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Correspondent: Jean Watson Mob:

07966 361434 Tel: 01622 687053 Quiz night: Allington Millennium Green present a Wine and Wisdom evening on Saturdaym March 4 at 7.30pm in St Nicholas Church Hall. Teams of up to eight welcome at £5 per head, which includes nibbles but take your own drinks. To book tickets ring 01622 756660 Get Together: At the next meeting on Wednesday, March 8 from 2.30-4pm at the Baptist Church, there will be entertainment as Cilla presents another chance for you to check your facts with a fun quiz. Saturday Club: Note there will be no Saturday club in St Nicholas Church during March. Messy Lent: Takes place on Saturday March 18 from 11am-1.30pm in St Nicholas Church. All welcome to enjoy cooking, worship, crafts and games. £3 per person or £10 per family to include lunch. Latest booking day is Wednesday March 15. For details or to book contact Fiona on 07951 777854. Fuchsias: The Mid Kent Fuchsia Group is affiliated to the British Fuchsia Society and the Kent Federation of Horticultural Societies and next meet at 7.30pm on Thursday, March 9 in St Nicholas Church. New members are welcome to listen to the speaker and enjoy a a cuppa. Meetings are held every second Thursday of the month (except August). area following the resignation of PCSO Tom Maybank. PCSO Boyd reported on the crime figures for January 17 to February 20: January 21, Gravelly Bottom Road, theft of statue from front garden; January 17, Charlesford Ave, damage to vehicle. During February, there were 21 calls to the police. Also there was an RTC’s in Pitt Road; a stray dog found down Chegworth Road; two reports of nuisance youths knocking over bins and a report of youths firing catapults. Police had advised to ring 999 if there were further sightings of persons with catapults as they are classed as an offensive weapon. There had been a lot of complaints of vehicles parking on footpaths, parking on junctions especially around the school and across dropped kerbs. PCSO Boyd advised he would attend the parish and leaflet drop vehicles that he considered could be causing obstructions and liaise with the school. MBC had confirmed the precept application of £55,500 and advised that the Band D Council tax for this parish for 2017/18 will be £78.03. Highways – Lenham Road speed restriction: Councillors confirmed the decision of the parish council in 2015 that they did not support the implementation of a speed restriction along the Lenham Road to Wents crossroads, but that alternate road traffic calming measures should be considered. Kingswood would not be automatically gritted as it is classed as a secondary route, however, should there be a ‘snow emergency’ or the ‘likelihood of ice’ then the roads would be gritted. Pre-school: Cllr Friend advised councillors that due to the government policy of increasing childcare funding for working parents, there was a need for the pre-school to be able to offer whole days of childcare. The village hall could not supply the needed availability as it would be to the detriment of all the other clubs and societies, therefore they would need to look for alternative premises to survive. Councillors suggested that the preschool should approach the village hall committee and/or the Scout Group, and if after that the PC would offer its support if needed. The clerk was receiving increased complaints from residents in Kingswood about the dog fouling on the footpaths around the village. MBC had put up posters and would be returning to carry out stencilling of the pavements. The clerk would include another article in the parish news. Both subjects were bought to the attention of PCSO Boyd Despite requests by the clerk, the co-mingle bins that were due to replace the dog waste bins have not been installed. There is a noticeable increase in dog fouling in the sports field. The local shopkeeper had also advised the clerk that he was having to remove his customer bins from outside the shop as people had been importing large bags of dog waste and dumping them in and around his shop bins. Cllr Darling informed councillors that due to family commitments, he was resigning as a councillor. The clerk would notify MBC and advertise the vacancy accordingly. Next meeting: on Monday March 20 at the village hall, Gravelly Bottom Road, Kingswood from 7.30pm. The established routine is to gather in a car park at 1330 on the 3rd Sunday of a month and to gently walk for a maximum of 2 1/2 hours through the lovely Greensand countryside. If you are interested in joining us then please contact Chris Webb on 01622 842629 to be part of our monthly email circulation. Correspondent: Jenny Scott Mob: 07785 974951 Tidying up: Just a reminder that your help really would be appreciated either on Friday or Saturday, March 3-4, to join in the annual litter pick in the village. Bags of rubbish will be collected at noon on Saturday, March 4. Woodpeckers’ in churchyard: The churchyard tidying volunteers will meet at the church on Saturday, March 4 from 10am-noon. There is plenty of tidying to do and new volunteers are always welcome. Yalding Almshouses’ trustees: The trustees met on February 20, to agree on some exterior maintenance of paintwork and minor interior jobs to keep the almshouses in good order. Donald Troup presented his annual finance report, and the other trustees expressed their gratitude to Don for his ongoing financial expertise. The trustees meet next in May. Sainsbury’s school vouchers: The school appreciates the Sainsbury’s vouchers which have already been sent in. The scheme is running for four more months and all further donations of them are welcome. Correspondent: Maureen Jopson, 68 Stockett Lane, Coxheath, ME17 4PY Tel: 01622 746086 PARISH COUNCIL: The following planning applications have been approved by the borough council. Single storey rear extension with a raised deck and alterations to the rear dormer window, plus a new roof light to the front elevation and alterations to fenestration at 10 Little Orchard. Removal of internal walls and conversion of the garage into a habitable space at 78 Linden Road; erection of a single storey side and rear extension at 37 Linden Road; erection of a four bedroom chalet bungalow with integral garage and associated parking at 15 Amsbury Road; retrospective approval for erection of shed/workshop at 45 Pembroke Road. Applications discussed by the planning committee and recommended for approval: Loft conversion at 11 Orchard Close; installation of a drop kerb and front drive at 70 Huntington Road; erection of a rear conservatory at 6 Dane Court; demolition of garage and construction of a two-storey side extension at 12 North Crescent. Discussed and results: Land off Aspian Drive to the rear of 161 Heath Road, outline application for erection of 14 dwellings, with associated access, parking and landscaping. The parish council felt that the application represented a wholly inappropriate development of the countryside, which was out of keeping with neighbouring properties and refusal was recommended. Demolition of garages to be replaced with three single storey bungalows with private rear gardens and parking at garage site, The Beacons, Amsbury Road. No objection raised providing there was no inconvenience to the parking requirements of residents. Representatives of the parish council planned to meet with The Chartway Group to discuss the detailed proposals, including layout, for the approved planning application for Linden Farm, Stockett Lane. Speedwatch: Coxheath Speedwatch scheme are looking for volunteers to support them in reducing speed