DownsMail In touch with your parish


Golding Homes regarding af- fordable housing and a new sur- vey would be made and distributed with the parish newsletter. Residents had complained


that following flash floods, an area of Sovereigns Way was af- fected by overflowing drains. SouthernWater would be asked to attend a meeting with the parish council and residents. A letter had been received re-


garding an accident at Church Green when a resident fell on the footway and broke his foot. This had been reported to KHS and two councillors had agreed to put together a report on foot- ways. Ten lights were not working


in the car park at Marden Sta- tion and there was damage to the height barrier. Leylandii trees on the bound-


ary of the churchyard pre- vented the church being viewed from the north of the village. Boundary maps were to be stud- ied to establish ownership.


Concern letter MEMBERS agreed to send a let- ter of concern about the pro- posed withdrawalof youth work provision and ask for a meeting with the county coun- cil to clarify the situation. The new youth worker was doing well within the youth club for 11-to-13-year-olds. Councillors agreed to donate


Staplehurst Council


£60 to the Friends of Poyntell Pond following their request for help towards the cost of vegeta- tion disposal this autumn, as Maidstone Council’s waste freighter no longer accepts com- post material. With regard to the memorial


seat for Sandy Briffa, it was re- ported that Mr Briffa would fund the bench purchase and installation. It was agreed that the council would maintain the seat after installation. Councillors revisited a resi-


dent’s recommendation for a pe- riodic review of all footways, roads and amenities within the parish to identify any improve- ments or maintenance that was needed. Members agreed to keep the issue on the agenda and recommended a trial on paved areas only. It was noted that the salt bin


at the junction of Bell Lane with McCabe Close had been re- placed. Maidstone Council had quoted to refill parish salt bins at £40 each. It was noted that Kent Highways would provide a free one-tonne bag of salt for parish distribution when snow was imminent. It was agreed to purchase two salt bins. Councillors considered buy-


ing a piece of land for allot- ments. It was agreed that estate agents should be approached


with consideration given to areas of land at Sweetlands Lane and Jubilee Sports Field. Councillors received a pres-


entation from Age Concern Maidstone on the Community Hub project – a good neighbour scheme aimed at reaching older citizens in rural areas. The pro- posed pilots were Staplehurst and Lenham. A recruitment meeting would be held at 2pm on December 7 at the youth club.


Councillors recommended ap- proval of the proposed removal of two ash trees at Jenro, Chapel Lane.With regard to an applica- tion for a single-storey side ex- tension and first floor rear extension at Hill View, Grave Lane, councillors recommended approval and asked that a tree preservation order be placed on an oak tree. It was reported that Maid-


stone Council had approved the change of use at Wealden Sad- dlery, in High Street, to a day nursery. The parish council had recommended refusal.


Power problem


Sutton Valence Council


THE meeting opened with a prayer. It was agreed that as there was no lighting in the meeting room, due to a fallen power cable, that only essential matters would be dealt with and the remainder carried forward. Councillors voted to allow an allotment holder to keep chick- ens at Bowhalls allotments. No comment was made about


a proposed two-storey exten- sion atWind Chimes, Chartway Street. It was agreed to allow Blue Eagles FC to hire the war me- morial playing field for a tour- nament next June 11 and 12, at a cost of £220. Permission was given to a parishioner who offered to pro- vide two lime trees to be planted outside the White House and wished to place a plaque in memory of his par- ents, who were parishioners. Councillors decided to place a


salt bag just inside the hedge at the car park exit.


Church land sale


West Farleigh Council


FOLLOWING publication of a notice inquiring whether any residents would be interested in purchasing the piece of church land for sale off Teston Lane, there had been only four ex- pressions of interest. Following some discussion it was agreed there was nothing further the council could do to secure the land. It was further reported that a resident of West Farleigh


had recently leased the land for at least the next year and the sale might be put on hold for the time being. PC Gary Shaw reported two


crimes since the last meeting - both thefts. He also said that the Teston Bridge checks were con- tinuing, with vehicles exceed- ing the width restriction being penalised. A resident had volunteered to refurbish the finger post. Larry Johnson was tasked


with clearing footpath KM21 and erecting fencing. Council chairman Cllr Bruce


Scott reported that residents had again complained about traffic on Mill Lane travelling to Tutsham Farm. It was reported that there was a riding school operating at the site and the clerk was asked to follow up with Maidstone Council’s en- forcement department. It was suggested that it might


be useful to set up a residents’ action group to get the speed limits reduced in Charlton Lane. Cllr Bailey requested a litter


bin be installed at the lay-by on Lower Road and the clerk was asked to follow up. Grass on the community cen-


tre land had become overgrown and Cllr Martin agreed to cut it. Cllr Martin reported that the


field by Teston Bridge was once again full of ragwort. He also stated that the village sign was still with the repairer and that Maidstone Council was cutting the green using a new machine that picks up the grass. It was agreed to obtain a quo-


tation for the re-setting of the tiles under the flat seat swings in the play area. An Awards For All funding application was being prepared for a multiplay unit.


Yalding Council Cattle goodbye


THE cattle that grazed on The Fen were sold at auction. Only one bid was received from Andy Sanders and, as this was in excess of the fair market value, his bid was accepted. The animals were now on land at Collier Street. The clerk had received a graz-


ing agreement from St Modwen for next year, which everyone agreed should be signed. Chair- man Cllr Brown was to write to St Modwen thanking it for its support of reinstating educa- tionalvisits and asked the com- pany to consider the provision of toilets. The Joint Transport Board had approved the Laddingford speed limit reduction, and the works order for production of signs etc had been issued. Council chairman Cllr Geral- dine Brown was less than im- pressed that nobody seemed to


know who was responsible for the implementation of the scheme. She had contacted KCC Cllr Paulina Stockell who had taken the matter up on the parish’s behalf. An infrared camera was


needed in the High Street but this required a taller lamppost. A price was sought from Ditton Electrical. PC Gary Shaw was due to


leave at the end of November. There were currently two can- didates for his position. Due to road works at Horsmonden which restricted access for HGVs, it was agreed to postpone the lorry surveys relating to weight restrictions. Discussions were taking place


with Kent Highway Services over the erection of measuring boards connected to flooding in Laddingford. The Nu Venture proprietor


had requested a meeting with the council chairman regarding complaints about buses. On advice from Medway Val-


ley Countryside Partnership, Cllr Brown had ordered a mix of alder, oak and blackthorn trees for the footway side of The Lees to take advantage of KCC’s 25 free young trees scheme. St Modwen confirmed that


the playing field and hedges on the Syngenta site along Parson- age Lane would be cut. The company was keen to see edu- cational visits resumed on The Fen.


Maidstone Council was in- specting the play area at The Tatt and raised issues over the safety surface, swings and fenc- ing. It was agreed that the clerk would ask the odd job man to repair the fence and cut back the overhanging vegetation. The clerk would also establish the ownership of the fence to the rear of Tatt Barn. KCC was to be asked to re-


place the damaged reflectors on the bend near Twyford Bridge once the fence had been re- paired. Reflectors were also re- quired on other parts of The Lees’ fencing and an arrow on the sharp bend. Vegetation along the Hamp-


stead Lane canal was cleared by community payback workers.A councillor would like them to do further work here. The clerk had been ap- proached with a tentative en- quiry to use The Kintons play area to play croquet. It would be required midweekmidday so should not clash with other users. Councillors agreed to this in principle. The clerk reported that the


council had again been success- ful in The Men of Trees compe- tition and had received a £15 voucher. It was agreed that this should be put towards replacing the trees that were damaged on The Lees car park.


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