GOUDHURST PARISH & PARISH COUNCIL NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2022
Issue 21
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Only one issue this month, one that affects us all: Most readers will have received the consultation “Have your say Tunbridge Wells Electoral Review” closing October 10. So what’s to say?
- How we vote in future is about to be changed; all the Tunbridge Wells rural parishes will be lumped together into three large Borough Council wards, voting each year.
- These proposed new wards, 14 miles across, will no longer have representatives elected by their local parish and local communities but rather large 7,000 voter, impersonal units.
- To achieve equality of numbers, most local communities will be added to several others and/or spilt into different wards thus: Kilndown is split from Goudhurst and added to Hawkhurst, Benenden and Sandhurst; and the rest of Goudhurst added to Lamberhurst, Horsmonden, Brenchley and Matfield.
- That way, near equal sizes, but of individual community – little
- It did not have to be like that but Borough Councillors chose it for a variety of party and personal advantages. But as the new system and wards have become known, many Councillors are, almost too late, having second thoughts. They still may “if they chose” opt for alternative “community based” wards. Now at the 11th hour, and with the proposals before them, many Borough Councillors are asking - is this what we meant or wanted?
- So unless it is changed, we are heading for large rural non-community wards, where locally recognised individuals will be submerged by party label and being asked to vote every year at much greater annual cost. Will this will produce locally representative democracy or stable long term planning where councillors are in perpetual election mode?
- A “buyers regret” seems to be developing amongst some Councillors, but they need a big nudge to correct the error and there is not much time. If Borough Councillors and the Boundary Commission are sufficiently persuaded, there is still time to revert to a simpler, community based representation system; thereby amongst other factors, keeping Kilndown and Goudhurst together, as per our present parish.
- So please write now so that we can keep Goudhurst and Kilndown together in the same wards and keep our parish represented by local people known within our community, 2024 onwards.
- That means both collectively (as the Parish Council) and each of us individually (you the reader and neighbours) sending in your comment to the Commission and copied to TWBC and its leader.
- You can do this by:- email to reviews@lgbce.org.uk referring in your mail to Tunbridge Wells or accessing the website www.consultation.lgbce.org.uk and copying Jane.clark@tunbridgewells.gov.uk. Here numbers do matter, the more objections received the more probable a change will happen. Before October 10 Deadline.
Our democracy, how we vote, if we vote and whether we, in Goudhurst and Kilndown, will be represented is about to change and we have one last chance to influence it.
Background, for a deeper view…..
How much do Goudhurst and Tunbridge Wells matter to you? Under the latest proposals from the Boundary Commission, when voting takes place for Tunbridge Wells Borough Councillors, Kilndown will be split from Goudhurst and attached to Hawkhurst; whilst the rest of Goudhurst will be placed in the new vast Tunbridge Wells Rural ward, incorporating five different parishes and communities. This, we had been frequently told could not happen; parishes were not supposed to be split into different wards, but should remain an entity. However, as a result of a number of seemingly unrelated decisions, Tunbridge Wells are likely to end up with a voting system that many people will find unsatisfactory, even unacceptable. Together with Lamberhurst, every year or so, we have, in the past, elected two councillors to represent us and our communities on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Whilst Party label does feature in the borough vote, our representatives tend to be residents in the community, well familiar with the interests and issues that affect the community they represent. But not anymore.
Under the latest Commission proposals for the restructuring of the borough electoral wards, this close community connection is to be severed from 2024 onwards. To be democratic everything must be equal (by voter number) we are told, even if this results in towns chopped apart or wherever necessary villages glued to towns producing wards up to 10-15 miles across. In our case Kilndown and Sandhurst have been appended to the Hawkhurst ward and the remainder of Goudhurst stuck together with Lamberhurst, Horsmonden, Benchley and Matfield to create the ward of Rural Tunbridge Wells. Yes, voter numbers will be roughly similar but of community identity - little. The number of borough councillors is being reduced from 48 to 39, so less councillors will represent more voters. Great, one might say. However as less councillors represent more voters, and TW is growing by tens of thousands, representation will become more remote, less community and probably more political. We will also be voting, every year, to elect one of three councillors in 13 equal size 7,000+ voter borough wards. This will make it very difficult in future for individual communities to be represented by locally known individuals, the party label will be the decider. Your parish council and many of our neighbouring parishes think this is a step backwards - it’s just about numbers.
Does the voting system matter? The Borough and Parish councils just seem to get on with things and most people get on with their lives, except when a bus does not run, there is a hole in the road or a planning application offends us but there is more to it than that. If one ignores it all till crisis arises, it is often too late which is probably why so many people in Goudhurst - hundreds - took part in the creation of our Neighbourhood Development Plan. We could do something about our future, we took notice and we did our plan.
And now we should take notice again. The boundary proposal is something that will affect our community in many ways, we should take notice and should act, if we are to preserve both the democracy and character of our community. That means doing so collectively and individually. Upon learning of the Commission proposals your Parish Council decided to alert the community with this briefing and immediately set up a Working Group to see what we can do to change things, before the closing date for consultation in October this year.
What do we want to change? There the easier option or the better but more difficult option:
- The easier option is to persuade the Commission that the Parish should not be split and Kilndown should remain in the same ward as Goudhurst, even if the resulting Rural ward exceeds the beloved average 7000.
- The more difficult option is to persuade the Borough Councillors and Commission to go for a system where each community can have one or two councillors, so that councillors represent their communities, as is the case today. This may seem a difficult option but this week on a borough wide zoom call, parish chairmen and representatives, and a surprising number of Borough Councillors, felt a mistake was being made and we should indeed think again.
Who should you write to, why and what to say? See earlier in the newsletter.
Our Goudhurst Annual Fete will be held this year on Saturday September 24th and the Christmas Fair on Saturday November 26th.
Next Month.
- Goudhurst High Street - traffic, lorries, cars, shops, pedestrians, children, parking, collisions, flowers, shared space etc.
- Co-option to Committees.
Your Parish Councillors: Jill Andrew, David Boniface, Craig Broom, Chris Ditton, Alan Foster, Antony Harris (Chairman), Phil Kirkby, David Knight, Barry Noakes, Caroline Richards, Guy Sutton and Alison Webster.
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Parish Council Meetings in September
Tuesday 6th, 6.15pm in the Village Hall
Staffing Committee (Closed meeting)
6.30pm in the Village Hall
Finance Committee View the Agenda
Monday 12th, 7.30pm in the Village Hall
Parish Council Meeting View the Agenda published 07.09.22
Tuesday 13th, 6.30pm in the Village Hall
Planning Committee View the Agenda published 08.09.22
Business & Communications Committee View the Agenda published 08.09..22
Tuesday 27th, 6.30pm in the Village Hall
Planning Committee View the Agenda published 22.09.22
7.30pm in the Village Hall
Amenities Committee View the Agenda published 22.09.22
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Follow us on Facebook
Did you know the Parish Council has a Facebook page? It is used to quickly share information which might be of interest to residents such as emergency road closures, changes to bin collections, event information, and alerts from Kent Police. Click on the Facebook logo to follow our page and stay in the know!
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Goudhurst Village Fete 2022
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Volunteers Needed
for this year’s GOUDHURST VILLAGE FETE on 24th September. Please get in touch with the Fete Committee, if you are interested in helping out at this event (eg helping on a stall or at one of the activities or helping to set up or clear away). We’d love to hear from you- and it’s a FUN day!! Email: doc.foster1@btinternet.com
Goudhurst Village Fete Committee
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Vacancy for an Assistant Clerk
The Assistant Clerk will act as assistant to the Parish Council’s Clerk, carrying out administrative tasks as required. The role is an integral part of the small parish office team. The ideal candidate will be; computer literate, have effective communication skills (both written and oral) ideally within a public facing role. The Assistant Clerk will be required to work alone at times and should be confident and have the initiative to deal with queries as they arise.
Initially the role is for 16 hours per week, spread over 5 days with scope to expand the role and take on additional duties for the right candidate. The role is based in the Parish Office at Risebridge Farm, Goudhurst.
Salary is negotiable dependant on skills and experience.
For a job description and person specification please email the Clerk, Mrs Claire Reed: recruitment@goudhurst-pc.gov.uk. Applications will close on Sunday 11 September 2022.
Interviews will take place during the week commencing 26 September 2022.
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Old Parsonage Surgery
Update from Patient Participation Group
Telephoning the Surgery: due to the volume of calls the Surgery receives on Monday mornings it has been necessary to change the arrangements. Please only telephone the Surgery between 8 am and 10 am on Monday mornings if it is to book an urgent on the day appointment. From 1.00 pm the lines will be open as usual for all other enquiries.
Design a Logo Competition: as previously reported, this was won by Amelia Cresswell and we congratulate her on this. Amelia was presented with her gift plus some personalised items (carrying her logo design!) by members of the Surgery team/ PPG at an award ceremony held at the Surgery on Friday August 26th.
Goudhurst Fete: an early reminder that the PPG are planning to have a stall at this event on Saturday September 24th. Please come and see us and support the PPG in raising funds to enhance patient and staff facilities the Practice. Thank you.
Colin Samuell
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Robot spotted on Goudhurst Village Green!
Did you spot the new 'robot' on Goudhurst Village Green at the end of August? The robot is being used by the grounds maintenance team (pictured) to mark out the pitches for the new football season on both the Village Green and on Chequer Field.
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Southern Water upgrade scheme at Bewl in 2022
Later this year, Southern Water will begin planned improvements at Bewl Water.
Like all other reservoirs in the UK, Bewl is regularly inspected, and water companies must follow the Environment Agency’s recommended improvements to maintain safety and use the latest good practice. The proposed scheme will improve Southern Water’s ability to reduce the water level in the reservoir if needed. It’s an exciting project which will maintain the safety of the reservoir, as well as ‘future-proofing’ it against the effects of climate change.
How and where?
The improvement works will take place at the northern end of the reservoir, and detailed design work is underway.
Although all work will be carried out on land owned by Southern Water, close to existing equipment, Southern Water will be working very closely with Bewl Water to minimise any impact on those businesses, clubs, organisations and members of the public who enjoy using Bewl’s fantastic leisure facilities.
The works are expected to start this Autumn, ending in Spring 2024.
Walking and Cycling Routes
During 2023, some of the popular walking and cycling routes at Bewl will sometimes be affected by the works, including the ‘Permissive Path’ along the crest of the Dam and the Sussex Border Path, which is the ‘lower-level’ path. However, the aim is to keep at least one of these open, with temporary diversions if needed. Wherever possible, the paths will be opened at weekends, and information will be provided to people in advance.
Further Details
If you have questions about the project, please contact our joint venture partner Mark Walker at CMDP on mark.walker@cmdp-jv.co.uk or our stakeholder engagement consultant Florence Smith at florence@cobbpr.com
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Welcome Booklet – Have you got a new neighbour?
The Parish Council is delighted to support an initiative by some local residents who thought that it would be a good idea to put together a Welcome Booklet to give to people who move into Goudhurst, so that they feel part of the local community. It has details of health services, education, local shops, local societies etc. Also in the bag will be a leaflet with details of refuse collections, the church booklet and a gift of chocolate. This has kindly been provided by Goupie. (Goupie hand-make uniquely textured vegan friendly chocolate confectionery to an old family recipe in Goudhurst, Kent.)
If you have a new neighbour please contact one of the team below who will provide you with a bag to take round or they can deliver direct to your new neighbour if you prefer.
Chris 07952 545472; Linda 07485 727656; Sue 07905 791627
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Tips for a smoother Sixth form or College experience (from a recent school leaver):
Sixth form can be both an exciting and challenging time. Here are six tips a recent school leaver would give her past self, or anyone currently in sixth form or college, for a smoother path to those final results:
- Do not underestimate the importance of planning ahead and being prepared. Taking the time to choose the right subjects beforehand can ensure that you take courses which you enjoy and are useful for future career plans. Knowing your deadlines and when workload is going to be more intense will help you mentally prepare and complete assignments to the best of your ability and on time. Maintaining motivation and organisation is key to putting you in a good place to achieve your desired grades.
- Speak to a teacher, friend, trusted adult or a parent if you need help, or simply want to talk. This might seem obvious, but many of my friends and I struggled alone with deadlines and difficult concepts when others could have helped us to resolve issues quicker and with less stress. It can be scary to open up about any difficulties, but getting support can help prevent greater anxiety if issues build up at a later point.
- Focus on the process, not just the end result. Two years can feel like a long time when studying. Setting short term goals and focusing on progressing skills alongside your aims for final results will help you to maintaining motivation throughout. Similarly, it is helpful to understand that you will encounter both peaks and troughs during your experience. This will help you to stay calm if you do experience any difficulties.
- Be flexible and open-minded. Could your existing study technique be made more effective? Are you struggling to find a method that works well for you? Achieving success in anything is an iterative process, hence why exploring other ways of learning can only help improve your results. Being adaptable is also key for progressing from Sixth form or college to university, work or an apprenticeship. If your initial plan does not work out, there is almost always another way of reaching your end goal. Consider taking a gap year, re-applying or choosing a different role. I thought an unplanned gap year would be a disaster, but the reality has turned out quite the opposite!
- Keep up your hobbies and extra-curriculars as much as you can. Balance is essential for avoiding burnout. Doing an activity completely separate from school will stop you hyper-focusing on sixth form, improving concentration and productivity when revising. The more distant the activity, the better. For example, try something that does not involve anyone who goes to your school.
- Finally, when doing exams, focus on yourself, what you know and the task in hand. Getting caught up in other students’ pre-exam nerves can make you more anxious than you need to be and can prevent you from performing at your best. It can be helpful to stay away physically and virtually!
PWCAC is OPEN for face-to-face advice (appointments and drop-ins) Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 1:30. If you need advice about the above or housing, debt, relationship breakdown, welfare benefits , employment or other issues then please get in touch with us:
info@pwadvice.org | 01892 838619
94 Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, TN12 6DP
www.pwadvice.org
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How to report problems on the road or pavement
Problems such as;
- street light faults
- potholes
- drainage
- traffic signal faults
- overgrown vegetation (including hedges and grass).
can be reported quickly and easily to Kent Highways via their online reporting tool.
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A21 Tonbridge bypass bridge repairs and maintenance
Continuing with our bridge repairs and maintenance on the A21 Tonbridge bypass, we’ll soon be starting work on Vauxhall railway bridge. This will include repairs to the bridge, replacing expansion bolts and waterproofing. We’re also going to take the opportunity to resurface along the Tonbridge bypass.
This work will be carried out overnight and at weekends between Friday 9 and Thursday 29 September 2022.
This is part of a package of work to repair and maintain the bridges along the A21 Tonbridge bypass that will help keep the road and bridges safe for all road users, extend their lifespan and reduce the need for further unplanned closures.
Closure information
The A21 northbound between Vauxhall Roundabout and Quarry Hill junction will be closed:
- From 9pm Friday 9 September reopening by 5am Monday 12 September (full weekend closure)
The A21 southbound between Morleys Roundabout and Vauxhall Roundabout will be closed:
- Overnight on Friday 9, Sunday 11, Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 September between 9pm and 5am
- From 9pm Friday 23 September to 5am Monday 26 September (full weekend closure)
The A21 northbound between Vauxhall Roundabout and Morleys Roundabout will be closed:
- From 9pm Friday 16 September to 5am Monday 19 September (full weekend closure)
- Overnight on Monday 26 and Wednesday 28 September between 9pm and 5am
To keep everyone safe, there will also be a lane closed on the opposite carriageway during these closures.
For closures between Vauxhall Roundabout and Quarry Hill junction, a signed diversion will be in place via the A2014 and A26. For closures between Morleys and Vauxhall roundabouts, a signed diversion will be in place via the B245, A227 and A26. You can find maps of these routes on our webpage: nationalhighways.co.uk/A21TonbridgeBypass.
Please note that these works are subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.
Powder Mill Lane, and Upper and Lower Haysden bridge repairs
Due to a burst water main, our planned work on the bridges at Powder Mill Lane, and Upper and Lower Haysden due to take place at the end of August were cancelled. We’re now planning to do this work in the autumn.
Where you can find out more
Keep an eye on our Twitter (@HighwaysSEAST) or alternatively, please visit our webpage nationalhighways.co.uk/A21TonbridgeBypass where we’ll post any updates as our work progresses.
If you have any questions, or if you would like to know more about our work, you can also contact us on 0300 123 5000 or email info@highwaysengland.co.uk. Or you can visit our website at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/travel-updates/daily-closure-report/ where you can find a weekly report of all full closures across the network.
Yours faithfully
Area 4 Communications Team
National Highways | Bridge House | 1 Walnut Tree Close | Guildford | Surrey | GU1 4LZ
Web: www.nationalhighways.co.uk
Twitter: @HighwaysSEAST
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