Community

Kent Community Foundation – “Knock & Check”

Kent Community Foundation is asking the people of Kent and Medway to help them save lives this winter.

Each year there are around 1600 avoidable winter deaths across the county. We want your help to reduce this number and are asking the people of Kent to check on their elderly neighbours during the colder months when they are most at risk.

Knock & Check is simple – take a look at the small actions which will make a difference within your community , as well as the details of services which can offer a lifeline to the more elderly and isolated

Small actions could make a big difference:

  • Knock on the door to say ‘hello’
  • Offer to pick up some food or add something to your online shopping
  • Drop off a slice of cake
  • Plate up an extra meal
  • Share books or magazines
  • Volunteer for one of our fantastic organisations in Kent and Medway
  • Share details of supporting services

Remember to follow Government guidelines on social distancing to keep communities safe from COVID-19.

  • Keep a 2m distance, staying outdoors at all times
  • Wash your hands before and after a visit
  • Wear a face mask

For further information please visit the website at https://kentcf.org.uk/knockandcheck

November 12, 2020 in Community, Covid-19

Vacancy for Member of Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee

We currently have a vacancy for a new member to join the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee.

If possible, we would like someone who would be able to represent the younger residents of Paddock Wood but this is not essential.  The most important thing is a love for our town and a desire to help influence its future.

Please contact the Neighbourhood Plan via the facebook page or the Town Council Office if you would like more information.

To keep up to date with what is going on with all aspects of the Neighbourhood Plan you are welcome to join the Steering Group at its meetings.  These are currently being held via Zoom on the third Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm.  Invitations can be obtained via the agenda accessed through our Facebook page or the Town Council website. The Steering Group is very much looking forward to be moving forward with the project again although it is aware of the challenge of doing so at a time of limited face to face gatherings.  Further information on the Neighbourhood Plan and what it has done/is doing can be found on this website under the Neighbourhood Plan Section.

 

October 27, 2020 in Community, Neighbourhood Plan

Kent Police Fraud Alert

Please see the attached poster from Kent Police regarding fraudsters impersonating Internet providers.

POSTER

Please read the poster and remember that should you receive any of these calls you should hang up immediately and report it to Action Fraud.  Never allow anyone remote access to your computer and never download any unknown software/apps that allow access to your system.  Remember that your real internet provider will never ask you for remote access to your computer.

If you are unsure and want to contact your service provider, please call them via a trusted number, and if possible use an alternative phone than the one you were called on.  If you do not have access to another phone then please allow time for your line to clear or call a family member or friend to confirm that the line has cleared as scammers will try to remain on the line.

 

October 27, 2020 in Community

Town Council Awards Contract to Local Firm

Paddock Wood Town Council is pleased to announce that the pre-construction contract for the community centre has been awarded to local firm Baxalls Construction Ltd.

At a meeting on the 28th July 2020 councillors voted to award the contract, for the pre-construction phase, to Baxalls following a tendering process which saw a total of 4 firms bid for the work.

The Town Council will now work with Baxalls to take the project through to the next stage.

A community centre for the town has long been an aspiration of the town council and this is seen as a major step forward.

Cllr Meryl Flashman said:

“As Chairman of Paddock Wood Town Council, I am delighted that we have now appointed a contractor to take us through to the next stage in building our Community Centre on the Memorial Field. A lot of people have put in a lot of hard work to enable the project to progress to this stage. A Community Centre is something that Paddock Wood desperately needs to serve its expanding population and it is particularly pleasing that we have been able to appoint a local firm, Baxalls, to do this work for us.”

August 11, 2020 in Community, Community Centre

Vacancy on Steering Group of Paddock Wood Neighbourhood Plan

Following the retirement of John Flashman from the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group earlier in the year there is currently a vacancy for a new steering group member.

If possible, we would like someone who would be able to represent the younger residents of Paddock Wood but this is not essential.  The most important thing is a love for our town and a desire to help influence its future.

Please contact the Neighbourhood Plan via the facebook page or the Town Council Office if you would like more information.

August 11, 2020 in Community, Neighbourhood Plan

Covid-19 Essential Services & Help in Paddock Wood

Paddock Wood Community Support is a new mutual aid group set up to help during the Covid-19 pandemic which has full support of the Town Council.  Further information about the committee can be found here. If you would like to volunteer to help you can sign up here.  Leaflets are being posted throughout Paddock Wood so you should have received one.

KCC have set up Kent Together a 24 hour helpline to support vulnerable people in Kent who need urgent help, supplies or medication.

The helpline – called Kent Together – provides a single, convenient point of contact for anyone in the county who is in urgent need of help during the Coronavirus outbreak.

It is a collaboration between KCC, central Government, District, Borough and local councils, the voluntary and community sector, the NHS, emergency services and other partners to ensure help is at hand for vulnerable people.

It is also the place to report your concerns about the welfare of someone else. Kent Together is being coordinated by Kent County Council which will feed the information through the network of volunteers, district and borough council teams and local support groups, to ensure people get the support they need, when they need it.

If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing support networks, you can contact the Kent Together helpline at www.kent.gov.uk/KentTogether or by calling on 03000 41 92 92. It is a 24 hour service.

Social isolation is not an excuse for domestic abuse.  This is a crime and it can affect anyone. During this COVID-19 pandemic, limited contact with the outside world may make you or someone you know feel unsafe but our specialist teams are still here to help 24/7, in the same way we always do.  Kent Police will respond to your call and can arrest anyone committing offences against you. In an emergency dial 999 or 101 for non-emergencies. You can also speak to someone online at www.kent.police.uk  Other agencies who can help at this time can be found on the poster here.

Guidance on funerals and the cemetery at this time can be found on our website under Cemetery or HERE

August 11, 2020 in Community, Covid-19

TWBC Local Plan

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) are developing their Local Plan for the period to 2036. They have said that they need to provide for an additional 13,000 homes in the borough during this period.

The response from Paddock Wood Town Council to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council regarding the Local Plan can be found here.

The response from Paddock Wood Town Council regarding the Sustanability Appraisal (Local Plan) can be found here.

August 11, 2020 in Community, Development

KCC Bus Feedback

Kent County Council have asked us to share this information with residents. As there have been recent changes to the bus services in this area we would encourage residents to use this to pass on their comments.

During last summer’s Big Conversation with residents, many people told us that they didn’t know who to give feedback to about bus services.

To make this clearer, we have launched a Bus Feedback Portal. It includes information about how to make a formal complaint or compliment about bus services and who to contact in the event that bus users experience problems.

It also includes a feedback form for residents to let us know about their experiences of using buses and the quality of service provided.

We will use the feedback that we get a greater understanding of what types of problems bus users experience and to spot trends about the areas or on which services they arise. We will use this information to inform the conversations that we have with bus operators through our Quality Bus Partnerships or more generally and help improve things for bus users.

KCC is encouraging people to use the form to let us know about their experience of using buses and the quality of service provided. A link to the portal is provided below.

http://www.kent.gov.uk/busfeedback

August 11, 2020 in Community, Traffic