March 2015 COPY
Residents are invited to attend the
Annual Town Meeting
on Tuesday 14th April 2015
at Council offices, Russell House, Market Square
at 7.30 pm
Guest Speakers from NHS West Kent CCG
NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is a body of GPs and other healthcare professionals, responsible for commissioning healthcare services across the west Kent region
Light refreshments will be served following the meeting
BARLEY CHARITY
Westerham Town Council invites applications for general charitable purposes for the benefit of the residents of Westerham parish.
The closing date for applications is 31st March 2015. Please apply in writing to the Town Clerk.
Speed Watch Campaign Update
Westerham’s speed watch volunteers carried out a roadside observation on the 15th December 2014 and recorded 71 observations of speeding vehicles.
Kent Police Speed Watch Team can confirm that these observations generated three letters of advice, one for second detection of mid-range speeding, and two for high-end (+50%) speeding.
The Town Council would like to thank our speed watch team for the valuable contribution to help improve local safety and quality of life by helping to reduce excessive speeds on roads in the community.
Speed watch teams go out as often and for as long as the volunteers want to - during the hours of daylight. If you would like to become a speed watch volunteer, please contact the Council Offices for further information on tel: 01959 562147 or
GO 20 - Brake Road Safety Charity
Everyone – adults and children – should be able to walk and cycle in their communities, for their health and enjoyment, and as a sustainable way to get about, without being put in danger. It's a fundamental right. That's what GO 20 is all about: putting people's safety first, and empowering us all to enjoy healthy, active lifestyles.
Drivers slowing down to 20mph or below in communities is critical in enabling this to happen. It helps protect people on foot and bike – especially the most vulnerable, like children, older and disabled people – because it gives drivers a better chance of stopping in time in an emergency. At 20mph, if a child runs out three car lengths ahead, you should just be able to stop in time. But at 30mph, you will hit the child at almost full speed, with a high chance of killing or injuring them.
Residents have raised concerns with Westerham’s Community Warden and the Town Council regarding speeding and the Council hope that you will join us in supporting this campaign and helping to make our community safer by pledging to GO 20, and slowing down to 20mph or below around homes, schools and shops, even where the limit is still 30mph.
For further information visit
Scoop the Poop!
We know that the vast majority of dog owners do this, and it’s just a minority who leave their pooches’ poo in public places where it is offensive, unsightly and potentially dangerous.
So please help us to deal with this problem which seems to be increasing in and around Westerham at the moment. The Junior Footballers have to clear it from their pitches on King George’s Field before they can play on them; as the longer warmer days arrive more and more families will be using King George’s Field for play, picnics, and fun; visitors to our town and residents have noted it on our streets and on The Green. To children dog poo can be dangerous, to visitors off putting and to residents a poor reflection of our home town. Our children and our town deserve better than this.
The Town Council have sited dog poo bins on King George’s Field (six of them), on The Green, and around the town, and are looking at other sites; and have the bins emptied regularly. Our staff and the Community Warden are watchful in areas where this is a problem. The Council is also taking part in initiatives lead by Sevenoaks District Council and Keep Britain Tidy to tackle the problem – watch out for the posters later in March.
But we need your help: when walking dogs on King George’s Field, please ensure that they are kept under ‘close control’, please clean up after pets; please remember to ‘Bag it, Bin it’. The majority do.
We are not the only ones suffering from this problem: Keep Britain Tidy’s research shows that dog fouling is a major concern to members of the public, and is on the rise for the first time in 10 years. Many communities around the country are suffering the consequences of a minority of irresponsible dog owners and an increasing number of local authorities are banning dogs from their greens and playing fields.
We do not want to get to the stage where we have to do this. So ....Please Scoop the Poop then Bag it and Bin it. Thank you.
MAY 2015
YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU!
Becoming A Local Councillor –
Make A Difference!
Elections For Town And Parish Councils Take Place
In May 2015
Are you concerned about your local area?
Do you want to represent the views of local people?
Do you want to contribute your business or personal skills and expertise?
Are you passionate about services provided in your community?
Visit Kent Association of local Councils website for more information
Or go to Westerham Town Council’s website or contact the Town Clerk, tel: 01959 562147
GROW YOUR OWN!
Library consultation
Do you care about your library? Kent County Council are proposing to transfer all libraries to a Charitable Trust because they need to save money and they believe Charitable Trusts will be cheaper as they pay less business rates, can access grants and open up other sources of income (although this is a yet untested). The Charitable Trust will be overseen by trustees but we are not clear how they will be nominated or how local they will be.
Westerham Town Council is working to find out what this means for Westerham.
Please complete the consultation which is available online on the following link or the paper copy available in the Library to give your thoughts on this important matter. The consultation ends on 8 April 2015.
FORTHCOMING TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS
March
Monday 2ndFinance and General Purpose
Thursday 12thPlanning and Development
Monday 16thAllotments, Playing Fields and open Spaces
Monday 23rdCouncil
Monday 26thPlanning and Development
April
Thursday 9thPlanning and General Purpose
Tuesday 14thAnnual Town Meeting
Monday 20thYouth and Community
Thursday 23rdPlanning and Development
Monday 27thHighways and Lighting
Members of the public are very welcome to attend these meetings. The first ten minutes of every meeting are available for members of the public to raise any issues with Councillors. All meetings start at 7.30 p.m. - except Planning which is held at 9.30 am - in the Town Council Chamber in Russell House.
Visit our website westerhamtowncouncil.gov.uk for more information
1