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support she provided to Donald’swork. She died three days before her 88th birthday, and leaves her husband.
Bey Sweatman
BETTY Doris Sweatman (86), who lived in East Farleigh for 50 years,worked as a physiotherapist at Linton Hospital. She moved to the area from Eltham with her husband John, a builder, andwas mother to Heather and Amanda. DaughtersAmanda
and Heather said: “My motherwas a very gentle person, always smiling and a
person who never said a bad thing about others. She loved the local countryside and walking, aswell as foreign trips to places like Kenya. “She had a passion for the opera singing of Jose Carreras and had seen him in concert a
Boughton Monchelsea
Co-option of councillors The three applicationswere discussed. Aer a concerted effort to recruit potential councillors from northward, only Mrs Slater had applied. Cllr Stephen Munford proposed that she be co-opted on to the council and thiswas agreed. The remaining two applicationswere discussed and it was agreed that both applicantswould be assets to the council. Itwas agreed that Ms Skinner be co-opted on to the council. Panel engineer’s invoice Cllr Munford noted that the Gold Commander has asked for the panel engineer’s reports to be carried out. He said the parish council would have had to carry out the inundation mapping anyway but not the dam integrity work. Itwas agreed that the councilwoul pay the £3,360 fee that Black & Veatch had charged for confirming the dam integrity and to submit a further “Bellwin” claim via Maidstone Council in relation to this.
Broomfield and
Kingswood Chairman Cllr Terry Bakerwas re-elected chairman with Cllr Mike O’Neill as vice- chairman for the year ahead. Consultation Kingsley Hughes from Design Consultancy Ltd launched the public consultation for the neighbourhood plan.
Finance The annual return for 2013/14 was approved.
Chart Suon
TreesAparishioner reported problems with the trees on the village green. One had gone brown and hewas concerned for its safety. Children had been swinging from the low branches of the oak tree. Cllr StevenWaring said the tree was only brown on one side, and thiswas probably wind burn. He agreed to crown li the oak tree.
Officers Cllr Peter Forknallwas elected as chairman for the forthcoming year. Cllr Waring was elected as vice-chairman.
few times, including a performance at the Royal Albert Hall. She also aended a fundraising dinner where hewas a guest, to raise money for leukaemia research. “She loved wildlife and read many books
on the subject andwas a devoted grandmother.” Both Bey and Johnwere long serving members of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, helping with organised trips and fundraising. Bey – who lost her husband earlier this
year aer 59 years together – leaves her daughters and grandchildren Sarah, Chris, Aaron and Ma.
KennethAsker
KENNETHAsker (90) lived in Staplehurst from 1970 and had previously lived in Marden. Originally from Bromley, Kenneth served
as a tank commander duringWorldWar II, taking part in theDDay Landings at Juno Beach. He returned home towork on the
railways, beginning byworking with the
Police report PCSO Richard Kirby reported a burglary at the Shop on the Green and a case of criminal damage at Chart
Corner.An arrest had been made for the burglary and the policewere investigating. The new cabinwould have steel shuers to eliminate these burglaries. Cllr Forknall said someone had been deliberately opening gates on his farm and pulling out electric fence posts, allowing animals to get out. PCSO Kirby was to arrange a site visit. Annual meeting It as agreed that it was not verywell aended by parishioners. It was proposed that Mary Underdown should be given a £20 Marks and Spencer voucher for her help in providing refreshments. Itwas pointed out the meeting had been a bit too long and that refreshments should be served at the end next year to avoid breaking up the flow. Part night lighting Members considered converting the parish’s one streetlight to part night lighting, but it was agreed to leave it as it was. Parking Members considered using Section 137 to buy residents parking signs for AmberWay. Thiswas agreed. Footpath Itwas agreed to seek quotes from external contractors for the completion of the footpath from Ivan’s Field to the Memorial playing field. Cllr Forknall agreed to do this. Football pitch Itwas agreed to offer licences to one teach each from Bearsted, Coxheath and Farleigh JFC, Tri Sports FC and Three Suons at £475 for 12 matches, with additional matches charged at £40. It was also agreed to set out the pitch in mid- August. Bearsted had requested that an additional team use the pitch on Sundays, and Mr P Coomber has asked to use it on Saturdays. Itwas agreed to offer the pitch to these teams if Coxheath and Farleigh and Tri Sports no longer wished to hire it for the 2014/15 season. Planning procedures Itwas agreed that viewing applications on paper was still preferable to viewing on a PC or projector screen. Itwas noted that funding might be available from Maidstone Council following the trial for new equipment. It was agreed towait until the trial was complete.
post and going into administration roles before a move towork locally for Diagrit Grinding (part of the company now known asDKHoldings, based in Staplehurst). Kennethwas married to Ruby for 44
years andwas father to Mark, Angie and Mandy. His son-in-law Brian Baker said: “Hewas
an active man who did lots of things in his life, he had lots to talk about. “He and Ruby taught old-time and sequence dancing in Staplehurst and Headcorn andwere involved in dance-based holidays. He had also played football and badminton to high standards and remained a jovial character throughout his life.” Kenneth – whowas widowed in 2002 –
also lost his daughter Mandy several years ago. He leaves his surviving children, granddaughters Melissa and Hannah, and his beloved dog Cassy.
Phone lines The meeting heard that an overhead cable had been cut by a tractor, resulting in the loss of telephone lines and broadband in the Green Lane/Forsham Lane area. St Michael’s Church Itwas agreed that rather than providing a donation, the council pays for the initial cost of cuing the grass in the churchyard. CllrWaring agreed to carry out thiswork, as Mr Underdownwas unwell. Shop on the Green Itwas agreed to buy the new cabin on behalf of the shop at a cost of about £4,500, under the power of section 137. Christmas lunch Members considered assisting with the cost of the senior citizens’ lunch. Itwas agreed that the amenities commieewould continue to raise funds for this and to request that the shop considered funding any shortfall.
Coxheath
Local plan The parish councilwas preparing a detailed objection to the dra Maidstone local plan, stressing in particular opposition to housing proposed for Heathfield and land off Forstal Lane, as well as commercial/employment development at Clockhouse Farm. Neighbourhood plan The recent KCC counter-proposals for the local plan included awelcome endorsement for the neighbourhood plan and its proposals for modest housing on three negotiated sites. Heath RoadAmeeting was planned with KCC to agree the final arrangements for the changes to the traffic calming scheme. Anniversary Arrangementswere in hand for an event on June 1 to mark the 50th anniversary of the parish council. Fallen tree Due to safety concerns, the council paid a tree surgeon to remove a fallen tree from the vicinity of garages north of Pippin Close. Community warden Jo Jewisswas to return to this post in the village. Play area Arrangementswere being made to replace the rapid links on the junior swings in the village hall play area.
46 Maidstone South June 2014 37
Obituaries
Parish News
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