News | Sponsored parish council Boxley Parish Mail


CHAIRMAN:Bob Hinder CLERK: Pauline BowderyASST CLERK: Melanie Fooks Parish Office, Beechen Hall,Wildfell Close,Walderslade, ME5 9RU


Tel: 01634 861237 email: clerk@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk Website: www.boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk Contact details for parish councillors can be obtained fromthe parish office, the Useful Contact Details leaflet or the website Dogwaste up


after bins go THE parish council, like many in Maidstone borough, has seen a dra- matic rise in complaints about dog waste since MBC’s removal of dog waste bins. MBCwill be reminding residents


that dog waste can be disposed of in their own domestic bins as well as litter bins. The parish office has received complaints about some irresponsi- ble dog owners who leave bags of dog waste hanging on trees, metal poles, by the side of paths or on top of already full bins. Parish Clerk Pauline Bowdery


said: “It is disgusting that someone thinks it is okay to leave dogwaste on the ground rather than take it home.” The parish council is encourag-


ing residents to report any dog mess on the MBCwebsite. The council is also investigating


a report that a resident living next to the open space in Lordswood is letting their dog out and allowing it to foul the area without cleaning it up. If a dog is let off a lead or out of a


home the pet owner still has a re- sponsibility to clean up after it.


Play area work


A NEW safety surface will be in- stalled at the Weavering Diamond Jubilee Orchard play area after the February half-term. A new slide, part of the October


Apple Celebrations and partly funded by a grant from Tesco, will also be installed. The play area will be closed for


about aweek for the work. There has been some minor van- dalism at the orchard and residents are asked to keep an eye on the community orchard and report any issues to the police or parish coun- cil.


Lier-picking THE parish council has managed to identify a number of community- spirited residents who go around their community undertaking vol- untary litter picks. If you wish to do something like


this or want to organise a commu- nity litter pick the parish council would be delighted to hear from you.


26 Maidstone East February 2017


Precept raised as cuts to funding hit council


THE parish council’s meeting on January 23 agreed that, after hav- ing frozen the precept for some years, a small annual increasewas now necessary. The precept was set at £107,437. An average (band D) property


will see the 2016/17 precept of £25.73 raised by approximately £2.05 per annum. This followed a recommendation


from the Finance & General Pur- poses Committee on January 17. During this meeting, members considered and accepted commit- tee budgets and noted both that the Government’s Local Council Sup- port Grant had now been cancelled and a reduction in the MBC parish support grant was expected. The budgets submitted by the council’s committees included sub-


stantial amounts for catching up on some outstanding work that MBC and KCC did not currently have the resources to do, but which resi- dents feel is urgently needed. To meet this exceptional expen-


diture a substantial drawdown of funds from reserves was agreed, and the parish council’s environ- ment committee will now be able to access up to £40,000 to pay for what the parish council considers is es- sential work that is not going to re- ceive KCC or MBC funding. Chairman Bob Hinder said: “It is


with regret that there is a rise and members had long discussions on what the parish council should do about the problems being caused by the cutting of services. “The parish council’s reserves are not inexhaustible and a new exten-


sion for Beechen Hall is also planned so we have to get this right.


“Many parish councils are in the


same position as Boxley and must decide whether to just sit back and do nothing or whether to listen to the community and attempt to make their parish a better place as we are doing.” Boxley Parish Council will re-


view its policies and procedures on funding highway and maintenance projects to ensure that it acts pru- dently and responsibly in allocat- ing any funding and it is hoped to work in partnership withMBCand KCC to try to encourage match funding. The full budget will be available


on the council’s website from mid- February.


Highways issues on agenda Tribute paid


CLLRWendy Hinder met with County Councillor Paul Carter to raise high- way issues incensing residents of Grove Green and the parish. The meeting covered parking problems at Grove Green, residents’ re-


quest for a safer crossing at Grovewood Drive North and the need to stop HGVs parking at Old Chatham Road. Cllr Carter re-


quested a full re- port on the issues, a list of any other problems and for a wish/priority list. The report will be produced by the parish council and sent to Cllr Carter and Roger Wilkins (director of high- ways, transport and waste). Cllr Carter asked for help in identifying faded white road lines as he had


Parking in Grove Green has got worse


allocated the final sum of his devolved budget to refreshing these. The parish council approached the community via its alert system and


residents were given until January 26 to submit requests. Cllr Hinder said: “Since the closure of the Sittingbourne Road park and


ride site, the parish council has received over 26 complaints about com- muters who are now using the area to park their cars. “This is causing safety issues when crossing the road, especially for chil-


dren going to and from school and drivers suffering restricted vision. Thanks to all those residents who have sent in photographs." It is planned to place the report on the parish council's website.


New homes


AN APPLICATION for the devel- opment of two properties at the end of Forge Lane is expected to be submitted at the end of January. Residents are being kept updated


by the parish council, which will notify them when the application is likely to be considered by the Envi- ronment Committee.


Salt bin line


IF YOUR salt bin is empty, please contact the KCC website or call 03000 41 81 81 to ask for it to be re- plenished. The parish council gave its thanks to residents who grit their roads, clear their paths and keep an eye on elderly or vulnerable neigh- bours in the coldweather.


A MINUTE’S silence was held at the parish council meeting to mark the passing of Edward Eckley, a parish councillor from 1988 to 1998. Sympathies were passed to the


family of Mr Eckley, who was a local farmer and a keen supporter of the countryside and the com- munity.


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