Thurnham Parish Council
Call for bridge bollards
TEMPORARY plastic barriers have been erected along the damaged medieval bridge on Caring Lane. But parish councillors are keen to see a more robust, long-term protection plan. Discussions are under way with Kent Highway Services to effect repairs and to protect the bridge from further damage. It is proposed to use cast iron bollards at each end of the bridge and to provide an interpretation board to emphasise the impor- tance and history of the bridge. It is hoped the Mar- riott Tudor Park Hotel will allow this on its land.
Handover of parishes baton
Meetings normally held on the third Monday of each month at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel. Public welcome.
CHAIRMAN: Richard Morley CLERK: Sherrie Babington 01634 867173
Web newsletter THE final draft of the Thurn- ham Parish Council newsletter has been agreed. The plan is to use the website as the main form of distribution. Printed copies will be available by post if requested. It is hoped that the annual re-
port can be prepared in a for- mat that could be included in the Downs Mail.
Fresh blood needed AFEW parish council members may stand down at the next elections in early 2011. Parish clerk Sherrie Babington or any councillor would be pleased to talk to anyone who wishes to consider standing.
A CONSORTIUM of parish councils heavily in- volved in the defeat of plans for a Kent Interna- tional Gateway has been disbanded. But the 15-member Joint Parishes Group (JPG), which was previously fronted by two Thurnham councillors, is set to return in a different format. JPG chairman Richard Jacques and vice chair-
man PeterWaite have stepped down and the cler- ical work will no longer be handled by Thurnham. CllrWaite said: "It was agreed that any new or- ganisation would need to move the emphasis away fromThurnham now that the public inquiry
THE late Sandy Bruce-Lockhart may be commemorated in a plan to give a new lease of life to land once earmarked for KIG. The idea emerged as Thurn-
ham discussed Maidstone's Local Development Framework. The parish has identified the
need to preserve a large area of the KIG land for protection of the Thurnham aquifer and for agricultural use.
inspector's report on KIG has decided in favour of the objectors. "A more representative body will be developed
to look into wider issues than those affecting neighbouring parishes to KIG land." It was also agreed that any new organisation
would need its own bank account. This bank ac- count would receive any surplus money from the KIG inquiry and further contributions from mem- ber parishes. Issues identified as needing action from a JPG include the Maidstone Local Development Framework consultation, lorry traffic in rural
KIG land could be ‘Sandy park’
Members also support KCC objectives to extend the Mid Kent Downs AONB to its origi- nal boundaries. But they also feel that parts
not needed for agriculture or aquifer protection could be a rural park, perhaps called the Sandy Bruce-Lockhart Park, in memory of the former KCC leader who died of cancer two years ago, aged 66.
lanes, the Leeds by-pass and li- aison with the Kent Association of Local Councils. MrWaite added: "All these is-
sues cover or affect more than one parish and need an agreed approach to decision-makers." Representatives agreed to
refer back to their parish coun- cils to decide if membership would be continued. An esti- mate of operational costs would be prepared to assist with this decision.
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