Parish Councils


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submit the planning application. Crime Itwas reported that a Land Rover Discovery (presumed stolen) had crashed and been abandoned in Greenway Court Road. Cllr Dr Susan Bauer urged caution and awareness of personal identity fraud if leaving out paper rubbish for recycling in a separate bag as hers had been taken before the MBC collection took place. Parking The clerk reported that a traffic warden had been patrolling Eyhorne Street on two consecutive days. Planning Cllr Alan Benne reported on the new planning portalwebsite consultation which appeared to make equipment assumptions: a projector, available laptop, large document printer etc. The clerk read out her response which included an assumption that the broadband provision was sufficient to process such potentially large documents. Neigbourhood plan Cllr Benne agreed to contact those who had expressed an interest in helping to formulate a neighbourhood plan, even if pressure against development at M20 J8 diminished. Environment The state of the road surface and the increasing number of potholeswas commented on. The quest for a replacement signwas ongoing. Funds from the 2013 fete had been earmarked for this and should be spent as soon as possible. Yellow linesAcouncillor commented on the fading into non-existence of the yellow lines in the village. If they were to be repainted, a consultation on where best to restrict parking would bewelcomed in view of the absence of a public car park and the continued need to slow down traffic through the village, parked cars being one method. Precept The precept for 2014/15 would be £15,067 plus £1,302 local council tax support payment. Signs There had been fewer unauthorised signs round the village recently.


Leeds


Special constable It was reported that the parish council did have powers to finance the appointment and training of a volunteer. Cllr John Gove said this was an opportunity for the parish council to take action regarding the enforcement of illegal HGVs travelling through the village. Members of public voted overwhelmingly in favour of the parish council spending up to £10,000 from its reserves to finance the appointment, uniform, mobility and training of a special constable to work for Kent Police with a focus on Leeds, and this was agreed by the parish council. Highways review Cllr Gove spoke regarding the appointment of Peter Bre Associates for the parish highways review. The aim was to obtain independent advice and seek a scoping exercise on future options for the parish. B2163 Cllr Gove reported on a meeting with KCC who had assured the parish that the road would not be reopened until it was completely safe. The parish council had asked for the weight limit to be reduced from 17.5 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes before it was reopened. However, this was unlikely to happen as a traffic regulation order was needed. Declassification of the B2163 was a longer-term idea and the parish council needed to explore the


benefits and disadvantages of this. KCC councillor Gary Cooke had submied an application from his highways fund to commence the work on the weight restriction. The consultation process would take place when the road had reopened. He anticipated that the weight limit would be in place by the summer.


Lenham


Family festival Volunteers are needed to help with the Lenham Family Festival in June. If you can spare an hour or so, please offer your services. Groups who would like to raise funds are also invited to join in. Email margo.mcfarlane@btinternet.com or call 01622 859682. Lenbus The insurers had said the vehicle was wrien off and a further meeting would be held on how the service could be maintained in future. Crime PCSO Dave Rowley said there had been six reported crimes in the previous month, mostly criminal damage and the. There had been some anti-social behaviour by youths in the village, but the PCSO hoped he had nipped this in the bud by talking to some of the parents. Sheep The chairman thanked John Boyd for erecting the fence at the back of the church to contain the sheep for the experiment of them grazing instead of having the grass mown. The result would be assessed later in the year. Tree surgeon Quotes were being sought for a qualified tree surgeon to accompany parish councillors when carrying out an audit of the trees that the council was responsible for maintaining. Neighbourhood plan It was agreed to appoint a professional company to put together a neighbourhood plan once further public consultation had taken place. GroomWay An update was given on the additional affordable housing at the GroomWay site. Golding Homes was ready to submit plans and two further public meetings would be held. The sale of parish council land in GroomWay was now nearing completion. Speed limit The new wording for the petition requesting a 40mph speed limit on the A20 through Lenham had been completed. Retailers in Lenham would be asked to have the petition so customers could sign it. Website It was hoped the new website would be completed by June. Environment Quotes had been obtained for work on trees in the churchyard and the cemetery. Further quotes would be gained for clearing up the the Twien, the pathway between Ham Lane and Maidstone Road.Aleer from the church warden concerning plaques being laid in the designated area for the scaering of ashes had been received. There were some anomalies that needed to be sorted out. Budget There would be no increase in the precept this year, but with more cutbacks by Maidstone Council and the Government, members were advised that the precept might have to increase the following year. PondAfree consultation had been arranged with a waterways specialist company to inspect Glebe Pond and gain expert advice on action needed to improve it.


Ulcombe


Annual parish meeting It will be held at 7.30pm in the village hall on Tuesday, April 15.


Dog fouling An incident of dog fouling on the recreation groundwas reported to the clerk who had contacted Maidstone Council. The parish councilwanted to remind residents that no dogswere allowed on the recreation ground and all incidentswould be reported. Children are particularly susceptible to toxocariasis from an infected dog through contact with contaminated soil. Solar farms Itwas agreed to organise a solar farm fact-finding meeting in Headcorn Village Hall on Thursday, July 3 for residents of Ulcombe, East Suon and Headcorn. Key speakers who could explain the planning, technical and environmental aspects of this issuewould be invited. War memorial The parish council had previously advised residents of its intention to clean thewar memorial and add two names. The cleaningwas mostly complete although an aemptwould be made to remove more of the black lichen at the foot of the memorial. The name O Edwardeswas to be added to theWorld War I list – spacewas no problem. However, in order to addAJ Perrin to the WorldWar II list, more spacewas required if the nameswere to be all at the front. The intention was to add a piece of identical stone to the middle step of the plinth where the three nameswere listed. It would have a sloping face to take the four names. Village sign The village signwas in the process of being repaired. Highways The many potholes in the village had been reported to Kent Highways Services. Many had been filled in, but large ones remained, particularly on Headcorn Road from the village hall to Tilden, and halfway down Chegworth road. The diverted traffic as a result of the closure of the Leeds Road had had a devastating effect, particularly from the A20 to Headcorn. The boulders in the earth bank at the side of the Chegworth Road near Chegworth Halt were a hazard to cars at road level, but KHS had said they were on private land due to the bank being eroded. The parish council had wrien to KHS to ask it to advise the landowner and to advise on a solution before an accident happened. Itwas reported that the A274 Suon Road, either side of the Leeds turning at Langley, would be partially closed during April 7-22 for gas mains replacementworks. Clerk Liz McLarenwaswelcomed in her role as the new parish clerk and responsible financial officer. Precept The precept for 2014/15was set at £47.50 for a band D property. Cuing hedges The council had been asked to remind parishioners that Natural England said the cuing of hedges and trees should be avoided between March and August, unless the hedgerow overhung a highway, road or footpath and was hazardous, as thiswas the main breeding season for nesting birds Traffic speed The results of the automatic traffic counts in The Street, Ulcombe, during November 3-10, 2013, showed the average speeds recordedwere within the law so police intervention for enforcement of speed limitswould not be necessary.


Maidstone East April 2014 59


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