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 Clerk Pauline set to retire
PAULINE Bowdery retires on July 12, after 22 years ofworking as clerk to Boxley ParishCouncil. She was previously clerk at
Detling and Thurnham parish councils. She first started as Box- ley’s assistant clerk before being promoted to clerk in June 1998. Aqualified clerk, she has helped
her councillors deal with many a contentious, mainly planning, issue and guided the council through the many major changes brought about by newgovernment legislation and requirements. During her period of employ-
ment the parish has seen many changes, including the completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, expansion of the M2 and large scale business development around junction 6&7 of theM20. Morepositive changeshave been
the development of parish allot- ments and the planting of a com- munity orchard. When asked for some memo- rable incidents she highlightedtwo
Civic office
MEMBERS congratulated Parish and Borough Councillor Wendy Hinder on being appointed DeputyMayor forMaidstone. Cllr Wendy Hinder said: “It is
an honour to be appointed and I am looking forward to having new experiences and meeting many people.”
Audit online
THE council has entered into its period of public audit (July 17-26) and details of the public’s right to inspect the accounts are displayed on noticeboards and thewebsite. The completed yearly return is displayed on thewebsite.
Annual report
THE Chairman’s annual report, given at the Annual Meeting of the Parish is available on the parish council’swebsite.
24 Maidstone East July 2019
something that is a cherished memory for somany people”. Less pleasing was watching the
potential death of 9-10members of the parish council. Pauline explained: “We were on
a guidedtour of the rail linkworks and going up a steep slope next to a 20-25 metre drop and the coun- cillors’ vehicles hit gault
clay.They were going sideways towards the edgewith thewheels spinning and unable to grip, it reallywas a close shave. “They were in posh four wheel
extremes. The first was the royal visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex, to open theWeaveringDi- amond JubileeOrchard. She said: “It was absolutely fan-
tastic with all St John’s children and thousands of residents there and it is lovely to have been part of
drives, and I had got into a follow- ing dirty tatty old Land Rover which had no problems tackling the slope and clay. It was a very pale and shaken group, including the drivers, who finally got out at the top of the slope.” Pauline is joining her husband
David in retirement and they are planning to do more travelling
andwalking. But shewill still be aroundas she
will continue to litter pick in WaldersladeWoodsRoadandalso hopes, if the sale of the land is suc- cessful, to be part of the working group that will advise the council on taking over ownership of the WaldersladeWoodlands. Daniela Baylis, previously clerk
atCuxton ParishCouncil,will take over as clerk. Pauline said: “I’ve had amarvel-
lous time at Boxley, I’ve had bril- liant support, lovely and also not so nice experiences but at every turn and time it’s always been about the residents and members of the public. “They are served by wonderful
councillors and council staff and it has been an absolute privilege to workwith them, but it is nowtime for someone newto have that hon- our.”
Land salewill fundwoodland care
THE Kent County Council land at WildfellClose,which hasplanning permission for nine houses, has been put up for sale. Boxley Parish Council worked
with KCC to get the planning ap- proval, as the profit fromthe land sale will be passed, along with ownership of the adjacent 34 hectares of ancientwoodland, over to the parish council to put into a
NEW clubs and groups are being sought to fill Friday and Wednesday daytime slots at the main hall inWildfellClose and daytime slots in the Acorn Room. The council’s estates commit-
tee heard that the evening hires for the Acorn Room had filled up quickly, but the loss of Age
charitable trust. Parish council chairman Bob
Hinder said: “Thisproject has been on the cards for 12 years or so and hopefully thiswill be the endof the beginning and the start of the next stage, so potentially lots of hard work still ahead.” The MBC planning permission
for the development is conditional on the fact that themoney released
Concern and another hirer had left daytime slots in the main hall. When members asked what
type of groupsmight be accom- modated,
assistant clerk
Melanie Fooks said: ”With the current layout and availability you can be quite flexible and it would be nice to have some
pays for the protection and im- provement of the woodlands for wildlife and community. Cllr Hinder added: “There is a
25-year plus management plan prepared for the woodlands and the council has a goodworking re- lationship with the Walderslade Woodlands group of volunteers so this is potentially a new start for thewoods and local community”.
Hall slots available for daytime groups
clubs for the more mature resi- dents, keep fit, dancing or something like a talk or discus- sion group. “I know Pauline (the outgo-
ing clerk) would like to see sewing or painting groups start- ing in time for her retirement”. The hall is also available for casual hires at the weekends.
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