It’s been an extraordinary eighteen months during which Dartford suffered its share of challenges and awful family heartbreaks as Covid swept around the world.
Thanks to some amazing health professionals and a huge range of key-workers, we look to be past the worst, but we all still have a part to play in keeping each other safe.
The pandemic also revealed the strength and resilience of this town and demonstrated once again something I have always known - Dartford is a great community.
As a small local council we don’t have the resources to do ALL that we want to do, and when it comes to things like development and traffic, we don’t always have the powers to stop others doing what we would prefer they didn’t do!
And of course when big national problems hit - like Covid or the national HGV driver shortage - we face enormous challenges.
But that’s no reason for us to sit back and miss the chance to change things for the better when we can. We have always been a slightly different kind of council - one that tries to listen and deliver things that families want - whether it’s creating some of the best parks and public spaces, planting new meadows and orchards for future generations or delivering new facilities for sport, leisure and the arts.
This latest snapshot of our activities shows just a little of what we have done - and what we plan to do.
I hope you find it interesting.
Jeremy Kite MBE
Jeremy.kite@dartford.gov.uk
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 Over the past 18 months, Dartford has pulled together as a community to ensure we keep each other safe in the face of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.
After battling through three lockdowns, residents are finally returning to a 'new normal', with pubs, restaurants and businesses fully open once again.
More than 44million Britons have now received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, with booster jabs being rolled out to protect those at added risk over the winter.
Hybrid-working policies have been adopted by many offices, including at the Civic Centre, after the pandemic showed there was a new way for many of our staff to carry out their day to day roles. However, personal contact remains at the heart of our service and we're pleased to be open for business again.
Though the way we work may have changed, Dartford Borough Council has never stopped being there to help residents. If something's worrying you, or you need a helping hand, please call us on 01322 343244 or click here.
 The first phase of our Dartford Town Centre Regeneration Project has seen Market Street transformed into an open space that is friendly for both pedestrians and traffic.
The changes we have made mean that traffic flows much better and more safely through the square now, and they've even helped to reduce queuing by the church and along Lowfield Street.
Once home to congested bus stops, the new Brewery Square site boasts granite paving, new gardens and seating areas with improved lighting.
Relocating the car park from outside Iceland to nearby Acacia Hall meant we could free up public space between the High Street, Central Park and the Museum.
Improvements are now being made to the High Street, which has not undergone a major refurbishment for more than 30 years.
While the Council prepares to improve traffic flow at Lowfield Street/Instone Road and Highfield Road/West Hill junctions, new high quality paving and lighting improvements will match Market Street and High Street.
Improvements to Hythe Street and Home Gardens are now being designed, with planners hopeful that construction could begin in Spring 2022.
 We promised a sensitive regeneration of the once-neglected Acacia Hall and grounds to reflect its amazing heritage, from the comments of visitors we seem to have delivered above expectations.
It's nice to hear from you now that the project is fully open to the public.
Bridges connecting the estate to Central Park have been open since May, when vehicular access also reopened.
The renovation means the public can get a better view of Acacia's Grade II listed mansion house, though works are continuing to make sure it is properly protected into the future.
There are plenty of parking spaces available going forward, while the renovation has also opened up another green space beside the River Darenth.
Watch this space over the coming months to see what lies ahead for the future of these popular historic buildings.
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Dartford's Cinema in the Park made a triumphant return over the summer, with tickets snapped up in a matter of hours.
As always, tickets were free for Dartford residents, with thousands heading out to enjoy screenings of The Lion King, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Back to the Future, Nine to Five and Sunshine on Leith. Thank you to everyone who came.
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By now you may be aware of the impact a nationwide shortage of HGV drivers is having on local waste collections around Dartford.
Our contractor, Urbaser, continues to catch up on all missed collections and we're working closely with them to ensure that driver numbers can increase to get our collections back to to the standard we want to see.
It's not been easy and the shortage of HGV drivers has made news all over the country, but we're working hard and finding creative solutions to the problem.
There are recent signs of improvement as some of the new drivers we've recruited complete their training but we're not complacent. We know it's been a bad time and waste services have been patchy all across the country.
We're sorry for the inconvenience it's caused.
In the meantime, please follow @CleanerDartford on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest information.
 Businesses hit by the Covid-19 pandemic have received a substantial financial boost from the Council as we urge residents to ‘Support Our Shops'.
Working with the UK government, Dartford Borough Council has so far pumped more than £15million into the local economy since the pandemic began.
Through the Support Our Shops and Additional Restrictions Grants, the Council has recently been able to provide independent traders and hospitality businesses, including market stall holders, pubs and restaurants, with a significant financial lift as they emerge from the latest lockdown.
To find out more about the Support Our Shops initiative, watch this video here.
 Visitors to Central Park will no doubt have noticed our special carpet bed thanking all NHS workers, along with everyone else who helped save lives during the pandemic.
This was our own way of showing the immense gratitude we feel toward healthcare staff, key workers and local heroes who have done so much for the borough during these demanding times.
Leader of the Council Jeremy Kite said: "We're thankful for all those who work in the NHS and caring professions, for those who developed and delivered Britain's world-beating vaccination programme, for all key workers and for EVERYONE in our town who, through their strength and professionalism, made all of us stronger.
"Dartford remembers those we’ve lost and those who have found their lives and livelihoods disrupted.
"‘Saying it with flowers’ is a small gesture, but we dedicate it to ALL our local heroes."
After plenty of work behind the scenes, theatrical performances returned to Central Park and the Orchard Theatre in time for the summer.
Two sell-out performances of HMS Pinafore and A Midsummer Night's Dream in Central Park's theatre in July and August were warmly received by residents, with tickets being snapped up in just a matter of hours once they were made available online, at a cost of £5 each.
Teams at The Orchard Theatre worked hard over the summer to ensure they could have audiences return in a safe, Covid-19 compliant way and were able to reopen with a performance of The Rocky Horror Show on August 31st.
The venue has a busy schedule of autumn performances and staff are keen to welcome residents back to their seats over the coming weeks.
Performances of Grease, Shrek and Rock of Ages are all due over the coming months, while famous faces like Jimmy Carr, David Baddiel, Sir Geoff Hurst and Russell Brand will all be gracing the stage. Click here to view upcoming events.
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 Dartford’s latest Health Walk has got off to a strong start as residents look to get active after lockdown.
The new walk on Dartford Heath is held at 10am each Tuesday and lasts around 90 minutes.
It is the latest Walking for Health scheme in the borough, joining similar events in Central Park, Darenth Country Park, Greenhithe and Swanscombe, all put on free of charge by One You Kent.
Leader of the Council Jeremy Kite joined around a dozen others at the weekly walk on the Heath, which began on July 27th.
Cllr Kite said: “These walks are a great way of losing weight and staying fit, while also seeing some of the best natural spots around Dartford.
“I’d encourage anyone to come along and join the walks. They’re a chance to meet new people and stay healthy.”
To find out more about the free walks taking place each week, click here.
Despite the winter lockdown closing businesses and forcing many people to stay indoors, fly-tippers have still been prevalent around the Borough.
Fortunately, between January and April, the Council's enforcement team has managed to issue £8,915 worth of fixed penalty notices to deter further incidents. We use the proceeds of fines to carry out more cleaning and more detection of these environmental crimes.
There were 102 investigations and 32 warnings or cautions handed out in the same period.
As businesses reopen with the easing of lockdown, please remain vigilant and alert the Council if you find any rubbish dumped down our country lanes.
Click here to report an incident of flytipping.
Dozens of drivers were caught parking dangerously outside three Dartford primary schools after the Council installed new CCTV cameras.
Footage captured outside Manor Community Primary in Swanscombe, The Brent Primary School in Stone and Dartford Primary Academy during the first week of term caught at least 74 drivers parking illegally or dangerously during the school run.
Each offender will receive a fixed penalty notice.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Jeremy Kite, said: “You would like to think that motorists wouldn’t need to be told to park safely around schools, but since some of them clearly don’t get the message, I think most sensible drivers, parents and residents will support our action.
“Safety of children is more important than the convenience and entitlement of those who think that they can ignore the safety measures designed to give kids space and visibility when they are around schools.
“This is not a negotiation - children’s safety comes first."
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We are delighted that Councillor Rosanna Currans has been elected as the new Mayor of Dartford for 2021-22.
The Mayor’s Charity Appeal for the next year will support three charities; Arrow Riding Centre, Healthy Living Centre Dartford, and Home-Start.
If you would like to invite the Mayor to attend an event, official opening, 100th Birthday or 60th wedding anniversary celebration, please fill out the following form http://bit.ly/2pB6JlS.
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 After more than a year of disruption, we'd like to remind you that gyms, swimming pools and support centres for healthy living advice are all open once again.
The Dartford branch of One You Kent has been working hard to spread awareness of the free services it offers.
Some of us may have picked up certain unhealthy eating or drinking habits during lockdown, but One You Kent are here to offer help and support wherever it is needed.
If you are interested in knowing more, please email oneyou@dartford.gov.uk.
For tips and support on taking care of your mental health, visit Every Mind Matters' website here.
Fairfield Leisure Centre is now fully open to the public, with its gym, swimming pool and other facilities available in a Covid-19-friendly environment. To see how the centre is keeping visitors safe, click here.
More advice on looking after your body can be found at Healthy Living Centre Dartford.
Two edible orchards planted in the borough earlier this year as part of the ‘Planet Dartford’ green agenda will encourage wildlife to thrive, while also offering a spot for local residents to also enjoy.
Trees planted in Alamein Gardens and Hesketh Park, nestled within wildflower meadows, have successfully established and produced beautiful blossom this spring, and will go on to grow a mix of both eating and cooking apples in the next few years.
The flowers and grasses in the wildflower meadows are all UK sourced and native, and will encourage butterflies and provide a valuable resource to improve pollination corridors.
Wildflowers have also been planted in Central Park, as well as Darenth Country Park.
From January 2022, a volunteering programme to help maintain the orchards will be launched, but if you can’t wait until then and want to participate in making our green spaces better, please contact our Countryside team by pressing the button below.
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