downsmail.co.uk Kings Hill


Trees Contact had been made with Tonbridge and Malling Council concerning tree work being carried out at Cattering Woods. Thesewere coppicing works only which is woodland good practice and notices had been erected. Accident An email had been sent to KCC Cllr Matthew Balfour requesting that a meeting be arranged between the parish council and county officers to discuss the recent accident at the junction of Queens Street and FortuneWay. Parking An updatewas received with regards to anti-parking proposals. Itwas agreed that the parish office would contact the borough council and Liberty Property Trust concerning anti-parking measures. Pedestrian access Itwas agreed that the parish office would contactWaitrose and Savills for further information on the proposed pedestrian access. Drainage Therewere many Kings Hill roads on the KCC drainage itinerary that had been placed in the parish ofWest Malling. The parish office would contact KCC to have the itinerary updated.


Leybourne


Thanks Cllrs Valvassura, Burr and Cromey had not sought re-election. Theywere thanked for their service to the community. Crime report The chairman read out the police crime and incident report. Members said that at least two assaults had occurred but were not mentioned on the report. Members also commented on the lack of a police response to a complaint from Kings Hill Recruitment over skateboarders outside the shops. The clerkwas asked to request a meeting with the officer in charge of the neighbourhood policing team to discuss the level of local policing, response to quantities of drug packets found near play areas, and recording and reporting of incidents. A member of the public said it appeared that minor incidentswere either not recorded or not properly dealt with. County councillor KCC Cllr Sarah Hohler was looking into the feasibility of a school crossing near the school and of kissing gates on public rights ofway. However, the latter would be a slow process as the landowner’s permission would be needed for every gate. She said the parish council’s wish to employ a communitywardenwas a good idea. Fencing An estimate of £5,060 had been obtained for replacing 48m of metal fencing at Lillieburn near the children’s playground. Funding had been secured from Tonbridge and Malling Council (£2,250) and KCC Highways had agreed to pay £2,000.Members agreed to fund the outstanding £810 from the open space budget.


Leybourne Chase The chairman reported on a meeting with Leybourne Chase Residents Association. Items discussed were school access; local infrastructure (impact of Leybourne Chase development); street lights (defective lights in Birling Road); public right ofway MR130 (Taylor Wimpey’s goodwill attempt to use tree bark as a surface had not proved effective); fencing being removed, allegedly to facilitate access for horse riders; lack of enforcement action over horses being ridden on the footpath; parking aswell as


speeding. Bomb Hole In response to the evidence of drugs use and other anti-social behaviour an estimate had been requested for better nighttime lighting at the Bomb Hole. Street lighting Contrary to the previous report from borough Cllr Sophie Shrubsole that the Leybourne street lighting had been upgraded to LED, KCC had confirmed that the contractwas still to be agreed and the countywide upgrade would not start until late 2015. It would take three to four years to complete. ParkingA commercial vehiclewas reported parking on the verge of Barleycorn during the evenings and weekends. The clerk would inform the PCSO for action.


Offham


May Day Borough Cllr Matthew Balfour said the May Day event in the village had gone verywell and a lot of people had attended. Profits should be large this year. Thanks should be given to the organisers who had done verywell. Police report Two incidents had been reported – criminal damage on land following trespass and criminal damage during a domestic-related incident. Election Therewas an uncontested election in Offham. The councillors will be David Stretton, David Frankling,Wendy Williams, Barry Oliver,William Pierce, Martyn Begbey and Phil Slate. Cllr Frankling was elected chairman of the parish council for the forthcoming year with Cllr Streeton as vice-chairman. Cllr Stretton was thanked for the excellent work he had done as chairman over the years. Teston Road playing field CllrWilliams had planted two beech trees in the hedge along Teston Road. Several others did not look healthy. Itwas agreed that she would buy some whips in the autumn and plant them in the existing hedge. The Pepingstraw hedgewas held up in places by ivy and would need to be replaced with a fence in future The BT phone box needed repairing, which would be requested before the parish council apply to adopt it. Itwas suggested it could house a defibrillator or could be shelved for books. Village hall sign Various companies had been contacted about a notice board and the cheapestwas £573. The clerk would contact Kings Hill Parish Council to find out if it had recently purchased any notice boards. Pond Therewere now 12 ducklings in the pond and some goldfish had been dumped there again. There would be some amendments to the pond drainage. Annual meeting The annual parish meetingwent verywell. Therewas a high attendance and positive feedback from villagers.A slideshow about the pond restoration workwas verywell received. Highways There had been an increase in heavy lorries through the village.A request was made for a lorry ban at the annual parish meeting and the clerkwas asked to include this in a letter to KCC Highways.


Trottiscliffe


Parking PCSO Laura Bullenwas off sick so there was nothing to report on the parking problem outside Prunelle and Clarion Cottage in Church Lane.


Defibrillator The defibrillator had not been supplied with a lockable cabinet and Cllr Trevor Ledamunwas looking into this. Highways Cllr Ledamun had reported the damaged bollards at the gateway to the village in Addington Lane and the drain which needed attention outside the Old Post Office in Taylors Lane. Hewas asked to report the gullies at the top of Vigo Hill which needed clearing out. Resurfacing Part of the pavement towards the end of Church Lane next to the grounds of Bramble Park was scheduled for resurfacing in the new financial year.A further part of thewall of Bramble Park had fallen onto the pavement and this would be reported. Gullies The problem of the blocked gullies in Green Lane had not been solved as it was an unadopted road and therefore not the responsibility of Kent Highways. The chairmanwas trying to establish which housing association built the houses at the end of Green Lane.


West Peckham


Village greenA request to use the village green and erect a gazebo for the Guides’ challenge hike on September 26 had been agreed. Groups of four to six Guides would meet at staggered intervals on the green throughout the day as part of their route. There would be about 400-500 participants. The council had asked the organisers to consider the limited parking in the area and to use permitted parking areas only. Mereworth Woods It had been brought to the attention of the council that therewas a planned project in the woods along The Hurst to chip any excess remaining timber, of which therewas a large amount. Itwas unclear whether this land belonged to the Falmouth Estate, Fairlawne Estate or both but concernswere raised over the routes these enormous vehicles would be using, the planned timings and duration, and whether the bridleways and public rights ofway that had been affected would be reinstated.With vehicles of this size and nature, consultation and communication with the Highways Agencywas supposed to occur prior to such movements taking place. The landowners would be contacted to clarify the situation. Crime Incidents included the theft of an Ipod from a vehicle in the Oxenheath area, tyre- and rubbish-dumping including cannabis paraphernalia in Hurst Woods, theft of a phone and money from the village hall during lunchtime at a meeting of local senior citizens, reports of geese being shot along Swanton Road, and arson to a vehicle in Swanton Road. Markings The SLOW markings along Mereworth Road and Church Roadwere barely visible and would be reported to Kent Highways. Planning No objectionswere raised to the following applications: Trevalia Ridge, Swanton Road – gazebo, garden pergola and wildlife pond; 1 Dukes Farm Cottages, Mereworth Road – timber garage. Taxi voucher scheme The ongoing saga regarding expensive fares had not been resolved. This would be pursued and other options would be reviewed. Diamond Jubilee bench The plaque had been ordered and should arrive shortly.


Malling June 2015 41


Parish Councils


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