East June 2016

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Council hits headlines at annual meeting

HEADLINESfrom past editions of theDownsMailwere used to encourage

audience participation at the annual meeting of Bearsted Parish Council. In a lighthearted review of the

Best garden

ENTRIES are invited for this year’s parish council garden competition. The 2016 Best Garden Competition

is free to enter and there are no cate- gories. Prizes include a meal for two at

The Oak on the Green as well as plant vouchers and trophies. Judging will take place in late

June, by a horticulturist, a gardener and a florist, with prizes awarded at the parish council meeting on Tues- day, July 12. The closing date for entries is Monday, June 13. Entry forms are available from the clerk.

Royal picnic

A RIGHT royal event is being planned in Bearsted to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday. The Picnic on The Green will take

place on Sunday, June 12 – the day after the Queen’s official birthday. Everyone is invited to head for the Green with their picnics. Entertainment will be provided

by a ukulele band, samba band and a 16-piece big band. Local schools are taking part in a “design a throne” competition, which will be judged on the day.

Finance report

DURINGthe year, the parish council received £136,010 and spent £101,764, leaving a balance of £34,246.

Cllr PaulYoung said the councilwas going to have to work smarter, given the present economic climate and cutbacks from central government. The parish has increased its pre-

cept for the first time in four years this year, which will bring in an extra £20,000, costing each household about an extra £5 during the year.

Bench recycled

A METAL bench has been re- moved from Bearsted Green and taken for shot blasting, with a new bench put in its place. When refur- bished, the metal bench will be placed in Rosemary Road.

year, vice-chairman CllrDanConner encouraged residents to guess the missing words, Have I Got News For You style. These covered events such as the increase in precept, annual garden competition, Church Landway lights and village clean up. Hesaid:“Whenyou look back,we

have actually done quite a lot.” More than 100 people attended the meeting, where councillors and rep- resentatives of local organisations presented their reports for the year. Quoting Emma Kane, the chair-

man of Hook Norton Parish Coun- cil, writing in the Daily Telegraph, Cllr Conner said: “Parish councils, we all know, are hotbeds of intrigue, corruption and passion. Those who sit on them, a colourful mixture of oddballs, bullies and idiots. Or so one might think if television is to be believed.” The reality was far different, he

said – and Bearsted had much in common with Hook Norton. “The most the parish council can

do is protect the existing facilities. Everything else is beyond our remit. We have very little power and influ- ence when it comes to planning.We can express an opinion but that doesn’t mean anyone further up the chain takes any notice.” He said being a parish councillor

could be a thankless task, withmem- bers receiving abusive phone calls

and hostile posts on social media. “Sincewe are all volunteers, there

are surely better ways to spend our free time?” But he said:“We are here because we want to do something for the community and we care about the place thatwe live. “We do not always get it right but

the more support we have from the community, the better.”

Changing face of the council

VETERAN councillor Pat Marshall spoke about her time in office – from when she was first elected in 1969 to represent the rapidly growing Madg- inford estate, to the present day – at the annual meeting. Meetings then rarely lasted more than half an hour, computers and

emailwere unheard of and the parish clerk worked part-time froma spare room at home. “It still feels weird to see councillors tapping away on laptops, tablets

and whatever,” she said. “I never envisaged Iwould still be here 47 years later or would be elected

as an independent borough councillor for Bearsted in 1989 and Mayor of Maidstone in 2003,” she said. “And I certainly never envisaged I would be awarded the MBE for services to the community in 2006.” Cllr Marshall was instrumental in getting a community centre built for

the people of Madginford and, since 1974, all major new developments now have a community facility included.

Anita and Brian with councillors Helen Farrow, Suzanne Camp and Geoff

Bennett. Presenting the financial report, Lier pickers receive award

THE tireless efforts of two residents have been rewarded. Anita and Brian Waldren, of The Street, Bearsted, go out almost

every day to clear litter from around the WI Hall and the alleyway to Trapfield and the Church Landway car park. The parish council decided to make the couple the first recipients of

its new Community Award. Parish council chairman Fiona Redman said: “We need more people in the village like this who are prepared to contribute to the community.”

New member to be co-opted

KENNY Cox has resigned from the council due to other commitments. The Parish Council is sorry to say good bye to Kenny, who designed

the new Parish Councilwebsite and thanks him for his contribution to the community. At least one person has come forward to stand in his place and a de- cision will be made at the next meeting of the full council.

This page is sponsored and edited by:

Bearsted Parish Council www.bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk

Planting plan

THE parish council is to tackle two sites in the village as part of its plans to improve the environment. Horticulturist MalcolmWithnall

has prepared a report covering a four year period. He hopes to ap- proach local organisation, garden- ing groups and the WI about what they would like to see in the vil- lage.

Members hope to plant the bank opposite the shops and the station with seasonal bulbs, which will give a splash of colour during the spring and summer. The council is also to look at planting up a patch of grass near the shops in Madginford.

Circus damage

THE circus visit to the Green last month proved popular with spec- tators, but less popular with the cricket club, which had to carry out emergency repairs to the pitch. Each year the parish council

takes a deposit from the company to cover any damage, and this will be used to cover the costs.

Council Office: Madginford Hall, Bearsted Telephone: E-Mail: Chair:

01622 630165

clerk@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk Fiona Redman

MEETINGS HELD SECOND TUESDAYOFMONTH (7.30PM) AND THE PUBLIC IS VERY WELCOME

Maidstone East June 2016 31

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