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Thurnham Parish News


Sponsored parish council | News Villages’ country park plan


ALTERNATIVE ideas for the man- agement of White HorseWoods are being considered by Thurnham Parish Council in response tomoves to turn part of the country park into a burial ground. The council will work on a possi-


Meetings normally held on the third Monday of each month at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel. Public welcome.


CHAIRMAN:Daniel Skinner CLERK: Sherrie Babington 01634 867173


Church future


PROGRESS is being made on pro- posals to set up a management committee to take on the running of St Mary’s church in Thurnham. Reporting on talks with the church authorities and interested parties, Cllr John Thorne said itwas hoped to set up an initial two-year programme involving residents. Potentially therewas a nucleus of


volunteers from the village and arrangements for this were “on track”, he said. A further meeting with the vicar, the Rev John Cor- byn, was planned in September.


ble business plan for counter pro- posals which it hopes to progress through a possible link-up with Stockbury and Detling councils. The idea has won the support of the Bearsted and Thurnham Society. The three parishes have been in-


volved in talks after it emerged that Greenacres Woodland Burials had expressed an interest in leasing part of the Kent County Council-owned land, including Thurnham Castle. KCC would have a percentage of the income from the business and the developer was also looking to buy land to extend the site. Figures obtained by the parish council on the running of thewood- land show KCC’s operating cost last yearwas £11,000, offset by £5,500 in car park income.


Reporting on a site meeting, Cllr


John Horne said Greenacres’ repre- sentatives anticipated there would be two to three burials aweek, pos- sibly subsidised by the company’s other sites and that funeral proces- sionswould travel along theA249 at aminimum45mph.Noformal plan- ning application has been submit- ted. Parish Cllr PeterWaitewas asked


to draw up a business plan for the other parishes to consider taking forward.


Play area scheme delayed Meeting date


FORMAL approval of a scheme which would save a play area ear- marked for closure had been de- layed during the borough election and subsequent changes in admin- istration, members were told. However, borough ward Cllr


Nick de Wiggondene said he thought that the plan, which would involve spending Section 106 money to renovate the play- ground at Peverel Drive, would still be approved. The parish council had vowed to


make every effort to save the play area after parents raised a 126- signature petition when it was in-


cluded on the borough’s list of “non-strategic” sites. It was suggested that borough


Cllr John Perry, the new cabinet member for community and leisure services, be invited to the parish council meeting to hear from residents. Ward Cllr Nick deWiggondene,


whowas due to raise the matter at a meeting with Cllr Perry, said: “I am confident we will get it sorted.”


Chairman Daniel Skinner said it


was good to see so many families enjoying the play area during the hot weather


MEMBERS of the public are wel- come to attend parish council meet- ings. The next one is at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel, Ashford Road, Thurnham, at 7.30pm on Monday, September 15.


Caring Lane work


CLLR Mike Stark said the two-day project to resurface Caring Lane had been completed and the 30mph sign had been repainted.


Councillor quits


CLLR Ruth Duncan’s decision to stand down from the parish council was accepted with regret. She thanked members for their help


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Maidstone East August 2014 27


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