Archive | General News
Helen Grant MP – Covid-19 Bulletin 24-03-2020
Covid plan for Cranbrook
If you are isolated at home, this website has lots of free things to do or look at to keep yourself occupied.
https://chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/list-of-online-resources-for-anyone-who-is-isolated-at-home
The Parish Council wish you all well in these strange times
Parish Council Vacancy
CRANBROOK & SISSINGHURST PARISH COUNCIL
Sissinghurst Ward
Notice of Casual Vacancy
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972 (SEC. 87(2))
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a casual vacancy has occurred in the office of Councillor for the SISSINGHURST ward of the Parish of Cranbrook & Sissinghurst following the resignation of Councillor Brian Clifford.
The Returning Officer at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has confirmed that the regulation 10 requests from electors has not been fulfilled and the Council can now fill the casual vacancy by co-option. NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to Rule 8 of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rule 1986 the council will fill the casual vacancy by co-option.
The council may co-opt any person who is legally qualified to hold such office, and who is willing to serve provided they are a British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union, and are neither the subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order or have, within five years before the day of the co-option, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a prison sentence (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine.
Provided the person also satisfies at least ONE of the following they may be apply.
• They are registered as a local government elector for the parish
• They have during the whole of the preceding twelve months occupied as owner or tenant, any land or premises in the parish
• Their principal or only place of work during the preceding twelve months has been in the parish
• They have during the whole of the preceding twelve months resided in the parish or within 4.8 km of it They must also be 18 years or older on the day they become nominated for election. Written expressions of interest from persons wishing to serve as a councillor need to be submitted to the Clerk of the Council within 21 days of the date of this notice. The closing date for the written submission interest is 15th April 2020. Final selection will be by vote at the Parish Council Meeting to be held on the 14th May 2020.
Dated 16th March 2020.
Clerk to Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish Council
In computing any period of time for the purposes of this notice a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a Bank Holiday or day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning, shall be disregarded.
Printed and Published by the Clerk to Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish Council, The Old Fire Station, Stone Street, Cranbrook,
Kent TN17 3HF – Tel: 01580 713112,
email: clerk@cranbrookandsissinghurstpc.co.uk
CODS POSTPONE CONCERT
‘CODS are very sad to have to POSTPONE our Sing 100 concert due to current health concerns. We hope to reschedule sometime later in the year. Please check our website (cranbrookods.org.uk) or Facebook pages (facebook.com/cranbrookods/) for updates.’
Coronavirus Related Scams
PROTECT ALERT
Fraudsters are exploiting the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus to facilitate various types of fraud and cyber crime.
Since February 2020, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has identified 21 reports of fraud where Coronavirus was mentioned, with victim losses totalling over £800k. Ten of these reports were made by victims that attempted to purchase protective face masks from fraudulent sellers. Reporting numbers are expected to rise as the virus continues to spread across the world.
Fraudsters are also sending out coronavirus-themed phishing emails in an attempt to trick people into opening malicious attachments or revealing sensitive personal and financial details.
Some of the other tactics we’ve identified from victim reports:
• Fraudsters purporting to be from research organisation’s affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) contact potential victims over email. They claim to be able to provide the recipient with a list of coronavirus infected people in their area. In order to access this information, the victim needs to click on a link, which leads to a malicious website, or is asked to make a payment in Bitcoin.
PROTECT ADVICE
What to do next?
Watch out for scam messages:
Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details.
Shopping online:
If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase. If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.
For more information on how to shop online safely, please visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/shoponlinesafely
Protect your devices from the latest threats:
Always install the latest software and app updates to protect your devices from the latest threats. For information on how to update your devices, please visit: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/securing-your-devices
The Keep Britain Tidy Campaign ‘Do it for Your Dog’
This weekend 11 million viewers watched the 2020 Crufts Best in Show wire-haired Dachshund ‘Maisie’ do what dogs do and take a toilet break on her victory lap of the NEC arena.
Her owner Kim McCalmon came well prepared and immediately scooped up the mess with a bag. If only all dog owners would follow in Kim’s footsteps and act so responsibly! But sadly we know all too well that this isn’t the case.
Our latest research into Dog Fouling found that 15% of dog owners admit to letting their dog poop in a public place without picking up, leading to 76% of adults stepping in dog poop in their lifetime.
This is why we’ve launched our latest campaign to tackle this noxious problem. The campaign features dogs as the messenger, appealing directly to dog lovers and leveraging the levers of both pride and shame to remind owners to pick-up their poop because it’s what their dog would want them to do.
The campaign has been designed to work across social media using highly engaging video content, and posters for placement at Dog Fouling hotspots in your local area. There are 4 videos available to choose from, featuring ‘Sarah the Spaniel’ and ‘Ben the Boxer’. The videos can also be voiced with a regional accent to really connect with your residents.
Essential gas mains replacement work in the High Street, Cranbrook
Notification of gas works
We are planning essential work to upgrade the gas network in the High Street, Cranbrook over the coming months. Our £625,000 project involves the replacement of old, metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply.
We have planned this work in close collaboration with Kent County Council, Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish Council, and Councillor Seán Holden to ensure we minimise disruption to the local community. Our project will start on Tuesday 14 April and will last approximately eleven weeks.
As agreed with the local authority, we’ll be working Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm, and on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. We are mindful of people who live in the area and will try to minimise noisy activities where possible.
Our project will begin on Tuesday 14 April in the High Street. To ensure everyone’s safety, we’ll need to close the High Street between its junction with the A229 Angley Road and Cranbrook Fire Station. Through network planning and downsizing our pipes, we’ve been able to reduce the road closure from a planned 12 weeks down to two weeks. We’ll also need to close New Road during this phase. A signed diversion will be in place for motorists and access for residents will be maintained.
Once we’ve completed our work in the High Street, New Road will remain closed for two further weeks while we continue to upgrade our gas mains. We will then pause our work for the VE Day celebrations.
From Monday 11 May, we’ll be working in the A229 Angley Road from the war memorial to the junction with Wheatfield Way for approximately seven weeks. We’ll need to install temporary traffic lights around our work area to keep everyone safe and the traffic flowing.
In July, we will then work in Bakers Cross between its junctions with Frythe Way and Dorothy Avenue for approximately two weeks. We’ll need to install temporary traffic lights during this phase to keep everyone safe.
You can find a map of our work overleaf.
We understand that people can get frustrated by roadworks. However, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years. This means that when the work is complete, Cranbrook residents will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come.
If you have any enquiries about our Cranbrook project, please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 912 1700.
Steve Fitzpatrick Project Manager
Invitation to Tender – Parish Warden
Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish are accepting submissions for their Parish Warden Contract. Closing date 20th March February 2020
Please see the information below:
Phil Mummery Honorary Mayor of Cranbrook – Book of Condolence
There will be a book of condolence in St Dunstan’s church from 9am today (Friday) for anyone to sign and write a message in. It will be on a table near the font and the door to the stairs up the tower where Phil spent many a Saturday welcoming visitors.
Do come in and add your words of condolence and memories of Phil. Thanks.
Revd Ann
An Exciting Opportunity
CRANBROOK & SISSINGHURST PARISH COUNCIL
is seeking a
DEPUTY PARISH CLERK
Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council is succession planning. We are seeking to appoint a full time additional Clerk to share the increasing workload and with a view to taking over the role of Proper Officer to the Council.
The ideal candidate will be proactive and an excellent communicator with a ‘can do’ attitude who can demonstrate strong administration, organisational and management skills. We are planning to go paperless imminently, so excellent I.T skills are crucial. The post involves managing emails, phone calls and letters from local residents, contractors and other service providers. The Parish have some exciting new projects in which you will be involved.
Experience or an understanding of Local Government would be desirable but not essential. The successful candidate will be prepared to study for and attain the CiLCA qualification.
The post is based in the Parish Office in Cranbrook. It requires a flexible approach, including attendance at regular evening meetings (generally 2-3 per month). Salary will be dependent on qualification and experience and is expected to be in the region of £26,317.
The appointee will be eligible to join the Kent County Council Local Government Pension Scheme.
Please send your application to Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council, The Old Fire Station, Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF. Closing date: 20th March 2020.
IMPORTANT NOTICE – Dated 14th February 2020
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has advised that due to the impending weather which has been forecast the Civic Amenity service will not run this weekend. It was decided it was better to call off the service than risk any issues.
CRANBROOK PARKING GOES ELECTRIC
Cranbrook’s first electric car customer, and a very happy one to, was a tourist from Berkhamsted who plugged into the newly installed electric vehicle charger on Easter Sunday. These chargers at the Jockey Lane Car Park will charge at 7.5kw per hour. A first-generation electric car battery holds about 22kw, a new generation car battery holds 42kw and these chargers will also fit rechargeable hybrids.
With electric cars becoming more popular Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish Council is hoping that this facility will encourage more visitors to the town.
Public Health England Bulletin 27/01/2020
Please find below the latest update on Wuhan Novel Coronavirus. This information was provided by Public Health England at 20:37, Monday 27 January 2020.
Figures
· As of 27/01/2020, in mainland China, 2,744 patients with confirmed WN-CoV have been reported, with 80 deaths in total.
· There are 56 confirmed cases internationally, outside of mainland China.
· As of 27/01/2020 09:00, there have been 73 individuals tested in the UK and all were negative.
Guidance for primary care
PHE has today issued interim guidance for primary care. The advice for primary care on infection control can be used in other settings as well (e.g. non-healthcare community settings, hotels, university accommodation, libraries, gyms).
All PHE guidance on this topic is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/wuhan-novel-coronavirus.
Primary care services dealing with possible cases of WN-CoV should contact their local Health Protection Team who will advise them on where the patient can be assessed and infection control measures.
References / sources of information
All PHE guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/wuhan-novel-coronavirus
You can find the latest relevant and useful information on PHE’s web links below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Please see the online Q&A blog.
Notification of major gas works: A229/ Hartley Road, Cranbrook
I am writing to make you aware of the forthcoming upgrade to our gas network in A229/ Hartley Road, Cranbrook. Our project involves the essential replacement of old metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure we continue to provide a safe and reliable gas supply to the local area. Our contractor RHP Pipelines will be undertaking this work on our behalf.
In consultation with Kent County Council, we will start our project on Monday, 27 January. Over the coming 9 weeks our engineers will be working in Hartley Road, starting from the junction with Orchard Way and progressing westwards towards Champion Crescent.
To ensure everyone’s safety, we will need to install temporary traffic lights around our work area. The traffic lights will move with us as we progress westwards along the road.
We are planning a separate project to upgrade the gas network in Cranbrook High Street. We’re working closing with the local authority on our programme of works. We will share all the information with you once details have been confirmed.
We understand that roadworks can be frustrating. However, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years. This means that when the work is complete, residents will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come.
SGN, St. Lawrence House, Station Approach, Horley, RH6 9HJ
Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @SGNgas
Smell
gas? Call 0800 111 999
Find
out how to
protect your home from carbon monoxide
Celebratory Officer Vacancies
The Kent Registration Service is looking for Celebratory Officers to register and conduct their civil ceremonies; these include marriages, civil partnerships and renewal of vows. If you are customer-focused, confident and reliable, then this opportunity could be for you. Not only do you work as part of a great team, but you also get to work a range of beautiful venues and be a part of a couples’ very special day.
We have annualised hours contracts available across the county for 248 hours and 136 hours per annum, with the salary paid in equal monthly instalments over the year regardless of the hours worked that month.
The greatest proportion of the work will take place from June to September inclusive, for which you will be required to work Fridays and/or Saturdays dependant on your contractual hours. Ceremonies also take place on other weekdays and bank holidays.
Whilst you will be allocated to a District base, the ability to travel across a wide geographical area in a timely and flexible manner at various times of the day is essential. This role can require long periods of standing.
Candidates must be available to attend the following:
- One of our Assessment Days which will be held on 13th February, 17th February and 18th February 2020
- Interviews which will be held week commencing 24th February 2019
- Training for successful candidates which will take place during April and May 2020
Salary is £20,222 pro-rata (This equates to £1426 or £2602 p.a. depending on the size of the contract taken)
To apply, please visit https://kenthrbc.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/celebratory-officer-4114 . For more information about the position, please telephone David Todd on 03000 414738.
Domestic Abuse Volunteers Needed
Christmas Bin Collection Timetable
How to get in touch with Kent Police
