Issue No 22

The latest meeting was held on January 16, there were two speakers, Mrs Creed from the Tunbridge Wells Citizens Advice Bureau and Sam Dodd the new manager of the Rusthall Children’s centre.

Ask away

Mrs Creed of the Tunbridge Wells CAB discussed the service available in Rusthall. The CAB visits Rusthall Library every two weeks on Thursday, 9.30-11.30am. Free impartial advice is available on matters such as debt, unemployment and housing. There is a home visiting team available who help with filling in of forms etc.

Another source of information is the Tunbridge Wells Gateway at 8 Grosvenor Road, open Monday to Friday 9.30-4.00 and Saturday 9.30-11.30. The Gateway (run by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, in partnership with Kent County Council) offers advice relating to skills, learning and housing, as well as access to voluntary organisations and Kent County Council services. There is also the facility for making automated payments. If possible please e-mail rather than telephone to make an appointment — of this is not possible, the Rusthall Library team can arrange a Gateway appointment for you.

Easier early years

Sam Dodd, Manager of the new children’s centre based at the old junior school site, said the Centre will offer a universal service for children aged 0-5. It is designed to be a one stop shop for childcare matters including medical advice, playgroups, and early year’s services.

Free pre-school care is provided for 12 hours a week for all three- to five-year-olds. This may be expanded to 15hrs and could include provision for two-year olds in future.

The Centre is also planning to organise theatre and wildlife centre visits. It will work with existing pre-school playgroups in Rusthall.

There is teacher involvement, and parents will be actively drawn into the running of the Centre. A parent’s forum group will report to the management board. In addition the Centre will create new jobs, two positions have already been advertised, a receptionist’s post and a community worker’s position. The Centre is entirely financed by KCC.

The centre hopes to open in April.

Rusthall online

Nigel Suckling has volunteered to create a village website. He plans to produce a comprehensive site, with coverage of social events and local activities. Please would all village societies and groups let us know if they already have a website so that we can set up links. We really want this to become a one-stop shop for finding information on Rusthall.

E-mail: nigel.suckling@virgin.net

Money to burn

A Local Board meeting of all Tunbridge Wells County Councillors which was to be held in February at St Paul's Primary School has been cancelled and will be rescheduled. There will be a speaker , local people can ask questions and they will make decisions on how to spend the £10k fund s allocated to each County Councillor

Sign of the times

The Post Office sign, which was outside One Stop, has been missing for nine months. The old sign has now been found and will be fitted soon.

Had its chips?

The chip shop has had the application to move across the high street to larger premises at the empty site next to One Stop, turned down by the Borough Council. The reason given is that, the provision for fluid and fume extraction was deemed inadequate, and may have caused a neighbour nuisance. The owner is taking advice on a possible future application.

Second Haven application

A second application from Mr Berry for a three-bed dwelling on The Haven site in Manor Road has been submitted. At the RVA meeting a petition was signed against the move. If there is a recommendation to approve it Councillor Atwood will ask for it to be heard at full Planning Committee - a decision is expected in mid February following a site view by TWBC planning committee.

Update – this was withdrawn but is likely to be submitted again for a split-level house!

Parish plans

Sheila Wheeler, Chief Executive. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, and the cabinet are to publish a report in March looking at the costs of setting up a parish council for Rusthall.

Councillor Barry Edwards said he was in favour of a parish council and would actively encourage it if Chief Executive gives her expected approval. He added that the plan would also need the support of the whole of Rusthall by way of a petition. The signatures of at least 10% of the electorate (around 350 people) are required to move the idea forward. Edwards said in the long run Rusthall would benefit from a Parish Council as it would receive money to spend on village services. However, it would also mean more responsibility.

It is expected that it would take at least a year before a Parish Council could be established. But while it is still early days a Council could be in place by the time of the 2010 Council elections.

As reported before, we can expect a lower parish precept than we currently pay in council tax.

Southwood Road recreation ground on track

The new facilities for our young people is almost complete. The £350,000 project will be hedged and fenced over the coming weeks by Ian Johnson from Kent High Weald Project. If you have any spare time, please volunteer 10-3 on Wednesdays or see the posters in local shops. There is a wonderful fenced ball area, a small skateboard area, good looking wooden play equipment...

The new site has yet to be named. It has been suggested that Fremlin Park may be suitable — after the owners of the Rusthall Lodge. But this remains open to suggestions and would have to be agreed by the Borough Council.

Bench to return

The Victory Place dwellings have been completed and the RVA has been assured that the bench previously sited in front of these new houses will be returned. A plaque dedicated to Wing Commander Doe will be placed on the wall.

On your bike

Kent County Council Highways is close to implementing a cycle lane on the A264 running between Langton Green and Tunbridge Wells. Watch this space!

RVA MEETING DATES FOR 2009
at the United Reformed Church hall

19 March
21 May
July 16th
17 September
19 November

All meetings are held in the URC Church Hall in the High Street from 7:30-9:30pm

Refreshments 50p at half time.

Membership of the Rusthall Village Association is £3:00 per person per year and is payable in May at our AGM.

Membership form HERE

Useful Numbers

Jenny Blackburn, Chair 01892 546520   Email jennyblackb@googlemail.com
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       Graffiti hotline 01892 554159
KCC Highways for broken lights, blocked gullies etc. 08458 247800