KENT TOGETHER - HELPLINE LAUNCHED BY KENT COUNTY COUNCIL
A 24 hour helpline has been set up 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 County Council Leader Roger Gough said: “In every district and borough throughout Kent and Medway there has been an incredible and heartening response to this pandemic, and we have a huge army of remarkable, public-spirited volunteers who are ready and willing to help each other through these challenging times.
“We now need to make sure that these vital resources are directed to where they are most needed. The new central helpline will link to Community Hubs across the county and ensure that we are effectively working hand in hand with the amazing teams out in the heart of communities in every part of Kent.”
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.
 
People’s needs will be assessed and staff will liaise with Community Hubs in the districts to prioritise those who need urgent help.
Mr Gough added: “At this unprecedented time, we all need to support each other to cope with the changes to our lifestyles we’ve had to make in order to delay the spread of Covid-19.
“I appreciate those radical changes have brought about difficulties and uncertainty and that we are all having to live our lives very differently.
“I hope with the launch of this service we can help bring some sense of familiarity and comfort back to those who desperately 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.
 
Kent County Council also has a page on its website answering frequently-asked questions and the very latest Coronavirus information on its service updates page.
Visit www.kent.gov.uk to find out more.

Sadly, while the community is coming together to show kindness and support, there are some individuals that are looking to line their own pockets during this worldwide crisis. 
​Please take time to read the following information from Kent County Council Trading Standards.

Dear Kent Resident 
Re: Scams Advice During Coronavirus Outbreak 
Kent County Council Trading Standards are writing to you with regards to the coronavirus and how you can access support and safeguard yourself against scams. 
It can be difficult to know who to trust at this time. Please be aware that not everyone is trustworthy, and some people are taking advantage of the unusual situation we are facing.  
Here are just some of the scams we are aware of, but please note that criminals come in all shapes and sizes and can contact you at the door, by phone, by post or online.  
 
Beware of:
• Miracle cures or vaccines for coronavirus – there is no specific treatment for coronavirus (COVID-19). 
• Home cleaning services.
• People impersonating healthcare workers, claim to be offering ‘home-testing’ for coronavirus – this is a scam and these kits are not currently available to buy.
• Emails saying that you can get a refund on taxes, utilities or similar are usually bogus and they are just after your personal and bank details.
• Fake cures for coronavirus – there is no cure for Coronavirus at this time. These will not help and are designed to take your money.
• New mobile phone applications that claim to give you updates on the virus but instead, they lock your phone and demand a ransom.

The UK Government has launched a Coronavirus Information service on WhatsApp To use the free service simply add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts and then message the word ‘hi’ in a WhatsApp message to get started.
• Your bank or the police will never ask for your bank details over the phone.
• People offering to do your shopping or collecting medication and asking for money upfront and then disappearing. 
 
Tips to avoid being scammed:
• Be cautious and listen to your instincts. Don’t be afraid to hang up, bin it, delete it or shut the door.
• Take your time; don’t be rushed.
• Say no to ALL doorstep sales and requests for money, even if they claim to be from a charity.  If possible, stay safe and don’t even open your door.
• If you are online, be aware of fake news and use trusted sources such as gov.uk or NHS.uk websites. Make sure you type the addresses in and don’t click on links in emails.
• Only purchase goods from legitimate retailers and take a moment to think before parting with money or personal information. 
• Know who you’re dealing with - if you need help, talk to someone you know or report it to Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline – details are below. 
• Protect your financial information, especially from people you don’t know. Never give your bank card or PIN to anyone. 
• If you think you’ve been scammed, report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 where you can also get advice. 
• If you are in immediate danger, contact the police on 999. • Contact your bank if you think you have been scammed. 
 
To learn more about different types of scams and how to protect yourself and others, visit KCC’s Coronavirus Scams and Guidance page or www.FriendsAgainstScams.org.uk and complete the free online training. 

As a reminder, we would like to re-iterate the government and NHS guidelines about maintaining good hygiene; only go outside for food, health reasons or essential work, and stay two metres away from other people outside of your household. 

It is particularly important for people who are over 70 and/or have an underlying health condition. 
Kind Regards, 
 
Steve Rock
Head of Trading Standards, Kent County Council 

The Government announced yesterday - 'When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection. That is why the government is now (23 March 2020) introducing three new measures.

1. Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes
2. Closing non-essential shops and community spaces
3. Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public

Every citizen must comply with these new measures. The relevant authorities, including the police, will be given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
These measures are effective immediately. The Government will look again at these measures in three weeks, and relax them if the evidence shows this is possible.'

You can read the PM's address to the nation by visiting the following link :
​https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-address-to-the-nation-on-coronavirus-23-march-2020 

As you are all aware the situation regarding the spread of the coronavirus is of major importance at this time.
The latest advice form the Government is that all non-essential travel should cease and that all persons, especially the elderly and vulnerable, should remain at home.
The Committee representing the Community Bus have considered all the implications but made the decision to temporarily suspend the service with immediate effect for the protection of not only the passengers but also the drivers.
We understand that this will be a great disappointment and inconvenience to you but we have to consider the safety and well-being of all involved.
We are hoping that you will have someone nearby, albeit it a relative, friend or neighbour, who can assist with your needs as regards shopping for provisions, etc. However, in case of real difficulty the Parish Council will try to assist wherever possible if you have no other available means.
​

Due to the Covid 19 emergency and the concern that some individuals are failing to protect each other by staying at least 2 metres apart, it is with regret that the decision has been made to close the children's playground in Cobham for the time being.
 
We know that this will be disappointing news to many of you.

​Southeastern is working with the rest of the rail industry to support efforts to delay the spread of Coronavirus and keep services running for essential travel.
Reduced Southeastern timetable will be introduced from Monday 23 MarchFrom Monday 23rd March, we will introduce a reduced timetable to ensure that vital train services for key workers can keep running throughout a prolonged coronavirus outbreak.
This national change has been made in agreement with government and means around half the usual number of trains will run. Enough capacity will be provided to allow those passengers making essential journeys to keep following the official guidance on social distancing.
The amended timetable will  be introduced from Monday 23 March until further notice, and will be available in online journey planners by Sunday 22 March. A map of the planned service frequency can be found via this link.
Amended timetable will focus on ensuring key workers can travelWherever possible we will ensure that early morning and late evening services remain in timetables so that key workers like nurses, police officers and firefighters can get to work.
The reduced service timetable balances the current significantly reduced levels of demand with the need to reduce the number of people required to run the network, which will help to ensure there are enough staff to keep services running over the coming weeks and months. 
All of our stations will remain open, and on some routes passengers may need to change trains to complete their journeys.
Please follow the government advice, and only travel if your journey is absolutely essentialPlease follow the government advice, and only travel if your journey is absolutely essential. Passengers should check before they travel using online journey planners.
Southeastern is working closely with the Government and the rest of the rail industry, and keeping all services under ongoing review.
Like many of us, Southeastern train crew and station teams can’t work from home, and some of them are also dealing with personal or family issues related to coronavirus.
We’re grateful to our passengers for their understanding as we take steps to ensure that vital train services for key workers can keep running. Please follow the official advice and only travel if your journey is absolutely essential
Further information about Coronavirus prevention on SoutheasternFor further information on what we're doing to prevent Coronavirus transmission and travel advice during this period, please visit our dedicated webpage. 

Lower Thames Crossing Supplementary Consultation extended to 2 April 2020

We are providing you with an update on the Lower Thames Crossing Supplementary Consultation given the current situation with Coronavirus and the measures the Government has put in place.  
The Supplementary Consultation on the changes we have made to the project’s design since our 2018 Statutory Consultation, has been underway since 29 January. We are 7 weeks through the 8-week consultation period. We have completed more than 80% of our 22 events, with almost 4,000 people visiting 7 of the 8 Public Information Events (PIE), and 10 of the 13 Mobile Information Centres (MIC). 

The current situation with Coronavirus is unprecedented and we have been giving careful consideration to how we support the Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus, protecting the public and our staff, while also continuing our vital work to maintain, operate and improve England’s strategic road network.

Following the Government’s updated guidance issued on Monday we took the decision to cancel our last PIE and our remaining 3 MICs. While we have carried out the majority of our events, we recognise that some people may have not yet had the opportunity to speak to the team at an event. We also understand that the attentions of people and organisations will have been focused elsewhere over the past few days.  

We are therefore taking two measures to respond to those issues.
Firstly, we have taken the decision to extend the consultation until 23.59 on Thursday 2 April.   
This is to give people additional time to complete their consultation response and to enable organisations to complete their governance processes, which may have been disrupted.
Until that time people can continue to share their views: 

• Online
• by submitting a paper response form to Freepost LTC CONSULTATION 
• by emailing ltc.consultation@traverse.ltd 

Secondly, we will be opening a public consultation telephone service between 2pm and 8pm, on Monday 23 March and Wednesday 25 March 2020. To access the telephone consultation service please call 020 3787 4300. 
This will be for members of the public who had planned to go to the remaining events the opportunity to speak to a member of the project team about the changes we are consulting on. 
How to have say

• All of our consultation materials are available on our consultation website

• Document deposit locations, which hold hard copies of all the materials, presently remain open 
• Information points which hold the Guide to Consultation, Consultation Response Form and Freepost envelope, presently remain open  
• We will also post out the Guide, Response Form and Freepost envelope on request by emailing us at info@lowerthamescrossing.co.uk or calling on 0300 123 5000

This is an unprecedented and unsettling time and we want to thank you for your patience as we seek to manage the inevitable disruption we are all facing, and the important work that must continue. This means we are having to work in different ways and use alternative approaches.  

The development of the Lower Thames Crossing and other infrastructure projects will play an important role as the country seeks to recover from the wide range of impacts we face. It is critical that we maintain the progress of our projects and keep the momentum of delivery. 

Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce the social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
They are:

1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport, varying your travel times to avoid rush hour, when possible
3. Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
4. Avoid large gatherings, and gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars, clubs
5. Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
6. Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is pragmatic.
We strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, particularly if you:

• are over 70
• have an underlying health condition
• are pregnant

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.​