Where I live... West Malling Parish Council
September’s agenda could not be completed within the time required by the parish council’s standing orders. This meant that the final section was not discussed at the meeting. Parish councillors can request such items be taken forward to the next monthly agenda. However, this section of the agenda included draft minutes from the planning and Macey’s Meadow advisory committees (which has already been circulated to councillors) and reports from borough councillors Sasha Luck and Sophie Shrubsole, were circulated by email after the meeting.
• Development & infrastructure - creating quality places consultation. The parish council submitted a response to KCC in March, expressing concerns that parish councils had not been acknowledged as significant players in local planning issues or in delivering community infrastructure. Councillors were delighted to note that KCC’s consultation statement has recognised this error and will ensure that the final document (due to be published later this year) includes parish councils as vital consultees in local planning and community infrastructure issues.
•New electoral arrangements. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s review has been completed. Its proposals will be laid before Parliament for approval so that the new electoral arrangements can be implemented in 2015. The recommendations for the West Malling & Leybourne ward are that it will continue to elect three borough councillors and that the ward will include the Leybourne Grange development as the best reflection of local community interests and identity.
•West Malling Library. Councillors, aware of the countywide proposal for restructuring and refinancing the library service, had requested a short presentation as a means of assessing the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the West Malling branch. Two of the library’s staff gave a concise summing up of KCC’s vision for library and archive services and were keen to emphasise that no decisions will be made until an extensive consultation process has been carried out.
Councillors agree that the library is an important community asset and that retaining the service in West Malling is paramount. However, a key issue for the West Malling Library could be the building it is housed in. It’s in a central location but in a period building it is likely to be difficult and expensive to upgrade and improve. Councillors discussed various possibilities such as sharing the building with other community groups but agreed that without any specific indication from KL&AS about the future of the West Malling branch, the best
LOCAL CONTACTS
Trudy Dean, Malling Action Partnership Chairman E:
trudy.dean@
kent.gov.uk T: 01732 843 119
Citizens Advice Bureau – T: 01732 440488
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council main switchboard – T: 01732 844522
Travel Enquiries
Trains – T: 08457 484950
Nu-Venture Buses – T: 01622 882288
Arriva Buses – T: 0871 200 22 33
Pothole reporting – T: 08458 247800
www.malling.org.uk
Police - non-emergency T: 101
course of action is for councillors to continue to support the branch and encourage its use whenever possible.
October’s council meeting also presented a full agenda but the items were relatively straightforward and did not include any presentations so this meeting finished within the allotted time.
•West Malling Police Office. This was closed at the end of September, despite a lengthy dialogue between councillors and senior Kent Police officers. Councillors are keen to maintain strong links with local officers, despite there being little likelihood that the monthly police report will be presented in person at council meetings. The next few months will be monitored and any difficulties reported to the police for resolution.
•Tonbridge & Malling Crime Prevention Panel. This is regularly attended by a parish councillor and provides useful feedback on local crime and anti-social behaviour. The T&MCPP is gradually increasing its membership and is looking to include representatives from local business and social groups to widen its contacts within the community. September’s meeting included a short presentation on the Tonbridge & Malling Community Safety Partnership. The partnership includes officers from Kent Police, Kent Fire, PCSOs and community wardens and local housing associations as well as teams from within Tonbridge and Malling Council. The partnership holds daily de-briefing and monthly tasking and co-ordination meetings and uses these to produce an annual action plan. (This year’s action plan targets anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and substance abuse).
•Rural Community of the Year: The judges for the RCotY competition were very impressed by the West Malling presentation and its extensive content. West Malling Parish Councillors gave a hearty “thank you” to Cllr Bullard for his hard work, which undoubtedly boosted West Malling’s successful bid. The nominal prize money will be used to fund extra signs so that all four of the main access routes into West Malling can proudly commemorate the parish’s success.
And looking forward, the parish council would like to remind you that November 25, 2012, will not only celebrate 11 successful years of farmers’ markets in West Malling but, as in previous years, it will lead up to the arrival of Father Christmas at 16.30 to switch on the Christmas lights. Please join the local residents in celebrating West Malling’s continued success as a rural community; you’ll be very welcome!
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