News | Sponsored parish council Boxley ParishMail


CHAIRMAN: BobHinderCLERK: Pauline BowderyASSTCLERK:Melanie Fooks ParishOffice, BeechenHall,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


Crossing signs AFTER attempts to provide a safer crossing point atGrovewoodDrive North failed, the parish council has asked for signs to be erected. KCC has given


its approval for two signs, pro- vided the parish council pays the £500 the work would cost. It is hoped that drivers will be


more cautious when approaching the pedestrian refuges and slow down to allowpedestrians to cross without them feeling the need to sprint across the road.


Good causes INVOLVE Kent and Five Acre Wood School have been awarded grants of £100 by the council’s finance and general purposes committe. Involve Kent works to improve


the mental and physical health of socially disadvantaged people many of whom are elderly, while Five Acre Wood, a district special school, requested a donation to its “Create a ripple…make a splash” campaign for a hydrotherapy pool. A copy of the parish council’s


grant application procedure can be found on itswebsite.


Roads relief APLEAhas beenmade for amajor government road proposal to include areas close to motorway junctions. A consultation was sent out


about the possible creation of a Major Road Network and Boxley Parish Council has asked that any roads within two miles of a motorway junction should be classified as part of the strategic network. It is hoped that the proposed


changes to government funding could, if the parish council’s sug- gestion is taken up, provide funding that KCC could apply for. Cllr Bob Hinder said: “A lack of


investment in improving local highway networks serving major motorway or A roads is causing congestion and often chaos in the surrounding residential areas.”


30 Maidstone East April 2018


People power call to halt fly-tipping


THE parish council has seen an increase in fly-tipping and litter across the parish. North ward, covering Walder-


slade and Lordswood, is being targeted by fly-tippers, while litter is a problem beside any busy road but especially country lanes such as Harp FarmRoad and Yelsted Lane. The parish council is appealing to


residents to report any fly- tipping they see and to request litter picks for problem areas via Maid- stone Borough Council’swebsite. Like all local authorities, MBC


analyses data from its website and unless residents become proactive in reporting such issues the parish can be ignored as ‘the computer’ says there is no problem because there are no complaints. Various residents volunteer to lit- ter pick and the parish council is


TEMPORARY bollards that have been at Chatham Road in Sandling for some years are finally being replaced with a permanent scheme. Bollards were first erected to


stop HGVs parking outside residential properties


and


causing overnight and early morning noise, littering and fouling of the verges. Kent County Council (KCC)


has a nowapproved a permanent design and is looking to start works on site in this spring. The proposed works will include an


Recently tipped rubbish at Yelsted Lane


grateful for their hours ofwork. Additionally, many passing


residents thank these volunteer litter pickers – so please further show your support by becoming an online reporter of litter and fly- tipping toMBC. During the recent cold snap


Yelsted Lanewas blocked by snow but as soon as this melted the fly-tippers were back.


Permanent solution to bollards


improved cycling facility and permanent parking bays close to the Tyland Lane junction. KCC is currently working on


howitwillmanage traffic safely through the works and it is hoped that the majority of the works will be carried out with minimal disruption to traffic. However, itwill be neccessary


to install temporary traffic lights between Tollgate Way and Tyland Lane. It is expected that the changes


will take approximately 10 to 12 weeks to complete.


Improved play areamoves closer


WORK on the play area at FranklinDrive is getting ever closer. The parish council, working with Borough Councillor Wendy


Hinder, is edging closer to getting responsibility for the area passed to the parish council and for it to be refurbished with new equipment. A 99-year lease will be agreed withMBC, with Gallaghers offering


to pay for the new equipment and safety surface. Abudget of £1,500 for necessary treework and newsigns at the site


has been agreed by the council, which will be appealing for local volunteers to undertake regular litter pickingwithin the area and to do someminor gardening type work.


Cut to number


of new homes BOXLEY Parish Council is await- ing the outcome of the amended planning application submitted to Maidstone Borough Council for development at a small area off Wildfell Close,Walderslade. The original application was for


12 houses, but to provide a larger buffer zone for theAncientWood- land,which is a village green, it has reduced the number to nine. Profits from the sale of the land


will be passed – alongwith owner- ship of thewoodland – to the parish council, which will set up a Chari- table Incorporated Organisation to manage and run thewoodland. It has been 11 years since the idea


was first put to the residents living around the woodland and the response fromthe public consulta- tion, which also covered areas of Tonbridge & Malling and Medway,was resounding support.


Downs walks


in the frame SPRING is on itsway, so it’s time to dust off thosewalking boots. The Old Chalk New Downs


Project is urging people to get out and enjoy their favouritewalks, go for awalk if they don’t normally do so or, even better, explore and find a newwalk in the area. Aswell as encouraging people to


walk between May 4 and 11, the project is also running a photogra- phy competition – Chalk ‘n’ Cheese. For details of this, and also self-guided walking routes, visit www.oldchalknewdowns.org.uk. The project is also planning some


guided walks during the week, on a variety of themes, which will be promoted via the website and socialmedia. Many groups work on the


Downs, including Friends of Boxley Warren; if you can help once a month, contact the parish office.


Parishmeeting THE annual parishmeetingwill be held onMonday,May 21, following a full meeting of the council. Both had been scheduled for the previousweek.


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