downsmail.co.uk Broomfield and Kingswood
KCC budget 2017/18 Itwas reported that KCC has to find £75m savings for 2017/18 in order to balance the books to meet rising costs and demands, while funding from Government is cut. The Conservative candidate defending Maidstone Rural East in the May 2017 county council elections would be Maidstone and Ulcombe Parish Cllr Shellina Prendergast. Ward councillor’s report Maidstone Cllr Gill Fort reported that the borough council must find savings of £4.2m in the next financial year due to the cessation of the government Revenue Support Grant. The Local Plan inquiry continued with much opposition to the housing numbers proposed by Maidstone Council. Maintenance The clerk advised that Rob Reader, RLR Contractors had accepted the position of handyman for the parish. She had supplied a work order which had already been started. Website provision The clerk reported that the new EiSwebsite continued to prove a nightmare to operate. Cllr Friend offered support and would meet with the clerk to try and resolve the issues. Neighbourhood plan Following a proposal at the last meeting to write to the Secretary of State regarding the outcome of the neighbourhood plan, councillors requested the clerk to obtain advice and costs regarding the employment of a qualified planning advisor to write the leer. Policing There had been a road accident in Lenham Road. Kingswood had had no crime reports recently. Kent police had become aware that schoolswere being targeted during holiday periods and asked that residents be vigilant during half-term. He also recommended caution during Halloween. Parish News Cllr Clarkwas happy that the Parish News would be ready to go for the end of November and asked the clerk to contact participants requesting articles by the start of the month.
Chart Suon
HGVincident Two residents of Chart Road reported anHGVstuck in Chart Road which had damaged at least two properties and the road surface. Roadswere closed for over three hours while a tow truckwas called. Policewere in aendance throughout. Kent Highway Serviceswere reluctant to place “Unsuitable for HGV” signs in the area due to site constraints. The clerkwas asked to follow this up and to look into prices for geing signs made up. Warden’s report Communitywarden Liz Lovat said the issue surrounding the dog at Crossways had been resolved as the dog had been re-homed. She also reported on fly- tipping andwelfare checks. Village green Members of the Plymouth Brethren church had cleaned the sign on the green and had offered to treat the wooden post. Itwas agreed to reimburse the group with the cost of the materials. Cllr Forknall agreed to look into the cost of replacing the wooden posts and chains on the green. Cllr Webb reported that the telephone boxwas not working and suggested that it be removed if itwas not being used. The clerk was to report this to BT. Pavilion caretaker/cleaner The cleaner had now decided he could not take on the job. However, Peter Underdown had agreed to
do it free of charge. Members suggested he should be paid and itwas agreed to discuss this at the next meeting. Playground inspection The report stated moderate risk which would reduce to low when maintenance had been carried out. Peter Underdown had already carried out some maintenance and would undertake repairs to the boom of the sportswall and the picnic table. CllrWaring agreed to obtain quotes for replacing the safety surface. Pavilion fence The fence behind the pavilion was broken once again. The clerk had contacted the football teams but all had denied using it as a shortcut to the pavilion. The teamswere asked to remind players to only access the field via the main gate. Cllr Forknall had put the goal posts back in place and would monitor any further damage. DefibrillatorAtraining session had been booked. Dogwaste bins Maidstone Borough Council was due to commence its staggered programme to remove all council-owned dogwaste bins across the borough. Dog waste should then be put in “co-mingle” bins with general lier. Itwas noted that three dogwaste bins, two of which would be replaced with a co-mingle bin. The clerkwas asked to request a further bin at the village green and to find out whether generalwaste bins would be removed where co-mingle binswere installed. Computer problems The parish council computer had stopped working and Tim Waring resolved the problem initially by using a new wi-fi adapter. However this had only worked on and off. It had been difficult to find an adapter thatwas definitely compatible withWindows 10 so Tim had loaned the council a dongle which the clerk had been using. This had since failed and Timwas trying to solve the programme.
Coxheath
New councillor Ernie Smallwas co-opted on to Coxheath Parish
Council.At least one other resident had expressed in interest in joining him. Christmas lights The seasonal events group was meeting to discuss the switching on of the Christmas lights on Sunday, December 4. Neighbourhood plan Representatives of the parish councilwere to meet with an independent planning consultant to determine whether therewas away forward for the Neighbourhood Plan. Lier bin The parish councilwas to consider reinstating a lier bin in the brick bus shelter in Heath Road.
East Farleigh
Village car park There had been no response from TripleM to their small claim so itwas agreed to ask for payment in full. The clerk had drawn up a draft contract for the car park aendant. The repainting of bayswas discussed and itwas agreed to buy a line painting machine for up to £150. Gates Council had received no further feedback from Tesco following damage to the car park gates by a Tesco delivery van. Cllr JohnWilson agreed to tackle the maer at regional level. HighwaysAreportwas discussed on the improvements of the junctions of Lower Road with The Green/Vicarage Lane and Station Hill, along with traffic-calming options. Itwas agreed that speed cameras
would be a beer option. The clerkwas to write to Highways to ask about the possibilities. Bridge working party Lack of resources and the number of exemptionswas making it difficult to enforce theHGVban on bridges, although itwas agreed that therewas technology available to record and identify suspect vehicles. Itwas felt necessary to quantify the problems and although KCC Highways would do this, theywere not prepared to pay. Footpaths Cllr Alan White reported that asbestoswaste had been dumped on KM37. The clerk would follow this up. Play areas Theweekly inspection sheets had been received from Pearsons and itwas agreed to ask them to quote for the repairs they listed. Village history It had been agreed to organise a launch for the history pamphlet at the Farleigh Club, possibly in early November. Cllr White would see ifAnn Widdecombe could come. The clerkwas authorised to send out advanced copies of the booklet to those who had contributed. Speedwatch The July deployments had been productive. The team had applied for a site near the Montessori School in Lower Road. Fete The commieewas keen to do something different – an evening village fest had been suggested. The discussionwas deferred.
Remembrance The council would sent representatives to the service on November 13 and would lay a wreath as usual. Christmas carols The parish council agreed that December 10 would be a good night for carols around the tree in the churchyard before wine and mince pies in the church. Signage policy Itwas agreed to review this and send it to KALC for
comment.Asign erected by a farmer and subsequently removed by the parish council had been damaged. Itwas agreed that the farmer should be reimbursed. He asked that the £60 should be donated to Cancer Research. Flood plan Cllrs Michael Hogg and David Hussein had reviewed the plan and itwas agreed that the clerk would update it for approval at the next meeting. The clerk would also update the inserts for the flood leaflet. All councillors would bewardens in the event of a flood.
East Suon
Police reportAbuilding had been set alight in East Suon Road.Apost box and mail was stolen from Chartway Street – the post box and since been recovered by
police.An abandoned motorbike which had been stolen,was recovered by police. Highways Morry Lanewas being repaired and workwas due to start on Friday Street. Cllr Malcolm Irelandwas dealing with the broken signs in Church Lane and Workhouse Lane. Potholes had been marked and several had been repaired. Cllr Ireland was to ask the drainage team to look at the flooding at the end of Brick Kiln Lane. He also reported on the cost of replacing the wooden fingerpost at the end of Morry Lane. Play areaAn inspection found that the anchor boltwas coming out of the picnic table and the safety surfacewas covered in dead grass and fir needles. The clerkwas to arrange for the play area to be swept and Cllr Tim Turnhill would check the picnic table anchor.
32 Maidstone Weald November 2016 31
Parish Councils
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