Emergency Road Closure - Upper Street, Leeds - 26th January 2024 (Maidstone)

It will be necessary to close Upper Street, Leeds from 26th January 2024 for up to 11 days.

The road will be closed 300m from Burgess Cottage.

The alternative route is via Leeds Road, Sutton Road, Willington Street, Ashford Road, Penfold Hill, Lower Street and Upper Street.

This is to enable emergency gas escape works to be carried out by SGN.

Please be aware that the office and Beechen Hall will be closed from Friday 22^nd December 2023 and reopening Tuesday 2^nd January 2023.  

Should you have an urgent query please email enquiry@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk.

Kent County Council - Urgent Road Closure - Lidsing Road, Lidsing - 29th November 2023 (Maidstone)

It will be necessary to close Lidsing Road, Lidsing from 29th November 2023 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed at the junctions of Westfield Sole and Forge Lane.

The alternative route is via Lidsing Road, Dunn Street Road, The Street, Maidstone Road, Wigmore Road, Sharsted Way, Hempstead Valley Drive, Chapel Lane, Hempstead Road, Lidsing Road and vice versa.

This is to enable carriageway patching to be carried out by Kent County Council.

Enclosed is a copy of the Traffic Notice in confirmation of this.

This bulletin contains public information and can be freely forwarded to any other road users who may be affected. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, but no liability can be accepted for any changes or errors.

For details of roadworks, please see One.Network

KCC Highways, Transportation & Waste: keeping you up to date with what’s happening on our roads - for more information visit https://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel or follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/KentHighways

Remembrance Service to be held at 9 am at St Mary and All Saints Church, Boxley Village on Sunday 12th November 2023 

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Section 14(1), As Amended By The Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991

Kent County Council intends to make an Order the effect of which is to temporarily close:

• Public Footpath KH9 between Manor Farm – Dunn Street and Public Bridleway KH97 near Grange Farm.

• Public Bridleway KH97 between Grange Farm and Byway KH94, and

• Byway KH94 between Dunn Street Road at Manor Farm and Hurstwood Road at its junction with KH38

from the 30 October 2023.

The paths will be closed for a maximum of six months, although it is expected that it will reopen by the middle of November 2023.

The paths are to be closed because of danger to the public due to works which are being carried out to repair the surface of the paths.

Preparations are underway for our festive engagement session for young people and their families on Thursday 26th October 2023 between 1-3pm

Come along to 326 in the Mall Maidstone for some pumpkin carving and engagement with officers from the Community Policing Team and other support services

The Parish Council are pleased to announce that an allotment vacancy has arisen at our Dove Hill allotments on Sandy Lane, Boxley.

Please do get in touch with the office on 01634 861 237 if you are interested. Our Assistant Clerk will provide you with an application form.  

Urgent Road Closure - Boxley Road, Boxley - 16th October 2023 (Maidstone)

It will be necessary to close Boxley Road, Boxley from 16th October 2023 for up to 5 days.

The road will be closed in its entirety.

The alternative route is via Sandling Lane, Running Horse Roundabout, A229 Sandling Interchange, Cobtree Roundabout, A229 Chatham Road, A229 Blue Bell Hill, Lord Lees Roundabout, Taddington Roundabout, Walderslade Woods, Westfield Sole Road, Lidsing Road and vice versa.

It is planned that the road will be closed between 20:00 hrs and 05:00 hrs each night.

This is to enable carriageway repairs to be carried out by Kent County Council.

Enclosed is a copy of the Traffic Notice in confirmation of this.

This bulletin contains public information and can be freely forwarded to any other road users who may be affected. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, but no liability can be accepted for any changes or errors.

For details of roadworks, please seeOne.Network

KCC Highways, Transportation & Waste: keeping you up to date with what’s happening on our roads - for more information visithttps://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel or follow us on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/KentHighways

Kind regards,

Streetworks West Central | Highways, Transportation & Waste | Kent County Council | Aylesford Highways Depot, St Michaels Close, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7BU | Tel: 03000 418181 (24hr Contact Centre) |Email: Streetworkswestcentral@kent.gov.uk

Doing their usual sterling job!

Another great Fete held at St Johns School on 1 July 2023.  Boxley Parish Council wish to thank all the residents of Grove Green and Weavering who attended St. Johns School Fete on 1st July 2023. The event was a great success and it was fantastic to speak to so many residents.

Volunteers Week takes place 1st-7th June every year. Please see the attached article.

Boxley Village now has a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, set-up and co-ordinated by Adèle Cooke (adele.cooke@btinternet.com).

It’s easy to join - simply log into https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/

Please see the attached document with instructions to find my local scheme

Join us in making this a better place to live together

Notice of Pole

Maidstone Borough Councillor

An Election of a Borough Councillor for Boxley Ward Notice is hereby given that: 

A poll for the election of a Borough Councillor for Boxley Ward will be held on Thursday 4 May 2023, between the hours of 7:00 am and 10:00 pm.

Please see the attached document for further information.

Our Chairman spotted local volunteers in Grove Green collecting litter even during a hail storm last week. What amazing community spirit!

If you would like to help please contact Grove Green and Weavering Residents Group on Facebook.

Dear Residents

On Thursday 4 May 2023, local elections are taking place across 230 councils in England.

At these elections, you will need to bring photo ID to be able to vote at a polling station. A wide range of photo ID will be accepted, including passports, driving licenses and cards with a PASS Mark.

Visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID, call 0800 328 0280 or scan the QR code on the attached document to find out more.

Postal voters will be unaffected.

Following several complaints from residents regarding the condition of Impton Lane, Boxley Parish Council made a formal complaint and request for resurfacing to Kent County Council. We have received the following reply which I hope answers the questions asked:

Thank you for your enquiry requesting information about the resurfacing of Impton Lane, Walderslade.

I have been in contact with KCC’s Road and Footway Asset Team who have advised that Impton Lane will be attended to in the spring/ summer of 2024.

In the meantime if any safety critical defects appear (50mm or above in depth) please log another call and I will investigate and action where necessary.

Please log any additional faults with Kent Council or alternatively report them to the Boxley Parish Council Office and we will report them for you.

Urgent Road Closure - Yelsted Lane, Boxley - 29th March 2023 (Maidstone)

It will be necessary to close Yelsted Lane, Boxley from 29th March 2023 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed between the junctions of Boxley Road and Lidsing Road.

The alternative route is via Boxley Road, Walderslade Woods, Westfield Sole Road, Lidsing Road and vice versa.

This is to enable carriageway patching to be carried out by Kent County Council.

Enclosed is a copy of the Traffic Notice in confirmation of this.

This bulletin contains public information and can be freely forwarded to any other road users who may be affected. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, but no liability can be accepted for any changes or errors.

For details of roadworks, please seeOne.Network

KCC Highways, Transportation & Waste: keeping you up to date with what’s happening on our roads - for more information visithttps://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel or follow us on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/KentHighways

Regards,

Street Works Mid Team

03000 418181 (9am – 5pm)
03000 419191 (5pm – 9am)

Dear Residents

Please see below the notification from Medway Council that it will no longer allow anyone who is not a resident of Medway to use any of its Household Waste sites, the one most people from this area use is Shawstead Lane, off of North Dane Way:

https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200186/recycling_centres_and_points/906/using_medway_household_waste_and_recycling_centres

The nearest KCC site is

Burial Ground Lane
Tovil
Maidstone
ME15 6RJ

Also please note that with effect from June KCC will charging for the disposal of non-household waste materials (soil, rubble, hardcore and plasterboard).

Thinking of a street party or local event to celebrate King Charles III coronation?

Boxley Parish Council have limited amounts of new bunting and signs for Coronation celebrations on a first come first served basis. If you would like some of the bunting and signs contact the parish office.

Please email: enquiry@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk

The main concern for residents of Boxley Parish is the 2,000 house development of a garden settlement at Lidsing which would impact the whole of the parish particularly regarding increases in traffic as the development has no plans for a North/South route from Lidsing to Maidstone and no traffic mitigation measures will be put in place until the first 500 houses are built/occupied.

The plan is now onto Stage 2 Hearings. Main issues from the first stage hearings were the lack of a North South route and the effects on Boxley Village, evidence that a 4^th arm to the roundabout at Junction 4 is achievable, effects on the AONB, off-site highway improvements required in Medway, a revised housing trajectory and several other issues that the Inspector is asking for more detailed information on in order for him to rule the Local Plan as sound.

The hearings are being held at Maidstone Town Hall from the 15^th May with Lidsing matters being discussed 23-25 May. Members of the public are able to attend the hearings as observers and they are also live streamed.

Boxley Parish residents will be represented at the hearings by the Parish Council Chairman Cllr Chris Sheppard and Borough Councillors Anne Brindle and Bob Hinder.

If you have any views on these proposals or require any further information then please contact the Parish Office. Full details and all documents relating to the hearings can be found on the Maidstone Borough Council website under Local Plan Review.

Dear Residents

Please see the attached information regarding the forthcoming Medieval Fayre being held on Easter Saturday, 8^th April, from 11am to 4pm in Brenchley Gardens, Maidstone.

This will be a great event for all the family with lots to see and do.

M20 Moveable Barrier: project update

As you’re aware, we’re in a process of adapting the central reservation between junctions 8 and 9 to make it suitable for storing the Operation Brock moveable barrier. The barrier is currently stored on the hard shoulder when not in use, but this isn’t suitable as a permanent storage location.

We’re currently working on the London-bound verge, so to protect our workforce and the travelling public, the hard shoulder and the inside lane of the London-bound carriageway need to be closed alongside where we’re working, using the moveable barrier as our safety barrier as we’ve been doing throughout. A 50-mph speed restriction is also in place.

We have recently discovered that the ground has become very wet on site in one specific location. Additional works are now required to address the ground and surface water issues to make sure the ground is safe and stable so that the permanent works can last.

To ensure the overall project can be delivered safely and on time whilst we address the ground conditions, we have needed to extend our current lane closures from eight miles to 11 miles. This length of closure will only be in place for nine days. Following this, we’ll be switching to two smaller lane closures, the first being 6.5 miles long and the other being one mile long.

Overnight closures

• To extend the current lane closure from eight to 11 miles, the M20 London-bound was closed overnight from 8pm on Saturday 25 February 2023 until 6am on Sunday 26 February 2023.I’d like to apologise that you weren’t notified of this in advance, and I’m sorry for any inconvenience this caused you.

• To change from the one long lane closure to the two shorter ones, the M20 London-bound will be closed from 8pm on Monday 6 March 2023 until 6am on Tuesday 7 March 2023.

Diversion route: A clearly signed diversion route will be in place taking traffic along the coastbound M20, the coastbound A20 towards Dover, then along the A2, London-bound M2 and crossing back to the M20 at J7 via the A249.

We’re very sorry about any inconvenience or delay that may be caused by this change.

Our London-bound verge work is still due to finish this spring, at which point we can remove the barrier.

From then until late summer there will be some finishing work to complete, which will require some lane closures. All our timings are subject to change depending on any future deployments of the Brock contraflow system.

As ever, our dates are subject to change. You can check the National Highways closure report which is updated daily with the latest information:https://nationalhighways.co.uk/travel-updates/daily-closure-report/.

You can also find all the latest information on our Twitter feed, Facebook page, and the traffic information pages of our website athttps://nationalhighways.co.uk/travel-updates/.

I apologise for any disruption this may cause you and would like to thank you for your cooperation whilst we carry out this work.

Yours faithfully,

Gary Jeans

Project Manager

National Highways | Bridge House | 1 Walnut Tree Close | Guildford | GU1 4LZ

Web: http://www.nationalhighways.co.uk

This email may contain information which is confidential and is intended only for use of the recipient/s named above. If you are not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any copying, distribution, disclosure, reliance upon or other use of the contents of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and destroy it.

National Highways Limited | General enquiries: 0300 123 5000 |National Traffic Operations Centre, 3 Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham B32 1AF | https://nationalhighways.co.uk | info@nationalhighways.co.uk

Registered in England and Wales no 9346363 | Registered Office: Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4LZ

Please see the below from Kent County Council. Please note the closing date of 26^th March.

Kent County Council (KCC) has launched a public consultation on its Community Services which will run from 17 January to 26 March 2023.

The consultation proposes changes to the way we use our buildings to deliver some of our community services. We invite your feedback on our proposals as part of this consultation.

Please do feel free to cascade the information about this consultation including the weblink to your members and your network as appropriate.

Why are we proposing changes?

The Council has experienced big increases in costs and has less money to spend. So we need to look ahead and do things differently to make sure we can still help residents in the years to come. Whilst ensuring effective support for residents who need our services, we need to:

• tackle the rising costs of maintaining our many buildings
• find savings, so we can balance the budget
• reduce our carbon footprint to meet our Net-Zero ambitions.

What services are included in the proposals?

Children’s Centres and Youth Hubs, Public Health Services for Children and Families, Community Services for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Community Learning and Skills, and Gateways.

What are we proposing?

• Having fewer permanent buildings, meaning that some of our buildings would close - we want to keep buildings in areas where they are needed the most
• co-locating more of our services, meaning more than one service would be available from some of the buildings you might visit
• continuing to deliver some services by outreach, which means they do not take place in a dedicated or permanent space, but move around to when and where they are needed
• ensuring residents can continue to access services and information online.

Our proposals have been designed by considering where there is greatest need for our services.

Find out more and share your views

Please visit www.kent.gov.uk/communityservicesconsultation to view the consultation document, design handbooks, a video summarising the proposals, and the Equality Impact Assessments. You can also respond via the online questionnaire (or download the Word version). If you have any queries, please contact communityservicesfeedback@kent.gov.uk.

Kind regards,

Charmaine

Charmaine Keatley

Chief Executive

Kent Association of Local Councils

Tel: 01304 820173- Option 1

For more information on events and to also see our new bitesize learning which include topics such as Planning, please visithttps://www.kentalc.gov.uk/Training__and__Events_21677.aspx

PRESS RELEASE

Ref: JM/021/2023

Date: 20 February 2023

MBC invites children of Maidstone to celebrate King Charles III Coronation

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is holding a Traditional Street Party for local school children to join the Mayor to help celebrate King Charles III Coronation.

As part of the celebrations for the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort, MBC is hosting the party on Friday 5 May. The event is being held especially for the children of Maidstone and the Council is inviting primary schools from across the borough to celebrate the historic occasion.

Each school can apply for ten free tickets each to bring 10 of their Key Stage 2 students to join the Mayor in the celebrations.

The MBC Traditional Street Party will be held outside the Lockmeadow Entertainment Complex where the children can take part in creative activities, enjoy ‘royal’ entertainment and a picnic lunch between 11.30am and 1.30pm.

Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Derek Mortimer said: “I am delighted that we will be celebrating the Coronation of The King and Majesty The Queen Consort in Maidstone with a street party. I am so pleased that we are holding a Civic Event of this kind which will mean local children from across the borough can get together and enjoy the celebrations of such an historic event.”

As the number of seats are limited tickets will be allocated in order of applications received and all schools that would like to send their students to the party are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Each successful school is also invited to create a collage of art by the students to depict what the Coronation means to them which will be displayed at the street party and then exhibited in the Love Food @ Lockmeadow food hall.

Any school that would like to apply for tickets should complete an online form at: Mayor of Maidstone Coronation of King Charles III Street Party (google.com)

Successful schools will be notified of their ticket allocation by Friday 31 March 2023.

In addition to the Street Party the Council is encouraging communities to get together to mark the Coronation with local events involving as many people as possible. As part of this MBC is asking people to get together and hold their own Coronation Big Lunch, at which neighbours and communities are invited to share food and fun together and will take place across the country on the Sunday 7 May. MBC is reminding residents to make the most of all of the parks and open spaces across the borough to hold their own picnics as part of the Big Lunch.

In addition, on the Bank Holiday Monday 8 May everyone is being invited to take part in The Big Help Out encouraging people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact the Maidstone Borough Council Communications Team email: communications@maidstone.gov.uk or call: 01622 602560

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084882795112

Our Chairman of Boxley Parish Council, Chris Sheppard was joined by Anne Brindle, our local Borough Councillor and Helen Whately, MP to remember those that fought and died for their Country.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Further images can be viewed on our Facebook page - link above.

Urgent Road Closure - Westfield Sole Road, Boxley - 21st October 2022 (Maidstone)

It will be necessary to close Westfield Sole Road, Boxley from 21st October 2022 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed between the junction of Walderslade Woods and the junction with Lidsing Road.

The alternative route is via Walderslade Woods, Harp Farm Road, Lidsing Road.

This is to enable ironwork and carriageway repair works to be carried out by Kent County Council.

Enclosed is a copy of the Traffic Notice in confirmation of this.

This bulletin contains public information and can be freely forwarded to any other road users who may be affected. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, but no liability can be accepted for any changes or errors.

For details of roadworks, please seeOne.Network

KCC Highways, Transportation & Waste: keeping you up to date with what’s happening on our roads - for more information visithttps://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel or follow us on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/KentHighways

Regards,

Street Works Mid Team

03000 418181 (9am – 5pm)
03000 419191 (5pm – 9am)

Dear Residents

Maidstone Borough Council are holding pop up events to help advise residents on the rise in cost of living. The event will be held from the 3^rd to the 8^th October. Please see the details and feel free to attend.

Last Friday, our Chairman Chris Sheppard attended a meeting with MP Helen Whateley at Bredhurst Parish Council Barn. In attendance were Cllr. Heidi Bryant (Conservative member for MBC Boxley Ward); Cllrs. Jones, Carr and Harwood (Bredhurst Parish Council) and Michelle Lowe (from Helen Whately's Westminster Office).

Cllr Sheppard advised it was an extremely positive meeting, where Helen gave 100% support to Against Lidsing Garden Development having also visited the proposed site.

A newly created, interesting and varied position is available to apply for within Boxley Parish Council as our Parish Caretaker. All details can be downloaded via our home page.

Dear Residents

MBC’s Local Plan Review Regulation 19 will be put before Full Council this evening for approval.

Many of you have already sent in your objections and we now need your support tonight by attending the Full Council Meeting at Mote Hall, Mote Park Leisure Centre, Maidstone at 6pm. You do not have to attend the meeting just turn up and show your support. The press will be there!

This development will have a devastating effect not only on the Villages of Boxley and Bredhurst but also the surrounding road network, not to mention the lack of local services and facilities such as schools (primary/secondary), doctors’ surgeries, hospitals.

PLEASE PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND ATTEND TONIGHT. THIS MAYBE YOUR LAST CHANCE!

Here is a link to the article from the Downsmail for your perusal.

https://www.downsmail.co.uk/news_sport/News/HOUSING_CRISIS_Lib_Dems_threaten_revolt_on_it_their_homes_plan/

Dear Residents

Please see the attached information regarding the Lidsing development.

The meeting is being held on Monday 4^th October at the Town Hall in Maidstone at 5.30 pm.

Members of the public are able to attend this meeting and can register to speak and voice their opinions (The Parish Council would be happy to help anyone that would like to speak to register). You do not need to register to speak but attendance would help to prove the opposition to this development.

Do not forget that this development gives access to the Gibraltar Farm development of 450 houses and also makes the development of East Hill (650 houses) and Darland Farm more likely.

Help us to protect the green lung that separates Maidstone from Medway.

Our Chairman Chris Sheppard presented our former Clerk Pauline Bowdery with her KALC Award here at Beechen Hall on the 6th September 2021.  Pauline was a Clerk for many years here within the Parish Council and we congratulate her on this great achievement.

A memorial tree and plaque were planted in memory Alan Springate last night at Beechen Hall.

Alan was an extremely hard working member of Boxley Parish Council from 2001 through to his passing in 2015 and a founder member of the Walderslade Woods Group.

Boxley Parish Council have been asked to share some information to the community from Rehab 4 Addiction.

Boris Mackey, the Outreach Manager had this to share:

At Rehab 4 Addiction we know the negative impact of addiction. We are aware it can hurt your family life, work-life and health. Many people working for us are in recovery.

Contact us about drug rehab in Kent if you need to. We know what you’re going through, and we can help. We provide quality treatment options, these include drug and alcohol rehabs. Residential rehab is one option to also consider. Alcohol and drug addictions cause damage to you and your loved ones. The longer you wait before getting clean, the more suffering they can cause.

Please get in touch by clicking the link below or pass these details onto someone you could help.

https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/country-wide/drug-alcohol-rehab-kent

Or by ringing: 0800 140 4690

Dear Residents

We have a Caretaker position available within Beechen Hall. Please see the attached advertisement.

If you are interested in applying, please post/email your letter and CV to us here at Boxley Parish Council.

Boxley Parish Council

Beechen Hall, Wildfell Close

Walderslade, Chatham

Kent ME5 9RU

Email: assistant-clerk@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk

Further information can be obtained by contacting Melanie or Daniela 01634 861237.

www.boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk

Tickets for Bearstead Parish Council Summer Playscheme will be going on sale at 12noon tomorrow.

The dates are 25th July 2021 - 6th August 2021.  Weekdays 0900-1500 for school aged children up to 11 years.

Dear Residents

Our Chairman would like to share some further information on the Facebook site "Stop the Destruction of Kent":

An update on MBC’s Local Plan – this was due to go back out to the public for further consultation this month, however, it was announced that this will now not be ready and a new timetable won’t be agreed until sometime in July.

The same developer F D Attwood & Partners has resubmitted plans for 650 houses at East Hill and 450 houses at Gibraltar Farm. These were both refused by Medway Council earlier this year. This is all part of plans for the landowner to build houses on the farmland privately owned in Capstone, Lidsing and Hempstead. As you can see on the map and if you wade through the pages of documents on the planning portals, these all interlink and help access each other.

The landowners own modest transport report suggests that the East Hill development alone will produce approx. 500 extra car journeys am and pm (up to 1000 extra per day). This will feed onto surrounding roads and have a direct access onto the Wagon at Hale roundabout. If he gets the go-ahead for these developments, added to the Lidsing Garden Development, this will mean 3000+ houses on top of the new Darland View development behind the Wagon.

Also, there will only be ‘space’ for retail or a surgery or school – not building, funding, or staffing these. Please note that the landowner also owns the farmland along Pear Tree Lane and Star Lane next to Darland Bank Nature Reserve.

Please see below the details to object to these should you wish to:

Please object to Medway Council for these:

East Hill MC/21/1520 – by 9th July

https://tinyurl.com/East-Hill-2

Gibraltar Farm MC/21/1296 – by 6th July

https://tinyurl.com/Gib-Farm-Medway

You have to sign in or register to make a comment.

Please object to Maidstone Borough Council for this:

Gibraltar Farm 21/502751/OUT – by 7th July

https://tinyurl.com/Gib-Farm-Maidstone

The Gibraltar Farm application is going to both councils because the roads affected are in both boroughs.

Chris Sheppard

Chairman - Boxley Parish Council

Please see the attached information regarding a charity walk in August 2021.

Beechen Hall - Now available for Regular Hirers

Are you looking for somewhere to hold regular classes?

Our Acorn room holds up to 50 people and the Main hall 170.

If so give the office a call or email us.

Boxley Village Society are arranging a Boot Fair to be held on Sunday 4th July.

Money raised from selling pitches will go to a local charity, Riding for the Disabled.

The event will be held at the School of Osteopathy, Boxley House, The Street, Boxley, Maidstone ME14 3DZ.

Please do come along to support us.

Due to adverse weather conditions - the Annual Parish Council has been cancelled this evening.

Maidstone Borough Council

PRESS RELEASE

Ref: EW/049/2021

Date: 22 April 2021

Take part and make Maidstone Borough Bloom

For the first time ever Maidstone Borough Council is launching a Maidstone Borough in Bloom competition and is inviting anyone who enjoys creating beautiful gardens or pots to enter.

Working with Coolings Garden Centre in Bearsted, the competition opened on Thursday 22 April and will be open for entries until Monday 5 July.Judging will take place during the last two weeks of July and the Awards Ceremony will be held in September.

There are three categories, residential, commercial and community and any household entering will be given a £5 voucher to spend at Coolings.

A trophy will be awarded for the winner and runner up in each category. All winners in each category will also receive aprize of £25.00 Coolings gift voucher as well as two adult annual tickets for Leeds Castle.

Andrew Williams, Parks and Open Spaces Manager at Maidstone Borough Council said: “We are thrilled to be working with Coolings Garden Centre on this new competition and look forward to seeing all the wonderful gardens and flower display entries. We hope this also encourages businesses to show off their premises, particularly as many will be opening for the first time since being locked down.

“It would be great if in the future, it might be possible for Maidstone to progress to enter the South In Bloom competition which would help tie in the use of public space and community activity all year round.

“We are also working with Kent Wildlife Trust to help give advice on creating pollinator, wildlife friendly gardens as we know people may be interested in how to make their gardens more biodiverse. Our partners at Leeds Castle are very kindly providing prizes, which are very much appreciated, and their specialist gardening consultant will be giving gardening tips in a monthly blog, so look out for that.”

Coolings Head Judge Neil Jackson said: “I look forward to appreciating the beautiful gardens and environmental contribution made by the residents and businesses of Maidstone Borough. Every garden, pot, trough and community project makes the world a better place to live in and it’s important this work is recognised properly.”

The Maidstone Borough in Bloom categories are:

Residential Categories

• Best Front Garden
• Best Back Garden
• Best Planted pot trough or hanging basket
• Best vegetable garden or allotment
• Best pollinators garden

Commercial Categories

• Best Commercial garden
• Best Commercial Planted pot trough or hanging basket

Community Categories

• Best Community Environmentally Garden
• Best Community Ornamental Garden

To enter please complete a Coolings Garden Centre entry form through the Maidstone Borough Council website here:https://maidstone.gov.uk/maidstone-borough-in-bloom

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Find Leeds Castle Gardening blog here:https://www.leeds-castle.com/news/Leeds+Castle+News/Spring+Explodes+at+Leeds+Castle

If you would like further details, please contact the Maidstone Borough Council Communications Team email:communications@maidstone.gov.uk or call: 01622 602560

Dear Residents

Please see details of Tiny Talks re-opening times.

Parish Council Elections 6 May 2021

Help your community by becoming a Parish Councillor

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY 6^TH MAY 2021

Boxley has 15 Parish Councillors and all seats are up for election.

Your commitments would be to attend the 10 monthly Parish Council Meetings. You could also get further involved by joining a Committee. Boxley has three Committees:

Finance and General Purposes which looks at financial and personnel matters and meets six times a year

Estates Committee which looks after the Council’s property and meets six times a year.

Environment Committee which looks at planning, highways and other environmental issues and meets 18 times a year (10 of these are short meetings that follow on from Full Council Meetings)

Working Groups are often formed to look at specific projects in more detail.

You can be as involved as your time permits.

For more information please contact the Parish Clerk, Daniela Baylis on

01634 861237 or 07875426215. Email:clerk@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk.

www.boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk

Kent Police Announcement

We wanted to make you aware of a recent operation that was organised on 28^th February that focused on tackling nuisance off road vehicles.

We covered the whole area of the North Downs between Blue Bell Hill and Lenham whilst focusing on the regular problem locations. The day was very successful and we managed to stop and deal with multiple nuisance riders and had a strong presence in the rural communities. We want to take the opportunity to thank the residents in the affected areas for reporting the nuisance activity to us on the day.

Please feel free to share these results and/or press release to any interested parties and local news outlets.

The full press release that was posted on the Kent Police website and social media channels:

https://www.kent.police.uk/news/kent/news2/policing-news/2103/nuisance-motorcyclists-targeted-in-west-kent-and-medway/

Sunday 28^th February 2021

Resources: Officers from Maidstone Community Safety Unit, Maidstone Community Protection Team, Medway Community Safety Unit, Medway Town Team, Tonbridge & Malling Community Safety Unit, Rural Task Force with Drone capability, West Division PCSO Task Force, Specials Tasking Unit.

Vehicle seizures: 5 motorbikes seized (3x No Insurance, 2x Used in Crime and no insurance), 1 burnt out 4x4 recovered

Section 59 Warning: 10

Covid-19 FPN: 16 + many more given advice

Arrests: 3

Community Engagement: LOADS! From reading through the returns there were a lot of members of the public out and about on Sunday and said how much they appreciated our presence and visibility.

Dear Residents

Please see the great news regarding Weavering Heath.

Dear Residents

Please see attached the latest Crag report.

Help play your part on Census day

There’s just over a month to go until the Census 2021, the biggest survey of our population.

Census 2021, happening on Sunday 21 March, takes place every ten years and provides

valuable information about households across the UK. By completing it, you will be

contributing to the planning of services, whilst helping to shape your community for the next

ten years.

Census 2021 will be digital 1st, and in these Covid-19 lockdown times everyone is

encouraged to use their computers, laptops or smartphones to complete their Census

Questionnaire. Paper questionnaires will be available on request.  Please see attached document for further information.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKONS/bulletins/2b9df4f

Dear Residents

Please see the attached link in relation to the Local Authority important Census 2021 update. This link also contains information on on recruitment which may prove useful at the moment.

Good Morning Everyone

Boxley Parish Council would like to update you all, that we now have a direct email address for our newly appointed Chairman Vic Davies. He can be contacted at the following address:

Chairman@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk

Please do not hesitate to get in touch, should you need to.

Please see the following alert from Action Fraud, who is warning the public to remain vigilant as criminals begin to take advantage of the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine to commit fraud -

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/coronavirus-vaccine-scams-warning 

Action Fraud is the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre.

You may be aware that Maidstone Borough Council are currently offering a Winter Grant Scheme to support local Parishes, Community Groups, Church Groups and similar that are running schemes to help vulnerable households keep warm and fed over the difficult months this winter.

There is still time to bid for funds from £250 to £5000 and we are reaching out to all groups to get in touch if they would like financial support with their schemes.

Examples of schemes running include:

• Utility Bill Voucher scheme
• Free Hot Meal support Group
• Community Shop (not selling cigarettes & alcohol)
• Food Banks
• Food Parcels
• Winter Clothing and Baby Provisions
  

Even if you are not running any schemes yourself, I would be grateful if you could let me know of any group you know of that may benefit, or are able to pass this information on.

The deadline for bids is 19^th January 2021.

Please do get in touch if you would like further information or an application form.

Kind regards

Nicola Toulson

Community Projects Officer

Policy & Information

Maidstone Borough Council, King Street, Maidstone ME15 6JQ

t _­01622 602568 wwww.maidstone.gov.uk

(Monday – Thursday 08:30 – 16:30, Friday 08:30 – 16:00)

Dear Residents

There has been an extension for this proposed development. The new date set is 8th January 2020. You have until 5pm to send your view on this proposed development.

Please send your email to LDF@maidstone.gov.uk

Ensure that you state you are objecting to SP4(b) development north of the M2 / Lidsing.

Please also include your full name and full address including postcode.

Or

Please send MBC your comments using the consultation portalhttps://maidstone-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/ Alternatively, you can complete the response form (https://localplan.maidstone.gov.uk/home/local-plan-review) and send it to MBC.

Boxley Parish Council's office closes today at 15:00 for the festive period until Monday 4^th January.  Any emails we receive will be answered on our return.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our Residents and your families a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.  Stay home, stay safe and hopefully we can all be together again very soon.

Best Wishes to you all.

Dear Residents

Please see the attached letter from Highways England in relation to the M20 Motorway.

Dear Residents

This is a reminder that we have until tomorrow 5pm on the 22 December 2020 to send your view on this proposed development. 

Please send you email to LDF@maidstone.gov.uk

Please ensure that you state you are objecting to SP4(b) development north of the M2 / Lidsing.

Please also include your full name and full address including postcode.

As you may be aware, Maidstone is carrying out a review of its Local Plan. In the call for sites, there are 3 sites, that affect Boxley Parish which have gone into this next consultation phase.

Ref 196 - Willow Farm, Sandling – 45 houses

Ref 216 – Rochester Meadow, Sandling – 20-25 houses

Lidsing – creation of a new Garden community of 2,000 houses that will join up with the Gibraltar Farm development of 450 houses. (full details of the scheme can be found on the Hume Planning website under consultations). The new garden community will join Lordswood/Walderslade with Hempstead Valley and fill in a lot of the ‘protected’ strategic gap.

At meetings on the 7^th and 14^th December Boxley Parish Council voted to oppose all 3 proposed developments. Please find attached Boxley Parish Council’s response to Maidstone’s Local Plan Review, with regard to the above developments. You can make a response to the consultation on Maidstone Borough Council’s Website under Consultations. Please feel free to use any of our comments in your responses.

Dear Residents

At Monday nights Parish Council meeting, Councillors agreed to join together with Bredhurst Parish Council to form a working party to oppose the proposed building of 2,000 houses at Lidsing.

This proposal is under review in Maidstone Borough Council’s Local Plan Review. You can access the Local Plan Review Consultation on the MBC website and make your views known.

The deadline for this consultation is 5pm on the 22 December 2020. The development, if successful, would join up with the proposed development of 450 homes at Gibraltar Farm and effectively join the areas of Bredhurst /Lordswood/ Walderslade and Hempstead into one large urban mass eliminating the once protected ‘Medway Strategic Gap’ that is an ‘area of local landscape importance’. All of the land to be built on is currently green fields and woodland.

If you would like to help protect this valuable open area you can join the Facebook group. The Working Group you can join is: The ‘Against Lidsing Village Development’ Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/lidsingplanningopposition

It has accumulated over a 1000 members in less than a week! As it’s a group, you will need to ask to join the group to view posts.

The Parish Council’s formal response will be agreed at the next meeting of its Environment Committee on the 14th December. This will be a virtual meeting on Teams.

The Preferred Approaches document and Sustainability Appraisal, along with the Local Plan Review evidence base and other information can be viewed and downloaded from the MBC's website https://localplan.maidstone.gov.uk/home/local-plan-review If lifting of restrictions of Covid 19 allows The Maidstone Link in King Street and libraries to open, MBC will also make the document available for public inspection at these locations.

Please send MBC your comments using the consultation portalhttps://maidstone-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/ Alternatively, you can complete the response form (https://localplan.maidstone.gov.uk/home/local-plan-review) and send it to MBC.

1. By email to ldf@maidstone.gov.uk

2. By post to Strategic Planning, Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, ME15 6JQ

All objections must state area:

SP4(b) Development North of the M2 Lidsing

And all emailed or postal objections MUST contain your FULL NAME and POSTAL ADRESSS

Please see attached letter regarding an upcoming live test of end of EU transition plans on the M20. Please contact the project team on M20MoveableBarrier@highwaysengland.co.uk for any further queries

Maidstone’s Local Plan is currently under review. Following a Call for Sites several options within the Parish are being considered and have made it through to the next consultation stage. The consultation on the Preferred Approaches (Regulation 18b) for the Local Plan Review has been scheduled for the 1st of December 2020 to the 22nd of December 2020. This is the next stage of informal stakeholder and public involvement in the local plan review process. The sites being considered under this consultation are: Ref: 196 Willow Farm, Sandling – 40 houses Ref: 216 Rochester Meadows, Sandling – 20-25 houses Ref: 330 Lidsing – 9 houses Ref: Lidsing – creation of a new garden community of 1,000+ houses If you would like to have your say on these proposed developments then please go onto Maidstone Borough Council’s website and look under Consultations, the link is further below.

Boxley Parish Council will be submitting their responses to the Consultation after their Environment Committee Meeting on the 14 December.

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN REVIEW REGULATION 18 PREFERRED APPROACHES CONSULTATION

The Local Plan Review – Preferred Approaches (Regulation 18) document has been prepared for public consultation. The consultation document sets out the preferred spatial strategy for future development, proposed amendments to existing strategic and development management policies and new development management policies for the period 2022-2037.

The Preferred Approaches document is accompanied by a consultation on the Sustainability Appraisal. Sustainability Appraisal is an iterative process which runs alongside the production of the Local Plan Review and helps inform the ongoing decision-making process. The Sustainability Appraisal document being consulted on considers the options for the spatial strategy, site allocations and garden settlements. An update to the Local Plan Review evidence base, including an update to the Strategic Land Availability Assessment and Habitat Regulations Screening Report, has also been published.

The Preferred Approaches document and Sustainability Appraisal, along with the Local Plan Review evidence base and other information can be viewed and downloaded from the council’s website
https://localplan.maidstone.gov.uk/home/local-plan-review
If lifting of restrictions of Covid 19 allows The Maidstone Link in King Street and libraries to open, we will also make the document available for public inspection at these locations.

Please send us your comments using the consultation portal https://maidstone-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/

Alternatively, you can complete the response form (https://localplan.maidstone.gov.uk/home/local-plan-review) and send it to us
1. By email to ldf@maidstone.gov.uk
2. By post to Strategic Planning, Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, ME15 6JQ
Consultation on both documents open on Tuesday 1st December and we need to receive your comments no later than 5pm on Tuesday 22nd December.
Please note, in order to maintain compliance with the published timetable for the Local Plan Review (contained in the adopted Local Development Scheme) the 22nd December 2020 will be the cut-off date for any further call for sites submissions for this Local Plan Review. Site submissions received after this date cannot be guaranteed to be assessed and may be carried forward to the next review.

All consultation comments will be made publicly available on the consultation portal (https://maidstone-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/ ) in due course. This is so that interested parties can view all the responses that have been received. Published information will include the comment and responder name. All demographic and contact data will be removed. All data is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The consultation responses will be used to inform the next stages of the Local Plan Review.
If you do not wish to receive Local Plan Review updates like this in the future, please contact the Strategic Planning team at LDF@maidstone.gov.uk and we will remove your details from our contacts database.

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to maintaining the privacy, security, trust and confidence of all our partners, clients and customers when you use our services. To find out more, please make sure you read our privacy notice here: http://www.maidstone.gov.uk/home/privacy-and-cookies
Kind regards, Rob Jarman, Head of Planning and Development, Maidstone Borough Council.

Dear Residents

Beechen Hall will close its doors once more due to COVID-19 and the Government guidelines put in place from midnight on Wednesday 4th November 2020.

The Parish Office will remain open and staff are contactable by email or phone as normal.

Please stay safe and we look forward to welcoming you all back December.

PRESS RELEASE

Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme

Maidstone Borough Council is supporting the government Test and Trace Support Payment scheme.

The Test and Trace Support payment of £500 is to help people who have been told to self-isolate by the NHS.

It is for anyone employed or self-employed on a low income and in receipt of certain benefits who has tested positive for COVID-19 or been in close contact with someone who has tested positive. They will need to be unable to work from home and have received a notification from the NHS to self-isolate.

Stephen McGinnes, Mid Kent Services Director said: “If you’re someone who is on a lower income, who cannot work from home and has lost income as a result of self-isolating, you could get help with this new Test and Trace support payment.

“These payments of £500 are designed to make sure people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts self-isolate for the required period to stop the onward spread of the virus.

“They are also designed to encourage individuals who are eligible for this payment to get tested if they have symptoms. This is important to help stop the transmission of COVID-19 and avoid further economic and societal restrictions.

“Do you know someone who might qualify? If so, please let them know and also make sure you tell your friends and family.  We are encouraging anyone in Maidstone on a low income who needs financial support while having to self-isolate to apply as soon as possible.”

All applications must be made within 14 days of the end of a self-isolation period and the scheme is open until 31 January 2021.Anyone who is told to self-isolate on or after 28 September will be able to make a backdated claim for payment as long as they have received notification from the NHS.

To apply people need to complete an online self-isolation payment application form which will then be assessed for eligibility:maidstone.gov.uk/testandtracesupport

For more information about the scheme please visit:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-package-to-support-and-enforce-self-isolation

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The qualifying criteria are:

• have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace either because they’ve tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive
• be employed or self-employed
• be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result
• be currently receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit.

Temporary Road Closure –Forstal Road, Sandling – 12^th November 2020

Kent County Council has made an Order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Forstal Road, Sandling from 12^th November 2020 for up to 1 night between the hours of 22:00 and 02:00.

The road will be closed south of the junction with Lock Lane, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for any through traffic (excluding HGVs) is via Running Horse Roundabout, Chatham Road, Cobtree Roundabout, A229 Blue Bell Hill, Kits Coty Slip Northbound Off, Rochester Road, Forstal Road and vice versa.

The alternative route for HGVs is via M20 J6 Join Link to J5 West, M20 J5 Leave Link From J6 West, Junction 5 Interchange, Coldharbour Lane, A20 London Road, Hall Road, Station Road and Forstal Road.

Access for emergency service vehicles and pedestrians will be maintained at all times during the closure.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while reinstatement works are undertaken by Southern Water.

For information regarding this closure please contact Southern Water on 0330 303 0368, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

This bulletin contains public information and can be freely forwarded to any other road users who may be affected. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, but no liability can be accepted for any changes or errors.

Road names are taken from the National Street Gazetteer on Elgin, with alternative names given where known.

For details of roadworks, please seewww.roadworks.org

KCC, Highways Transportation & Waste: keeping you up to date with what's happening on our road - for more information visithttp://www.kent.gov.uk/travel orhttp://www.kent.gov.uk/highways

Regards,

TTRO Co-Ordinator, Mid Kent Division
KCC Highways, Transportation & Waste
Aylesford Highway Depot
St Michael's Close
Aylesford
ME20 7BU

Tel: 03000 418181 (24hr Contact Centre)

Email:StreetworksMid@kent.gov.uk

KCC are planning a major programme of works to improve this junction and have produced 3 options that residents can comment on.

To access the consultation and all the documents search for .

kent.gov.uk/a229bluebellhill.

Survey closes 19 October 2020

Maidstone Borough Council has a number of consultations open. To access these, go to their website and search for consultations.

Budget Survey

Residents and businesses are invited to have their say on the council’s spending priorities for the next year.

Like many councils, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on Maidstone Borough Council and the community it serves. The Council has been at the forefront of the response to the pandemic, for example in supporting rough sleepers and the homeless, establishing a community hub to support vulnerable members of society, and distributing over £30 million of grants to small businesses.

The restrictions introduced in response to the pandemic have resulted in a significant reduction in the income which we collect in order to subsidise local services. This includes income from parking, planning applications, council tax, business rates and rents from property which the council owns. Additional costs have been incurred in responding to the pandemic and providing support to the most vulnerable members of our community.

For 2021/22, the Council is facing a budget gap of £3.3m and we are keen to hear your views to help inform our response to this exceptional challenge. We will be considering all areas to identify options for reducing costs or increasing income. It’s important that we understand what your priorities are so that this can be taken into account as we consider the budget for the coming financial year.

The council funds a significant proportion of its spending through council tax. The basic average council tax charge made by this council for 2020/21 is £265.59 (band D charge for a non-parished area). More information about council tax and how we spend this can be found in our summary document.

The survey closes 5th November 2020.

It takes around 6 minutes to complete.

Dear Residents

Please see an important announcement from the City of London Police regarding a current scam that is occurring.
Please be vigilant and report any cyber crimes to Actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Dear Neighbor,

Railway Improvement Works – Bearsted Cutting Stabilisation Works

I am writing to update you on the urgent works to stabilise the cutting in the Bearsted area from the 14 September 2020 until late 2021. The works will involve stabilising the rock cutting on both sides of the railway line to make sure that the railway remains safe and open for trains to be able to operate.

We will be holding a Zoom virtual community drop-in session on the 7 October 2020 from 17:00 to 19:00 where you will be able to drop in at any time during this time. Representatives from the project team and BAM Nuttall the contractor who will be delivering the work on behalf of Network Rail we will be presenting an overview of the stabilisation works and will be able to answer any questions that you may have.

To join using video from a computer, a tablet or a smartphone:

1) Go to: Zoom.us in your Internet browser or the Zoom app.

2) Click ‘Join a Meeting’

3) Enter the meeting ID: 890 0498 6585

4) Enter the passcode: 627911

To join the call using only audio from a telephone:

1) Dial: 0131 460 1196

2) Enter the meeting ID: 890 0498 6585

3) Enter the passcode: 627911

The works will be completed in three phases and this letter is to inform you about Phase 1 of the works, which started on the14 September 2020 from 07:30 – 17:30 Monday to Friday. We will write to you again to update you on these works as they progress.

Work will take place during a line closure of the railway as follows:

Further weekend and/or night-time track access may be required for the project. This requirement is under review and we will capture any additional plans in our next communications.

The work will involve clearing trees and vegetation along the length of the cutting between the junctions of Cornflower/Meadowdown/Grovewood Drive South and Ashford Road. Most of the vegetation clearance will be on the cress (top) and slope of the cutting. Where possible we will leave as many mature trees along the boundary fence that is safe to be able to leave and which does not impact the design for the permanent works.

To facilitate these works there will be a lane closure with temporary traffic lights on Grovewood Drive South commencing from the 14 September 2020. The lane closure will give us an area to set up our main site compound and provide safe access to the top of the railway cutting.

We will be using a combination of steel mesh and soil nails to hold the rock face in place. The mesh will be secured by drilling rock anchors into the cutting face at various points and then securing the mesh. This will prevent further failures of the cutting and make sure that the railway remains open and safe for passengers.

We will be using long-reach excavators and a rig that is anchored to the top of the cutting. We will be abseiling down the cutting face with the rig to carry out these works.Due to the nature of the work and the equipment we need to use you may experience some disturbance. However, every effort will be made to minimise as much noise a possible.

Below is a map showing the area of the cutting where we will be working.

I hope this information is helpful and we apologise for any inconvenience these essential works may cause. However, if you have any additional questions or concerns, please visit

www.networkrail.co.uk or telephone our 24-Hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 quoting Bearsted Cutting Stabilisation Works.

Yours faithfully

Paula Williams

In the Borough of Maidstone

THE KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

(VARIOUS ROADS, BOROUGH OF MAIDSTONE) (WAITING RESTRICTIONS AND STREET PARKING PLACES) (VARIATION No.33) ORDER 2020

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Notice is hereby given that KENT COUNTY COUNCIL under sections 1(1), 2 (1) to (3), 3 (2), 4 (1) and (2), 32 (1), 35 (1), 44, 45, 46, 49 and 53 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (hereinafter called “the Act”) and of all other enabling powers, and after consultation with the chief officer of police in accordance with Paragraph 20 of Schedule 9 to the Act, hereby make the following order:-

The effect of the Order will be to place school keep clear markings on the following lengths of roads as prescribed below:-

Roads in the Borough of Maidstone

PROVENDER WAY, BOXLEY – (1) On the south western side from a point opposite and in line with the northern boundary of 1 Restharrow Road for a distance of 31.5 metres in a north westerly direction. (2) On the south western side from a point and in line with the south eastern boundary of 31 Speedwell Close for a distance of 31.5 metres in a north westerly direction. DARMAN LANE, LADDINGFORD – On the east side across the entrance to the Laddingford St Mary’s Primary School. HAM LANE, LENHAM - On the north eastern side across the south eastern and north western entrances to the Lenham Primary School. BOWER MOUNT ROAD, MAIDSTONE – On the north western side across the entrance to The Cedars.

The Order was made on 1 October 2020 and its provisions will come into effect on 12 October 2020.

A copy of the Order, statement of the Council’s reasons for making the Order, a map indicating the location and the effect and a copy of any Orders which will be amended by the Order may be examined on Monday to Friday at The Kent County Council, Sessions House, Maidstone, ME14 1XQ; The Kent County Council, Highway, Transportation & Waste, Ashford Highway Depot, Henwood Industrial Estate, Unit 4 Javelin Way, Ashford, Kent TN24 8AD during normal office hours or viewed online at www.kent.gov.uk/highwaysconsultations

Anyone may, by application to the High Court within 6 weeks of the date of publication of this Notice, challenge the validity of the Orders or of any provision contained in them on the grounds that it is not within the powers conferred by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, or any instrument made thereunder, or that there has been a failure to comply with any statutory requirement to the Orders.

Simon Jones

Director of Highways, Transportation & Waste

We are excited to annouce we have a new class starting here at Beechen Hall this coming Monday morning 28th September.

Tiny Talk Bay Signing will be joining us for a regular class. The lovely Anna Drywood-Senior can be contacted on 07870 270921 or via email on annad@tinytalk.co.uk to make your booking. We look forward to welcoming Anna and all who attend.

As the hall is now open for regular classes we would like to remind you that our hall has strict Covid-19 measures in place. To ensure that we keep everyone as safe as possible, could we please ask you to help by adhering to our rules and regulations set out below.

• You must not enter if you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms.

• If you develop COVID-19 symptoms within 7 days of visiting these premises alert Test, Track and Trace. Alert the hall cleaner whose number is displayed in the entrance lobby and alert the organiser of the activity you attended.

• Maintain 2 metres social distancing as far as possible. Wait behind the marked lines as you go through the entrance hall to your activity and observe the one-way system marked.

• Ensure you are wearing your face covering when entering and exiting the building.

• Use the hand sanitiser provided on entering the premises. Clean your hands often. Soap and paper towels are provided.

• Avoid touching your face, nose and eyes. Clean your hands if you do.

• “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it”. Tissues should be disposed of into one of the rubbish bins provided. Then wash your hands.

• Check the organisers of your activity have cleaned the door handles, tables, other equipment, sinks and surfaces before you have arrived. Keep them clean. We can not clean in between each hire.

• Take turns to use the confined spaces such as corridors, kitchen and toilet area. Standing or sitting next to someone is lower risk than opposite them. Briefly passing another person in a confined space is low risk.

• Keep the hall well ventilated. Close the doors and windows on leaving.

• This hall is cleaned regularly.

We look forward to welcoming you all.

Under the updated Government guidelines we are pleased to announce that Beechen Hall is now able to hold Wakes and Wedding parties for up to a maximum of 30 people. Please do get in touch by emailing assistant-clerk@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk or calling the Parish Office directly on 01634 861237 to check availability.

As you are aware Maidstone and Mid Kent operate a subscription based garden waste service. Over the past 6 months, the subscription rate for the service has increased by nearly 2,000 properties in Maidstone, with a total of 6,000 additional subscriptions across the whole of Mid Kent. This is largely due to the closure of the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and then the subsequent restrictions and booking system introduced when they reopened.

The rapid increase in the service has resulted in difficulties completing the work within the crew’s legal working hours, despite additional staff and vehicles being deployed. The primary issue is that the additional subscribers are spread across the three Boroughs and therefore the provision of one or two additional vehicles is not sufficient to cover the mileage between properties.

Therefore Biffa are about to implement a re-routing exercise to improve the efficiency of the rounds and enable the services to not only complete the current workload but have more resilience to further growth in the service.

This means that a number of properties will experience changes to DAY and / or collection WEEK for their GARDEN WASTE service. This will NOT affect the refuse, recycling or food waste collections. There are already many properties in the Borough that have a different garden collection day to their refuse and recycling, however this number will grow to enable the subscribed service to operate efficiently.

Some properties will experience a change in week of collection which may result in slightly longer wait between collections during the transitional fortnight. However Biffa will be carrying out additional collections during that fortnight to ensure no one is disadvantaged. Residents affected by this, will be notified of their new collection day and the additional interim collection day on a leaflet accompanying the attached letter. The ‘look-up’ function on the website will be updated next week to ensure that it remains accurate to provide residents’ their next collection date.

The changes are being implemented from Monday 21 September 2020 and the letter and leaflet is due to be sent out this week.

If you have any queries please can you direct them to waste@maidstone.gov.uk so the team can respond.

Dear Residents

Great news!

We are happy to report that Beechen Hall will be re-opening our doors to the public initially just for our Regular Classes only from today.

There are new Covid-19 measures in place, numbers to these classes will be reduced in line with Government guidelines. Our hirers have been briefed and are fully informed of these guidelines and requirements and can update you prior to your arrival. Please ensure contact your class organiser prior to attending.

We are sadly not able to take any bookings for parties at this current time, however we will be reviewing this in October 2020 based on the current government guidelines.

We very much look forward to welcoming you all back.

The Parish Council have some exciting news!

Weight Watchers are joining us here at Beechen Hall.

Join Pauline Silk at Walderslade Weight Watchers workshop between 6-7pm every Wednesday evening.

There are full Covid-19 safety guidelines in place and we will run as an express workshop for the time being.

This means that you will need to follow the guidelines such as keeping your shoes on, wearing a face mask and sanitising your hands on arrival.

We have some lovely Weight Watchers goodies to buy, please you can pay by card only as we are cashless.

Please ensure you have your valid workshop/digital pass either as a photo or via your ww app.

If you need to rejoin, it will save time (and there are some great offers) via our website - sign up to workshop & digital.

If you would like further details please contact Pauline Silk via email: psilk@ww.com

Dear Residents 

This is an alert for those deemed vulnerable in our community. Join a local Facebook group if you are able, you will then be able to post a message and if you need help with anything people will respond. 

Alternatively you can put a green piece of paper in your window if you are fine and do not need help and a red piece of paper if you need assistance with anything. Someone will then put a note through your letterbox with their phone number to call and then help you with anything you need. 

These are difficult times and it’s important to help each other where we are able to do so. 

Regards
Daniela Baylis
Clerk

Following the Government Directive on Friday afternoon Beechen Hall is now closed until further notice. Bookings up until and including the 19th April 2020 are being cancelled or rearranged for later in the year. Bookings from 20th April might be able to go ahead and are currently on hold. All cancelled bookings will get a full refund with no costs incurred.

The telephone and emails are still being answered if anyone needs any further information.

Stay safe and take care. 

Regards
Daniela Baylis
Parish Clerk

Regular Hirers

If you need to cancel your regular bookings on Government advice then your slot will be kept open and you will not incur any charges.

If the Government declares the closure of all public buildings, then all bookings will be cancelled until such time as we can reopen. In this instance your booked slot will remain reserved and you will not incur any charges.

Casual Hirers

Your booking can still go ahead if you would like it to. If we receive a Government directive advising to close all public buildings, then we will need to cancel your booking and all money will be refunded with no administration charges incurred.

If you would like to cancel or postpone your event then please let us know as soon as possible. Due to the extraordinary circumstances in this instance you will receive a full refund with no administration charges.

Our offices will be closing at midday on Tuesday 24th December and re-opening on Thursday 2nd January 2020.

The Parish Council would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The parish council is currently experiencing difficulties with its website and apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Currently it is not possible to display the Audit information and Annual Return and attempts are being made to reinstate the relevant document folders. Please bear with us.

Residents wishing to have a personal copy supplied to them please contact the parish office.

From Bob Hinder Chairman Boxley Parish Council

Dear residents and councillors,

Last night’s decision by the Maidstone Planning Committee was utterly devastating for all involved and the community, it leaves a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths.

It surprized nearly all of us that the Legal Officer’s recommendation, to drop the two planning applications from the agenda, was rejected by the committee so I must thank the many residents who had turned up on the off chance that the applications would be heard. As it had looked like the two applications would be dropped from the agenda many residents who may have attended choose not to do so and the decision to permit both applications will be a great shock and upset to many, many people. The meeting was recorded and is available on the MBC website but as it was an emotionally charged meeting I have asked the Clerk to produce a factual summary of what happened, see below. This information is not going to lessen the anger and frustration many residents, Parish and Borough Councillors will be feeling, infact it may increase it, but I hope it helps residents to understand how this sorry state of affairs played out.

Clerk’s notes concerning Maidstone Borough Council Meeting 25 April 2019

Planning Applications 18/506656 and 18/506609

Borough Councillor Clive English, Chairman of the Planning Committee (PC) opened the discussion with an explanation of why he was thought that the Legal Officer’s recommendation should not be followed. He spoke of the independence, from politics, of the PC and the need that its members took a decision on the two items at that meeting rather than defer them. He put forward a proposal that the committee should consider the planning applications.

Prior to taking a vote he allowed a committee member to make a comment. The member stated that it was a shame that the Legal Officer’s recommendation had been put forward as he felt it had stopped many residents who may have planned to come to the meeting from attending.

The members voted to proceed with the two planning applications.

18/506656 Application for the two schools.

The Planning Officer gave a summary of the planning application.

The Chairman called for the speakers:

Mr Richard Coward Resident

Mrs Pauline Bowdery Parish Clerk on behalf of Boxley Parish Council

Cllr Fabienne Hughes Bearsted Parish Councillor

A speaker on behalf of the applicant.

Borough (and Parish) Councillor Bob Hinder

Borough (and Parish) Councillor Wendy Hinder

Cllr Mike Cuming Borough Councillor also speaking on behalf of Cllr Val Springett and Cllr Nick De-Wiggondene

Members of the Committee then debated the planning application it was not an easy debate with much frustration coming from members some of whom felt that their independence as a Local Planning Authority was being squashed/undermined by Government regulations. The following issues were raised:

• MBC had previously lost two similar applications at Appeal because the Government guidance that schools had to be built meant the Planning Inspector always decided for the schools.
• Decisions at Appeal nearly always meant that conditions negotiated or imposed by the LPA were not supported by the Planning Inspector and so the development went ahead with fewer mitigation measures. Clerk’s note: the two applications mentioned did not include the STEM school application. A statement was made that typically Planning Inspectors remove Planning Conditions, the experience of the Parish Council is that this sadly is a correct statement of fact.
• Whether the decision to change the boundary of the education areas, made by KCC recently, was actually done for the right reason. Whether the North Education Area was actually a ‘fair’ area and were the boundaries actually correct.
• Whether the KCC Education Department should be challenged on its statements concerning school needs etc. Whether this application could be deferred to allow this challenge. Clerk’s note: The Chairman notified the member that as KCC was the Education Authority if the application went to Appeal then the Inspector would question by MBC thought it knew better

Then the KCC Education Department which was the professional body. Unless MBC could come up with clear evidence of misinformation then the Planning Inspector would not consider this as evidence.

• Whether it was right for members of the Planning Committee to state/think that they had no choice but to allow the application because they would lose at Appeal.
• Whether the risk of losing mitigating conditions was worth the gamble, one many members felt they would lose, on an Appeal decision.
• The lack of KCC engagement at the Local Plan stage that meant that MBC was not asked to identify possible school sites.
• The need for school places.
• Better landscaping was needed.
• Whether condition 19 (Highway changes at and to the East of Gidds Pond Cottages) was needed as pupils would not be walked from Bearsted along Bearsted Road but would use the footpaths in the estates. Clerk’s note: there was some suggestion that this be removed but the KCC Highway Officer said it could not be or KCC would have to object to the planning application. This removal did not seem to be part of the final vote.
• The car park being insufficient and unable to cope with the traffic. Clerk’s note. The Planning Officer notified the committee that the applicant had offered, at the loss of some landscaping, an extra 6 spaces.Strong statements were made by members, along the lines of this parking is inadequate and isn’t going to work.
• Involving Ward Borough Councillors and Parish Councils in the discussions relating to the draft travel plan (Condition 18).

Officers were consulted at various stages during the debate.

Many members voiced that they were unhappy with the situation and felt that they had no choice

The vote was 7 for and 5 against, so the application was permitted.

……………………..

18/506609 Change of Use planning application.

The Planning Officer gave a summary of the planning application.

The Chairman called for the speakers:

Mr Keith Clark Resident

Cllr James Willmott Boxley Parish Councillor

Cllr Fabienne Hughes Bearsted Parish Councillor

Borough (and Parish) Councillor Bob Hinder also speaking on behalf of Cllr Wendy Hinder

Cllr Mike Cuming Borough Councillor also speaking on behalf of Cllr Val Springett and Cllr Nick De-Wiggondene

The Chairman tried to explain that failure to approve the planning application, as the schools had been permitted, could result in a loss at Appeal and no replacement site being identified. Clerk’s note: I’m not sure many of those sitting in the public section may have picked this up.It was a very emotion introduction as the Chairman was extremely frustrated/angry that the situation had got to this and was insisting that this should never happen again.

Members of the Committee then debated the planning application and many expressed their frustration/anger that:

• The original condition supplying the LNR had been insufficient to ensure a) it was built and b) ownership remained with the landowner.
• Further conditions should be tighter requiring such sites to be developed as soon as other development work started.
• The Local Plan was being ignored.
• The site being offered was smaller and not compatible.
• It wasn’t a gain but a net loss of biodiversity.
• Unless it came into public ownership the substituted NR land could be put forward for development in the future.
• The new site was tiny and had fragile habitats that would suffer from public use, dogs etc. and unsympathetic management. The suggested management plan, with mown areas and the site being open to the public, was totally unacceptable. Clerk’s note: the current site would not have been open to the public.

Clerk’s note: The Planning Officer was challenged about a statement that was made that the term Local Nature Reserve in the Local Plan didn’t actually mean LNR and that MBC couldn’t designate LNR.

Criticism of previous decisions made by MBC were strongly voiced and the issue is to be reported to an MBC committee for investigation.

Permitted subject to negotiations to get the land into MBC ownership so it can never be developed. Clerk’s note; might have been 8 for, 1 against and 2 abstentions.

Clerk’s note: MBC’s decisions are now quasi legal, they will go ahead. There is no right of Appeal by objectors, the only course of action is a request to the Secretary of State that the decisions are called in but as the Secretary of State is the body demanding new schools be supported and built and as the schools application is supported by the Department of Education, KCC Education, KCC Highways, the local MP and the Local Planning Authority (MBC) then it is certain not to be successful. The Secretary of State rarely intervenes.

The resident who started the petition to get MBC to place Weavering Heath into voluntary village green status has asked that residents be reminded of the e-petition existence.

So far there are 134 signatures but he understands that some people are finding it a bit difficult to engage with the MBC site but asks that you be patient and if you can’t get on using a tablet or smart phone would you consider using your computer if you have one.

ePetition - Village Green status for Weavering Heath

As part of our work to repair and maintain the M20, we’ll shortly be starting a series of improvements at junction 5 and 6 for Maidstone and Chatham. We’ll be carrying out work such as repairing joints on the M20, which is critical to maintaining and improving safety.

Closure information

We’ll be closing the distributor lane on M20 London-bound between junction 6 and 5:

• 8pm Friday 22 September to 6amMonday 25 September
• Monday 25 to Thursday 28 September – 8pm to 6am each night
• 8pm Friday 6 October to 6am Monday 9 October
• Monday 9 to Thursday 12 October – 8pm to 6am each night

The main carriageway will remain open usual, with a diversion in place via the coastbound carriageway to junction 7 and back.

The M20 London-bound between junction 6 and 5 will be closed:

• 8pm Friday 29 September to 6amMonday 2 October
• Monday 2 to Thursday 5 October – 8pm to 6am each night
• 8pm Friday 13 October to 6am Monday 16 October
• Monday 16 to Thursday 19 October – 8pm to 6am each night

A diversion will be in place via the distributor lane.

Please note that these works are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, such as unsuitable weather.

We’ll need to continue our work between junction 6 and 5 for up to two months. We’ll be posting more information on our webpage:nationalhighways.co.uk/se-maintenance – just look for M20 junction 5 to 6 bridge repairs

If you have any questions about this work, you can contact our Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000, who will pass your query to the team, or email:info@nationalhighways.co.uk.

PRESS RELEASE

Ref: EW/130/2020

Date: 5 October 2020

Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme

Maidstone Borough Council is supporting the government Test and Trace Support Payment scheme, which is now live.

The Test and Trace Support payment of £500 is to help people who have been told to self-isolate by the NHS.

It is for anyone employed or self-employed on a low income and in receipt of certain benefits who has tested positive for COVID-19 or been in close contact with someone who has tested positive. They will need to be unable to work from home and have received a notification from the NHS to self-isolate.

Stephen McGinnes, Mid Kent Services Director said: “If you’re someone who is on a lower income, who cannot work from home and has lost income as a result of self-isolating, you could get help with this new Test and Trace support payment.

“These payments of £500 are designed to make sure people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts self-isolate for the required period to stop the onward spread of the virus.

“They are also designed to encourage individuals who are eligible for this payment to get tested if they have symptoms. This is important to help stop the transmission of COVID-19 and avoid further economic and societal restrictions.

“Do you know someone who might qualify? If so, please let them know and also make sure you tell your friends and family.  We are encouraging anyone in Maidstone on a low income who needs financial support while having to self-isolate to apply as soon as possible.”

All applications must be made within 14 days of the end of a self-isolation period and the scheme is open until 31 January 2021.Anyone who is told to self-isolate on or after 28 September will be able to make a backdated claim for payment as long as they have received notification from the NHS.

To apply people need to complete an online self-isolation payment application form which will then be assessed for eligibility:maidstone.gov.uk/testandtracesupport

For more information about the scheme please visit:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-package-to-support-and-enforce-self-isolation

Notes to Editors:

The qualifying criteria are:

• have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace either because they’ve tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive
  
• be employed or self-employed
• be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result
• be currently receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit.

If you would like further details, please contact the Maidstone Borough Council Communications Team: email: communications@maidstone.gov.uk or call: 01622 602560

Ella Watkins

Deputy Communications Manager

Maidstone Borough Council, King Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6JQ

t 01622 602554 / 01622 602560wwww.maidstone.gov.uk

(Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm)