downsmail.co.uk


Carol concert in village hall


THE Jubilee Committee in Sutton Valence has booked theKent Police Band to perform at the Christmas carol concert on Sunday,December 10 at 2pmat the village hall. Tickets are £7.50 – the price in-


cludes refreshments – are available from the post office or can be bought online by contacting the clerk on 01622 844135 or email clerk@suttonvalence.org.uk. Carols on the green will be held on Friday, December 15 at 6pm.


Pit your wits


A PUB quiz will test your knowl- edge atChart Sutton village hall on Saturday, December 2. The event,which starts at 7pm, is


free, but a donation to the Poppy Appeal is requested. Those taking part are invited to bring their own drinks.


Police on view


POLICE will no longer attend parish council meetings in Sutton Valence after a restructure. Three Kent Police PCSOs have


been taken off community duties for further training in newsections. Police management feel PCSOs’


timewould be better spent as a vis- ible presence in the community.


News


Village looks into new authority partnership


HEADCORN warns its failing re- lationship with Maidstone Bor- ough Council could lead to a parting of the ways. The parish council has employed


a consultant to look at whether the rural parish would be a more ap- propriate partner to Ashford Bor- ough Council. It states that plans for new hous-


ing have been pushed through by the borough council,while smallde- velopments, supported by the parish, have been thrown out. Parish council chairmanLyn Selby


says increasingly residents view Maidstone Council as an urban in- stitution,with little idea or affiliation to the needs of its rural residents. She said: “This presents itself in so


many ways, from its illogical deci- sion-making to its attitude that lo- calismshould bewiped out.” She cites the village Neighbour-


hood Plan as a classic example, say- ing: “We put our plan forward for approval in November 2015 and it still hasn’t been approved byMaid- stone Council. This can only appear to have been a deliberate exercise.


She said: “In a recent meeting to


reach a compromise regarding the Neighbourhood Plan, the parish felt completely stonewalled by the bor- ough and over at Staplehurst its Neighbourhood Plan was recently simply ignored in planning terms. We are all just so fed upwithMaid- stone council and its bias.” She saysmany feelAshford,with


a more rural population and sensi- tive policy to the countryside has more in commonwithHeadcorn. Cllr Selby said: “Our trains go to


Ashford,whereas you need to get a bus toMaidstone. Our villagers are also much more inclined to go into Tenterden and even Ashford over Maidstone.” She says thatwhilemore pressing


concernsmay have put the issue on the back burner, it shows no sign of going away. “We have carried out some con-


sultationwork and realise therewill be costs to consider and a referen- dumneeded first, butwewould like to break away fromMaidstone.” Headcorn borough councillor


Martin Round (pictured) said: “The parish council and the borough council have been at war for a cou- ple of years over the Neighbour- hood Plan and it’s caused a lot of friction and animosity. “A lot of people, I would suggest,


don’t feelanidentificationwithMaid- stone–but theydon’t feel itwithAsh- fordeither. SoI amstuckbetweenthe devil and the deep blue sea.”


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