DownsMail In touch with your parish
Bredhurst Council Meters delay
THE Southern Water district manager addressed the meeting. The company would not be re- turning to the village to finish the installation of water meters until next January. Anyone wishing have a meter before then is advised to go to the Southern Water website for in- formation, place an order and one should be installed within about a month. Currently, there is no charge. A report was received on a meeting with county council representatives on village up- keep. Councillors requested in- formation on the level of services which could be ex- pected and the cost if the parish wished to pay for extra mainte- nance. A request for 20mph roundels was also made. The use of a small gritting machine was offered for use on pavements during periods of snowy weather. Potholes and blocked drains
were mentioned. A map of the responsibility of the highways department was also promised. The parish was still awaiting the promised information. The potholes on the motorway bridge would be dealt with within seven days, the ones in Hurstwood Road within a month. The cost and size of the newsletter were discussed. It was suggested that one double sided sheet would be more cost effective. An electronic version could also be sent to residents to save money. Cllr Tim Gough said that no residents had yet signed up to receive it electron- ically. The next newsletter should be around Easter and the clerk could start to store suit- able items for it. The following planning ap- plications were discussed: Bredhurst Nurseries, change of use from agricultural to recre- ational and erection of a timber shed as changing rooms for teams within Boxley parish. The clerk was to inquire on progress, and the matter of change of use to allow Top Cat Tuition to operate would be fol- lowed up.
Development of house in
Forge Lane: the owner outlined her plans. Formal permission had not yet been sought. New stable block, field next to Oaklands: Discussion around the building of a block which has not had planning permis- sion. The owner was advised to contact the planning office at Maidstone Council. No objections were raised to proposals for a conservatory at Arran Bank Stables. The clerk was to attend a training course with a view to increasing the use of the parish
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website. It was noted that therewas in- correct information in the De- cember
minutes.The increase in charges for the village hall was from £23 to £24 and not £21 to £24. The parish council does not get a special rate for use of the hall. The concurrent functions
grant from MBC was expected to be reduced by 30% next year, so there will be a shortfall with- outanincreaseinthe precept fro 2012/13. A nil increase in the precept was agreed but it wasmade clear that the precept may have to rise next year. The process had been com- pleted with MBC to create a dog exclusion zone covering the fenced playground behind the village hall.
Chairman thanked
Broomfield and Kingswood Council
CLLR Peter Coleman was elected vice-chairman and Cllr Vince Cooper was thanked for all the work he had done as chairman. This was the second consecu-
tivemonth of no reported crime in the parish. An initial draft presentation
on neighbourhood planning had been given and details were discussed for the forthcoming visioning exercise public meet- ing at the village hall on March 19.
The council had been con-
tacted by resident Faye Rouse, a governor of Kingswood Primary school, suggesting a closer rela- tionship between the parish council and the school on forth- coming projects. The vice-chair- man agreed to liaise initially and with a view to requesting that one of the governors con- siders becoming a councillor, particularly as there is currently a vacancy. The total cost for toddler swings was £2,726 including safety tiles and soil removal. The insurers would be asked whether the parish council was required to install safety tiles. The clerk had spoken to the owner of the field abutting the sports field regarding a public footpath to the field. The owner had agreed that, should this be the only and final resolution, she would discuss with the parish council the issue of re- leasing an area of her land to establish a public right of way from the Charlesford Avenue bridleway to the sports field. The village hall committee
was organising an event for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The vice-chairman hoped council members would support the hall committee in this venture. A donation of £100 was agreed towards the celebrations.
Detling Council Barrier removal
COUNTY Cllr JennyWhittle has arranged for theAmico barrier – the rusted corrugated barrier – on the corner ofHockers Lane to be removed. She reported that Thurnham Parish Council had agreed double yellow lines from the bottom of Hockers Lane (near Ware Street) would im- prove safety there. A 50mph speed limit along Detling Hill (the the A249) will be taken up with the police. KCC had decided there would
be no charge for street parties during the extendedweekend of the Diamond Jubilee. Mrs Barrie of Scragged Oak
Road was invited to fill the va- cancy on the parish council. Cllr Mark Housden was for- mally elected vice-chairman of the council, a role he has un- dertaken since John Clayton’s resignation last year. A member of the public de- scribed an incident from last October when a foreign lorry took a wrong turn and became stuck on PilgrimsWay because cars were parked on the road- side nearest the access to Jade's Crossing. The situation was so bad, the resident reported, that the police had to be called, who initially struggled to guide the HGV out of Pilgrims Way di- rectly onto the main carriage- way until they eventually succeeded by instructing the driver to reverse back along the slip road. The resident stated: “If cars are left there a lorry can’t escape” and suggested yel- low lines be painted. Cllr Janice Kennard suggested moving the roadside signs telling HGVs not to use this road, currently located near Harple Lane, to nearer the junc- tion with the A249. The parish clerk will put this to Kent County Council. The member of public also asked that quiet sur- facing and acoustic barriers be constructed to cancel the noise from the A249. Cllr Janice Kennard reported a provisional grant of £500 by an environmental concern for the purchase and installation of solar panels onto the village hall roof. The estimated cost of the entire project, which would see Detling generating its own power and selling excess back to the national grid, is between £20,000 and £21,000. A grant request would be submitted to EDF shortly. A member of public had
asked for a 20mph speed limit along Pilgrims Way because of the road’s popularitywithwalk- ers and runners at weekends. The council has consulted with the Department for Transport who stated it was unlikely that a limit would be accepted. South EastWater has notified
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
the council about work on a water pipe running through Horish Wood, planned to start in September. Although the in- tended works do not comply with the agreement signed by the council on purchase of the land, the council agreed it was helpless to prevent works in Horish Wood that will involve removal of newts from the pond – startingin April – as well as digging up soil to install the water main and possible re- moval of an oak. Cllr Chris Evernden said the council should “make sure they do a good job of repairing any dam- age they do”. Robert Dray has taken over as PCSO for Detling.
PCSO takes over
Hollingbourne Council
Siobhan De Burca introduced herself as PCSO for the North Downs. She said she would look into the possibility of re- viewing a Neighbourhood Watch scheme. The CCTV camera at Holling- bourne station was again point- ing skywards and this had been reported to Southeastern. Hollingbourne Meadows
Trust had asked for permission to erect a shed to housemowing equipment in a corner of the car park behind the village hall. The trust was advised to seek agreement from the village hall committee and then landown- ers Enterprise Inns, before con- sulting Maidstone Council about possible planning permis- sion.
Litter at the A20 entrance to Hollingbourne is a continuing problem. Maidstone Council would be asked for the contract specification for frequency of litter-picking. Litter around the war memo-
rial was an ongoing issue, even though there was a bin on the opposite side of the road. An- other bin was being requested for the Hollingbourne school side of Eyhorne Street. Repairs to the mower had
been made and it had been serv- iced and returned. The next safari market had
been agreed with the use of Cardwell Pavilion confirmed at no cost to theWI. The chairman confirmed he
had completed a questionnaire on waste and recycling.Hehad emphasised the need for high quality and accessible services to help combat fly-tipping. The WI was organising a big-
ger and better pancake race this year.
Leeds Council One-way lane?
A RESIDENT from Bimbury Lane raised concern about traf- fic in Burberry Lane and sug-
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