Mrs Duckys’ Sunday Update From Parkwood Trout Farm

Hi, Mike,We are looking forward to welcoming you back to the farm this afternoon.

The sun’s shining, church bells ringing, it’s a lovely start to a day in the country.
Mrs. Ducky had a quieter day yesterday.

As the weather was so wonderful, our fishing lakes were full of fishermen & their families & there were a few too many people around for her liking.

So, she kept a low profile & stayed safe inside the tree, only coming out briefly later on in the day, when it was a bit quieter.

The swan is on high alert, however, and followed me all round the lake edges in the evening, while I was cutting the grass.

I’m his number one target, as I take food over to his mate at the nest site & if he can see me, will attack remorselessly…We have to be sneaky & feed him round the corner, then I can sneak over to the causeway & give her some grain while he’s not looking!

Anyway, Mrs. White Duck is busy laying her egg for the day as I’m writing go you, not best pleased that I’m having breakfast outside, I’ve messed up her privacy…..I can’t win, it’s very busy in the world of wildlife!

I’m really looking forward to visiting Parkwood Trout Farm today to see Mrs Ducky and her friends.

Mrs Duckys’ Continuing Adventures

Here is the next instalment of Mrs. Duckys’ adventures….
Today, it was lunchtime dining for two, as Mrs. Ducky was joined by her partner, for a bit of lunch in the afternoon sunshine. Lovely afternoon for dining out in the sun!

This sophisticated dining was followed by a quick dip in the lake, a bit of a falling-out with the neighbouring mallards & back to the afternoons’ brooding……

Oh, by the way, we do have other expectant mothers seeing to their duties…

I’m looking forward to visiting on Sunday!
So endeth the tales from the countryside for today!

Mrs Duckys’ Adventures

You may recall my visit to the Parkwood Trout Farm in Harrietsham a few weeks ago when I met up with an old feathered friend, a particularly tame Call Duck.

She also likes her food!

She also does what Call Ducks do and created a bit of a panic by disappearing for a couple of days.

My great friends Alison and Paul spent frantic days trying to find her but finally decided to tell me that Mr Fox had done his dastardly deed.

After telling me that, they found her nesting in the base of a tree brooding over a clutch of eggs.

Not a very wise Duck as of course Mr Fox came back searching for her ,so, whilst Alison took her in doors to feed her up on the cat food

Paul ensured that her nest was well and truly protected.

Next instalment of Mrs. Duckys’ adventures….

Latest news from Alison:

It’s going well, she now knows I’m bringing her some food each day, so we have a good system working now!
Lunch time was a bit earlier today, 1.30pm & out she popped straight away (with an audience of our favourite anglers who are nature lovers). Lunch, quack for the old man, a trot down to the lake, quick swim & a preen & back in 10 minutes.

Here she is…..

18 days to go to hatching and I’m sure that there will be many more adventures to follow and I will keep your posted!

Highway Drainage Works – Maidstone Road Rainham ME8

News from Medway Council

Medway Council will shortly be carrying out works to replace highway drainage covers at the above location from SUNDAY 15 MAY 2016 for 1 day, between the hours of 7AM and 7PM. The junction of Maidstone Road and Herbert Road will be closed for the duration of the works. Temporary traffic lights will be installed on Maidstone Road during this time to allow the works to be carried out safely. An appropriate diversion route will be put in place and access to properties maintained where possible and where safe to do so.

The Council will make every effort to complete the work within the dates given, however the date may be subject to change if the Council experience poor weather conditions or other issues arise within the working area.

 

Great to meet the new Head Teacher of the Howard School in Rainham

Having just started in his new role as Head Teacher of the Howard School in Rainham it was a real pleasure to be visited by Terry Millar this morning where he brought both myself and my ward colleague Cllr Barry Kemp up to date with his plans for the future of the school.

Terry joins us from the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Crayford Academy and I know is extremely excited at his new role with us here in Medway.

After discussing local ward issues I was able to spend time with Terry discussing various issues and really look forward to working with Terry and the leadership team at the Howard School in the future.

Thank you Terry for taking the time to visit, it is very much appreciated.

 

Residents invited to enter beacon lighting competition

News from Medway Council

Six beacons in Medway will burn bright on 21 April as part of a national salute to the Queen on her 90th birthday.

To make the occasion special for local people, we’re inviting residents to enter a competition to light Medway’s main beacon at Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham, together with the Deputy Mayor of Medway Cllr Steve Iles.

There is a long and unbroken tradition in the UK of celebrating Royal jubilees, weddings, coronations and special birthdays with the lighting of beacons. The last major beacon celebration marked the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on 4 June 2012.

To enter the Medway beacon lighting competition, head to Twitter, use #MedwayBeacons and in one tweet tell us why you should be chosen to light the Great Lines’ beacon.

The winner will be contacted on Twitter by the official Medway Council Twitter account (@Medway_Council) on Tuesday, 19 April.

Entrants must be over 12-years-old, must live in Medway and be willing to have their photo taken. Photos may appear in the local media, or in council material including social media. The winner will need to arrive on site no later than 8.10pm, ready for the lighting ceremony at 8.30pm.

Other beacons to be lit in Medway at 8.30pm on 21 April:

• Capstone Farm Country Park in Gillingham in the Event Field
• Riverside Country Park in Gillingham at Horrid Hill
• Victoria Gardens in Chatham
• Broomhill Park in Strood
• Kings Hill in Hoo

Deputy Mayor of Medway, Cllr Steve Iles said: “I am very much looking forward to lighting the Great Lines Heritage Park beacon to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday. It’s a special occasion set to be celebrated nationwide and I am pleased I’ll be lighting a beacon alongside the winner of the competition, as well as hundreds more people up and down the country.

“Good luck to all who enter the Medway beacon lighting competition.”

Residents urged to get dogs micro-chipped in line with the law

 

News from Medway Council

Dog owners in Medway are being urged to take advantage of free dog micro-chipping in line with a change in the law.

From 6 April it will be compulsory for all dogs over the age of eight weeks in England to be fitted with a micro-chip, which stores contact details of the owner.

Medway Council offers a free, at-home dog micro-chipping service for residents in a bid to reunite dogs with their owners quickly after being picked up by council wardens.

The authority’s successful Day for Every Dog campaign will return this summer, which will provide even more opportunities for owners to make use of the free service in various Medway locations. Last year’s week-long event resulted in the micro-chipping of 171 dogs.

Once the new rules come into effect, if a dog without a micro-chip comes to the attention of the council, its owner may be served with a notice requiring the dog to be micro-chipped, and may face criminal prosecution and a £500 fine if they do not comply with the notice.

Anyone breeding dogs will be responsible for micro-chipping their puppies before they sell or give them to new keepers, and all imported dogs will need to have a micro-chip.

Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder in charge of community wardens, Cllr Rupert Turpin said: “With the new law coming into effect in just a few weeks, I urge residents with dogs without micro-chips to contact the council and book an appointment for the free service as soon as possible. There is no excuse not to as it’s free and wardens can deliver the service within the home.

“Since the setting up of the Medway Council Stray Dog Service Facebook page we have seen lost dogs reunited with their owners more quickly, but the process will be even more efficient once micro-chipping becomes a legal requirement, hopefully resulting in many more easily identifiable dogs.”

To book free dog micro-chipping or for more information call 01634 333333.

Join the Medway Council Stray Dog Service Facebook page to help reunite lost dogs with their owners, or help to find them new forever homes.

Children get their secondary school offer

News from Medway Council Nearly 97.5 per cent of primary aged children in Medway have been offered one of their preference places at secondary school, new figures show. Families across Medway will start receiving news of the school their child has been offered for September 2016 today – National Offer Day. Parents who applied online and provided an e-mail address will also receive the offer by email after 4pm today. Of the 3,008 Medway children offered places, nearly 84.5 per cent have been offered their first preference place, and nearly 9.5 per cent have been awarded their second place preference. The school admissions process for Medway is a huge task and involves the council’s Student Services Admissions Team processing secondary school applications for 3,526 children in total, including 518 out of area children this year. Ninety per cent of families used the council’s online application process to submit their preferences. Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services Cllr Mike O’Brien said: “I’m very happy that a vast majority of children have been offered one of their top preference places. I’d like to wish all the children the very best for the future and hope they go on to work hard and achieve great things as they take the big step up to secondary school.” Barbara Peacock, Director of Children and Adult Services, said: “I’m pleased that so many children have gained places at one of their chosen secondary schools in Medway. I wish the children all the very best, and hope they enjoy the next exciting stage of their education.”

Medway Council’s budget 2016/17

Medway Council Press Release

Medway residents will continue to pay the lowest council tax in Kent following councillors’ approval of the budget for 2016/17.

Last night councillors voted for a 1.994 per cent increase in council tax and an additional two per cent social care precept – a new power announced by the Chancellor in his Autumn Statement.
This will help combat an unprecedented cut in government funding that will see the authority lose almost £12million in grant support from central government compared to 2015/16 – that’s a 30 per cent drop. The additional precept will allow the council to partially fund the ever growing cost of looking after an ageing population.
This year’s council tax, inclusive of the two per cent precept, equates to £1,234.89 per year for an average Band D home. This represents a rise of 91p a week or £47 a year on last year’s council tax charge.
While Medway Council seeks to be as efficient as possible, it needs to increase council tax to ensure a balanced budget – a legal obligation it must meet despite the fact that it is becoming harder to achieve this as government funding continues to decrease.
Services such as highways, libraries and leisure will be protected. Medway remains determined to support its community hubs, which have been key in offering residents a whole host of council services. The council will also continue to provide weekly bin and recycling collections, one of a handful of authorities in the country to do this, and car park fees will be frozen until 2017.
Additional funding in the budget will include:
£16,000 for the Queen’s 90th birthday beacons
£50,000 for Dutch Raid commemorations

£49,000 for Medway’s Dickens heritage

£140,000 on HMS Kent Freedom

£55,000 for inward investment

£15,000 has been put aside to continue to fight against a Thames estuary airport, should the need arise.
The authority has embarked on a digital transformation programme which will see more services delivered online for less cost, and in social care there will be a stronger focus on people being supported to maintain their independence and receive care within their own homes. School budgets have also been protected at similar rates to 2015/16.
Historically, Medway receives much less in government funding than other similar sized local authorities and this is a continuing feature.

Because of this, the council is constantly looking for ways to improve services, lower costs but also deliver its priorities for the area.
Alongside the budget, the council has agreed its four year business plan.

Three priorities for change are supported by a range of projects.
• Medway: A place to be proud of – supporting a clean and green environment and helping to put Medway on the map.
• Supporting Medway’s people to realise their potential – helping older and disabled people to live independently; resilient families; supporting a healthy and active community; helping children to achieve their potential in schools.
• Maximise regeneration and economic growth – creating a strong and diversified community; residents with jobs and skills; preventing homelessness; delivering new homes in Medway to meet need; getting around Medway.
Leader of Medway Council Cllr Alan Jarrett said: “It’s been a really tough task to balance this budget, something we have spent a very long time on to ensure we protect the services that are most important to local people, while still making the vast savings required.
“We have absolutely been backed into a corner by central government, as have all local authorities, and while we have again managed to find ways of continuing to deliver important and quality services, continued future funding cuts will be damaging to the level of service we are able offer local people – something we have always strived to avoid.
“The 1.994 per cent rise in council tax and the additional social care precept is unavoidable if we want to maintain services.
“Over the coming years, ongoing major regeneration in the area is going to boost the local economy including Rochester Airport Technology Park, Rochester Riverside development, Strood Riverside and Chatham and Temple Waterfronts, and George Osborne’s recent announcement of Enterprise Zone status for Rochester Airport as part of The North Kent Innovation Zone, will attract more businesses to the area.”

Trying our hand at Design Technology at Rochester Maths School

In the company of local Ward Councillor Stuart Tranter, I visited

Sir Joseph Williamsons Mathematical School (Rochester Maths) today.

Warmly greeted by the Head Teacher Eliot Hodges he took us for a tour of the whole school where we were able to speak to both staff and students.

We are pictured above with a group of students showing us their initial cardboard models of the ideas that would eventually be their finished products. They would be using some sophisticated machinery such as 3D cutting which was demonstrated to us in the photograph below.

All of the students were keen to show us their work, whether it was Biology, Science, Language or Maths. Stuart and I were extremely impressed by the positive ethos that was evident across the whole school.

Their motto being : Aspire, Achieve, Excel!

I look forward to returning.