AUTUMN NEWSLETTER

Issue No 29 : November 2010

Draft Proposals for a Rusthall Parish Council Please fill in a response to a new consultation! Next General Meeting Thursday 25th November 7.30pm Rusthall Club – includes Xmas Social

This is a second stage of the Community Governance Review. The draft proposals were approved by full council on 20th October. The number of councillors needed was reduced to 9 which RVA thinks is a good idea. We feel that there are enough people in the village willing to stand as councillors – please talk to Chairman, Jenny Blackburn at the next meeting on 25th November if you would like to know more about what it might involve.

The consultation is on the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council website, www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/rusthall and the deadline is 31st December 2010.

A paper copy can be requested from 01892 554106, Electoral Services and we will have several available at the meeting.

It is important that we all respond to this second stage to demonstate our support for the establishment of a parish council in Rusthall! There was a good response to the first stage, overwhelmingly in favour, but the council is not sending out reminder letters to respond to this next important stage of the consultation, understandably for financial reasons we suspect.

In January the next series of three votes will commence with a meeting in the URC Hall on 12th January, check posters closer to the date for the times.

The main argument to establish a parish council is to bring decision making closer to the residents of Rusthall and more control over some aspects of expenditure. This means that money which is spent from the council tax precept will be spent in Rusthall, not mainly in Tunbridge Wells town centre as has always been the case.

So fill in your questionnaires now!

OTHER NEWS

Middlefields and Rusthall Elms
Some of the houses and flats will soon become available to people on the housing register. We look forward to welcoming them to the village.

The car park has not yet been constructed, nor the MUGA (sports facility for the school and community).

The private houses are also being built and will soon be sold.

Congratulations to the Rusthall Bonfire & Entertainments Society for producing another fantastic display for the village on 30th October. Our thanks to all the volunteers for all the hard work on the day and throughout the year.

Simmonds Court
This is going up fast and should be ready sometime in 2011.

Fairtrade Cafe
Next one in URC Hall 10am Sat 27th November.

Community Policing On-line Consultations
The first one was held on 2nd November and was a qualified success. Several people asked questions mainly about parking and anti-social behaviour. More will follow at the meeting.

RVA MEETING DATES FOR 2011
at the Rusthall Social Club in St Paul's Street 7.30 - 9.30pm

27 January

We have a speaker from West Kent Primary Care Trust coming to talk about post-hospital care.

Refreshments 50p at half time.

MEMBERSHIPS - £3 per person per year until May 2011. Our Treasurer will be available at the next meeting with forms

Membership form HERE

Online newsletter editor Nigel Suckling
email: nigel.suckling@virgin.net

Useful Numbers

Jenny Blackburn, Chair 01892 546520   Email jennyblackb@googlemail.com
Town Hall (switchboard) 01892 526121       Ariana Sutton, Community Warden 07813 695872      
Fly tipping/abandoned vehicles 01892 548154       Graffiti hotline 01892 554159
KCC Highways for broken lights, blocked gullies etc. 08458 247800
TWBC Councillors for Rusthall: Bob Atwood 01892 862455 Barry Edwards 01892 862455
KCC Councillor for Tun Wells West: John Davies 01892 862455