Thank You for visiting Rostrum Wateringbury Village Free Magazine
Some find it easier to read the magazine in the Past Issues section
Welcome to the June edition of Rostrum
JUNE 2026
VILLAGE DIARY
JUNE
7 Village Fete – Playing Fields – 12.30-5pm
7 Footpaths Walk – 2.30pm – outside Hall
10 WI talk Janie Ramsay “For what it’s worth”–7.30pm - Hall
12 Footpaths Walk – 10am – outside Hall
16 Parish Council Meeting - 7.30pm – Hall Upper Room
17 History talk “The English Country House”– 8pm – Hall
17 Wateringbury Flower Club – Nettlestead Place visit
21 Village Market – 10am-1pm - Hall
JULY
5 Footpaths Walk – 2.30pm – outside Hall
15 History Society - Blenheim Palace trip with ‘Claire’s Days Out’
15 Wateringbury Flower Club – demonstration – 7pm N’stead Hall
21 Parish Council Meeting - 7.30pm – Hall Upper Room
18 Village Market – 10am-1pm - Hall
Don’t Miss the Summer Event
of the Season!
Join us at Wateringbury Summer Fete
on Sunday 7th June from 12:30pm!
Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with stalls,
entertainment and community spirit.
Bring family and friends along for
a fantastic summer day out.
We’d love to see you there!
VILLAGE PEOPLE Please let us have your news and tributes by 17th June for our July/August magazine. Entries are free. Email www.rostrum2@hotmail.com
EXTENSIVE GARAGE SALE OF HOUSE CONTENTS
13th and 14th June – 11am-4pm
292 Old Road, Wateringbury, ME18 5PS
Including Art work, Antiques, China, Clothes,
Collectables and much more
The sale will support the work of The Salvation Army and
The Heart of Kent Hospice
SAVE THE DATES
LOCAL EVENTS TO ENJOY
The Friends of St. James the Great, East Malling
in association with
Bexley Phoenix Choir
present
MUSIC for a summer evening
on Saturday, June 6th June 2026
in St James the Great Church in East Malling
Tickets:£10, students £5, under 16 free
available from Richard Dove, mobile:07768 590007
or Richarddove2003@yahoo.co.uk
COFFEE BREAK Wednesdays 3rd and 17th June – 10.30am-12.30pm
We are an informal group who meet fortnightly in the church social area for coffee, cake and company, suggested donation £1. Do come along and meet others from the village. More details from
01622 813076 Gillian Sessions
New Garden open under National Gardens scheme
St Helens Lodge, Lower Road,
East Farleigh ME15 0JT
20th June and 22nd August from noon - 5pm.
Jill, who sings in Wateringbury Church choir, is opening her delightful garden under the National Gardens Scheme for the first time. Admission is £9 which includes refreshments. Also, plants for sale.
Parking on the drive for people with mobility issues, otherwise park in Lower Road towards West Farleigh. Cash or card accepted.
SATURDAY 4th JULY - noon-4pm
WEST PECKHAM VILLAGE FETE AND
VINTAGE CAR SHOW
On the Green - Free Parking and entrance
SUNDAYS 12th, 19th and 26th JULY
2nd and 9th AUGUST 2-5pm
CREAM TEAS IN
MEREWORTH CHURCHYARD
Always a good selection of delicious home-made cakes in a delightful setting
SUNDAY 27th SEPTEMBER – 2pm
JAZZ ADVOCATES CHARITY CONCERT
in Wateringbury Church
SATURDAY 21st NOVEMBER -
11.30am – 2.30pm
CHRISTMAS CRAFT BAZAAR
in Wateringbury Church
BISHOP’S VISIT TO WATERINGBURY SCHOOL
On the 21st April Bishop Simon, the Bishop of Tonbridge, paid a visit to Wateringbury Primary School. Bishop Simon spoke to the children during the school assembly about Jesus being the light of the world and how we can all be lights in the world by helping other people find their way. He then spent some time meeting the children in smaller groups and taking questions from them. One of the younger children wanted to know if God was his boss! As ever the children did their school and teachers proud by engaging so well with this special visitor. I'm very proud of our school and I'm delighted that my boss got to see it for the wonderful place that it is.
Rev Gary Townsend
WATERINGBURY WI meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the village hall.
Our May meeting was the AGM. We didn't have a guest speaker but a representative from the Federation came to oversee the meeting. After a short chat about ourselves it was a unanimous vote to keep the Committee the same.
After, we had tea, coffee, lovely cake and a quiz. Kathy bought in some old WI diaries with hand written minutes from 1928 to 1958 that she had in her attic and a poster size photo of previous WI groups.
June will start with a cake stall at the Village Fete on the 7th. Then on the 9th we will be having a cream tea at ‘Where Memories Meet’.
Our meeting on the 10th will be 'For What it's Worth' with Janie Ramsay. So, if you have a few old items in your attic, you might be able to find out if they are worth storing or selling.
Visitors are welcome. Entry £3, refreshments £1, raffle £1.
For more information email Wateringbury@wkfwi.org.uk
Sharon Goshawk, President
WATERINGBURY COMMUNITY
SPEEDWATCH GROUP REPORT
During the 10 speedwatch sessions in Lodge Close and Red Hill in April the team observed 2,783 vehicles passing by, of which 309 were speeding.
26 letters were sent to repeat offenders, 8 letters to high end offenders (45+ mph in 30 mph zone) and one was hand delivered by the police officer because the driver was travelling at 60mph (+100%) at Lodge Close.
There were 3 vehicles that passed without MOT, 6 were not taxed, and one was being driven with no tax and no MOT, so theoretically uninsured.
David Merry – Co-ordinator
Wateringbury Beaver Scout Colony
The Beaver Scout section turns 40 this year! As part of the ongoing celebrations, our Beaver Scout Colony recently took part in a fun-filled day, where we made new Beaver friends from across our District. St George’s Day was a little different, without a parade through the centre of town, but included Maidstone Scouts all renewing their promise following lots of activities at Lower Grange Farm. This included the Fun Bus, human table football and water rockets. Whilst trying out a range of circus skills, one of the Beavers went up to a group of Explorer Scouts trying to spin plates and joined them with his own plate and stick. Watching the mutual support and friendship between these teenagers and small child really showed what Scouting is all about!
This term we are having our own Beaver 40th Birthday party with games and cake in the HQ. We are out and about a lot more, making most of the lighter evenings and warmer weather with den building, hikes and kite flying. We are also looking forward to our mini Summer Camp at Hamlet Wood, where we will be climbing, learning some key Scouting skills, playing games in the woods and sleeping in tents. For some of our newest members, this will be their first time away from home and a very important step towards independence.
Hawthorn (Claire Worrall), Lead Beaver Scout Volunteer
News from Borough Councillor,
Sarah Hudson
On Tuesday 12th May, at the Annual Council meeting of Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, I had the incredible honour of being elected by my peers as the Deputy Mayor of the Council. Unlike Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham, the mayor and deputy mayor are civic roles. There is no real power to change policies. Our roles are to promote the wonderful things happening within our Borough, the people who really make a difference to our communities, and the businesses trailblazing new and innovative products and services. So, over the next 12 months, I will be popping up on social media with regularity, highlighting these great stories. If there is anything that you would like publicised then please do get in touch with the Civic Office at Mayors.Office@tmbc.gov.uk, and we will see if we can help.
A note about how your personal data is used: As your councillor, I am the “data controller” of any personal data you provide to me. I will use this personal data to enable me to deal with your query or matter. This may also require me to share your personal data with Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council to make sure your query gets handled appropriately. If you have any questions about how your personal data is used, please let me know. For full details about your data rights and about how I will process your personal data please see the Councillors’ privacy notice which can be found on https://www.tmbc.gov.uk/council/privacy-notice-councillors .
Wateringbury Flower Club
May’s meeting welcomed Vinetta Forstmaine, a newly qualified Kent demonstrator, with her title Land of the Midnight Sun. Vinetta’s designs certainly wowed us with her title interpretation and some Ikebana designs. Members were thrilled with the evening and lots of happy members went home with a lovely design for their £1 spent on the raffle tickets.
June sees members out for the evening at our local garden on Wednesday 17th- Nettlestead Place. This is a private garden tour with the Tucker family and their Head Gardener. After this members and friends will return to the village hall for tea, scones and cake. Tickets are available for friends if they wish to join us, please contact the club.
On Wednesday 15th July meeting there will be yet another new Kent demonstrator, Donna Palmer, from Maidstone with her title A Woman for all Seasons. Guests are always welcome and we meet at Nettlestead Village Hall at 7 for 7.30pm . Tickets at £7.
Jean Schofield, President WFC
TESTON AND WATERINGBURY PRESCHOOL
A new month and term have begun, and it is hard to believe we are already in Term 6 as we help prepare our little ones for their move to primary school. This month, we are also getting ready for our sports day and 60th anniversary celebration on Friday 3rd July at Teston Village Green, with races, a tombola, raffle, cake sale, and games for the children. If you are free, please join us from 10.30am.
As this year marks our pre-school’s 60th anniversary we are looking at this wonderful book ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak. This book has also turned 60, yet, with its unforgettable colour palette of pinks, blues and greens and its depiction of childhood joys like tree swinging and piggyback rides, it looks as fresh as the day it was written. This book offers rich opportunities to explore imagination, emotions and sensory play. It is a much-needed reminder of what really makes children, and people generally, freedom to express themselves, play, connection to nature, family and of course love.
As part of this book, we will make monster biscuits, build boats large enough to sit in, use instruments to create our own rumpus, explore feelings through sensory storytelling, and use our maths skills to count the teeth, horns, and claws on our monsters.
We are now taking names for September enrolment so if you would love your child to be part of this amazing pre-school family, please contact
Tina Driver: 07805 796353 testonpreschooladmissions@gmail.com Find us on Facebook too!
NETTLESTEAD AND WATERINGBURY PRESCHOOL
With the warmer weather the children have enjoyed being outdoors, planting some herbs and vegetable for their sensory play. From little seeds the children can now see spinach, carrots, coriander and tomatoes creeping up through the soil.
We have been saving orange peels to turn into orange dust to mix in with our playdough to make cakes and biscuits, using their fine motor skills. They manipulate the dough into different shapes. They play with their friends making afternoon tea as in the story ‘The Tiger who came to Tea’ by Judith Kerr.
Through the Curiosity Approach with the children, we are enjoying exploring nature outdoors. We collect what we can to bring inside to share experiences with our friends by building bug houses or making birdfeeders. The children have also spotted a couple of ducks waddling around outside.
Hiring: we have a part time position available for a level 2/3 qualified childcare practitioner. For more information, please email enquiries@nwps.org.uk
Summer holiday club (2-11 years)
Tuesday 28th, Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th July
Tuesday 4th, Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th Aug
Tuesday 11th, Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th Aug
Tuesday 18th, Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th Aug
9am – 4pm, half days (9am -12.30pm or 12.30pm-4pm).
For a booking form please email enquiries@nwps.org.uk
Wateringbury Surgery
Welcome Dr Leone Walker
Dr Leone Walker will be joining our team at Wateringbury Surgery on the 1stJune 2026. She will work Mondays at Wateringbury Surgery and Tuesdays at Larkfield Surgery. Some of our patients may know Dr Walker who has worked with the surgery for some time as a Locum GP.
Patient Notice - Using ‘Anima’
To help us manage requests safely and efficiently, please note the following information about Anima’s availability:
Routine (non-urgent) requests: available Monday to Friday, 8am–6:30pm
Urgent requests: available Monday to Friday from 8am.
Please note that, depending on appointment capacity, urgent requests may be switched off at any time and patients will be advised to attend an urgent treatment centre.
Admin requests: can be submitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Busy periods: Mondays are our busiest day, and demand is significantly higher. If your request is not urgent, we kindly ask that you avoid submitting requests on Mondays where possible. Submitting requests later in the week helps us:
v Respond more quickly
v Reduce delays
v Ensure fair access for all patients
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Suzanne Large, Practice Manager Tel: 01622 814466
WATERINGBURY GUIDES
We started back after Easter celebrating St George’s Day and had some topical fun activities. ‘Hungry Hippos’, a wildly popular game became Hungry Dragons for the evening! We’re delighted that four of our older girls have decided to become young leaders, one with the brownie unit, one with the rainbow unit, one with Kings Hill brownies and one with the guides, albeit that all four are still helping at guides too. A billy bonus for us for sure.
We had an evening of wide games in the orchard including
‘Capture the Flag’ and the ‘Resistance Radio’ game. I honestly think we could play simple hide and seek and the guides would be happy running around having a great deal of fun. There’s an added frisson once it gets dark too!
We have a trip to Lower Grange Farm shortly to do climbing and body zorbs, both popular activities requested by the girls. Over half-term some of the guides are going to KWAC – Kent Weald Activity Camp at East Grinstead where the girls will have a multitude of activities, some requested, others such as a craft tent, a chill-out zone and a silent disco offered to everyone. If you’ve never been to a silent disco, its anything but silent – you don’t get the music as it goes via earphones to the girls, but that doesn’t stop them singing so you get a room full of guides singing out loud. A bit surreal.
If you have a daughter who would love to join these activities, there are still spaces in brownies (aged 7-10), and a few in guides (aged 10-15) in Wateringbury so please register your daughter on 
https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for-parents/register-a-child/
Sheena Stewart and team.
WATERINGBURY FOOTPATHS GROUP
Judy chose and led our walks in May. After an April in which we never seemed to have any rain, her choice was to walk along the river path. This footpath tends to be too muddy in the winter and in February I had to change the route of the weekday walk because the river walk had become impassable in the ten days since we’d done it on the Sunday at the start of the month. This month it was dry and our route went from Bow Bridge, crossing at Teston Bridge and returning on the other bank. It’s lovely walk with great views.
We were delighted on the Sunday walk to be joined by a new walker who had a happy baby safely secured in a harness on her front. He seemed to enjoy the walk! Despite the forecast threatening some rain, there was none and on the following Friday we repeated the walk. It was another dry and sunny walk, perfect for walkers, not for gardeners and farmers!
Everyone is very welcome to join our sociable group walks. We will be leaving the village hall at:
2.30pm on Sunday 7thJune (Janet to lead)
10.00am on Friday 12th June (Janet to lead)
2.30pm on Sunday 5th July
Please contact me if you want more information and to be kept updated about our plans, we have a WhatsApp group.
Lisa Dean 07759 53 9032
LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
On Wednesday 17thJune Roger Mendham will give a talk on ‘The English Country House’. The talk starts a little later at 8.10pm.
At 8pm the Society’s Annual General Meeting takes place, and yes, we really can get through the statutory business in 10 minutes! As usual visitors are very welcome at £7 with free tea or coffee available to all from 7.40pm.
The Society’s annual outing this year is on 15th July to Blenheim Palace in conjunction with Claire’s Days Out. Anyone wishing to go should contact Claire direct on info@cdogrouptravel.com
Christine Byron
Wateringbury Rainbows
Our Spring term ended with Easter fun with an egg hunt and painting wooden wreaths. Our Rainbows are always extra quiet when painting. Parents take note, get the paintbrushes out.
We had our biggest ever turn out for our special awards and promise ceremonies. There were badges for everyone including a Bronze Award for Harper and Isla. We officially welcomed Alice, Daisy, Lena and Sophia to the unit as they made their ‘Promise’. We said farewell to Isla and Olivia as they moved onto Brownies. New Rainbows have already joined us for this summer term.
We have lots planned with games galore, gardening and a special outing to Ightham Mote, as part of the Region's ‘Castles and Crowns’ event and a celebration teddy bear's picnic to round off the year.
For information about Rainbows contact WateringburyRainbows@outlook.com
Gardening for Wildlife
Many of us have been enjoying the tributes to David Attenborough involving some of his best loved wildlife programmes. I was particularly pleased with his most recent series championing the importance of gardens for our native wildlife. I’m pleased to say that Wateringbury supports a healthy population of hedgehogs, badgers and foxes and I’ve recently released a rescue hedgehog into my garden which is now returning each night to feed and bringing a friend! I’m providing cat food and water nightly but am hoping that they will also feed on my garden slugs!
The tadpoles in my pond are beginning to grow back legs and have been joined by newts which also lay their eggs, individually wrapped in pond plant leaves before returning to land, leaving their tadpoles to develop into fully formed tiny newts. Newts also eat slugs and can swallow small snails whole so if you want to encourage them into your garden, then try to provide somewhere for them to hide from predators whilst staying cool and damp such as log and rock piles. Compost heaps also can serve this purpose and ours is also home to a slow- worm. This is another garden friend as it too enjoys slugs. However, slow- worms are themselves a favourite food of hedgehogs, adders, rats and kestrels, but when attacked they can shed their tails and escape. Pauline Knutton
WATERINGBURY CHURCH SERVICES IN JUNE
Benefice website www.mwwpchurches.org
A friendly welcome awaits you at all Sunday Services which start at 10am and last for about an hour. Each service has an easy to follow booklet.
Refreshments are served after these services, please stay for fellowship if you can.
Saturday 6th June -3-5pm – Messy Church for young children and their families.
Sunday 7th - 10am – Matins led by Barry Fisher
Sunday 14th - Holy Communion with Rev Gary Townsend
Sunday 21st - 10am - All Age Worship
Sunday 28th - 10am – Benefice Communion with Rev Gary
Sunday 5th July - 10am – Morning Praise with Barry Fisher
Sunday 28th June – 5-6pm in Mereworth Church
REFRESH – Praise, Prayer and Discussion
An informal service in which we explore some fundamental questions about the Christian Faith. June’s topic will be
Christian Behaviour Part 4.
Charity from C.S. Lewis' book, Mere Christianity.
PARISH BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
If you would like a loved one commemorated in the village Book of Remembrance, please contact Joy Searle (alanmansfieldsearle@gmail.com) before 30th June. She will be able to give you details of costs, designs, etc. The book is kept in a display case at the back of the church near the social area. Entries are displayed on a monthly basis.
REV GARY WRITES
The Rectory, 72 The Street, Mereworth, ME18 5NA
gary.rev@outlook.com ( 01622 813178
Father’s Day
Father’s Day is quite special for children as well as fathers. I know for some people the relationship with their father or a father’s relationship with his child/ren is not good but I suspect those people would want it to be good if it could be. And those without any sort of father/child relationship would want one if it were possible. I fully acknowledge that Father’s Day isn’t great for everyone and I know I’m one of the fortunate ones truly blessed with a wonderful relationship with my children and with my father.
But, according to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there is a father that we all have – a heavenly one. Anyone who cares to become a disciple of Jesus, which means, as George MacDonald put it, ‘anyone who listens to Jesus so as to obey’, is taught to pray, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven…’ One of Jesus’ closest followers, Paul of Tarsus, preached to a bunch of Athenian philosophers that the creator of this universe is the one, ‘In whom we live and move and have our being’ and as some ancient Greek poets had put it, ‘We too are his offspring.’ It’s true that in the New Testament there is much about being adopted as God’s children but that’s about taking on the likeness of God’s Son not a suggestion that God is some people’s father and not others. We are all God’s children and He is our Father but most of us don’t live as though we are. It’s no mistake that when Jesus taught about the longing God has in His heart for all his wayward children that He told a parable about a father with two sons one of who was lost and was found, was dead and is alive again. According to Jesus, our heavenly Father longs for all His children to return to Him.
I suspect that every day means a lot to our heavenly Father because every day, which of course He has made full of the possibilities for all His children, is an opportunity for us to turn back to Him. There will be many churches on Sunday the 21st of June which will hold a special service for Father’s Day or mark it in some way perhaps with prayers for fathers. Perhaps going along to one might be a good first step back towards your Father in heaven and your heavenly home.
Rev Gary Townsend
Rector of Mereworth, Wateringbury and West Peckham
From our MP Tom Tugendhat
Like many parents, I am deeply concerned about the impact smartphones and social media are having on our children.
Technology brings many benefits, but conversations I have had with parents, teachers, and schools across our community, along with what I’ve seen with my own two children, highlight the effect smartphones are having on young people’s wellbeing, education, and safety.
Ofcom’s latest research found that nearly one in three children aged 8–17 had experienced bullying through technology, while many had seen worrying or harmful content online. This is a problem we must face.
Sadly, hateful comments online are all too common. For some of us it seems to come with the job, but for children and teenagers, constant exposure to online bullying, harmful content, and social pressure can have a far greater impact on confidence, mental wellbeing, and development.
One specific concern I have is TikTok. 83% of 16 -17 year olds are using TikTok, a platform whose content is determined by the Chinese Communist Party, and their aim is clear: to cause division and polarisation.
I have supported stronger protections for children online in Parliament, including proposals to restrict social media access for under-16s. While the Government has passed legislation which moves towards schools becoming phone-free during the school day, many parents ask whether this goes far enough.
I was incredibly grateful to Katherine Myatt, Regional Leader, ‘Smartphone Free Childhood’, for her insight into this issue of social media and smartphone usage for children, and she has kindly given her consent for me to share some of her resources. Please let me know if you would like me to share them with you.
I will continue to work on this issue on your behalf, but in the meantime, please let me know your thoughts and concerns.
E-mail – tom.tugendhat.mp@parliament.uk
Phone – 01732 441563
Social Media - @TomTugendhat
Letter – 130 Vale Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1SP
APRIL PARISH COUNCIL NOTES
Allotments The tap had been repaired by councillor Bob Edmunds. Residents still have the opportunity to grow their own vegetables as there are some vacant plots. If you are interested in having an allotment please contact the Parish Clerk.
Borough/County Councillor Report Sarah Hudson reported on the following matters:
Housing Targets Matt Boughton (Leader of TMBC) is in direct negotiations with Central Government over the dilemma TMBC have. Central Government’s housing target for Tonbridge and Malling is to build nearly 20,000 new homes between now and 2042 yet South East Water say its infrastructure investment plan only allows for roughly 6,500 additional homes in Tonbridge and Malling. South East Water say they do not have the funding or capability to supply more homes.
Housing for Asylum Seekers Central Government has a policy to move those awaiting decisions on their claims for asylum from hotels. To this end they have appointed contractors to seek Homes of Multiple Occupation to house these people. The target for TMBC and surrounding area is 221 people. So far 2 properties have been purchased in Walderslade which will house 67 people. Borough councils cannot refuse planning permission for any change of use needed.
Planning Law Changes Central Government is changing Planning Laws on 11th May which will in effect limit the powers of borough councils when considering housing development applications of more than 10 homes.
CCTV The CCTV covering the car park and hall environs is scheduled to be installed on 23rd April.
Cemetery Groundworks to level the area at the rear of the cemetery had now been completed. Soil has been added to recent burial plots which had sunk to bring them to the appropriate level. The company appointed to carry out Statutory Topple Testing of headstones had notified their work will be slightly delayed. The Clerk confirmed that two notices had been prepared to be placed in the cemetery to remind those visiting graves of the regulations regarding grave plots.
Christmas Events
Christmas Lights The lighting contract was discussed and it was agreed to place lights in Red Hill in addition to those on the Tonbridge Road and Bow Road. The date for the switching on of the lights is Friday 20th November which is BBC ‘Children in Need Day’. A Pudsey Bear costume will be hired and Pudsey will switch on the lights. Those attending will be able to donate to ‘Children in Need’ via collecting buckets.
Christmas Meal Councillors plan a Village Christmas Meal which will be held at ‘The Railway’ pub on Monday 7th December with those attending paying £20 towards the cost. Booking details will appear in a future Rostrum.
Christmas Tree ‘John Bennett Billiards’ had agreed to sponsor the tree which will be placed near to the village hall.
Dog Fouling ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ have posters and stickers which will be purchased and placed appropriately around the village to remind all dog owners of their responsibilities.
Finance The April meeting was held on Wednesday 22nd April so that Rebecca Maindonald, the Council’s Responsible Financial Officer, could attend the meeting on line as she does not live locally. Rebecca confirmed that the council now met its statutory obligations although in conjunction with the auditors she was working to improve certain aspects. The way the precept funding from TMBC would be handled in future was also agreed. Rebecca confirmed the council have strong reserves. Monthly on-line meetings with Councillors for internal control purposes are working well. Rebecca was thanked for her hard work which Councillors much appreciate. She in turn thanked Councillors for their support over the past year. Councillors voted to appoint the present internal auditors for a new 3 year term.
Highways Councillors had held an onsite meeting with KCC to discuss improvements within the village.
The Council wishes to upgrade the bulbs in the Belecia beacons and have offered to meet the costs. A decision from KCC is awaited. The state of the zebra crossing markings was also raised but KCC consider the present condition still meets their standards.
Consideration is being given to providing a pavement on the land owned by KCC which runs along the boundaries of 333 and 335 Tonbridge Road (opposite the church layby).
Speed reduction: It was agreed that all possible steps to make the village safer had now been completed.
Website The council is required to make its website accessible to those with visual impairments and those with hearing difficulties. The present website cannot be changed to meet these statutory requirements. Councillors agreed to appoint ‘Aubergine’ who are one of the UK’s leading experts in the building of WCAG 2.1AA compliant websites for parish councils. The company are used by Hadlow Parish Council.
The new website will have many new, useful, features. For example, it will have an on-line booking service which, when the new Multi-Use Games Area is provided at the Playing Fields, will allow residents to book playing times for the tennis court/basketball facilities.
Next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Tuesday 16th June at 7.30pm in the upper room in the Village Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting and will be given two opportunities to raise matters of local interest.
Please note Parish Council meetings are now held on the third Tuesday of the month except August.
Approved minutes of council meetings can be viewed on the Parish Council website www.wateringburypc.org.