Continued from page 33 produced a strategic land plan. Cllr Ellis said the KALC parish services scheme petition hadmore than 3,000 signatures, and Maidstone Council would be forced to debate the issue. Cllr Gershon suggested the council should encourage allot- ment holders to insure them- selves against loss or damage to tools stored at the site. Cllr Colin Bracking suggested the Allotment Society put up a no- tice to this effect. Cllr Bray said a number of res-


DownsMail In touch with your parish The playgroup, which used


paths around the village. Broadcom had arranged a presentation at the village hall in December to demonstrate their solutions for a better broadband service. The neighbourhood plan questionnaire had been circu- lated, and the steering group would collate the information. An application for part funding had been sent to Maidstone Council. To date the steering group had only spent £253. Printing costs for the Village


idents had approached him re- garding the possibility of installing exercise equipment for adults at the recreation ground. He asked whether the council would consider con- tributing towards this. However, it was noted that the children’s play area was a priority and a number of items needed atten- tion. Cllr Gershon said the council might look into this in the longer term and agreed to assist in taking this forward. County Cllr Eric Hotson had agreed to award £7,500 from his member highway fund for im- provements to Church Street or interactive signs for Heath Road, if he council would match this sum. It was agreed that interactive signs had lim- ited effectiveness and should not be pursued at this time. Cllr Ellis suggested that the council spend up to £7,500 on improve- ments for Church Street to match the grant. This was agreed.


Councillors had been asked


by the chairman to identify any projects they mightwish to pur- sue in terms of applying for funding. Items suggested in- cluded the youth club, play equipment, funding for works to land owned by the amenity trust, an extension to the village hall, picnic benches on Green- sand Way, the war memorial and street furniture. Cllr Brown had provided a re-


port on the fire and emergency event he had attended. It was agreed to find out where all the fire hydrants were located and the information to be kept on record. Cllr Gershon said he had sub- mitted an application for the listing of Boughton Mount folly and haha, and Maidstone Coun- cil had agreed to support the ap- plication. Cllr Bracking asked if a walkaround of land owned by the amenity trust could be arranged, and it was agreed to organise this for the spring.


Broomfield and Kingswood Council


Cars on paths


COUNCILLORS asked the clerk to contact Kent Police regarding the increase of parking on foot-


34 South


News for eight sides ofA4would be £400 for four editions of 700 copies in black and white on coloured paper. It was proposed that sponsorship by local busi- nesses should be considered and advertising should be considered on an ad hoc basis. Copy dead- line for the first issue would be mid February, 2013. The council agreed to contribute £500 a year towards the costs. The clerk hadmade enquiries


about having an additional no- tice board for the village and had had an offer to site one out- side the shops in Cayser Drive. Two quotes of £1,355 and £867.90, both plus VAT, had been obtained and planning permission would not be re- quired, just advertising consent, Councillors agreed further quotes should be obtained.


Crime-free month THERE were no reported crimes in November. Cllr Fork- nall said a vehicle had got into his field and driven around it, churning up the grass. How it had got in was a mystery as the gates were locked. Members noted that the senior registration officer at Maidstone Council had reported that no re- quest had been made for an election for the casual vacancy so it could be filled by co-op- tion.


Chart Sutton Council


Borough councillor Steve Munford said the KALC peti- tion regarding the Parish Serv- ices Scheme was to be debated by the full council. Highways Services had con-


tacted the landowner regarding flooding of the ditches at Warmlake Road, and they were looking at how to clear the ditch. Cllr Munford asked the clerk to report the various flood- ing issues in the parish. Cllr Peter Forknall said the


clerk had asked Highways to clear the path leading to the Memorial Field of wet leaves. Cllr Steven Waring offered to use his leaf blower if the work could not be carried out soon. Cllr Steven Waring reported


on the rat problem at the village hall. Maidstone Council had been out to look at it, but never came back, so the village hall committee was dealing with it themselves.


the village hall, had seen their numbers dwindle, so no longer used it, so income had fallen. CllrWaring had had to call off football matches duetothe ground being frozen. Landscape Services had turned up to roll the pitch, but were turned away as it was frozen. Cllr Paul Ward reported on


the flooding outside his prop- erty. The rootswere last cleared with a root cutter about 15-20 years ago, It had been reported to Highways, who had visited the site, and would be carrying out some work. Cllr Waring had noticed that


the padlock was missing from the gates to theMemorial Play- ing Field. The padlock was not removed when the gates were decorated. Cllr Waring had arranged for a new padlock for the gates. Members considered the


quote for the annual grounds maintenance and noted that items such as grass cuttingwere very competitive, but items such as hedge-cutting were less so. It was agreed that the quote was competitive overall and it was agreed to accept it. Members considered placing


funds from the textile bank into general reserves, rather than the pavilion fund. This was agreed. Members considered placing


some of the council funds in a separate bank account to attract a better rate of interest. Cllr Ward raised the subject of ethi- cal accounts, but it was consid- ered that the views of the council might not match the views of parishioners on such accounts. It was agreed to look for an account with the best rate of interest. The setting of the budget and precept would be held over until the January meeting.


Coxheath Council Budget set


THE parish council has set a provisional budget for 2013/14, against a background of uncer- tain income streams, but has undertaken not to increase the total of the parish precept. Maidstone Council has ap- proved the application by Cox- heath Council for the parish to be a designated neighbourhood plan area. The parish council was undertaking a series of meetings starting in December 2012 to develop a neighbour- hood plan for public consulta- tion and a referendum. Three delegates would be rep- resenting Coxheath at a neigh- bourhood plan workshop hosted by CPRE Protect Kent on December 10. Maidstone Council parking enforcement officers will be vis- iting Coxheath more often in an effort to curb inconsiderate parking in the village centre.


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


Coxheath Parish Council has adopted a new set of standing orders to bring the councilmore into line with the National As- sociation of Local Councils tem- plate. Kent County Council has is-


sued an unfavourable safety audit report in relation to the proposals for a revised traffic calming scheme inHeath Road. Further discussions will now take place to determine the way forward. New railings will be erected at


the eastern approach to the vil- lage hall playing field in an at- tempt to prevent motorcyclists from accessing the recreation area. A revamped Village News has


been produced,.. Costs of the freshly designed 24-page docu- ment have been subsidised by selling advertising space to local businesses.


Fines for HGVs BOROUGH councillor J Wilson said Lorry Watch was due to start and police would be able to stop and fine HGVs on the spot. It would be held at the en- trance to Leeds Castle. The clerk read out a report


East Farleigh Council


from PCSO Jo Watts. There had been a number of crimes in the last month. A garden bin had been stolen from Priory Close, a broom handle was thrown through a window in River Close, a hedge trimmer was stolen from Gallants Farm and a ride-on mower and trailer were stolen from Gallants Lane. A padlock was cut at Unicumes Lane, releasing a scrap metal barge which became a danger, and there was criminal damage to a vehicle parked at the Bull Inn. There was a head-on colli- sion outside Lone Cottage on Lower Road. Cllr White had attended the police forum and a morning at KFRS at Loose Fire station. He stressed the importance of knowing the locations of fire hydrants. Cllr BarryOlder had been told


by a resident that plastic pipes might be being extruded or manufactured, probably in the barn at the Old Rose Garden in Dean Street. The clerk was to re- port the matter to Maidstone Council. Cllr Beasley asked why Forge


Lane was closed and why resi- dents had not been warned. The clerk was to investigate. Cllr White said drivers com-


ing from Tovil were tending to drive too far to their left at the junction of Dean Street with Workhouse Lane, and risked hitting motorists waiting to turn right intoWorkhouse Lane. The clerk was to take the matter up with Highways. Cllr David Hussein raised the issue of advertising signs in the


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