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Time runs out for this year’s music festival
THE parish council hopes Music on the Green will return in 2015 after this year’s event was cancelled due to a lack of progress in organising it. Councillors voted to call off this
The Villager MP ‘poking
her nose in’ MP HELEN Grant has been ac- cused of “poking her nose in our constituency” over the proposed Waterside Park development at M20 Junction 8.
Mrs Grant had lobbied for Gal-
lagher’s warehousing proposal on land south of the A20 to be ap- proved, despite it being outside her Maidstone and Weald constituency. Maidstone Council’s planning com- mittee later refused the develop- ment, taking into account opposition from local MP Hugh Robertson, Leeds Castle, Bearsted, Thurnham, Leeds and Holling- bourne parish councils, and the three Bearsted ward members. Cllr Michael Stark said: “I wrote to Helen Grant saying I was un- happy she was poking her nose in our constituency, but she wrote a letter back saying that as I do not live in her constituency she could not comment on it!” Mrs Grant wanted the proposal to go ahead because it would have safeguarded up to 450 jobs in her constituency. ADL and Scarab Sweepers, based in Marden, could both leave the area if they are un- able to relocate to Waterside Park. Cllr Dennis Spooner said: “By commenting on an issue outside the constituency she is in breach of parliamentary protocol. It is ironic that she refused to deal with Cllr Stark’s complaint to her because he does not live in her constituency.”
Co-Op meat stolen
THERE had been instances of meat thefts in the Madginford Co-op. PCSO Jim Stevens had asked the shop manager to move meat else- where in the store to deter crimi- nals.
Allotment rent
IT was agreed to freeze the rent for allotment holders at Church Land- way for 2015/16. The council has to give a year’s notice of any increases.
year’s festivity on Bearsted Green after hearing that the community committee, chaired by Cllr Geoff Li- cence, had decided the running of the event should be put out to ten- der. The motion was carried by six votes in favour and eight absten- tions. No member opposed it. Cllr Richard Ash, chairman of the
parish council, said “virtually noth- ing had happened” between com- munity committee meetings at the beginning of November, when it had been agreed to run the event in- house, and the end of January. Only two acts had been provi- sionally booked and some other contacts had been spoken to, but the lack of progress led the committee to go out to tender. Initially it had been intended to
hold the event on May 25, but this proved impossible to arrange in time. Early September was a possi- ble alternative. The community committee had
resolved in a meeting on February 20 to set up a sub committee to arrange a tender for this year’s event, an idea pursued at full coun- cil by Cllr Tim Licence. But just one other councillor backed this motion as the majority felt time had run out. Cllr Les Ethridge, who tabled the cancellation motion, said: “Septem- ber is a little late and we are not going to get it ready for May so we should cancel it. In April this year we should form a committee to look at how to do the event next year.”
Crowds enjoy last year’s Music on the Green festival
Cllr Michael Stark said: “Great thought should be given into how the community committee is run in the future.” Cllr Pat Marshall said: “Iamupset
and disappointed. Iwant us tomove forward together but there is too muchantagonism.We are all elected to serve residents.We have to move forward together. “I urge councillors to get back to
wherewewere.We have a commu- nity committee and we want to be working for the community.”
Football agreed on trust land Cricket licence
COUNCILLORS gave permission for Roseacre Raiders to use land the council leases from Bearsted Wood- land Trust for youth football games. The club had requested use of the
pitch, which had hosted Bearsted FC games on Saturdays until Septem- ber last year. The Raiders, who have
teams from U9s to U12s, said they had outgrown their current provi- sion on Elizabeth Harvie Field. Members voted unanimously to let the Raiders use the pitch. Cllr Les Ethridge said: “This land was left for young football players to use so I can’t see the problem.”
Housing sites removed
COUNCIL chairman, Cllr Richard Ash, praised the decision to remove proposed housing sites that would have had an effect on Bearsted. Maidstone Council’s draft local plan initially earmarked land at
Ware Street and Lilk Meadow for new homes, but these sites were re- moved before the document went out for consultation. However, land at Barty Farm remains a housing aspiration. Cllr Ash said: “New homes would have meant there would have been lots more young children and our schools are full to capacity.” Cllr Ash said new housing along the Sutton Road corridor was a concern, with more houses earmarked in the draft local plan after planning permission was granted in February for a total of 886 homes on three sites south of Otham.
He said: “It will not take people who move into the area long to re- alise that if you want to get to the motorway you don’t go through Maidstone but rat-run Otham, Downswood and Bearsted.” Cllr Les Ethridge said it was “bonkers” that Maidstone Council had
allowed so much housing along Sutton Road. “With all the traffic it will be a catastrophe,” he added.
This page is sponsored and edited by:
Bearsted Parish Council
www.bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk
20 Maidstone East April 2014
still delayed PARISH councillors voiced frustra- tion over a delay on a lease agree- ment with Bearsted Cricket Club. In February 2013 the parish coun- cil and cricket club agreed a lease and licence for the club to remain on The Green when its lease runs out in 2019. However, the council’s solicitor, Whitehead Monkton, has not pro- gressed the documents. It was said to be unhappy with some terms. Cllr Richard Ash, chairman of the parish council, said: “I don’t know what is happening to cause this delay. The cricket club just want two people to sign it.”
The delay had caused the cricket club to accumulate a legal bill from Gullands of £1,800 – and rising. Cricket club chairman Steve Pearce predicted the final cost for the club would be £3,100, but his request for a contribution from the council was turned down.
This will be the first time that the club, which has played cricket on the village green since 1749, has been subject to a licence.
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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