The RVA met on 3 April, 2008 at Rusthall United Reform Church. Membership fees for 2008 remain at £3. There were 60+ attendees.

AGM

Jenny Blackburn, RVA Chair, gave a summary of successes from 2007. These included the painting of double yellow lines at Common View, fencing off the old bicycle shop, the adoption of low loader buses on the 281 route and the launch of Rusthall Roots youth allotment scheme.

The committee for 2008 was selected —

Chair — Jenny Blackburn
Vice Chair — Carole Lawrence
Secretary — vacant
Treasurer — Hazel Wilby
Membership secretary – Hazel Wilby
Newsletter Editor — Katherine Probert
3 Ordinary members —
Cllr. Barry Edwards
Charles Walker
Malcolm Geer

The immediate past-Membership Secretary, Jenny Alexander, is leaving Rusthall, to return to her native Yorkshire. The Village Association offers best wishes for the future.

The accounts (as yet unaudited) showed an outstanding balance of £532.63.

Rusthall Elms

The Rusthall Elms/Middlefield housing development will not go to committee in April 2008, it could be considered in May. Sport England has withdrawn its objection to the project. Plans include a multi-use games area (MUGA), however, Ruth Chambers, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Planning Officer, has stated there is not enough demand for organised sport in the area. The chairman asked for letters to be sent to the Borough Council in support of the MUGA. Contact: Ruth Chambers, Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS.

Meanwhile, the site has seen continued fly tipping and has become the subject of a rat infestation. There have also been reports of discarded needles and syringes. A security team is now regularly patrolling the site.

Pedestrian Crossing

Tunbridge Wells currently has requests for at least 8 crossings. Kent County Council is currently conducting a PIPKIN process on them all; this is a system that takes into account national and local targets as well as considering pedestrian casualties and deaths in the area. The chairman called for letters to be sent to Keith Ferrin of KCC on this topic. Contact: Keith Ferrin, County Hall, Maidstone. E-mail: keith.ferrin@kent.gov.uk

Southwood Road

The redevelopment of the Southwood Road recreation area as a neighbourhood area equipped for play (NAEP) is progressing with the design set to start in August, with completion by December and soft landscaping due to finish in March 2009.

One Stop delivery parking

Deliveries to the One Stop shops have caused disruption in Manor Road. The Warden has raised the issue with the shop managers, but at present there does not appear to be a simple solution as the deliveries do not arrive at set times.

Community roots

Ariana Sutton, Community Warden, and Carly Telford, PCSO for Rusthall, described ongoing community youth projects. The youth allotment 'Rusthall Roots' is an obvious success attracting 20-25 young people each week. Fruit trees will be planted there this year and an open day is planned during 2008. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has supplied an adapted bus for use as a meeting point and advice centre at the allotment site.

Rusthall Library provides the venue for two other initiatives. On Wednesday evenings a series of courses are run in association with the local army, offering improved self-esteem and fitness training. Internet access will be offered for two hours on another (as yet unconfirmed) weekday evening.

New parking signs have been erected along the High Street; these comprise reminders regarding considerate parking.

PC Chris Carter is the Rusthall neighbourhood police officer. Contact tel: 07870 252577.

Local elections

Representatives of the four parties standing at May's local election each spoke for five minutes and took questions from the floor. Two candidates (Labour and UKIP) live in Rusthall, while the Conservative candidate is from Langton Green and the Liberal Democrat representative lives in Southborough. Voting takes place on 1 May at Rusthall United Reform Church.

Headway coffee morning

Conservative MP, Greg Clark, will open the Headway coffee morning in Rusthall on 10 May.

Commons paths

Several pathways across the Commons have suffered erosion. The Chairman has secured permission from the Commons Warden to woodchip these using the chips along Langton Road and will organise a working party in early May.

Grange Road Community Garden

This is a new idea from Town and Country Housing Group working with Rusthall Village Association and the local residents to improve an area of waste land at the rear of the properties. It is currently used by fly-tippers but would be ideal for a piece of play equipment for young children, a community garden and a youth shelter with some seats or picnic tables in the centre. The whole area needs a thorough clean-up and we hope to invite local adults to help clear the brambles etc. and to get TCHG or Environmental Services to clean the site.

A meeting will be arranged in late May/early June to gather ideas. In the meantime, please contact Jenny Blackburn with your ideas on 546520

MEETING DATES FOR 2008

22 May
17 July
25 September
27 November

General Useful Numbers

Jenny Blackburn, Chair 01892 546520
Town Hall (switchboard) 01892 526121       Tunbridge Wells Police (non urgent) 01732 771055
Ariana Sutton, Community Warden 07813 695872       Carly Telford, PCSO 07772 226054
Fly tipping/abandoned vehicles 01892 548154