Notices

Report fly-tipping

Moving around the country lanes of Higham, whether on foot, bike or car, can be a most pleasant experience. Take in the sights of the rolling English countryside or the view across the Thames or how about this:

Not a sight that anybody would want to see on their travels around our village. Unfortunately, incidents of fly tipping are becoming increasingly common in the lanes of Higham and neighbouring villages.

How do I report fly-tipping?

It is essential that all incidences of fly-tipping that you see are reported to Gravesham Borough Council (GBC). If you see fly tipping, please report it immediately and do not think that someone else will do it – report it straight away to GBC for it to be removed. We have found that GBC are very efficient at removing unsightly, polluting and dangerous waste so keep up the good work Gravesham!

Fly-tipping can be quickly and easily reported online via the GBC website by clicking on the image below

Have you heard of the Country Eye Mobile App?

The Country Eye mobile phone app has been built to help Kent residents, farmers and countryside users to receive rural information and to report criminal activity / information quickly and efficiently. The mobile phone app allows users to record and share information on crime, suspicious behaviour and damage in their home community or whilst out and about.

The Country Eye app is available to download for free from the Apple Store for Apple devices and Google Play Store for Android devices .

Click on the image below for more information:

Let’s beat them not join them – Remember, that it’s your responsibility to get rid of your rubbish and waste properly and legally.

Sometimes unlawful traders take rubbish from you for a small fee and then just dump it. This type of environmental crime is a blight on our open spaces, and spoils our area for those who live here and visit.

Only businesses that are registered to carry waste can take away rubbish, this includes our own household waste collection.

Anyone that is visited by a door-to-door rubbish collector or chooses to use a contractor should ask if they are a registered waste carrier and ask for their waste carrier number. You can then ask the Environment Agency to do a validation check.

This will be able to tell you if the contractor is registered. If they’re not please do not use them no matter how reasonable you feel their prices are!

The Parish Council

101 is the Police Non-Emergency Number

101 is the national non-emergency number to contact Police in your area. Residents in the Kent policing area should call 101 to contact their local officer, make an enquiry and to report non-urgent crimes.

REMEMBER – ONLY dial 999 in an emergency when life is in danger or a crime is in progress.

Examples when to use 101 are:

if your car has been stolen,
if property has been damaged,
if you suspect drug use or dealing,
to report a minor traffic collision,
to give information about a crime or criminals in your local area.

Each call will never cost more than 15p. Callers will be put through to Force Control Room in Kent and not a national call centre.

Community Policing Volunteers

Kent Police are looking for volunteers to play a new role in community policing. Could this be you? If so, please follow the link below:

Communiity Policing Volunteer

Higham Library Information

Library Extra

It is now possible to access Higham Library when it’s not staffed! Wow!

Outside the usual staffed ‘opening’ hours, using a Library Extra registered Kent Library Card and your personal PIN, you can enter Higham Library from 7am until 9pm, Monday to Saturday.

This is ideal for customers who find it difficult to get to the library during its opening hours, to pick up a reservation or return a book for example, but it also provides an opportunity for quiet study and email catch-up, using the public computers for an hour or the free WiFi.

If you are interested in registering for Library Extra at Higham, anybody (with proof of address and DOB and with a current library card) can sign up for this amazing service! You just need to sign a short form accepting the Terms & Conditions of the service and receive a short induction from the helpful library staff.

You do have to pop in during the staffed hours to do this though!

Library hours are as follows:

What is happening at Higham Library and when?

Tuesdays

Knit & Natter – Knitting and crochet every Tuesday 6-8pm for beginners and old hands!! (Library Extra card needed)
Books & Beverage – Book club meeting 2.30-4pm on the 3rd Tuesday of the month discussing books by a chosen author for the month. Refreshments served by Paul, the Community Warden!

Wednesdays

Talk Time – Meet up and chat, with refreshments and quiz, every Wednesday 10-11.30am.

Thursdays

Higham Library Book Club – Book club meeting 6.45-9pm on the 1st Thursday of the month discussing the chosen book of the month. Very informal. (Library Extra card needed)
Higham Quilters – Quilting group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month, 7-9pm. (Library Extra card needed)
Community Warden Surgery – Last Thursday of the month 2.30-4pm. Raise any issues with Paul Hassell – our friendly KCC Community Warden together with a local Parish Councillor. Free refreshments provided!

Fridays

Baby Rhyme Time – Every Friday during school term time, 9.30-10.30am (term time)
Parent & Carer Talk Time on Friday 10:30am – 11:30am (term time)

Saturdays

Reading Champion — Every Saturday, 10.15-11.15am, a young volunteer reads with children.

What else is on offer at Higham Library?

Home Library Service (HLS) – If you are someone (or you know of someone) who would like to borrow a book (standard or large print) or audio disc (spoken word) but you’re unable to get to the library, we have a volunteer who can visit you fortnightly with books for your enjoyment. There is no charge for this service and you have an extended loan period.

Chess – Why not pop in with a friend to play a game of chess, using our lovely, donated chess set. If you fancy setting up a Chess Club, even better!

Coming Soon! — Higham Village History Group now has its archive materials stored at the library and a volunteer will be available once a month to help customers with their local history enquiries. Dates/times to be confirmed. Watch this space!

For more information on Higham Library (facilities, location, parking etc. ), visit the Kent County Council libraries website:

Kent County Council – Higham Library

KCC Household Waste Recycling Centres – Charging Policy

Kent County Council Household Waste Recycling Centres – charging policy

Please note that Kent County Council are now charging for the disposal of non-household waste materials . These items include:

breeze blocks, bricks, cement, concrete and drain pipes
ceramic bathroom and kitchen items (baths, bidets, cisterns, shower trays, sinks, toilet pans, wash basins)
flagstones, granite, marble, paving slabs
hardcore, rubble, gravel, rocks, stones
plasterboard
sand
soil
tiles (ceramic, clay, slate)
tyres (charged for since 2012)

This charging policy is consistent across all eighteen of their Household Waste Recycling Centres including Pepper Hill and Cuxton. The charging policy started in early June 2019. These charges have been introduced to recover the cost of dealing with these types of non-household waste while still being able to offer a disposal service. The charges are intended to help KCC achieve critical savings while still maintaining a comprehensive service for residents.

Price details as follows:

Soil, sand and rubble (including ceramic bathroom and kitchen items)

£4 per bag or item (bag up to the size of a standard black sack), limited to 5 bags (or equivalent) per day.
Includes: breeze blocks, bricks, cement, concrete, drain pipes, ceramic bathroom and kitchen items (baths, bidets, cisterns, shower trays, sinks, toilet pans, wash basins), flagstones, granite, gravel, hardcore, marble, paving slabs, rocks, rubble, sand, soil, stones and tiles (ceramic, clay, slate).
Ideally the waste should be brought in bags for ease of disposal, but loose material can be accepted.
These materials must be placed in the soil, rubble and hardcore recycling area.
Before disposing of tiles with plasterboard on, please separate them. If this is not possible, please talk to a member of staff.

Plasterboard

£6 per bag or sheet of plasterboard (bag up to the size of a standard black sack).
Plasterboard must be placed in the designated plasterboard recycling area.

Tyres

£2.50 per tyre (car and motorbike tyres), limited to 5 tyres per visit. Commercial tyres will not be accepted.
Tyres must be placed in the designated recycling area.
We have charged for domestic tyres since 2012.

Payment will be by card only and there will be a dedicated member of staff to assist customers when they arrive at site with chargeable waste items. You can request a VAT receipt by asking a member of the site staff.

We have a Village Correspondent!

Higham has a village correspondent who is the Parishioner’s link to the local press in the Gravesham area. Her name is Elizabeth Jeffery and she is also a Parish Councillor (Chair of the Executive Development Working Group).

If your group or association has any news they wish to share please contact Councillor Elizabeth Jeffery on 01474 747090 or by e-mail cllr.jeffrey@higham-kent-pc.gov.uk

The Parish Council