Council Blog
This Blog contains contributions from members of Eynsford Parish Council. Any opinions expressed are their own, not necessarily representative of other councillors.
Previous posts (up to December 2014) were made by ex-Chairman, Clive Stanyon.
Winter Crime prevention advice
27th November 2019
Winter Crime prevention advice blog post
Winter crime prevention advice from Kent Police
- Stay with Your Vehicle
It's fairly common for people to warm up their vehicle in front of their homes during the winter months. But be careful! If you warm up your vehicle unattended, a passing auto thief may just hop in and steal your vehicle. To prevent this, stay with your vehicle when you're warming it up. Don't give anyone an opportunity to take advantage of your absence. In addition, never leave your vehicle running in your garage with the garage door closed! Having the engine running in a closed area can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Lock Your Doors
Lock all the doors of your vehicle and home, including the garage door. Any opening is an invitation for crime. Thieves can infiltrate your garage and break into your car, or even worse, your home. You should make sure all entrances and exits are secure at all times (this includes windows!).
- Keep Valuables with You
Whether you're out shopping or in the comfort of your home, never leave your valuables out of your sight. One common mistake people make is leaving their valuables in their car, only to find that their car has been broken into. Keep your valuables in a safe, if you own one, and make sure to hide it in a place no one would think to look. If you're out shopping, keep your wallet in your front pocket and your purse in front of you.
- Stay in the Light
Many people take advantage of the darkness to perform their crimes. Staying in visible areas is one key to winter crime prevention. When in your home, make sure your outdoor lamps are lit at night, if you have them. When outdoors, try to stay in well-lit areas. You should never walk alone at night! People always take advantage of loners, and the cover of darkness makes it much easier.
- Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Thieves and other crime-doers take advantage of people who seem distracted. Nowadays, many people use their mobile phones when they should be paying attention to their environment. Don't use your mobile phone too often, and appear confident in where you are going. There is a lesser likelihood that a predator will go after you if you appear confident and aware of your surroundings.
- Leave a light on!
If you are going out for the night make sure your house is well lit! Burglars will try to identify houses that look empty - if all your lights are switched off it will look as though no one is home, setting up the perfect opportunity for crime.
You could use a timer switch to turn the lights on when you are out.
Fake/simulated TV units can give the impression that someone is in when your home is empty (never leave your actual TV on).
Do not leave items of value on show through ground floor windows eg laptops, tablets, car keys and games consoles etc.
Everyone at home should get into the habit of locking the door, even when they are at home - remove the keys from the lock and keep them out of reach/view but know where they are in case of an emergency.
Latest news from the Annual Parish Meeting
4th April 2019
It was great to see residents attending the recent Annual Parish Meeting (APM) held on the 28th March at St Martins Church. Far from being a 'stuffy affair' there was quite a vibrant atmosphere as residents had the opportunity to discuss their concerns within the village with their local councillors.
Sarah Boyle, Chairperson for the Parish Council, introduced members of the council and highlighted just some of the projects that councillors have been working on during the past twelve months, such as;
- starting a Dementia Cafe, which is now into its second year
- creating a community Speedwatch group
- liaising with the village hall trustees around the new village hall project
- the replacement of the street lighting, which in the long term will save money for the village
- working on the school safety campaign to make Eynsford a safer place
- tree planting
- working hard to get water leaks repaired
- working with DVLP to improve the wider landscape
- liaising with other groups such as; the Community Rail Partnership, Lullingstone Liaison Group
- plus being very much 'hands-on' with maintenance at the allotments
All of which, is in addition to responding to planning applications, maintaining opening spaces and recreation areas and liaising with third parties such as Kent Highways, KCC and SDC over various issues.
Alongside the Parish Council, the meeting was well attended by various organisations such the Citizens Advice Bureau, Kent Air Ambulance, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, the Village Society, Farningham & Eynsford History Society, Eynsford Village Hall project committee and our local PSCO. We can't thank the volunteers enough for giving up their free time to come along and tell us more about what they do. Clerks and councillors alike, also took the opportunity of raising residents concerns about an increase in crime with the PSCO.
The APM was also a wonderful opportunity to present Sally Coston with her Community Award for her outstanding contribution to the village over the last 26 years. The award was presented by Chairman, Cllr Sarah Barker, of the Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC). Just hearing the list of accomplishments and projects that Sally has been part of was exhausting and judging by the smile on her face, I would say that the award was very much appreciated.
Whilst the APM does have to follow a fairly formal structure, the parish council has tried to keep precedings as informal as possible, with some light refreshments and good conversation. However, we always welcome thoughts from residents on how the meeting can be improved, to ensure we attract as many attendees as possible, as we are keen to hear thoughts and input from all demographics and groups within the village. If you do have any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to email the parish council.
On a final note, we wish to thank the Clerks, Holly and Naomi, for their hard work in organising the meeting.
Your Council Needs You...
12th February 2019
On 2nd May, Eynsford parishioners may be asked to vote to elect an new Parish Council. I add the proviso, 'may', because if not enough candidates put themselves forward, there is a chance, that candidates will be automatically elected without a vote, an uncontested election. Having been a beneficiary of an uncontested election, I still can't help but feel it's a slightly unsatisfactory outcome.
In the coming weeks, you may see articles asking people to consider standing for election; I would encourage you to do so. From my experience, serving your community in this way is extremely rewarding. Even if your achievements sometimes go unnoticed, you know you are making a real difference to the well-being of your community and helping shape its future. Your political leaning is unimportant, but what does matter is your commitment to serving your friends and neighbours as part of a team. If you want to know more check out the link below...
https://www.eynsfordparishcouncil.org.uk/article-you_could_be_a_parish_councillor_.html
