Ebola Virus - Advisory Note

Ebola Virus - Advice for Parents, Schools, Colleges, Childcare and Residential Settings The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa, and is taking action at home and abroad. The overall risk of Ebola to the UK remains low. However we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting Ebola-affected countries. Public Health England (PHE), in conjunction with the Department for Education, has produced advice for schools, colleges, childcare and residential settings to ensure people are properly informed about the Ebola virus. This can be found on GOV.UK. Please share this advice with your staff and cascade as appropriate. Advice for parents/guardians Parents/guardians should not be unduly worried about the possibility of their children catching the Ebola Virus. You may wish to use the following key points from the Public Health England advice to reassure them: The risk of Ebola arriving in the UK is low and to date there have been no cases of Ebola Virus Disease being contracted in the UK. Any person arriving in the UK having travelled from any Ebola affected countries will be screened. If they are free of symptoms they are not infectious so there should be no restrictions on their school attendance or normal activities. It is not possible to catch Ebola from a person who is not showing signs of being infected. It can only be caught by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is ill with the disease. There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend school or their early years setting as normal. Further information on the Government's response to the Ebola virus can be found on GOV.UK.

Follow us on Twitter.We post links to the latest DfE news, new publications, useful information and interesting stories. We try and answer as many questions as we can. Like us on Facebook. We use Facebook to support major consultations and campaigns. We encourage debate on key issues like adoption and behaviour. We post blogs from people in education and share pictures and posts from schools, nurseries and partners. Visit our partner page on TES Connect. We post blogs, host resources and highlight key announcements and other information for teachers. We're also active on YouTube, Flickr and Pinterest. Respond to our consultations.  On our consultation website you can access live and archived consultations, or view the results of consultations.

To ensure accuracy of Government communications please regularly review and update your school's registered details - including school email addresses - using the online system 'Edubase' (log in using your school's username and password). To note: To comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) the Department is obliged to release all school details held on Edubase on receipt of an FOI request from any member of the public - please ensure no personal details are provided.

Stone Parish Council QUID PRO QUO... the art of making unacceptable development acceptable?

Stone Parish Council QUID PRO QUO 

...the art of making unacceptable development acceptable?

Ordinarily it could be argued that 16 4-bedroom houses at this location could be considered inappropriate, but we think what makes this development palatable is the inclusion of the multi-use community building. 

As is so often the case with developments, especially those in Greenhithe, is they are delivered without providing the community infrastructure which can be as  simple as a hall 'somewhere to meet', which we see as the essential building blocks  required to bring about community cohesion which is so often missing or left lagging way behind the growing communities needs. 

Many residents may not like the idea of 16 more homes but it can be seen from the application documents that much care and thought has gone into meeting the communities needs and more importantly how the development of these homes will provide the necessary funding for the delivery of a new community centre at no direct cost to residents.   

This is not a new or unique approach, developers often revert to this approach in order to justify higher densities or paying less S-106 contributions. However in this case it seems that Stone council have seized the initiative and the parish council are to be commended for their proactive approach and vision. Something we feel all local parish and town councils would benefit greatly from following Stone Councils example is a masterclass in how to get the most out of development in your area. 

Planning application Ref: 14/00028/FUL is for the Erection of 16 No. 4 bedroom houses in two terraces and erection of a multi-use community building with access road and ancillary works at  Land Adjacent The Lodges Cotton Lane Stone Kent.  

The full application and the link to lodge a formal comment regarding the application can be found Here...

Great interview in the News Shopper read it here...

INTERVIEW: Swanscombe's new councillor reveals financial nightmare of payday lenders

  News By Heloise Wood

Steve Doran, 27, recently won the Swanscombe seat

 

SWANSCOMBE’s new councillor has revealed to News Shopper how she wants to help people struggling with payday loans after her own financial nightmare. 

Labour’s Steve Doran, won the seat earlier this month by a single vote, pushing Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents Association candidate Vic Openshaw into second place. 

The 27-year-old has campaigned extensively about reforming payday loan companies’ policies after battling with one for 18 months. 

She said: "I took a high rate loan out just because I was struggling to get by in 2010 and because I’m on a low income, I struggled to pay it back at the end of the month. 

"This meant I took another loan out to keep up with the interest which continued for 18 months. "A lot of it is about standing up and saying ‘this happened to me’ because there is a strong stigma attached to it and an assumption about the type of person taking out a payday loan.

"Some of our recommendations I've campaigned for through Sharkstopper (Labour party pressure group) have been made law and if this legislation had been around in 2010 I wouldn’t have struggled in this way." 

Councillor Doran originally trained to be a journalist after thinking politics was not for her

She said: "I did my undergrad degree at Nottingham and then an MA in Broadcast Journalism at Nottingham Trent. I soon realised though I wanted to be making news rather than reporting on it. 

"I always thought politics wasn’t for someone like me – my mum is a hospital housekeeper (check) and my dad works on a building site. "My local Labour party has been really good about my lack of money and is supporting working class people into politics – for example, I don’t have a car so they pick me up for meetings."  

Cllr Doran now works with older people and believes it has provided good experience for her Councillor-role. 

She said: "I work in a residential care as an activities coordinator for people with dementia and nursing needs. "It’s wonderful – every day is different and I come away knowing I’ve changed someone’s life for the better. "In many ways it’s like being a councilor because you’re going to a situation you’ve never seen before and you need to think ‘how can I fix this for you’."

SGRA 2014 Calendar now on sale

Calendar

2014

 

2014 Calendar now on sale

Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents Association are proud announce that their Calendar for 2014 is available to purchase.

New for 2014, SGRA have published a 2014 calendar featuring 12 images from  postcards and photos of Swanscombe and Greenhithe largely from early 20^th century.  A chance for you and your friends to see what familiar places in your home town looked like then. 

Images Include

Swanscombe and Greenhithe fire brigade c1910

Whites Works c1900

McDonald’s Roundabout c1905

Plan of Ingress Abbey Parkc1698

Ingress abbey park c1920

Greenhithe promenade c1904

Swanscombe United FC c1910

All Saints Church c1925

St Peter and St Paul’s  Rectory c1915

Pier Hotel c1921

Greenhithe High Street c1902

Eastern Quarry c1970

The Calendar, page a month, cost £5.50. all profits going to the residents association.

To order your copy, email Lesley Howes at lesley_howes@talk21.com or text 07774802880

Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents Association

SGRA

SGRA is a fully constituted Residents Association that represents the local community/people living within the area. It aims to improve the general environment and amenities available to residents of Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town.

In addition the association;

Produces a twice yearly News letter informing residents of issues that could concern them and campaigns for better facilities in the town

To Join contact secretary Bryan Read on 01322 383895