06 January 2017
Closes: 23 January 2017

A message from the Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott:

“I am responsible, as Police and Crime Commissioner, for determining the overall budget for policing in the county and for setting the amount that Kent Police receives from the annual council tax. Policing is mainly funded in two ways; about two thirds come from grants we receive from the Home Office and the rest from the council tax.

“For the next financial year, Kent will lose more than £2million of funding from the Home Office, as money is set to be taken away to pay for other things. I believe some of these, such as giving money to the courts service to pay for changes to police bail, are unfair and I will be challenging those.

“So in my first year as your Police and Crime Commissioner, I have been faced with a difficult choice. Ideologically, I am a low-tax Conservative. During the course of my campaign, I said that I did not want the precept to rise, unless it was needed to protect frontline policing. However, I believe that this announcement meets that test. In 2017/18, I am proposing that the council tax precept for Kent Police rises by 3.3%, equivalent to £5 for an average Band D household, supported by a contribution from reserves. (more…)

Consultation, Crime, Finance, News, Safety, Security

2 weeks left for primary school applications

7 January 2017 0 Comments

Kent County CouncilYou must apply for a primary school place, by 16th January 2017, if:

  • l your child is due to start primary or infant school (reception year)
  • l your child is at infant school (year 2) and is due to start junior school (year 3)
  • l your child is at primary school (year 2) and you want your child to move to junior school at the start of year 3.
  • If your child is at infant school (year 2) and you want to apply for a year 3 place at a primary school (rather than a junior school) you must apply for an in year admission.

Apply for a school place:

Online

Go to Kent Online Admissions www.kent.gov.uk/ola

By post.

Once completed send to: The Primary Admissions Team, Room 2.20, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ.

More information

For more information read the KCC guide to primary school places www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/64324/primary-admissions-booklet.pdf (PDF, 6.3 MB).

If you need advice call 03000 41 21 21 or email primaryadmissions@kent.gov.uk.

www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/primary-school-places

Children, Education, Kent County Council, News

Consultation on ABC draft warding proposals

6 January 2017 0 Comments

Boundary CommissionThe Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has announced the dates for the public consultation on draft recommendations for warding for Ashford District as 7 February 2017 to 3 April 2017.

This will be the second stage of consultation during the Electoral Review of Ashford. South Ashford Community Forum’s proposal for wards for the unparished area of South Ashford can be viewed here: https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2016/08/09/sacf-electoral-review-proposal/. Other submissions can be viewed on the LGBCE website www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/south-east/kent/ashford

The aim of the electoral review is to recommend ward boundaries that mean each councillor represents approximately the same number of voters. The Commission also aims to ensure that the pattern of wards reflects the interests and identities of local communities as well as promoting effective local government.

We will post the announcement of the consultation.

Ashford Borough Council, Democracy, News, SACF

Stagecoach Bus App available!

4 January 2017 0 Comments

Stagecoach logoEverything you love about Stagecoachbus.com – in your pocket.

Stagecoach’s mobile App has all you need in one place – journey planning, live bus information in real time  and mobile bus tickets.

Now it’s even easier to find your nearest bus stop and plan your journey using your phone.

Here’s how the App makes bus travel even easier:

  • What’s nearby?  Set your location using your phone’s GPS to find the right buses, stops and routes for wherever you are.
  • Where do you want to go?  Use the journey planner to get from A to B with ease, including ticket options, walking directions and disruption updates.
  • Check live bus times so you know exactly when it will arrive, and once on the bus, follow your journey so you know exactly when to get off the bus.
  • Save your favourite buses, journeys and stops for even easier journey planning.
  • Say goodbye to paper tickets with mobile day tickets straight to your phone (only available in some areas at the moment). No need to worry about change – pay safely and securely using your card or PayPal and your tickets will be ready to use instantly on your phone. Simply activate your ticket when you’re ready to board and show it to the driver.

The Stagecoach Bus App is available free on the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Click the  buttons below  to download, or search Stagecoach Bus  on the App Store or Google Play store.
download app storedownload google play

Stagecoach UK Bus
https://www.stagecoachbus.com/app?utm_source=homepage-carousel-&utm_medium=website&utm_content=ukb-site&utm_campaign=appmobileticketslaunch-2016nov-south-east-

Communications, News, Transport

KFRS Budget Consultation

3 January 2017 0 Comments

Kent Fire and Rescue LogoCouncil Tax consultation 2017/18

Kent Fire and Rescue Service

Opens: 5 December 2016
Closes: 16 January 2017 (12:00 noon)

Where your money is spent

Your local fire service gets its money from two places, the Government and Council Tax. This is the amount we have to spend each year on all of the services we provide which include:

  • Providing a 24/7 emergency service for fires, road traffic collisions, floods and a whole range of other emergencies where the skills and equipment of firefighters are needed.
  • Safety advice and support to help local people stay safe in their own homes, this includes home safety visits particularly targeted at the most vulnerable in the community such as older people and those with disabilities.
  • Assistance to the ambulance service for serious medical emergencies such as heart attacks, where trained local fire crews are located closer to the casualty.
  • Education for around 90,000 children each year on fire and road safety in schools and at our road safety centre.
A few important facts:
  • Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s day-to-day budget in 2016/17 is £69m
  • Along with others in the public sector, Kent Fire and Rescue Service has made savings over recent years – £22m over the last 7 years
  • We expect to have to make further savings of around £7m over the next four years

Help us plan for the future

We are determined to continue to provide a safe and efficient service whilst balancing changing local needs and working with reducing grant funding from central Government. We believe that the plans we have put in place over the last few years have provided a good foundation to meet that challenge. Our previous investment in new equipment is already paying off, helping us fight fires and deal with rescues more effectively. We are also looking at new ways of working that are more flexible and responsive to local needs. This will help us make the necessary savings while still maintaining the quality service that we believe local people want. (more…)

Consultation, Finance, News, Safety