DownsMail In touch with your parish A26.


Barming Council Vacant seats


TWOvacancies were now left on the parish council following the resignation of Fred Chapman and the co-option of Cllr Gerald Whear. A revised budget was being prepared for the pavilion refur- bishment and quotes were being obtained. A meeting was being arranged


with the path contractor and Barming Youth Football Club to confirm the exact position of the path before work commences. Regarding the parish hall re-


pairs, it was agreed that Lion Windows should replace the double glazed unit at a cost of £45 plus VAT and that Peter Cook complete the repointing work at a cost of £158 plus VAT. It was agreed that the gate op- erative’s salary increase from £60 to £70 a month from April, 2013. This would take into ac- count the unsociable hours in- volved in opening and closing the parish field 365 days a year. It was noted that operating the gate would not be needed on Christ- mas Day.


Landscape Services was awarded the three year contract for the grounds maintenance for the parish field, at a fixed price of £680 plus VAT. Peter Gooch had replaced the skirting board in the store room


and rectified the gap in the outer door at the parish hall. He was looking into the chair storage op- tions in the store room. Acomplaint had been received


about the speed of drivers in North Street, which was particu- larly dangerous where the road narrows. The PCSO had con- firmed it was the responsibility of all drivers to drive with care. Complaints had been received


about parking issues around Barming School. It was consid- ered this had been a growing issue since the school catchment area had widened. The chairman confirmed that Maidstone Coun- cilwas notwilling to install dou- ble yellow lines as there had neen no reported incidents. She would ask the borough about the possibility of a single yellow line instead. The PCSO had produced a po-


lice notice for placing on wind- screens of offending cars and would monitor the situation. The chairman and two coun-


cillors had joined members of Ditton Parish Council in an in- spection of the boundary and marker stones between the two parishes. It was suggested that a boundary stone be installed where the three parishes – Barm- ing, Ditton and EastMalling and Larkfield – meet. There had been further com- plaints about vehicles not stop- ping at the zebra crossing on the


Regarding trees being felled


along the railway track be- tween Barming Bridge and East Farleigh, it was reported that leaf fall was an issue for the rail network and the tree fellingwas part of the safety programme. It was suggested that a warn-


ing of a tree-felling scam where residents are told their trees have ash dieback (even when they are not ash tress) should be placed on the noticeboard. The clerk had investigated the


issue of water meters at the parish hall and pavilion. It was confirmed that the pavilion al- ready had one. The hall could be arranged by completing a form, although the operator could not guarantee that this would reduce costs. An email had been received regarding the mobile library which stops in Heath Road. The organisers wished to reduce the service by 15 minutes as the driver was not always able to getbacktothe depotbeforeit was locked in the evening. It was agreed the service could end in Barming at 6pm rather than 6.15pm.


Loose Council Goalpost issues


THE missing covers off the goalposts were discussed as this had resulted in a dog hurting its leg by falling down a hole. The


Russian gun is on the move


ONE of Maidstone’s “big guns” is on the move. But this time, it’s not a senior council figure or top- earning business guru – but, literally, a big gun! The historic cannon, which sits in a prime posi-


tion near the junction of Mill Street and the Lower High Street, is being relocated as part of the road improvement scheme. The Russian gun and its plinth are to be shifted


only slightly, to fit in with the new paved road scheme, where they will be set among eight new trees and illuminated at night. The council has applied for planning consent to


carry out the works and a spokesman said: “The cannon and plinth are to be relocated to afford the monument a more central position, commensurate with its importance.” The process of relocating the cannon will involve its temporary removal and careful demolition and


reconstruction of the stone plinth, using the exist- ing materials wherever possible. The cannon will then be re-sited on the rein- stated plinth.


Daffodils defy cold season to take prizes


JUDGES were pleased with entries for spring flowers at Maidstone Hor- ticultural Society Spring Show, de- spite the poor growing season. In the daffodil competition, 13 members entered the open classes and seven entered the novice classes, with the trophy for best vase being awarded to Sarah Goodwin for three lovely double blooms (left). Floral art was verywell supported,


with 21 entries, and the trophy for best exhibit was won by Tricia White, for her landscape exhibit Easter Celebration. Cookery and handicrafts were well


50 Town


represented too, with the prize for the major cookery class going to Janet Brimacombe for her Spring Tea exhibit of four items and a decora- tion on an individual table. Four children entered the three children's classes, with good results, and four men entered the Men Only cooking class for a fruit cake, with impressive results. The society’s Summer Show is


from 1.30-4.30pm on Saturday, June 29, in the Baptist Church Halls on the corner of Knightrider Street. Ad- mission is 50p for adults and free for children.


caretaker would be asked to check the goal holes on a daily basis.


Costs had been obtained for


ID cards for parish councillors, which had been proposed some time ago. The cost of £2.20 each, including clips, was agreed. At the first events committee meeting, ideas had been dis- cussed including cheese rolling and a theatrical event. Since then, Cllr Tony Oliver had come up with a plan to organise a folk day and fill the village with music on Saturday, July 20. Other items discussed included maypoles, morris dancers, evening gig, market, picnic and traditional games. Cllr Oliver had designed a preliminary poster which was handed to members. It had been left black and white to allow children to colour it in. Chairman Cllr Vianne Gib-


bons said the idea was rather different to what had been dis- cussed at the events committee meeting and Cllr Oliver said his way ofworking was to create an identity for something in order for it to gain momentum. Bernard Hill had been given


£10 for petrol expenses for tak- ing Cllr Roy Hood to Gallaghers to sort out the village sign. The capstones had been


sorted out on the wall at the en- trance to the allotments and they no longer presented a risk.


Choir raises


roof – and cash A WELSH male voice choir helped raise £2,550 for charity when it performed at Maid- stone Girls Grammar School. The 30-strong Rhayader Male


Voice Choir, from Mid-Wales, performed some well-known favourites to a packed audi- ence, raising funds for Diabetes UK and the MGGS PFA Fund. The choir was supported on


the night by Bearsted groups Mixed Blessings, Short Back and Sides and Barbishop. They provided a mixed repertoire of songs to add to the traditional hymns and melodies performed by the choir, who sang in both English andWelsh. Welsh cakes and barra brith


were served at the interval. Concert goer Graham Norton


said: “It was standing room only for a beautiful evening of song, music, wit and wisdom. This friendly Welsh choir en- joyed the rapturous applause and made a big impact.”


DVD thief jailed LISLE Aylett (22), of Kingsley Road,Maidstone,was jailed for 56 days at West Kent Magis- trates Court for two counts of shoplifting. He admitted steal- ing DVDs from a supermarket in Swanley on two occasions.


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