October 2024

Loss of local employment sites

It was with great concern that we learnt that Aliaxis at Marley will be closing. This company has employed many people living in and around the village for decades and the loss of that employment opportunity will be a significant blow to the local area. We want to express our extreme concern for those affected.

Another lost potential employment area is the site at Victoria’s. Despite offers from the parish council to speak with them, the developers forged ahead with a proposal to build detached chalet-bungalows on the site of the old night club. Another potential employment opportunity for local people dashed.

Planning for Christmas celebrations

I hesitate to use the “C-word” in October, but planning for the Christmas lights around the village is already well underway.

The quiz night at the Red Lion raised over £460. We'd like to express our thanks to Kim and all the staff for the amazing support. Thanks, too, go to all those who donated raffle prizes, they helped boost the total raised.

The big switch-on for the lights is Saturday 30 November with events, starting in the Square at 2pm. The lights will be switched on by the first ever “Legend of Lenham” (voted for by you) at 5:15pm. See the Lenham Focus for more details.

If anyone can lend a hand during the lead up or on the day, please contact: james.murray@lenhamparishcouncil.org.uk 

Update on capital projects

The planning application to repair and upgrade the public toilets in Maidstone Road was submitted to the borough council mid-September and is awaiting an outcome. Once the go-ahead is received the work will be scheduled in.

The details of the financial arrangements regarding the chosen supplier will be published on this website once finalised.

The work to alter Old Ham Lane, allowing access to the land behind William Pitt Field to the developers, Countryside Homes, is now complete. There are some remaining and outstanding issues which need resolving but, generally, we felt that this major piece of work was completed within the timeframe described.

A20 Maidstone Road

We are still working with KCC in the role as Highways Authority following the recent meeting organised by our KCC Divisional Member Cllr Shellina Prendergast, . The report, which will go to the Joint Transportation Board as a recommendation, shared the outcome of a recent review of the A20, not just as it passes Lenham but almost into Maidstone. This identified several “hot spots” from Turkey Mill right through to the known issues we have here in Lenham, specifically at the Faversham Crossroads.

Some of the suggestions along the route and through main settlements like Bearsted will involve minor changes to the infrastructure (through the construction of traffic islands, etc.) and making the access to the more rural bus stops along the route safer for pedestrians. There are also plans to extend a west-bound cycle route into Maidstone.

The one specific change which affects us is a speed reduction from 50mph to 40mph on the A20 as it approaches the Faversham Crossroads.  The speed checks which KCC has carried out indicate that this reduction is do-able and would be within what is termed the “compliance margin” (in that most traffic is already doing around 40mph now).

Considering the crash and injury / fatality data at this site, one of the other suggestions KCC has put forward is to put traffic lights at the junction. This, though, would require some significant funds (approaching £1m) and is therefore something which needs planning and may not be possible in the short term – hence the initial suggestion of a reduction in the speed limit ahead of putting traffic lights in.

While this is a considerable and positive move forward on KCC’s part, and a recognition of the seriousness of the situation which we have been highlighting at every opportunity, we will need to keep pushing to help secure the funds for this improvement. In the parish council’s view this is probably the best permanent solution to a long-standing challenge. We will continue working closely with Cllr Shellina Prendergast on this as she is completely supportive of our views on what we feel needs to happen.

KCC has circulated a list of specific changes to the A20 which it is asking those involved for comments on. We will be liaising with Cllr Prendergast and KCC officers in formulating our formal response.

Setting the Parish Precept

We resume our meetings with our main task of setting the 2025/26 budget ahead of us. The Parish Precept forms part of the Council Tax bill all households are required to pay and funds the activities and services around the parish that the parish council is responsible for.

This financial year we managed to maintain the parish precept at the level of the previous year. This was mostly down to the financial “headroom” created by new eligible Band-D properties which increased the parish’s income without having to raise the precept charges. We are hoping that situation continues.

We have to submit our budget proposals to Maidstone Borough Council in January 2025.

Speedwatch

The parish council frequently receives complaints about speeding through the village.

While we can do very little about those people who deliberately choose to drive badly and without consideration for others, we are keen to restart the local Speedwatch scheme to have a visible presence in and around the village.

To achieve that we need volunteers to come forward to be trained in how to do this safely.

Training is available through Kent Police and is free.

The training is initially online and once completed you will be invited to join the local Speedwatch volunteers and take part in sessions.

It is likely that volunteers would be asked to devote a few hours a month, around the village at various locations (each of these would be sense and safety checked by the Police). The purpose of the scheme is to remind drivers that there are speed limits and people are making sure these are being adhered to.

If you are able to volunteer a few hours a month please contact the Parish Clerk, Lisa, either by calling in to the Parish Office or via email: clerk@lenhamparishcouncil.org.uk

… and finally

The parish council meets three times a month: there is a full meeting on the first Wednesday of each month (except August) and then planning and finance committees meet during the month. All these are public meetings and parishioners are welcome to come along and see the sort of things the parish council deals with.

 

Cllr John Britt

Chair, Lenham Parish Council - (Lenham South ward)

 

Published agendas will be available here

What does Lenham Parish Council do?

Parish Councils are the tier of local government closest to the people. Although the parish council covers the Parish of Lenham it is not linked to the church in any way. All parish councillors are volunteers who dedicate their free time to enhancing their parish as best they can by utilising their individual skills and experience.

Those putting themselves forward to serve as a parish councillor have to submit to the regular election process, or, if filling a vacancy mid-term, can be co-opted for the remainder of that electoral term. Electoral terms are four years. The elections for a parish council will only go to a public vote if there are more nominations than there are spaces on the parish council. Lenham parish is currently represented by 13 parish councillors: four representing South Ward (everything south of the railway) and nine representing North Ward (everything north of the railway). All parish councillors have to agree to abide by the Nolan Principles of Public Office. Parish councillors receive no remuneration for their time.

The responsibilities of Lenham Parish Council include looking after open spaces, such as the William Pitt field and Cemetery, maintaining playgrounds and other amenities, providing Maidstone Borough Council with a view on planning applications within the Parish and undertaking projects to benefit the Parish. Lenham Parish Council also has a Neighbourhood Plan which was adopted as part of the Maidstone Local Plan in July 2021. This Neighbourhood Plan is active until 2031. For more details of the Lenham Neighbourhood Plan please refer to the information tab "Lenham Neighbourhood Plan" on this website.

In addition to holding a full council meeting monthly, Lenham Parish Council has two specific sub committees which also meet monthly: Finance and General Purposes (F&GP) and Planning and (Neighbourhood Plan) Implementation (P&I). Both these sub committees focus on specific issues of work and in some cases do the detail which is then referred back to full council as recommendations to be discussed and agreed.

Both of these sub committees are open to the public and can be attended by all parish councillors, however, while all nominated attendees and visiting parish councillors can participate in the discussions only those parish councillors nominated as attendees to that subcommittee are able to vote on recommendations that will go forward to the full parish council meeting for discussion and agreement.

Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GP)

The F&GP subcommittee consists of six nominated parish councillors and addresses the financial issues which the parish council is responsible for: dealing with contracts for maintenance of open space; maintaining and upgrading play equipment and other financial matters as and when these arise. The committee oversees the preparation of the annual budget and also discusses all other non-expenditure related matters and makes a recommendation to the full parish council for discussion and agreement. The sub committee is quorate when at least four parish councillors, including the Chair, are present.

Planning and (Neighbourhood Plan) Implementation (P&I)

The P&I subcommittee consists of six nominated parish councillors as well as three members of the public (who are non-voting) and the parish's planning consultant (also non-voting). The subcommittee carries out two important functions: it is a statutory consultee for all planning applications in the parish and it is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Lenham Neighbourhood Plan ensuring that the parameters and policies within the plan are actioned and reflected in the parish responses to planning applications. All recommendations from the subcommittee are referred to the next full meeting of the parish council for ratification. The subcommittee is quorate when at least four parish councillors, including the Chair, are present.

Our Mission Statement 

The Lenham Parish Council (LPC) is dedicated to enhancing the lives of all the residents of Lenham and its surrounding hamlets. LPC aims to maintain and protect the Parish environment and amenities. LPC strives to be pro-active in identifying and completing projects, large and small, that will benefit the Parish as a whole, with value for money always being sought. LPC aims to help keep Lenham Parish a unique and special place for residents and visitors alike as the world around us changes.

 

​Council Officers:

Parish Clerk: Lisa Westcott

Contact details Email: clerk@lenhamparishcouncil.org.uk            Telephone: 01622 829034

Deputy Parish Clerk: Sarah Newell

Contact details Email: deputyclerk@lenhamparishcouncil.org.uk        Telephone: 01622 829034

Registered office: 1A High Street, Lenham, Kent ME17 2QD Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00h - 13:00h.

Responsible Financial Officer: Mr James Bate

Contact details Email: rfo@lenhamparishcouncil.org.uk