Impact on our services

Our refuse collection service is running as normal.

Please do not put additional household waste that would normally be taken to the tip in your black bins. This extra waste is stopping our ability to complete all daily collections. Please hold onto this waste until the tip reopens.

Our recycling collection service is running as normal.

Our food waste collection service is running as normal.

Our garden waste collection service is running as normal.

Please do not put out textiles and small electrical items as this increases the risk of cross contamination and is slowing down collections.

Standard bulky collections will continue as normal.

Bin deliveries will take longer than 10 working days.

To keep our staff safe please make sure that you:

• maintain social distancing and not approach staff
• present your waste outside ready for collection
• securely bag your non-recycling waste before placing into your black wheelie bin.

As well as this, our staff will not remove anything inside the property.

Sign up for text alerts about bin collections. We'll send you a text if our bin collection service is disrupted.

Sign up for text alerts

Existing clinical waste customers

There is no change to our clinical waste service for our existing customers.

Residents who are not self-isolating

• Recycling (green bin) must still be loose with all bottles and containers empty.
• Residual non-recyclable waste (black bin) securely bagged and placed in the wheeled bin.
• You may wish to rinse your bins with household disinfectant and water when emptied.
• Please take usual hygiene precautions, thoroughly wash hands after or use gloves when loading the bins or moving bins back onto your property.

Residents with symptoms or self-isolating

Contaminated materials, such as tissues, cleansing wipes need to be securely double bagged and stored securely for a period of 72 hours, before being disposed of as residual non-recyclable waste (black bin).

At this point in time we will not consider arisings from an effected household, as clinical waste.

Unfortunately we're unable to respond to reports of abandoned vehicles.

With most people following Government advice and staying at home, there are more reports of abandoned vehicles.  Our officers are focused on our high priority services, including rubbish collection and therefore are unable to inspect the increased number of reports received.  Most abandoned vehicles are a nuisance rather than a risk to the environment and therefore continuing to provide the removal of these vehicles is not considered essential at the current time.

If the vehicle remains in the location once the Government restrictions are lifted, please report the vehicle to us.

If the vehicle is in a dangerous condition and is a risk to the public, this can be reported to Kent Police on 101 and they will determine whether the vehicle requires immediate removal.

We're running a reduced service but we're still clearing fly-tipping reports.

We're running a reduced service but we're still clearing litter reports.

You can renew your parking permits as normal as this allows you to use the Councils off-street car parks as an overflow facility.

It is important to stress that all double yellow lines and single yellow lines which are of course placed to protect junctions and ensure highway safety, will remain active as it is vital to ensure the free flow of traffic, particularly for emergency services and refuse collections.

If you need to pay or appeal a PCN please use our online form instead of posting cheques or appeals.

The government have enabled NHS staff, health and social care workers and NHS volunteers (critical care workers) to find free parking locations quickly and easily in their local areas.

Visit the NHS Free Parking on the NHS to locate available free parking.

We'll be reduced to core functions only.

We are not currently operating a face-to-face service.

You can find information about changes due to the coronavirus on our Benefits and money page or Housing pages and how to access support if you are homeless or at risk of losing your home. If you have a housing issue you can contact us directly via phone: 01622 602440 or email.

Please use our online form instead of posting in documents.

Send us your documents

Staff have also been supporting the Community Hub and Shielded Community by undertaking daily phone calls.

Please avoid sending us cheques by paying your council tax via direct debit, paying online or using the automated payment line: 01622 602544.

You can make a new claim by using our online form.

Make a new claim

You can report a change in circumstance by using our online form.

Report a change of circumstance

You can send us your proofs and documents by using our online form.

Upload your documents

Applications should be submitted online and paper copies may not be processed as normal. We ask that they are scanned and submitted online where possible.

Apply online

To ensure the health and well being of our staff and those who they will come into contact with on-site we are amending our approach to site work, which will be risk assessed and the surveyor will contact you beforehand to discuss.

Where appropriate, we will carry out inspections virtually, working with trusted builders to ensure that we can obtain the necessary evidence to confirm compliance.

When booking site inspections, our team will be confirming the following:

• has anyone at the site been ill and displaying the coronavirus symptoms?
• can the inspection be carried out in the absence of anyone?
• For certain inspections we recognise that it may be necessary to attend site. We will request that all inspections are carried out unaccompanied. If this is not possible then strict 2 metre social distancing must be adhered to.

Any questions will be discussed on the phone prior to the inspection.

Where possible, do not visit our office until the Government advises that normal business practices can return. If you wish to talk to a Surveyor, please telephone our main number 01622 602701 where details will be taken, and they will respond as soon as they are able.

You can find the latest advice from the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England.

You can make your applications online.

Make a planning application online

The current conditions may result in slower response times and requests for extensions to enable applications to be determined over a longer time frame than the statutory target. We will be working to ensure this is kept to the minimum necessary.

You can make your comments on application online.

Make a comment on an application

Officers are only able to visit a site where they can do so without contact with others and without entering buildings. Agents are therefore encouraged to submit as much visual information as possible with any submission to enable pre-application advice to be issued. If a site can then be safely entered by an Officer, the case officer will visit the site and can telephone the applicant/agent whilst on site to discuss any issues or visual features that the applicant/agent would like to point out. A further telephone conversation or Skype call can take place once an Officer has returned home.

You can contact the planning team by:

• Email 
• Contact your local Councillor to email us on your behalf
• Contact your local Parish office to ask if they are able to email us on your behalf
• Ask a family member or friend

The elections in May 2020 have been postponed until May 2021.

You can register to vote online.

Children's play areas and public toilets opened on 4^th July but social distancing measures should be adhered to.

View our restrictions when visiting parks on our MBC News website

We're still providing most services, although we are unlikely to be able to carry out site visits or inspections.

We're having to prioritise our work around certain services but will continue to support customers, where possible, with their nuisance, anti-social behaviour, animal welfare and other needs.

We ask that neighbours are thoughtful towards each other, both in the way they behave and the compassion/understanding they have for their neighbours.

You can continue to work under current government guidance, should you have not been clear on that. I know that custom has pretty much fallen away and many will have stopped working for that reason, we just wanted to ensure that if your licences are coming up for renewal soon, we are doing what we can to allow you to apply and not have to submit new applications later down the road.

We're working hard to support a range of local businesses in these difficult times, in particular by assisting with the rollout of a number of the government support packages that have recently been launched to assist both businesses and individuals. The council is aware that last Thursday a further support package was announced aimed at meeting the needs of the self-employed and so it is considered that this would be the appropriate means by which the taxi industry can be supported whilst the operating environment is so challenging. Accordingly MBC is not able to offer any revised terms in respect of taxi licensing fees.

The authorities are no longer operating a reception facility so it is not possible to call in and see anyone. It may be possible that an officer at Sevenoaks will be able to (at a safe distance) hand over plates etc as we are still (for now) producing plates for renewals etc. Please be advised this facility is only available at Sevenoaks.

We understand that the garages have now shut that would do your vehicles checks.

MOT’s due to expire after 1st April 2020 have been extended by six months by the Government. Accordingly we will use your existing MOT. This may leave a gap where it fell due before 1st April and the recent closures, but if any fell into that period we will defer the requirement for the vehicle test for 3 months (and keep under review)

We won’t be chasing for 2nd tests on vehicles (because you can’t get them done), we will follow up later.

We want to know if they are SORN so that we can update records, but there will be no extension of licence periods etc because of it.

It’s possible that we may revisit this and give extensions or rebates against future renewal fees.

Deferred Medical Certificates

There is no facility to call into reception at any of the sites to see someone with your documents.

You'll need to post them in to:

There is an external post box at the entrance if you wish to hand deliver.

It may be possible to hold a video call with you to view the documents you can then take a picture via your phone and email this to us. We will operate a skeleton staff who will collect and scan hard post for processing, so your documents will be returned to you but as you will appreciate this may take a week or so.

In general, we will not relax requirements for new applications and will not prioritise processing them. We have temporarily ceased the knowledge test so cannot accept any new driver applications across the Partnership.

Exemptions

Replacement vehicles where driver urgently needs to replace following accident or similar.

Renewal arrangements will apply (re deferrals as above) BUT where it is an insurance company temporary replacement we will still require the fee – if a permanent replacement (from a driver) then renewal deferment options will apply. If you need this facility please note that you cannot do same day turnaround and will need to allow time to apply and be granted a temporary licence.

If you have any queries or concerns about the above please email licensing@sevenoaks.gov.uk.

The Crematorium grounds are now open - this includes the Flower Halls and Book of Remembrance Halls. However, the reception remains closed at this time.

For more information please see the crematorium pages.

The Cemetery is now open and back to normal.

The market is re-opening on the 13^th June with social distancing measures in place.

Closed until further notice.

Closed until further notice.

All Maidstone Borough Council services within The Link are closed. The Job Centre is still open.

Closed until further notice.