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Anger over plans for homes on village sites


FURIOUS borough councillor Val Springett is to take Maidstone Council to task over housing plans which affect Bearsted.


The Villager Cricket club’s


pavilion plans BEARSTED Cricket Club is forging ahead with plans to move into the 21st century.


The club is speaking to Maid- stone Council’s conservation officer Chris Parkinson about its plans for an artificial wicket and to incorpo- rate advertising on the side of the cricket pavilion, to help raise funds. Longer term, the club wants to extend the pavilion and hold open club sessions for children. Members would like to improve the pavilion internally and by cleaning up the benches around the perimeter of the Green.


Members of the parish council are divided over the issue of adver- tisements on the pavilion, but it was pointed out that if they vote against it, they could be overruled by Maidstone Council.


The parish council owns the Green, but the club owns the pavil- ion. Cllr Geoff Licence said he was not happy with the idea of adver- tising in a conservation area, but Cllr Denis Spooner pointed out: “The shops around the Green are also in a conservation area.”


Keeping track of spending


THE parish council is to invest in new accounting software to help it keep track of its spending. The incoming clerk Michelle Rumble told members the “Advan- tage” system had been developed for parish clerks and would be bet- ter suited to Bearsted than regular accounting packages. She said the system would enable members to have a clear break- down of income and expenditure. Cllr Bernard Carine said: “Con- sidering we are such a large parish, we are still in the dark ages.” Mrs Rumble said: “I believe the new system will give the parish everything it needs.”


Two of the sites for housing in the initial draft local plan were in Thurnham and one in Bearsted – but all would have an impact on Bearsted schools and amenities, she told the parish council.


Maidstone Council officers had selected land off Ware Street, at Barty Farm and at Lilk Meadow, Cross Keys for more than 300 new homes, even though the latter site is prone to flooding. However, Cllr Springett, along with other members of the council, persuaded the cabinet to drop Ware Street and Lilk Meadow from the current draft. Barty Farm re-


mains for the time being, as coun- cillors felt it would be beneficial to hear the public's comments at con- sultation stage, which commences on March 21.


Cllr Springett (pictured) said: "I do not consider any of these three sites suitable, for a variety of reasons." She pointed out access to Barty


Farm was via a single track road which emerged on a blind bend and that any increase in housing would have an impact on demand


for school places. She said: "We can- not take 320 more houses without a new school." A total of 120 proper- ties are proposed at Barty Farm Cllr Springett backed Maidstone Council’s decision to leaving M20 J8 as a location for economic devel- opment and told the parish council she understood there were plans to demolish and rebuild part of Detling Aerodrome, which could free up future commercial land. The scheme would involve build- ing a new roundabout on the A249 which would ease traffic flows in and out of the Kent County Show- ground, she said.


Youth club contribution Crackdown


DOWNSWOOD Parish Council is to be asked to contribute towards the cost of running Bearsted Youth Club.


A number of teenagers from Downswood are among the 15+ teenagers who attend the club each week and the neighbouring council had been asked previously to support the club, but this had not been pursued.


Cllr Geoff Licence, who chairs the council’s community commit- tee and who runs the club in conjunction with PCSO Adam McKin- ley, had been criticised for spending money on the club’s Christmas party without authority from the parish council. But the council was told the children’s subs had more than cov- ered the cost. Cllr Licence’s wife Wendy, who helps as a volunteer at the weekly youth club, asked the council for a breakdown of funds left in the youth club budget and guidelines on expenditure for the club. It was agreed to put the item on the agenda of the next community committee meeting.


Cllr Licence said: “I have been running the youth club for three and a half years and never been questioned about it before. The ac- counts have been merged into the parish council accounts, so we have no idea how much money is left.”


Emergency plan is discussed Madginford Hall and the WI Hall


AFTER the recent floods in other parts of the borough, Bearsted Parish Council is to investigate with KCC and MBC what it could do to help out if similar emergencies oc- curred within the parish. PCSO Adam McKinley said he and other wardens had been involved in helping those flooded in Yalding and the surrounding areas over the Christmas period, which had made him question what the situation would be should Bearsted suffer an emergency of any kind.


This page is sponsored and edited by:


Bearsted Parish Council www.bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk


24 Maidstone East March 2014


are designated as emergency shel- ters, but there is no plan as such, members were told. Cllr Les Ethridge said he raised the


matter with KCC emergency planner Tony Harwood five years ago but nothing had ever been done to take matters forward. Cllr Bernard Carine said he too had tried to take this forward, with- out success. He said: “We should have a plan, but we do not.”


on parking PARENTS of pupils at Madginford, Roseacre and Thurnham schools are to be targeted in a campaign called ‘Responsible Parking’. Despite repeated pleas and warn- ings, parents continued to park on footpaths, block driveways and cause hazards near the schools, the parish council was told. PCSO Adam McKinley said he


would be launching the campaign, a KCC initiative, in March and let- ters would be sent to parents point- ing out they could find themselves with a parking ticket if they failed to park sensibly and responsibly. Cllr Denis Spooner said: “The problem is endemic and has been going on for 20 years. It is time the rules were enforced.”


Boiler warning RESIDENTS asked to take out un-


solicited insurance or cover for their central heating boilers should contact the local PCSO. PCSO Adam McKinley told the parish council that people were being targeted in the cold weather and talked into taking out policies, which later proved to be worthless. He said: “If anyone is seeking the services of a tradesman or advice on insurance, they should come to me in the first instance.” Anyone who thinks they have been the victim of a scam should contact him or trading standards.


Council Office: Madginford Hall, Bearsted Telephone: E-Mail:


01622 630165 Chairman:


clerk@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk Richard Ash


MEETINGS HELD SECOND TUESDAY OFMONTH (7.30PM) AND THE PUBLIC IS VERY WELCOME


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