News

Graham Turnill would like to welcome local resident who wishes to attend his mother’s funeral to be held on Thursday 15th February at 2pm at Barham Crematorium.

You may have seen that bad weather is on the way and we are likely to see high winds in some areas this evening through to tomorrow morning.

Our electricity network is built to be resilient but extreme weather can damage overhead power lines resulting in some customers losing their electricity supply.  Where this happens we work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. We have organised for additional staff in our contact centre to help customers whose electricity supply might be affected by the predicted weather, and we have called up additional engineers to carry out repairs to overhead lines and poles as soon as the wind reduces to a speed at which it is safe to work.

Both you and your local residents will be able to find regular updates on our website www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk and social media @UKPowerNetworks throughout this period.

Anyone experiencing a power cut should:

• Call 105 to report power cuts and damage to the electricity network, or 0800 3163 105 (from a corded phone or mobile phone if you have no power)
• Visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk for the latest updates
• Visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/powercut and type in their postcode to view our live power cut map
• Tweet @ukpowernetworks to report a power cuts or to receive updates

We advise people to stay clear of power lines and report damaged power lines immediately by calling 105 free from either a landline or a mobile phone. If they see electricity lines that are down or causing significant risk to the public they should call 999.

We provide extra help to customers on our Priority Service Register during a power cut.  Households with older or disabled people, those with children under five, or where someone uses medical or mobility equipment that requires electricity as well as other reasons can join the register.  You can find out more information about our Priority Service on our website: ukpowernetworks.co.uk/priority.

Many of us were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of well known and respected resident, and driving force of the Tower Theatre, Peter Heselden in December.

There will be a celebration of Peter’s life at the Tower Theatre on Monday 8 January 2018 at 17.30 following a private family service.

The Chairman and Trustees of the Shorncliffe Trust cordially invite you to the annual commemoration for Sir John Moore taking place at his Memorial on Sandgate Esplanade on Saturday, 13th January 2018 at: 09.45am.

Sandgate Parish Council have been greatly impressed by the efforts of the shop owners in the parish in decorating their premises. This has made Sandgate a truly lovely place to shop, walk and drive through.

On this year only Cllr Robert Bliss, Chairman of Sandgate Parish Council decided to personally award a prize for the most festive shop front.

It is intended that in future years the selection will be undertaken by an independent body during the first week of December. So, for this year, Cllr Bliss’s choice for the most festive shop front in Sandgate is The Dog House.

Cllr Bliss congratulated proprietors David and Karen Watson and presented them with a framed certificate and a bottle of champagne.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS – also known as the older persons bus pass) is a statutory national scheme providing free bus travel for individuals of a pensionable age or some pass holders who qualify on the basis of disability. There are approximately 290,000 pass holders across the County.

The scheme is managed by Kent County Council through our Contact Centre and Libraries who complete much of the day to day customer service and administration.

KCC inherited responsibility for the scheme from the District Councils in 2008. Passes are issued with a 5 year expiry and as a consequence, every 5 years the Council experiences a significant peak in renewals which needs to be managed. In March 2018, 195,000 passes currently in circulation expire.

Approach to renewals:

To manage this process efficiently with the minimum disruption on pass holders, it has been agreed that the Council will adopt an approach of ‘intelligent auto-renewals’ whereby the majority of existing pass holders, if using their pass recently, will automatically be sent a new pass in advance of their current one expiring i.e. the pass holder does not need to reapply. However, it has been identified that a significant proportion of passes have not been used in the last year and so these will not be automatically renewed. It should be clearly understood that this is in no way the removal of a right to hold a pass but we will be seeking confirmation from the pass holder that they still wish to be issued with one. Instead therefore, these pass holders will be written to and advised of their continued right to hold a pass together with instructions as to how to renew.

What happens next?

We are already promoting our approach and advising pass holders and bus passengers through various means including notices on buses which will start to appear throughout December.

We will then be cleaning the data by checking it with Royal Mail and National Mortar records to try to ensure that all of the detai that we hold is up to date and accurate.

Letters will be sent out throughout January, February and the first week of March and all automatically renewed or renewals applied for on time will be sent to pass holders before the expiry of current passes on 31st March.

A summary of the key events is shown below.

• Week Commencing Activity
• W/C 4th December 2017 Notices on buses and media campaign
• W/C 1st January 2018 Renewal reminders sent for surnames : A – B
• W/C 8th January 2018 Renewal reminders sent for surnames : C – F
• W/C 15th January 2018 Renewal reminders sent for surnames : G – K
• W/C 22nd January 2018 Renewal reminders sent for surnames : L – O
• W/C 29th January 2018 Renewal reminders sent for surnames : P – S
• W/C 5th February 2018 Renewal reminders sent for surnames : T – Z
• W/C 12th February 2018 Auto-renewals sent : Ashford, Canterbury & Dartford Districts
• W/C 19th February 2018 Auto-renewals sent : Dover, Gravesham & Maidstone Districts
• W/C 26th February 2018 Auto-renewals sent : Sevenoaks, Shepway & Swanley Districts
• W/C 5th March 2018 Auto-renewals sent : Thanet, T&Malling & T/Wells Districts
• 31st MARCH 2018 CURRENT PASSES EXPIRE

Further information is available at www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/travelling-around-kent/bus-travel/bus-passes or contact us at buspass@kent.gov.uk

A television company called Shiver Productions are developing a new television programme for a major broadcaster. They are looking for vibrant, fun and outgoing grandparents who want to spend more time with their adult grandchildren (who must be 18 plus).

With a lot of grandparents reportedly only seeing their grandchildren on average twice a year, it’s not surprising the two generations often know little about each other’s lives. In the programme, grandparents will spend one-on-one time with their multiple grandchildren in an attempt to get to know them better and see if they can offer any help.

Along the way they will learn about the pressures their grandchildren face, the lifestyle choices they make, their hopes for the future and what, if anything, is standing in their way of achieving them.

The programme will allow grandparents to share their knowledge, advice and practical help while learning more about the lives, hopes and aspirations of their grandchildren.

Local councils in Kent have been asked to see if there might be any grandparents (or grandchildren) who would like to get in touch with us.

On Saturday 25th November all are welcome at St Paul’s Church, Sandgate from 10am till Noon to be entertained by a return visit of our Organist John Hurd with Baritone Andrew Nunn in a short light programme of military songs and music under the heading “Kiss me Goodnight, Sergeant Major!”. Those who have heard this duo before will not wish to miss them.

As usual there will be a plentiful supply of coffee, tea and cakes and admission is free!

Sandgate Christmas “switch On” Saturday 25th November At 6pm (Prompt) at the Saga Pavilion

Free Entry (Courtesy Of Saga)

Enjoy a glass of Mulled Wine and Mince Pie

• 6pm – Welcome – Christmas Carols to greet you sung by the Mission Gospel Choir
• 6.15pm – Father Christmas Arrives: Every Child is invited to visit Father Christmas in his Grotto to receive their Christmas Gift (Courtesy of Sandgate Parish Council)
• 6.45pm – Sandgate Christmas Light “switch On” by Father Christmas
• 7pm – Evening ends

For pedestrians, the path to the event is illuminated but please bring a torch to assist your arrival and departure. Allow 5-10 minutes to walk from the saga entrance on Sandgate High Street to the Saga Pavilion. Car parking and disabled facilities are also available at the pavilion.