Parish News
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Planning Meeting Cancelled
Please be aware the Planning Meeting on Monday 26th February has been cancelled. The next meeting is on Monday 11th March
Happy New Year
Wishing all our parishioners a Happy New Year!
Please note, we have delayed our meeting from 8th January to the 15th January.
The Agenda will be published in a few days
Change of meeting
Please note the meeting on 11th December is now a short planning meeting. Full Council meeting will be on Wednesday 20th December 2023.
Notice Of Casual Vacancy
NOTICE OF VACANCY
IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR
PARISH OF SMARDEN
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that due to the resignation of Helen Teare, a vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Parish Council.
If by 2 November, 2023 (14 days* after the date of this notice) a request for an election to fill the said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at vote@ashford.gov.uk or Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PL, by TEN electors for the said Parish, an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.
If an election is called, it will take place not later than 9 January, 2024.
Dated 13 October, 2023
Clerk to the Parish Council
Mrs K Hoyle
Smarden Charter Hall
Chessenden Lane
Smarden
Kent
TN27 8NF
* In computing any period of time for this purpose, a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday, a bank holiday or day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning must be disregarded.
Job Advert - Smarden Parish Clerk
An exciting opportunity has arisen to be our new Parish Clerk.
We are looking for a pro-active, organised, person to become our Parish Clerk. The hours can be flexible but range average around 12- 13 hours a week, plus evening meetings twice a month.
For full details of the role, please see the job description
Salary: Competitive (NALC Grade 20 £14.75 an hour) If you are CiLCA trained this can be further negotiated.
Please contact Kat, Clerk@smardenparishcouncil.gov.uk if you are interested in applying, pop in and see her or phone for a chat. Or please just send through your CV.
Deadline for applying is Monday 6th November. 5.30pm.
Thank you
Signed and Completed AGAR
Smarden Parish Council are pleased to announce, the 2022 - 2023 Audit has been concluded and that the statement of accounts has been published
• of the rights of inspection conferred on local government electors by section 25 of the Local
Audit and Accountability Act 2014; and
• the address at which, and the hours during which, those rights may be exercised.
This can always be found under the "Finance" section of this website.
Christmas Card Competition
Advanced Warning of Office Closure
The Office of the Parish Council will be closed on Monday 21st August, and opened again on Wednesday 23rd August. It will then be closed until Wednesday 30th August. For any urgent enquiries during this time, please contact the relevant Councillor.
Works to Cornes Meadow
You may notice works being completed on the Minnis/Cornes Meadow over the previous week, finishing soon. This is maintenance work, clearing the ditches and overgrown hedges to reduce the risk of flooding and keep on top of the area
We shall also be working on the fallen tree round the back of the School soon too, so please be mindful of this.
Parish Council Office Closed
The Office of the Parish Council will be closed on Monday 31st July, reopened again on Wednesday 2nd. For any thing urgent, please contact the relevant Councillor directly. This can be found under the "Councillor" Section of the website
Dates for year
Dates for your diary! Parish Council Meeting are as follows
Monday July 10th Dadson Room 7pm
Monday August 14th Dadson Room 7pm
Monday 11th September Dadson Room 7pm
Monday 9th October Dadson Room 7pm
Monday 13th November Dadson Room 7pm
Monday 11th December Dadson Room 7pm
Monday January 8th Dadson Room 7pm
Monday Feb 12th 2024 Dadson Room 7pm
Monday March 11th 2024 Dadson Room 7pm
Parish Council Office Closed
The Office of the Parish Council will be closed the week commencing 29th May. For any thing urgent, please contact the Parish Councillors directly. Their details can be found on the Councillors section of the website, or click here
https://smardenparishcouncil.gov.uk/councillors#formstart.
Alternatively the office will be re open again on Monday 5th June
Results of the Parish Election
Smarden Parish - Declaration of Result of Poll
Ashford Borough Council Election of Parish Councillors for
Smarden on Thursday 4 May 2023
Tracey Kerly, being the Returning Officer at the above election, do hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each Candidate at the said election is as follows:
APPLEBEE Jonathan Mark commonly known as APPLEBEE J
BARTLEET Elaine Patricia
BRISTOW Brian Martin
CRAIG Jocelyn Patricia
HARTFIELD-KEMP Natasha
HODGKINS Ashley
RANDOLPH Lyandrea commonly known as RANDOLPH Lea
TEARE Helen Louise
WILSON Katherine commonly known as WILSON Kathy
For the full details, please click the Smarden Election Results
Bin Collection Dates
Village Meeting Monday 15th November 2021
Smarden Parish Council are hosting an informal meeting to get to know your council and express your views on current topics.
Come and join us for drinks and nibbles from 7.30 p.m at the Smarden Charter Hall with the meeting to officially start at 8.00 p.m.
Topic to be covered:
Chairman’s Welcome
Playground Update
Replacement of the Tennis Court (MUGA)
Youth Building Discussion
Meet your council
Queen’s Jubilee
Q and A Section
October Parish Calendar
The October Parish Calendar is now available on our website
Smardenparishcouncil.gov.uk
For more information on any of the activities, please check our "Who's Who" section or contact the Clerk: clerk@smardenparshcouncil.gov.uk
If you have an event or organisation you wish to include, please also email the Clerk.
Planning Applicants on Bethersden Road
Smarden Parish Council has received a number of residents’ enquiries about two recently submitted planning applications on Bethersden Road.
The Parish Council will be discussing these applications at our next Parish Council meeting on Monday 13th September at 7pm in the Charter Hall. Parishioners are welcome to attend.
If any residents feel that they would like to submit their own comments, either for or against these applications, they may do so via the Ashford Borough Council Planning Portal.
Parish Council News - August 2021
The Parish Council are pleased to announce their new email addresses. All members of the Parish Council have new email addresses, which follow the same format as the old ones, except finish .gov.uk, so first initialsurname@Smardenparishcouncil.gov.uk (jaylott@smardenparishcouncil.gov.uk). The Parish Council are also launching a new website, having taken your comments on board. This is due to launch 1st September at www.smardenparishcouncil.gov.uk.
The broken Gateway leading into Smarden is scheduled to be fixed on 19th August.
The pond inside Beult Meadow is due to be fenced off to improve safety and tidy up the area.
The hedge next to the playground is scheduled to be fenced in the next week or so. Further announcements will be made as to the timings but please be aware that end of the Minnis and possibly the Playground may need to be briefly closed to ensure safety.
Fencing of the ditch by the Sports Pavilion and the pond on Cornes Meadow is also planned.
Playground
Our annual safety inspection took place in July, so please be mindful we will need to shut the playground while essential maintenance is carried out. Further update on this to follow. This includes the skate park.
The skate park is in need of further improvements, which will require serious investment from the Parish Council. Is this facility of value to the community, or would you like to see something else there instead?
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Smarden Parish Council discussed holding a village event to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. As advised, on Sunday 5th June 2022 it is hoped for a “Big Lunch” to be held on the Minnis. We are asking for any groups or organisations to please get involved as we hope to make it a really fabulous event!
Footpaths
There have been continued concerns around footpaths being overgrown and impassable. If you are responsible for a footpath, please ensure it is clear. You can report overgrown footpaths at https://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/report-a-problem
