ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH OF BOXLEY
Boxley Parish Council chairman’s report for the year 2015/16
Consideration of planning applications has again formed the bread and butter of Environment Committee meetings, chaired by Wendy Hinder. We successfully opposed a small housing development on the corner of New Cut and Bearstead Roads but were less successful regarding outline planning permission for 89 houses off Gleamingwood Drive, Lordswood, where the developer won the four-day public appeal hearing attended throughout by our representatives. There were other major developments where we had no material objections but had our comments taken into account by MBC. These included the new supermarket at Eclipse Park and the new hospital unit on the KIMS campus.
After a long battle, Wendy achieved a ban on lorries parking in lower Old Chatham Road, Sandling, where the overnight noise and the human and other waste had distressed local residents. The whole problem of lorry- parking on residential roads is now being looked at by the National Association of Local Councils and we have also, with the help of Helen Whately MP, put the problem before the Minister for Transport.
Another success was in persuading Kent Highways to take action on the Lidsing Road/Pilgrims Way junction warning signage following several cases of vehicles crashing into and destroying the gate to Boxley Warren. However vehicles illegally accessing the Warren remain a problem and the Friends of Boxley Warren have suffered harassment by bikers, in one case leading to physical violence. There is now a danger of this area reverting to the disgusting rubbish dump of a
18 Maidstone East July 2016
decade or so ago unless KCC find a solution.
Better news for the other open areas in the parish. The Walderslade Woodlands Group is very active and regularly receives compliments from local residents. Vinters Valley nature reserve remains popular and the parish council is pleased to be paying for improvements to some of the paths. In the Diamond Jubilee Orchard, we are improving the Weavering Street entrance to make it safer for children while there is now a waiting list for the Dove Hill Allotments. The orchard and the allotments fall under the supervision of our Estates Committee (ably chaired by Vic Davies) which also has responsibility for Beechen Hall, Walderslade, an increasingly popular and highly valued community asset.
Our third committee, Finance & General Purposes, kept a careful eye on expenditure throughout the year and also made grants to a number of community-led bodies. For 2016/17, it recommended no increase in the parish precept.
New systems in the Parish Office have been welcomed by staff in view of their ever-increasing workload in organising and minuting meetings, responding to a wide range of enquiries from residents, and running the council’s popular Facebook page and Community Alerts e- mail system. It has also prepared briefing notes and agreed responses to a number of national, KCC or MBC public consultations including the draft Maidstone Local Plan, the proposed Lower Thames Crossing, changes to the KCC Libraries services, and revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, one of which could give
Ivor Davies. Chairman 9 May 2015
the parish council a right of appeal. I and my fellow councillors are extremely grateful to the Clerk for all this and for the support given her by the Mel and Angie in the office; and equally so to the Beechen Hall caretaking staff who keep it in such excellent condition.
Membership of the council is changing. Ann Spain, Geoff Smith and Martin Hinchliffe have not stood for re-election and we sadly lost Alan Springate in the course of the year. A new council has now been elected and the remaining vacancies will be filled by co-option.
I myself am now at the very end of my term as Chairman. It has been a rewarding, if demanding, experience starting with the 2012 Royal visit just three weeks in. Other highlights include achieving protected Village Green status for the Walderslade Woodlands and the creation of the Dove Hill allotments. But it is, however, now time for me to retire to the back-benches and hand over the helm to someone with fresh ideas, working as always for a better Boxley. I wish him or her well.
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