Churches fail to overturn decision to stop circus
CHURCH groups urged the parish council to re- think its decision not to host a circus in April. At the October full council meeting, members
The Villager
FOLLOWING the success of Music on the Green last year, the parish has chosen to go ahead with the event on Friday, July 8. The council took this decision despite ongoing criticism of the event by several local residents, who cite incidents of anti-social behaviour. Anna Preece, a resi- dent of The Green for over 25 years, claimed: “This is no longer the small village event it once was, when it was re- stricted to local people and fam- ilies. It has outgrown itself.”
voted to refuse permission for John Lawson’s Cir- cus to use the village green during the week be- ginning April 18. This decision was made as a response to three issues; the parish plan, in which residents stated they were against the continuation of the event; in light of complaints from residents regarding the behaviour of the circus employees in 2010; and due to the financial burden put upon the council. But correspondence received from Bearsted Area Churches Together, Bearsted Community
Church and the vicar of Holy Cross Church called for the event to be reinstated to allow the use of the circus tent for an Ecumenical Palm Sunday service. Council chairman Cllr Chris Dyke, however,
said that an informative decision had been made about the visit. He added: “It will be up to the in- coming council, following elections inMay, to de- cide if it would like to host a circus next year.”
Street lights get approval IT was agreed to accept respective quotes of £279 and £292 to replace a street-light lantern at Holy Cross Church and a street light at Ragstone Road, near Madginford Junior School.
Music on the Green set to entertain for another year
Cllr Hughes said that the
event results in a “relatively small” number of complaints, adding: “Year on year, our per- formance on how we deal with problems is improving.” The parish council listened to
all the comments and the views of a very large number of people who see the event as one of the major features of the summer in Bearsted, decided to go ahead for what will be its eighth year. Cllr Michael Stark stated he
was saddened by the criticisms raised: “The parish council is
Council wants informal JPG THE parish council has advised the Joint Parishes Group that it wishes to form a more informal group involving neighbouring parishes in the post-KIG era. The JPG was an amalgamation of 15 parish councils set up to fight
the Kent International Gateway rail/road freight interchange on agricultural land north of Bearsted. This campaign ended in suc- cess when applicant AXA’s appeal was thrown out by the Secre- tary of State last year. Bearsted parish councillors are opposed to joining the larger group, as some JPG members have views contrasting to the parish council’s stance that no development should be built on the land that was subject to the application. As Downs Mail went to press, the group had not replied to this suggestion and meets without inviting Bearsted Parish Council
Waterhike an option INCREASING water charges might be a solution to stem a deficit in the council’s allot- ment accounts. A loss of £131 was recorded
for the sites at The Street and Church Landway. While rents may go up in 2012/13, no no- tice was given in 2010 to allow for them to be increased for the forthcoming financial year. Water increases may thus be needed to bridge the gap. Plot owners at The Street and Church Landway respectively paid £8 and £7 for water bills last year, yet each used an aver- age of £14 and £9.20. A deci- sion regarding rents will be made at the March meeting.
All that jazz...but not in Bearsted
THE council agreed not to fund a jazz band for this year’s Classic Cars on the Green. The annual event is promoted by the parish council but organised
by Philip Hall, who requested funding for a jazz band and portable toilet facilities, which respectively cost £350 and £120 last year. Councillors opted not to fund the music. Cllr Fabienne Hughes
said: “Times are hard. People come to see classic cars, not a jazz band.We should either not pay for it or, if we are feeling generous, put it to Kent AirAmbulance [who receive profits from the event].”
Playscheme date THIS year’s summer playscheme will take place be- tween August 1 and 12 at Madginford Hall, Egremont Road, Bearsted. Application forms for the parish council’s annual event will be available following the Easter holidays.
This page is sponsored and edited by:
Bearsted Parish Council
www.bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk
16 East
Hope forlighting MAIDSTONE Council cabinet member Cllr Richard Ash is now hopeful that the remaining money from the St Faith’s de- velopment in Yeoman Lane could be utilised, along with funding from the Parish and County Council to fund the Church Landway lighting.
providing an evening of enter- tainment and enjoyment for the residents. “The criticisms made are
those from a few who wish to destroy something for the many.” Cllr Mike Cuming sup- ported this view. It is anticipated that funds
raised from the event can be transferred to the newly-opened land and buildings account, set aside to protect the future of the parish. Further details of the event will be available in due course.
Objection to Little
Orchard changes IT was agreed to object to an ap- plication to amend the five- bedroom development at Little Orchard, Church Lane. The proposal was given plan-
ning permission in August 2009, but the applicant now wants a double garage to re- place a single garage between two plots, as well as the inclu- sion of chimney stacks for all properties. The parish council’s planning committee felt one of the chim- neys would impact on a neigh- bouring residential property and stressed concern at the ad- ditional building work for the larger garage.
Talks overdisputed church wall
THE parish council is to hold talks with Holy Cross Church Parochial Church Council to reach a so- lution about the un- stable churchyard wall. The council be-
lieves it may have ev- idence to suggest that the costs for repairing are the PCC’s respon- sibility
Church Landway
trees clarification THE council wishes to clarify that the decision to remove trees at the Church Landway al- lotments was not taken in re- sponse to a request from the owner of Mote Hall, as may have been construed from the article in the last edition of Downs Mail. The council categorically
stated that at no time had it been asked to carry out this work - despite the trees in the past causing damage to Mote Hall. The parish council would like to apologise to Richard Ashness for any embarrassment the article may have caused.
Council Office: Madginford Hall, Bearsted Telephone: E-Mail:
01622 630165 Chairman:
clerk@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk Chris Dyke
Clerk: Helen Elstone
MEETINGS HELD SECOND TUESDAYOFMONTH (7.30) AND THE PUBLIC IS VERYWELCOME
Visit Downs Mail’s website—
downsmail.co.uk
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