SUMMER NEWSLETTER

Issue No 31 : May 2011

Rusthall has a Parish Council

Our Parish Councillors are Elected:

Congratulations to - Jennifer Blackburn (elected to Chair), 64 Parsonage Road; Jonathan Clark, Home Farm, 92 Lower Green Road; Clare Codd, 2 Tristan Gardens; Barry Edwards, 8 Ashley Gardens; Chris Elwood (Vice-Chair), 35 Shirley Gardens; Jane Geer, 68 Parsonage Road; Malcolm Lawrence, 25 Common View; Maria Simmons, 23 Upper Street; Kelly Watson, 66 Shirley Gardens.

Thanks and commiserations to the others who put themselves forward to be Parish Councillors – David Appleton, Mary Lawrence, Len Lewis, Andi Richards and John Rusbridge – and the same to our outgoing Borough Councillor Barry Edwards (who joins the Parish Council), and new Borough contender Tom Snook.

Everybody achieved a good number of votes on a higher turnout than usual for a local election – 49% (up around 15% on three years ago).

Amongst our councillors we have a good spread of experience, ages, residence, gender and employment. A permanent parish clerk will be appointed when councillors decide details, but the Borough Head of Legal Services is in place in the interim – Paul Cummins, Town Hall 526121.

Victor Webb was elected as one of our two Borough Councillors. He is at 22 Ashdown Close, Tunbridge Wells and has an office in Lower Green Road up from The White Hart, 529518. Our other borough councillor is Council Leader Robert Atwood, Breakstones,Speldhurst Road,Langton Green,Kent TN3 0JL; Telephone: 01892 862455; e-mail: robert.atwood@tunbridgewells.gov.uk (term ends 2012).

The historic first Rusthall Parish Council meeting took place on Wednesday 18th May for councillors to officially accept office; Jenny Blackburn was elected to Chair and Chris Elwood to Vice-Chair for the year; codes of conduct, standing orders and banking arrangements were also voted upon. In due course the exact responsibilities of our Parish Council will be determined by our parish councillors.

The public are invited to attend meetings (except for some rare confidential items). Residents will be able to apply to speak by contacting the Chairperson on 546520. Meetings will take place until further notice on the second Monday of each month at the United Reformed Church Hall, 7.30pm and will be publicised in the village, local newspapers and websites. (Just to remind folks that the Parish Council is a form of local government, separate from church and PPCs/parochial parish councils.)

The results of the local elections were:

Parish Council:
Kelly Watson 933
Chris Elwood 928
Jenny Blackburn 917
Jane Geer 770
Barry Edwards 764
Jonathan Clark 759
Maria Simmons 720
Malcolm Lawrence 716
Clare Codd 707

Not successful: Mary Lawrence 691; John Rusbridge 686; David Appleton 680; Andi Richards 471; Len Lewis 195

Click HERE to view statements from our new Parish Councillors.
The second Parish Council meeting will be in the URC Hall on Monday, 13th June at 7:30pm. It is open for observation to the public but observers are not allowed to partake in the discussions. However, any questions can be raised with Councillors at the next RVA meeting.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Victor Webb 634 - Elected
Barry Edwards 560
Tom Snook 540

OTHER NEWS

Ariana Sutton, our Kent County Council Warden:
Rusthall has been fortunate for the last five years to have its own KCC Warden who has been much appreciated for her community building work across the village. Ariana Sutton now joins a KCC team based in the Town Hall with the Community Safety Partnership which will cover the wider area of Tunbridge Wells, so we will not see so much of her. This is part of inevitable budgetary driven reorganisations across local councils.

The future of Rusthall Village Association
Now at last we have our own Parish Council there is scope to talk about the future of our Rusthall Village Association - what sort of group do we want it to be? What should its remit become? Campaigning – Educating – Social – Care Giving - Fundraising? How often should it meet (currently once every 2 months)? For what do you value it most? Should it change its name? Let’s start talking about all these things.

Rusthall Fete Saturday 16 July, Southwood Road

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

28 July
22 September
24 November

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

Useful Numbers

Jenny Blackburn, Chair 01892 546520   Email jennyblackb@googlemail.com
Town Hall (switchboard) 01892 526121       Gemma Pepper, PCSO 07772 226054
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 Vic Webb 01892 529518
KCC Councillor for Tun Wells West: John Davies 01892 862455