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Sponsored parish council |News 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 Woodland bid


THE parish council has backed the possibility of protecting woodland in the Grove Green andWeavering areas by getting them designated as a Local Nature Reserve. A parishioner had asked for the council’s help to protect the semi- natural ancient woodland at Five Acre Wood which is a home for protected wildlife. Councillors suggested the possi-


bility of a wider Local Nature Re- serve which would also include Wents Wood. Weavering Heath and the remaining section of Grove Wood on Grovewood Drive North. It was agreed to contact Maid-


stone Council about this idea and that the resident would be con- tacted about local support.


School fears


MAIDSTONE Borough Council’s planning committee deferred its decision on the planning applica- tion for the STEM school. Members felt they needed more information on alternatives for the access, egress and travel plan. Councillor Ivor Davies and


Parish Councillor Geoff Hayday addressed the committee about the unacceptable traffic and parking impact should the application be approved. The planning committee will consider the application again when it receives the information but there will be no further oppor- tunity for the parish council to ad- dress the members directly.


Play area plan


THE small playground next to Weavering Street Village Hall off Grovewood Green North, is under- going a major refurbishment and will include equipment for a larger age range and also for disabled children.


Medical help


BOXLEY Parish Council has made a donation to the South East Coast Ambulance Service towards equip- ment for the volunteer First Re- sponder covering Boxley, Penenden Heath and Grove Green area.


 THE next meeting of the parish council will be at 7.30pm on Mon- day, October 2, at St John’s School, Provender Way, Grove Green. All are welcome.


30 Maidstone East October 2017


Crossing wins funds from highways pot


BOXLEY Parish Council has se- lected the Safer Crossing Point on Grovewood Drive North to receive funding from the dedicated High- ways Projects £40,000 budget. After reviewing all the projects submitted to the council, members identified the scheme as that war- ranting the highest priority on the grounds of public safety and benefit to the community. The September parish council meeting approved the release of fi- nance from its reserves to fund the project. If there are spare funds available, the environment commit- tee will consider another project. Due to financial constraints and


the lack of reported injuries and crashes along the road, Kent County Council would not fund improve-


ments for the busy stretch which separates the north of the Grove Green development from the south. Residents wishing to access open spaces, the shopping centre, halls, medical organisations and St John’s Primary School must use narrow pedestrian refuges on Grovewood Green North “which just about take a buggy”. The road is narrow and extremely busy, leaving residents “in a vulnerable position”. A petition signed by more than


500 residents,manywith children at the primary school,was presented to KCC, but with no improvements planned by the county council, the parish said it had to consider whether it would fund the work. County Cllr Paul Carter agreed to pay for traffic and pedestrian sur-


veys to indicate the suitability of a zebra crossing and where it might be located. The results should be avail- able in early October. Parish Council chairman Bob Hin- der (left) said; “A zebra crossing could cost between £15,000 and £30,000, de- pending on the land conditions. Should


the parish council be able to attract other funding and if there is an un- derspend, it is hoped to undertake another project.” The parish council previously


paid for the controlled crossing point outside St John’s School, with help from County Cllr Carter’s de- volved member’s budget.


Payback service projects Speed limit


THE parish council has signed up to the Community Payback Serv- ice that organises projects for peo- ple given community service sentences.


The parish council is drawing up a list of work projects to en- sure that when time slots become available these can be provided to the group.


Residents should notify the parish office of any footpaths or


Homes plan AN application for up to 500


dwellings is being proposed for an area in Medway, just North East of the parish at Capstone.


The parish council’s environment committee is monitoring the situa- tion and keeping residents updated via the website and email alerts. Medway Council has decided that an Environmental Impact Statement will be required prior to the application being submitted. The parish council is concerned about the impact of more traffic on local roads and has previously at- tended a planning inquiry to give evidence against 450 houses in the area.


footways that need attending, areas that need litter-picking, minor shrub maintenance etc. Parish clerk Pauline Bowdery said: “Earlier this year a two- man KCC team worked in the parish with brilliant results.


“It is hoped that these areas can be maintained by CPS but resi- dents’ help is needed to identify other areas that might need some TLC”.


Building starts THE development of the front parking area of the studios has started and the environment com- mittee has been told that the re- placement car parking behind the studios will almost match the num- ber lost.


The parish council has submitted names for the development’s roads and flats: Whatman Drive, Parch- ment Close, Valley Heights and MacGrory Close.


Donal and Lida MacGrory were the main drivers to get the then neglected Vinters Valley recog- nised as a Local Nature Reserve, and members thought it was a fit- ting recognition of their hard work.


HOPES were raised earlier in the year that the KCC Highways De- partment would fund the reduction in the speed limit along Woodlands Road from 60 to 50mph. Unfortunately KCC Highways did not undertake the work and there are no funds available to do so. County Cllr Paul Carter has used some of his devolved budget to fund a survey on Grovewood Drive North and can only fund one survey a year so was unable to help.


Hall extension A PLAN to extend the meeting room


at Beechen Hall in Walderslade, is making good progress. Parish councillors approved a re- port on the early stages of the scheme, which included the ap- pointment of Kent Design Studios as the project management company. Once planning consent has been obtained from Maidstone Council, the work will go out to tender.


Phone box


IN response to a request from the parish council, BT is investigating why the defunct phone box at San- dling was never removed. A mem- ber of the public had raised the issue as the lighting was still on.


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