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 April edition of Rostrum
VILLAGE DIARY
April
5 Footpaths Walk – outside Hall – 2.30pm
7 Parish Council Meeting - Hall upper room - 7.30pm
8 WI talk on BL Veteran Enterprises– Hall – 7.30pm
10 CAMEO Free coffee morning – Hall meeting room –
10.30-11.30am
10 Footpaths Walk – outside Hall – 10am
15 What the Victorians did for us – talk – Hall – 8pm
19 Village Market – Hall – 10am-1pm
25 Heart Foundation Spring Fair - Meadow View Court – 1.30pm-4.30pm
May
3 Footpaths Walk – outside Hall – 2.30pm
5 Parish Council Meeting - Hall upper room - 7.30pm
8 CAMEO Free coffee morning – Hall meeting room –
10.30-11.30am
9 School Art Exhibition – Church – 10am-2pm
17 Village Market – Hall – 10am-1pm
23 Plant Sale – Churchyard – 10am-1pm
Village Fete - Playing Fields - Sunday 7th June - 12.30-5pm
WATERINGBURY SOCIAL CLUB APRIL SALE
Through the 5 Wednesday Nights in April (and no, just because the 1st one is on 1st April, it is NOT an April fool), the club are giving away free drinks and free pool, darts and snooker.
Yes, that is correct. On Wednesdays, for every member and their guest(s), we are giving you your first drink on the house!!! The pool table, the dart boards and the snooker table will also be complimentary all night. We also have a large TV showing all the live sports action. New members are always welcome, so why not come and join us.
The club opening hours are
Wednesday and Thursday: 7pm-11pm
Friday: 4.30pm-11pm
Saturday: 4pm-11pm
Sunday: 12pm-7pm
Annual membership:
£25 individual £45 couple (living in the same household).
VILLAGE PEOPLE Please let us have your news and tributes by 17th April for our May magazine. Entries are free.
Email www.rostrum2@hotmail.com
New Arrival Congratulations to proud first-time parents Michael and Carly Bazell who welcomed their daughter, Jessica, into the world at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in February. The trio are settling into family life well, with Jessica already making the most of village life. Jessica had her first trip out, to The Boat & Bean, at just three days old, and has since also enjoyed several pram rides to see the swans at Bow Bridge Marina. Neighbours have been extremely supportive and generous in their welcome of the new arrival and the family would like to thank them for this.
Congratulations and thanks to Wateringbury Players for this year’s pantomime “Peter Pan”. The production in the village hall was magnificent with a well-chosen cast who all gave outstanding performances. The costumes, make-up and special effects were first class. Thank you for all your weeks and weeks of rehearsals; you gave much pleasure to your three sell-out audiences.
HISTORY SOCIETY
What the Victorians did for us is the topic of Ian Bevan’s talk to the Society in the village hall on Wednesday 15th April. The Victorian era was a time of extraordinary prosperity and development in Britain. There was an explosion of power and pride. Ian will tell us of some of the contributions the Victorians made to our world including transport systems, medical advances, political institutions, leisure, art and literature. The talk starts at 8pm with free tea or coffee served from 7.40pm. Visitors are very welcome at £7 (cash).
WATERINGBURY CUB SCOUTS
In February our Cubs were making model robots out of wood. They got into small teams and designed their robot with the materials available. They then needed to make accurate measurements, with the old adage of “measure twice, cut once” in mind before, with much excitement, they took it in turns to saw the pieces of wood to fit their design, having been instructed on safe use of the tools available beforehand. With the help of the leaders the Cubs sawed, hammered, drilled and screwed their robots together and created the most innovative robots, some even with moving parts! The Cubs all joined in and showed great teamwork, whilst learning new skills and working towards their DIY badge.
In March the Cub pack were hiking around the village learning about road safety. Maybe you saw us as we walked around the local area in our clearly visible, Hi-Viz scout scarves! They learnt how to be safe whilst walking near roads, how to safely cross the road, how to use different types of road crossings and what different road signs mean. At the end of the evening, they were all given a reflector to go on their bags and coats so that road users can see them more easily in the dark. More badge work ticked off towards their road safety badge!
Nicola Plane - Cub team leader
..CHILDRENS’ BOOKS IN GOOD CONDITION WANTED FOR
THE FRIENDS OF MAIDSTONE HOSPITAL BOOK SHOP.
Please take donations to the main reception at the hospital
THE OAST THEATRE, TONBRIDGE
“THE GOOD LIFE” based on the TV series by John Edmonds and Bob Larbey and adapted by Jeremy Sams
18th April – 25th April 2026
Guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a wonderful evening of nostalgia, the Oast Theatre is presenting “The Good Life”, based on the much-loved TV Series, and featuring the wonderful characters of Barbara and Tom and Jerry and Margo. This funny, warm and feel-good reimagining of the 1970’s comedy classic, taps into issues that resonate now more than ever. Margo and Jerry try to maintain their middle-class life-style, while, in stark contrast, their neighbours, Tom and Barbara, attempt a sustainable and self-sufficient back-to-nature existence, with chaotic and humorous consequences.
Come along to the Oast Theatre and enjoy a great evening’s entertainment! A must for your diary!
Performances: 8pm (Sunday Matinee 3pm)
Tickets: £14 Book online at www.oasttheatre.com
Credit card bookings 0333 6663366 (booking fee applies)
WATERINGBURY WI meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month
7.30pm to 9.30pm at the village hall.
We had a last-minute change of Speaker for our March meeting. We went from reflexology with Jo Golding, to a bit of "Sloe Seduction " with Katherine Hook. So, still working on mindfulness but it involved Gin and Chocolate to relax our senses, we enjoyed the challenge. Sloe Gin and Chocolate is definitely a great combination. We hope to have Jo for reflexology at a meeting later in the year so look out for an update.
Our next meeting will be on 8thApril when we will start our new annual membership and welcome Kerry Locke from Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE). RBVE does amazing work for our Veterans and their families. So, if it's a subject close to your heart or you just want to see what the RBVE does come along to our meeting and find out.
Visitors £3, refreshments £1, raffle £1.
For more info email Wateringbury@wkfwi.org.uk
Sharon Goshawk, President
VILLAGE MARKETS 3rd Sunday in the month 10am-1pm
Despite the fact that the March market fell on Mothering Sunday, with resultant fewer sellers, footfall was higher than last month! Thanks to all our regular supporters!
Future dates: 19th April, 17thMay, 21stJune, 19thJuly.
Please continue to support your Village Market. No pressure to buy. Pop in, have a drink and catch up with friends; guaranteed a warm welcome! Sue Collins
TONBRIDGE AND MALLING BOROUGH COUNCIL (TMBC)
PLANNING COMMITTEE, 18thFEBRUARY 2026
Rostrum attended the part of this meeting dealing with the proposed Fields Lane development. Of the 16 TMBC councillor members of the committee, 10 attended. The meeting was disciplined and civilized: placards were left outside. Approximately 40 members of the public attended, including people from many of the surrounding villages, showing the wide geographic impact such a development would have beyond Wateringbury, particularly in the borough of Maidstone, several of whose parishes had lodged objections. There were about 8 TMBC officers present.
The meeting opened with a presentation, from the TMBC case officer on Croudace Homes’ application to build 66 houses, including 50% “affordable”, on the 11-acre site near Fields Lane, north of Drayhorse Meadow. This was followed by 8 permitted speakers from the public (representatives of neighbouring parish councils were not allowed) and the applicant. The first was Ken Hutchinson of Wateringbury Parish Council (WPC). Other speakers were from Wateringbury, Nettlestead and Teston. All opposed the development, except for the representative of Croudace.
Matt Boughton, leader of TMBC, opened the discussion by councillors with a vigorous opposition to the development, followed by Sarah Hudson and other councillors, citing different factors and with different emphasizes. TMBC officers then spoke in support of the application as they felt that, under national planning guidelines, the land was grey belt. TMBC could not rely on the report on air quality arranged by WPC, nor on the landscape value evidence from Maidstone Borough Council.
The committee voted 9 to 1 to reject of the application on 3 main grounds: impact on air quality; irreversible landscape damage; and inappropriate development in the green belt. TMBC’s lawyer advised that, given the officers were in support of the application, under the TMBC constitution, a report would be prepared on potential liabilities, such as if Croudace appealed to the planning inspectorate. The application with the report would go to the planning committee again (1st April) to reaffirm (or not) their recommendation, and then to the whole council for decision.
This, the first battle, was won, but the war is not over and other battles will follow. Many commonsense arguments for not proceeding with this development were put forward. That professional planners could still argue the presumption of allowing housing development and that this site is grey belt is disturbing. It is undeveloped, grade 1 agricultural land (under 3% of all English agricultural land is so classified), overlooking and seen from the beautiful, largely un-spoilt Upper Medway Valley. Words like mis-selling by national politicians when the concept of grey belt was introduced and democratic deficit spring to mind.
NETTLESTEAD AND WATERINGBURY PRESCHOOL
It’s been lovely to finally begin exploring Spring with our children. Spotting the sudden pops of yellow with our lovely daffodil flowers suddenly appearing everywhere. The children have also helped plant some wildflower seeds to attract the butterflies and bees around us. At the setting we have 5 little caterpillars to support our life cycle learning. We had lots of discussions around the different stages a caterpillar goes through before becoming a beautiful butterfly learning vocabulary like ‘chrysalis’, linking it to book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle. The children were worried about the butterflies emerging and being very hungry, so we went on to plant the wildflower seeds. The children realised that the bees would also love the wildflowers as they can use the pollen to make honey sharing the different ways, they eat honey at home! There was so much learning happening through such simple activities promoting lots of communication and language, learning new words, exploring similarities/differences, sharing experiences, building friendships and learning about the world around us with the changing seasons.
In our outdoor area on our bug pallet the children have also been busy building up a bug hotel using the natural resources around them using old pots and guttering to build different levels. They were very pleased when they spotted some lady bugs and wiggly worms staying!
April holiday club (2-11 years)
Children outside the setting welcome.
Tuesday 7th/14th, Wednesday 8th/15th & Thursday 9th/16th
9am–4pm, (half days 9am-12.30pm or 12.30pm–4pm
enquires@nwps.org.uk
WATERINGBURY SCOUT GROUP TRUSTEE BOARD
Do you have the availability to invest some of your time?
Do you want to enhance your skills of team work, organisation, leadership and more?
We are looking for people from the age of 18+ to help us with the management of the scout group. This is not working with the youth members (unless you choose to), this is helping us create a trustee board to oversee the governance and make sure we do things correctly and safely.
If you have ever wanted or been part of a school PTA, run a sports club, managed a business, like accounting or run a home you have the skills we need. We meet 4-5 times a year either in person or online.
If you are interested or would like more information please contact: glv@wateringbury-scouts.org.uk
WATERINGBURY SURGERY
Sexual Safety in Healthcare
Our Commitment to Our Staff and Patients
At Wateringbury Surgery, we believe that everyone who works, trains or learns within healthcare has the right to feel safe, respected and supported. We are proud to be signatories of the Sexual Safety in Healthcare- Organisational Charter. This means we have made a clear commitment to a zero-tolerance approach towards any unwanted, inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviour directed at our workforce.
We are committed to:
ü Actively working to eradicate sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace
ü Promoting a culture of openness, transparency and respect
ü Supporting any member of staff who experiences inappropriate behaviour
ü Clearly communicating expected standards of behaviour. Taking all reports seriously and acting promptly
ü Ensuring clear policies, training and reporting systems are in place
These commitments apply to everyone equally. We ask all patients, visitors and members of the public to treat our team with dignity and respect at all times. Our staff are here to care for you-and they deserve to feel safe while doing so. If you witness inappropriate behaviour within our practice, please inform a member of the team. Together, we can create a safe, respectful environment for everyone.
WATERINGBURY FOOTPATHS GROUP
In March our walk took us from the village pond along to the end of Mill Lane and across the fields on the footpath at the back of Nettlestead, coming out on the Maidstone Road at the bottom of Gibbs Hill. We then steadily climbed up Gibbs Hill before dropping down to Pizien Well Road.
On the Sunday walk we turned right up the footpath before the houses and walked to the junction of two paths, where we turned left, going down to the stream and continuing up to join Old Road near Manor Farm. We then returned on the footpaths by the pond and up to Bow Road.
On the weekday walk we went further. Everyone was happy for us to do an additional loop from Gibbs Hill along Park Road, walking steeply up to admire the archway in the grounds of Mereworth Castle. We were rewarded with a good view of a sizeable herd of deer from the deer farm to the left of the road before returning to Gibbs Hill where it becomes Pizien Well Road. Spring flowers and early green leaves on the trees as well as the sound of skylarks increased our enjoyment on both walks.
Everyone is very welcome to join our sociable group walks. We will be leaving the village hall at: 2.30pm on Sunday 5th April 10am,
on Friday 10thApril (Judy to lead), 2.30pm on Sunday 3rd May.
Please contact me if you want more information and to be kept updated about our plans. Lisa Dean 07759 539032
PROTECT OUR MEDWAY VALLEY (POMV)
Emboldened by the refusal in February of district councillors to accept the proposed Fields Lane housing development, Protect Our Medway Valley (POMV) have commissioned an additional report to ensure rejection is confirmed at a second meeting. This report will reinforce the argument that the Valley would suffer irreparable landscape harm from all points of the compass if the refusal was overturned. Councillors will reconvene on 1st April to consider legal and other advice from officers. POMV plan to attend this meeting to ensure this rejection remains in place. In order to fund this and any further community campaigning we have launched a crowdfunding appeal around the village. Residents have already responded generously to this appeal and we are very grateful for these and future contributions. We work openly and welcome any new members.
Going forward we are committed to forging a strong alliance with the parish council to ensure the Valley remains protected and development free. Dave Mitchelmore Secretary and Convenor POMV 07799 433874
TESTON AND WATERINGBURY PRESCHOOL
This term has been excellent! Some memorable moments were celebrating Chinese New Year, dressing up for World Book Day, creating Mother’s Day cards for our loved ones, baking ladybird biscuits, and painting wanted posters and pebbles inspired by our focus book ‘What the Ladybird Heard’. To see some of our amazing photos, follow us on Facebook.
Each week, we pick up fresh fruit from our local farm shop in Teston, which generously donates it for our children’s snacks. We want to express our gratitude for their ongoing support. We'll see you next term for our ice-cream!
We finish our term on Thursday 2nd April and return after the Easter holidays on Monday 20thApril. On behalf of our wonderful team, we would like to wish you all a happy Easter.
We are now taking names for September enrolment so if you would love your child to be part of this amazing preschool family contact
Tina Driver: 07805 796353 
testonpreschooladmissions@gmail.com
RAINBOWS have had an action packed term. Attending a District Activity Day at Lower Grange Farm to celebrate 100 years of World Thinking Day trying archery, fencing and soft tomahawks. There were some yawns by the afternoon, but still enough energy for the fun bus. We loved our trip to the Peter Pan Panto, oh yes we did! We've doubled in numbers since last year too. Easter crafts will round off our term with special awards and promise ceremonies too. For information about Rainbows contact wateringburyrainbows@outlook.com Tiffany
BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION SPRING FAIR
Meadow View Court
SATURDAY 25TH APRIL - 1.30pm-4.30pm
An afternoon of Fun - Raffle, Tombola,
Bric-a-Brac and more
WATERINGBURY TODDLER GROUP
We are a friendly group that welcomes all parents, carers, grandparents, childminders etc with children aged 0-5. We run every Wednesday 10am-12noon during school term time. The cost is £3.50 for the first child and adult and then £1 for every additional child over 8 months.
The large hall is set up with lots of toys for free play, a craft session is included and then snack and drink for the children. We finish with a music session and lots of footballs. Adult's drinks and biscuits are also included. We also have a baby area for younger children.
Like our Facebook Page (Wateringbury Toddler Group) for any important information/messages:email:wateringburytoddlergroup@gmail.com
We return on Wednesday 22nd April after the Easter break.
WATERINGBURY GUIDES
The guides joined the rest of our District at an Activity Day at Lower Grange Farm and did activities including archery, fencing, power risers, circus skills, team building and quad biking. The weather was very kind to us and the girls enjoyed the new challenges.
We had our annual visit to the panto in the village, and quite a few ended up on stage for the final singing. Afterwards 19 girls and 3 leaders had a sleepover in the hall and played some party and guide games until tumbling into our beds just before 1am. I was more surprised than most to find them up and ready to go before 7am! Eggy bread was the dish of the day and we all went home to catch up on missed sleep. The girls also sold the raffle tickets and programmes and our thanks and congratulations go to Wateringbury Players for an excellent panto.
As I write this, we’re in the final stages of planning for our Mothers’ Day evening where we have 22 mums coming to dinner from the guides as a treat. We’ll also have some special award presentations and some of our new members will be making their Guide promise.
We end the term at Larkfield Leisure Centre where we’ve an evening of swimming and trampolining with a couple of coaches who we’ve used before and were excellent with the girls, encouraging them to try moves they’d never done before and to push themselves.
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.
GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE
Our gardens are bursting into flower now and hopefully, also beginning to buzz! It is said that if you can successfully attract invertebrates then everything else follows as birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles all rely on that base layer of life. The ladybirds that were sheltering in corners of our sheds are now in the garden looking for the first aphids to feast on and the first butterflies, such as the bright yellow brimstone and peacock, are emerging from hibernation. Queen bumblebees, honeybees and a range of solitary bees are looking for flowers that provide nectar and pollen and these might include bluebells, bugle, comfrey, flowering currant, lungwort, pussy willow and viburnum, all of which are relatively easy to grow.
Having stocked up on food, bees will be looking for somewhere to establish a nest. Bumblebees will often choose an area of rough ground or thick grass. They are not aggressive and they’ll all be gone in a few months so, if you do see one, then it’s best just to leave them in peace and just enjoy watching their endeavours.
This is a good time to put up bee boxes in a sunny position and you may be rewarded by seeing leaf cutter bees using them to lay their eggs inside rolled up sections of leaf that they have skilfully cut from your plants. I’ve already seen mining bees this Spring and these solitary bees construct burrows that look like miniature volcanoes to make a nest and lay their eggs. So, if you spot any try not to trample on them!
The numbers of all species of bees have declined enormously over the last few years. However, British gardens cover more than 1 million acres so are ideally placed to play an important role in rectifying this by planting a range of nectar and pollen rich flowers throughout the year and providing spaces in our gardens for insects to nest.
Pauline Knutton
WATERINGBURY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL
ART EXHIBITION
The Wateringbury C of E Primary School’s Art Exhibition will be held in St. John the Baptist Church on Saturday 9th May starting at 10am and finishing at 2pm when a short Service of Celebration will be held, led by Rev Gary Townsend.
Every child in the school will contribute paintings and drawings which will be on display. Prizes will be presented to children chosen by the school staff. The categories will be KS1, Lower KS2, Upper KS2, and Overall.
Please come along, support our school children and make this a joyous occasion. FREE REFRESHMENTS will be provided.
Mike Witts
COFFEE BREAK - 8th, 22nd April and 6th 20th May
Do come along to the church social area between 10.30am and 12.30pm and enjoy tea, coffee and home-made cake and get to know others who live in our village. This is a friendly, informal group who welcome new members. Suggested donation £1.
Gillian Sessions 01622 813076
ST DUNSTAN’S DAY CONCERT 17TH MAY 7-9PM
IN ST DUNSTAN’S CHURCH WEST PECKHAM
TALENT SHOW
Wine & Nibbles in interval Tickets £10 £25 per Family
Come and Share your musical talents
Auditions 25th April at 2pm in the church
or send a recording.
More details from Tricia Hamilton 07904 065763
ANNUAL PLANT SALE
Saturday 23rd May
in the Churchyard –
10am to 1pm
Beautiful plants to fill your garden with colour
bedding plants, perennials,
and vegetables
WATERINGBURY CHURCH SERVICES IN APRIL
Benefice website www.mwwpchurches.org
A friendly welcome awaits you. Sunday Services 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 a chat if you can.
Good Friday 3rd April – 2-3pm An Hour at the Cross led by Barry Fisher
A quiet contemplative Service
Easter Sunday 5th – 10am – Easter Communion led by
Rev Nick Cornell, Archdeacon of Tonbridge
Saturday 11th - 3-5pm - Messy Church (for children and their carers) Bible Story, Action Songs, Prayer time, lots of crafts and ending with afternoon tea. All welcome
Sunday 12th - Holy Communion
led by Rev Jim Brown
Sunday 19th - 10am - All Age Worship
Sunday 26th - 10am – Benefice Communion led by Rev Gary with your choice of receiving individual healing prayer.
Sunday 2nd May - 10am – Morning Praise with Barry Fisher
Sunday 26th April - 5pm-6pm at Mereworth Church:
REFRESH - Praise, Prayer and Discussion.
This is an informal service in which we explore some fundamental questions about the Christian Faith.
April’s topic will be Christian Behaviour Part 2
The Cardinal Virtues from C.S. Lewis' book,
Mere Christianity.
EASTER FUN WITH FAITH
Calling all primary school aged children in Wateringbury please join us for a morning filled with fun, songs and craft activities to help celebrate and hear the Easter story
Saturday 4th April - 9.30am until 12.30pm
Booking is essential and the form can be found on www.mwwpchurches.org.
Deadline Wednesday 1st April 2026
REV GARY WRITES
The Rectory, 72 The Street, Mereworth, ME18 5NA
gary.rev@outlook.com ( 01622 813178
Christian Identity
Like me, I’m sure many of you continue to pray for peace in the Middle East. By the time this goes to print I wonder if the war on Iran would have stopped? Even if it has, I doubt whether the problems in that region of the world would have gone away. The troubles there are old and deep. I think it’s a mistake to say the problems all stem from religion. Personally, I think it’s more about land but I can’t deny that religion and non-religious ideologies play their part.
I am a Christian and there are and have been for the last two thousand years many Christians in the Near East. After all, Palestine is where our religion comes from – Christianity is an eastern, not a western religion! To look at the history of Christianity in Europe one might be forgiven for not realising that and that’s one of the reasons why I am a fundamentalist Christian. By which I mean one should never forget where one’s faith has come from and any attempt to understand a religion should begin at the beginning with its founder and with the fundamentals of which it consists. For the Christian religion that means going to that collection of ancient Greek writings called The New Testament.
The New Testament shows that Christianity was born into a warring world riddled with dissatisfaction, wilful ignorance, mistrust, resentment and racial hatred. But the message of Christ (the Gospel) brought together Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) that for centuries had hated and hurt each other.
At its start and for many years in its infancy Christianity can be seen to be a religion that promotes peace and is good for the wellbeing of society even if many within that society reject its claims that Jesus is the Son of God and that in His name people’s sins can be forgiven. Every Christian believes in the greatness of the one true and holy God but that is not our clarion-call; rather it is: ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16).
I can’t say that getting back to the fundamentals of the other religions practiced in the Near East is what the followers of those religions need to do but I can say that anyone in our own country who wishes to identify as ‘Christian’ must get back to the Jesus of the New Testament. The Christian religion is all about obedience to Christ. To identify as a Christian one must identify with Christ who suffered, died and rose again for all people everywhere.
Rev Gary Townsend
Rector of Mereworth, Wateringbury and West Peckham
MARCH PARISH COUNCIL NOTES
Cemetery - Discussions took place on how to remedy the problems with the floor in the shed and the new regulations regarding maintenance of graves. More details about the cemetery will be on the website www.wateringburypc.org.uk
Contracts and Leases - various items were discussed:
The quotes which had been received for ground maintenance at the playing fields, cemetery and other areas in the village were reviewed. After discussion it was decided to award the contract to Cowland Landscapes.
The lease for the village car park between TMBC and Wateringbury PC was signed at the meeting.
The Fields in Trust Dedication document was signed. This protects the Playing Fields in perpetuity from development. The land can only be used for recreation and sporting activities for ever!
Crimes – February local crimes included:
Two instances of Fly Tipping - In the overflow car park for the playing fields of a quantity of roofing and insulation material. The vehicle number plate had been captured on CCTV. In Nettlestead Lane/Park Road where roofing materials had been dumped by a tipper truck. T&M officials are investigating.
Numerous reports of two people trying car doors in Phoenix Drive and Leney Road area in the early hours of 27th February. Anyone with CCTV images is asked to contact the police. All village residents are reminded to ensure their vehicles are securely locked and no valuables are left inside. Theft of car number plates of a vehicle parked in Fields Lane and verbal abuse of a lady by a youth on a bike. Police are investigating these incidents.
Planning – the following application was considered:
Land at Junction of Red Hill and Barming Road, Wateringbury
Details of Condition 8 (Landscaping and boundary treatment) submitted pursuant to planning permission TM/22/01965/FL (Section 73 application to Vary Condition 7 (Plans list) of planning permission TM/22/01965/FL (Erection of three detached three bed dwellings with double garages and associated works) to amend the designs of each plot).
Fields Lane Planning Application On behalf of Matt Boughton and herself Sarah Hudson thanked everyone for their support at the recent Planning Committee meeting at Kings Hill.
Policies - various policies concerning the running of the Parish Council were discussed. Some were approved others required more clarification before being adopted.
Speed Watch - The volunteers had carried out 3 sessions in February over 2 hours and 40 mins during which time there were 745 vehicles passing the check-points with 70 observations of speeding vehicles. The police sent 10 letters to vehicle owners who had been recorded twice by observers exceeding the speed limit and 1 letter to a driver who was travelling in excess of 45 mph in a 30 zone.
Next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on 7th April at 7.30pm in the upper room in the Village Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting and are given two opportunities to raise matters of local concern.
Approved minutes of council meetings are published on the Parish Council website www.wateringburypc.org.
OUR MP TOM TUGENDHAT WRITES
April brings with it a sense of new possibility for our community. Trees and fields are coming into bloom, farmers sow their crops, the days grow longer, and preparations for local events and activities begin across our area to get ready for Easter. The renewal of Spring is something we see reflected in our towns and villages too.
In March, we welcomed the long-awaited expansion of Sainsbury’s in the heart of Tonbridge - a significant milestone, first discussed four years ago. In Edenbridge, the 3G sports pitch campaign aims to invest in sport and leisure facilities at the centre of the community. In New Ash Green, conversations about reimagining the village centre remind us how important it is to listen to residents and shape a stronger future together.
These are just some of the ones I have been working on elsewhere. But in Wateringbury, I’m interested to hear your thoughts. What do you think needs improving in our parish?
Many of the ideas that become reality across our community begin with local ideas and community actions. Residents know their area best, its strengths, its needs, and its potential. Real change often starts with a simple suggestion, a conversation, or a willingness to get involved. If you have an idea, whether large or small, about how we could improve our community, I would love to hear from you. While I cannot promise every idea can be delivered, I will always do my best to support where I can. Whether that means helping to raise awareness, connecting you with the right people, or guiding you through the next steps. Contact me through my email below.
Thank you to all those who give their time, energy and imagination to our towns and villages. Our communities are stronger because of you. As we move into this new season, may the hope of Easter inspire us all to play our part in building places where others can flourish.
E-mail – tom.tugendhat.mp@parliament.uk Phone – 01732 441563
WATERINGBURY FLOWER CLUB
Our next meeting on Wednesday 15th April is an in-house workshop run by our committee, An arrangement in a shoe. This is going to conjure up all sorts of possibilities for people, no size 9s! please.
In March we welcomed one of Kent’s newest demonstrators for the first time Marion Matharu with the title Floral Fiesta, and what a Fiesta of colour it was. Our members were so inspired with the arrangements on offer, extra raffle ticket sales were called for at the end of the demonstration, what a wonderful evening and lots of happy members took home a wonderful arrangement for a £1 raffle ticket. May will bring us another new Demonstrator, Vinetta Forstmane, with her title Land of the Midnight Sun, one not to miss.
Kent Area will have their Spring Gathering at Ditton on the 1st April with Pip Bensley, National Speaker, in the morning talking about the road to Chelsea, (she has won 20 gold medals) and then Jo Purdy, a National demonstrator, in the afternoon. Bring your own picnic. Tickets available for this at the club, £18 or get in touch with anyone on the committee, non-members welcome.
We are a friendly club meeting in Nettlestead Hall. Our motto is Friendship through Flowers - so there will always be someone there to welcome you if you come along alone. We will make you very welcome.
Jean Schofield President WFC