downsmail.co.uk Boughton Malherbe
Public session Hedges on Liverton Hill were overgrown on both
sides.AnArriva bus had reversed into a ditch on the corner of Woodcock Lane. Council statement The clerk presented the following statement on behalf of the parish council: The Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council chair received a wrien complaint from a parishioner concerning the handling of planning appeal APP/U2235/W/15/3136323, Woodcock Lane ME17 2AZA, comments from which he had also posted online, and to whom the clerk, as proper officer, and on advice from Kent Association of Local Councils, had responded. Due process has been, and will continue to be, followed by Boughton Malherbe Parish Council at all times. Police report Two trees had been stolen from Headcorn Road and later recovered; a lawnmower had been stolen from Elmstone Road and a caravan had been taken from Headcorn Road. Reports receivedwere: a suspicious male snooping around; a dead pig in a stream on private land; a 999 abandoned call, and illegal immigrants. Precept The current bandDcharge would generate a precept of £5,224.35 from the tax base for 2016/17. Combined with the grant of £198, the parish would receive funding of £5,422.35. This would mean an increase of £49.59 in total funding to the parish but there would be no change in the parish element of the council tax for each resident. Annual meeting The annual meeting and annual parish council meetings would be held on Monday, May 9. LierAlier pickwas suggested for April, to be arranged at the next meeting.
Bredhurst
Clerk Thankswere given and a presentation made toWendy Kemp for her four years as parish clerk. The new clerk Bex Ratchford was introduced and itwas noted there had been an excellent selection of candidates for the position. Lier The church had confirmed it would like a lier bin and one had been assigned by Maidstone Council. Vegetation Cllr Nichola Carr left the room for this item as her husbandwas the chosen hedge-cuing contractor. Theweed spraying had been done but would be an ongoing contract as therewere years of neglect to rectify. It would be good to get residents involved. Although the tree in Dunn Street still needed clearing, itwas the electricity company who cut it down and left it, and authorisationwas needed to remove it. The playing field would be done when the weather improved. Road sweepingAvisit from a mechanical road sweeper had made a notable difference in the village and councillors had cleaned paths. Cllr Malcolm Greerwas thanked for organising the road sweeping and securing a competitive rate. Resurfacing The British Horse Society had offered £200 for resurfacing KH49. The clerk would obtain quotes and also for KH50 in the hope this would prove more cost effective. The Cut Funding had been allocated from KCC to make this road one-way from Dunn Street to Forge Lane. All residents had been approached andwere in favour. The proposal would stop vehicles exiting on to
46 Maidstone East March 2016
Dunn Street whichwas a dangerous junction. Playing fieldArequest to hire the playing fieldwas refused. Such activities in the past had not been popular due to noise and parking issues. Precept The precept for 2016/17was agreed at £9,671.42. ComplaintAcomplaint had been received about the conduct of the parish council and its perceived lack of support for the village. The parish council refuted all allegations. Licence The alcohol licence application from the village hall had been withdrawn.
Broomfield and Kingswood
Crime report There had been a burglary in Gravelly Boom Road. Tall Trees leased area Itwas agreed that the clerk should continue to investigate the purchase of the leased area on condition of an indemnity agreement. Councillors agreed that theywere happy for a timber building to be erected on part of the tenanted land. Assistant clerk Christine Kingwas offered and accepted the post of assistant clerk. Precept Itwas agreed that the precept for 2016/17 should be increased by 2% from its current figure of £55,500 to £56,610, a £1.59 rise for a bandDproperty. Neighbourhood plan Itwas anticipated that a referendum could be possible in March. Football The junior football team currently using the sports field on Sunday mornings would be moving up the league tables in the next season into the higher age group. This would require a full-sized pitch and posts. Inspection The clerk again challenged the Maidstone Council’s play area inspection. Kingswood pre-school The new Tuesday opening of the pre-school had beenwell received, with 17 children aending. There were also six more due to five-day opening. Lunch club The change for the drop-in to a lunchtime clubwas also going verywell, with a sandwich service beingwelcomed. CCTV The costs at the sports field could be between £10,000 and £15,000. Councillors requested the CSU camera be installed to beer ascertain the benefits of installing this equipment. The clerk would contact CSU. Defibrillator Councillors agreed to buy the Zoll defibrillator, external keypad case and information notice. This would be installed at the Village Shop in CharlesfordAvenue. Announcement The chairman Cllr Terry Baker said he would be moving out of the area, probably in March, and would therefore be standing down as councillor. He agreed to continue as chairman until he moved, with a view to the vice-chairman stepping up until elections in May.
Harrietsham
Police maers There had been two crimes – a theft and burglary (non dwelling). Communitywarden Martin Sherwood reported on three scams. Some older people had received telephone calls purporting to be from the GP surgery and asking for an appointment to discuss the person’s mobility needs. The person is persuaded to buy aids which are either unnecessary or inappropriate and always expensive. If any resident received such a call, they should contact their own GP to check before agreeing to a visit. In the second scam, residents receive a call or leer from a person claiming to work for BT, asking for
£300 to opt out of scam phone calls. The caller quotes the last four digits of their credit card asking for the resident to confirm the other digits in the card number. The warden stressed that the Telephone Preference Service is free and helps reduce unsolicited sales and marketing phone calls. The third scam involved bogus Blue Badge websites charging £49 for the badge. The official blue badge costs £10. Sandpit KCC had approved the Chilston sandpit planning application which would result in moreHGVs using East Street. Resignations Cllr Allwood read out a statement supplied byAmanda Chinnery, Colin Przystupa and James Hailes regarding their resignations from the parish council. Glebe Field The Maidstone Council safety report on the play equipment had highlighted somewear and tear and some items which needed to be replaced. Itwas agreed to make £250 available to complete the minor repairs. Work would be required to the safety mats and several companies had been contacted. Precept Itwas agreed that the precept for 2016/17 be held at the current level of £56,111, or £55 per bandDproperty. Site off Forge Meadow The developer had suggested 1-5 Banks Yard, Forge Meadow for the postal address. However, the parish council suggested Bakers Close, so that there was no confusion with Bank House. Bluebellwalk The Heart of Kent Hospice had made its annual request to use the Glebe Field for parking for the BluebellWalk on May 1. Thiswas agreed. Announcement Cllr Allwood announced that ill health meant he would be standing down, once a number of outstanding items had been concluded. He wished then to be co-opted onto the communications team.
Hollingbourne
Flytipping Thiswas an ongoing issue in Station Approach and the clerk had wrien to Maidstone Council with suggestions for the improvement of the area. BusesWith regard to the danger of pedestrians, especially schoolchildren crossing Ashford Road to reach the bus stop, Robert Miller, commercial manager, East Kent Stagecoach had stated in an email that “there is a perception (however bizarre) among passengers that any deviation makes buses slow and this discourages travel”. The buses turn into Grove Green, even though there is no roundabout to gain access. The questionwas posed as why could not Stagecoach assist the village in picking up passengers from both sides of the Ashford Road. Even if the detour took a few minutes, itwas beer than taking years off a child’s life. The parish council asked KCC Cllr Jenny While to pursue this maer. Pavilion The works on the storeroom ceiling at the Cardwell Pavilion had been carried out and included cuing out and replacing roen timbers damaged by thewater leak. Crime report There had been three crimes in the past month – theft from a motor vehicle in Greenway Court Road, burglary other than dwelling at Hollingbourne Hill and theft from a motor vehicle at Hasteds. There had been one case of anti-social behaviour – a nuisance vehicle in Greenway Court Road. The PCSOs would continue to monitor the cherry-picker vehicle parking in the lay-by outside The Pavings, with Maidstone Council parking services, together with
Parish Councils
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