News


Phone boxes under review


EIGHTEEN classic red telephone boxes in Maidstone could be lost after a 90% decline in their use in the past decade. BT has launched a review into 430


of the 1,165 phone boxes in Kent. A spokesman


says the company is committed to pro- viding a payphone service, but boxes which are no longer needed are being removed. The process must meet Ofcom guidelines. A BT spokesman said: “In all instances where there is no other payphone within 400 me- tres, we’ll ask for consent from the local authority to remove it. Where we receive objections from the local authority,we won’t take oneaway.” Many phone boxes have been turned into defibrillator booths or community book share kiosks. Phone box campaigner Graham Wanstall said the bestway to save a phone box is to use it, adding: “It’s just 60p for a 30 minute chat.” Tomakeyour views known, email btp.authorisation.team@bt.com.


Barming


Pavilion Gavin Lawrence explained the three quotes he had received for the new kitchen, along with his fiing costs. Itwas agreed to accept the fiing cost and choose a style of kitchen. Cllr Manser would discuss the possibility of closing the pavilion for aweek with the hirer who would be affected and a date would be set for the installation in the new year. Grounds maintenance Cllr Greenwood had contacted three companies for advice on the grounds and tree maintenance around the parish that was not already covered in the main contract. Only onewas able to help and offered to send over a template for the parish council to complete, but thiswas yet to arrive. Cllr Greenwood would chase it up. Tree work Cllr Doe left the room and the clerk read out quotes that Cllr Doe had provided for reducing and uplifting the trees along the land by Cedar Drive on the Tonbridge Road and for the work on the boundary hedge in the car park at the parish field. Itwas agreed to accept both quotes and proceed with the work. Cllr Doe rejoined the meeting. Brambles The clerk read out the quote fromWA King for the clearance of the brambles on the parish-owned land on the Tonbridge Road. Itwas agreed to obtain more quotes for this work. Cllr Doe would speak to other companies. Hall and pavilion Cllr Manser had previously reported a broken lever in the toilets and a light that was not working at the pavilion. The plumber had fixed both, but had not been able to arrange for an engineer to check the faulty water heater. Cllr Manser would find out the supplier


38 Maidstone Christmas 2016


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Bank to close branches as transactions decline


NATWEST banks at Bearsted and Staplehurst are to close – perma- nently. In the latest round of closures


across Kent, nine more branches will shut this summer. The bank, which is part of RBS


group, said the “difficult decision” had been taken because more cus- tomers are managing their finances online and with mobile phones. The Bearsted branch is scheduled


to shut on June 5 and Staplehurst (pictured) will not re-open after being boardedup for months since a ramraid attack. Other branches listed for the axe include Borough Green, Broadstairs, Hythe, Sandwich, Rochester, Uni- versity of Kent in Canterbury and Whitstable. Branches closed in re- cent years by the bank include Mar- den, Coxheath, Lenham, Snodland and Headcorn. Since the closuresmanycustomers


from the Lenham area had switched to using the branch in Bearsted. Now its customers will have to travel to Maidstone to find a branch,


or use those on the Sutton Road, at Larkfield orWest Malling. ANatWest spokesman said trans- actions in all branches had declined since 2011 – Bearsted by 33% and Staplehurst 18% – while online and


phone banking had risen by 54% and 49% accordingly. RBS con- firmed Staplehurst will not re-open following the ram raid on the branch earlier this year. He said:“We have listened to feedback from communi- ties and have extended the time be- tween announcing our decision and the branch closures of many to six months. This has been done to en- sure our customers have time to con- sider the right banking options.” NatWest said a new role of com- munity bankerwas being created at Bearsted to help customers.


Customers ‘pushed into online banking’


KAREN Hearn (45), from Hollingbourne, works next door to the NatWest in Bearsted at Cavendish Tea Rooms and says she cannot understand the bank’s determination to push users online. She said: “I opened an account at Bearsted a year ago and itwas all push,


push online banking.” She says she will resist online banking, but dislikes the idea of travelling


into Maidstone just to access her own money. She has particular concerns about the elderly. “Formany elderly people the bankwas a manageable and convenientwalkaway. For some, it also provides the contact they do not get elsewhere. Many don’t have a computer and neverwill,” she said.


and the clerk would chase them. Therewas a crack in the kitchen window at the parish hall. Itwas an internal crack and would be monitored. If it spread it would be replaced. Parked car Cllr Doe had received complaints about a vehicle parked by the junction of Barned Court with Abington Road. Cllr Gooch asked for the details to pass on to the PCSO. Asbestos The asbestos that had been reported in North Pole Road had now been removed and a fence put up to prevent further rubbish being dumped. Hermitage Lane There had been complaints about traffic, which sometimes backed up past the hospital. Cllr Gooch said complaints had been received at Highways and she would be mentioning it at the Highways Parish Seminar. Salt binA bin that had been delivered to serviceWesley Close had been placed on a resident’s garden in Broomshaw Road. Any complaints would have to be directed to KCC Highways. Recycling binA second recycling bin had been delivered to the parish hall for recycling cardboard and such items. There were pictures on the bin stating which items could be put in it. Missing bollards There had been complaints about parking on the verge near the parish hall as bollardswere missing. The clerk spoke to KCC Highways who said the bollards had been missing for two years and, as they had not received any complaints from local residents, they would not be replacing them. Highways steward Claire Chewter advised residents to take pictures and report it on the highways website.


Tovil


Vision for Tovil Members discussed the “vision statement” for the next three years. Community hub Thiswas one of the priorities for the vision statement and it was decided it should incorporate a stage and be large enough for sports and community functions. Therewas a preference for a building to support a medical centre and a restaurant/pub. Itwas agreed to put surplus funds aside in a Community Fund Reserve to support this project. Events fundA budget of £500was agreed for the provision of events and workshops for the community and the funding of day trips for elderly members of the community. Cleanliness Itwas agreed to replace the dogwaste bins with lier bins.A helpers’ lunchwas agreed to be held for those involved with lier-picking for the area. Community fundA £2,000 budget was agreed to fund community events for all ages and to provide seasonal enhancements such as lights and decorations for the parish. Section 106 The admin teamwas asked to research the possibilities of securing a section 106 agreement for the purchase of parcels of land in the parish and for the enhancement of traffic and safety provision, particularly for speed restrictions in the area of Tovil Hill, Farleigh Hill and Old Tovil Road. Traffic enforcement The issue of extra funding for additional hours of traffic enforcement officers in the parishwas discussed and the admin team would ask MBC about the cost of an extra four hours perweek.


Parish Councils


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