News

Mental health in east Kent – have your say

2 April 2016 0 Comments

NHS Ashford CCGThe east Kent mental health commissioning team are keen to involve people in developing their work with mental health.  We want to hear from you about your priorities for mental health and how these services should look in the future. We want to know what you really think.

Do you have views about local mental health services? Have you used them? Avoided them but needed them? You are the experts in what works and what needs to change. We’d really like to hear from you to help develop our priorities for the future and improve services.

The east Kent mental health commissioning team is introducing co-production in their work, which means including people affected by mental health issues. We’d like to invite you to become involved in this future work by leaving your email address at the bottom of this survey so the team can contact you. (more…)

Health, News

Helping make travel cleaner, greener and cheaper

2 April 2016 0 Comments

Kent Connected front page imageA new website has launched with the aim of reducing congestion, tackling air pollution, and saving time and money on journeys in Kent.

Kent Connected boasts many features, from advice and tips on changing and improving travel habits, to a journey planner that provides a range of travel options comparing time, costs, CO2, and calories burned.

Ambitions: we all have them

Kent Connected’s is to improve your journey in Kent.

They are passionate about making your journey easier, saving you time and money and reducing congestion. Sound impossible? It’s not! There are so many ways that you can achieve this, all while helping to improve the environment and your health through sustainable or active travel choices. (more…)

Environment, Kent County Council, News, Transport

SACF Meetings 2016

30 March 2016 0 Comments

South Ashford Community Forum have provisionally booked speakers for their next three meetings:

  • 18th May 2016 – 18:30 – Arlene Van Bosch, U+I, Victoria Way and Powergen Sites
  • 13th July 2016 – 19:00 – Daniel Carter, Principal Policy Planner, Ashford Borough Council; Ashford Borough Local Plan 2030
  • 21st September – 19:00 – Chris Dixon, Ashford Borough Council; Victoria Park and Watercress Fields Masterplan

and although a speaker is yet to be selected the final meeting will include:

  • 16th November – 19:00 – Parliament Week

All meetings are held at South Ashford Baptist Church, Brookfield Road, TN23 4EY.

To ensure you receive notices and updates from us sign up for SACF e-mails at bit.ly/sacfsignup
(read our Privacy Policy southashford.org.uk/index.php/website/cookie-policy/).
Meeting details will be included on our Calendar bit.ly/sacfcal
Minutes of and Agendas for Meetings will be available from the Minutes and Agendas page bit.ly/sashfordma

Democracy, News, Planning and Development, SACF

Water in your garden

25 March 2016 0 Comments

Mr Splosh - Water Saving WeekWhy save water in your garden?

Saving water in your garden can save money and energy: Water uses energy to be pumped, heated and treated. Why not try using rainwater instead of your tap water to wash your car, water your plants and other garden/outdoor activities? You’ll save money, energy – and money – if you are on a water meter!

Saving water in your garden can help reduce the risk of flooding in your local area: By collecting rainwater in a water butt to use in your garden, you’re not only saving water but also preventing that water from just sitting on hard surfaces such as tarmac, or running directly across surfaces and back into rivers too quickly – both of which can contribute towards localised flooding.

Saving water can help your garden to thrive: Some plants, for example Acers, prefer to be watered with rainwater anyway so give them what they want – helps your garden thrive and saves water, helping to cut your water and energy bills too! (more…)

Environment, Home, News

Water in your community

24 March 2016 0 Comments

Mr Splosh - Water Saving WeekWhy save water in your community?

  • If everyone in a community uses water wisely it can have a greater and more positive impact on your local water resources, such as rivers and streams – which is where your tap water often comes from. This will help to make your community more resilient to the impacts of climate change and population growth, both of which have an effect on how much water there is in the environment.
  • Saving water in your community helps to protect your local water environments such as rivers, lakes and wetlands: Reducing the amount of water you use can help to minimise the amount of water that is abstracted from your local water resources. If too much water is removed, this can result in wildlife habitats being lost.
  • Saving water in your community helps make a bigger difference: Everyone working together within local communities makes a big difference to people and places! It can help bring communities together and preserve what you love about your local environment, making sure it remains a delightful place to enjoy.

(more…)

Community, Environment, News

Water at Home

23 March 2016 0 Comments

Mr Splosh - Water Saving WeekWhy save water in your home?

  • Saving water at home helps reduce the amount of water we use (and waste) and can therefore save money and energy: If we waste less water we are more efficient with our water use – this not only saves water but also money if you’re on a meter through reducing both your water and energy bills. Did you know that just by fixing a dripping tap could save you £18 a year, not to mention 5,500 litres of water? And that heating water in your home for baths, showers and taps can account for up to 25% of your energy bill?
  • Saving water at home now helps us to be prepared and able to cope as water becomes more scarce: The South East and other parts of the UK have less water available per head than in Egypt (it’s also said that London is drier than Istanbul) and this is only expected to become the case for other parts of the UK with the combined effects of climate change and population increases. So, there is an increasing need for us to be more efficient with our water use so we are better prepared for these threats that our water supplies face.

(more…)

Environment, Home, News

Review of KCC Funded Bus Services

22 March 2016 0 Comments

Kent County CouncilIntroduction

Bus services across the UK were privatised in 1985.  Since then, many routes in Kent have been run by commercial bus companies, such as Arriva or Stagecoach.

But not all of Kent’s bus services are run on a purely commercial basis.  Kent County Council (KCC) currently spends £6.4 million subsidising some routes which, while not commercially viable, are considered important to the needs of the communities and passengers they serve.

What is being proposed

KCC have worked hard to protect these subsidies, but as central government funds have been reduced we’ve had to make savings.  They have already saved over £1million by working with bus operators to re-plan routes, renegotiating better contracts and through a greater use of Community Transport operators.  However, they still need to reduce our spending further in the next financial year.

To help them do this a series of changes have been identified for 17 subsidised services.  While KCC’s approach seeks to protect those bus services where the impact on passengers is greatest, they understand that any changes may have an adverse impact on existing bus passengers and they need you to tell them how the proposed changes may affect you. (more…)

Consultation, Kent County Council, News, Transport

Water in your workplace

22 March 2016 0 Comments

Water Saving WeekWhy save water at work?

  • Saving water at work can help you save other resources: If you include the products we use our water consumption is 3400 litres a day! If your workplace cuts down on these products not only water will be saved but also money, as most commercial premises are on a water meter. For example, if your workplace uses recycled paper and card products you can not only save water (roughly
    10 litres of water is used for every new sheet of A4) but also trees, energy and money!
  • Saving water at work can save energy: Many companies find that when they save water they can also save money on energy and process costs. For example, by saving water through having less air-con units and using natural ventilation via windows instead, energy bills will also be reduced, saving your business money.

(more…)

Business, Environment, News