News

Parish Chairman’s Notes August 2022

Parish Council Chairman’s Report August 2022

At the Village Fete on 3rd July Robin Hollamby received the citizen of the Y ear Award presented by the Chairman Robin wins £250 towards a community project of his choice. Robin was nominated for his role as the British Legion, especially co-ordinating the Poppy Appeal over many years and his work commemorating the centenary of World War I bringing to our attention the lives of the young men with connections to this parish who died serving their country in that and in subsequent conflicts.

The next meeting of the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group is on July 28th. Members are working collectively to put together a draft that will be submitted to the Borough Council for consultation later this summer. The Parish Council have been awarded further funding to help with this. A draft of the Design Codes which will accompany the plan is on the Parish Council website for comment www.capel-pc.org.uk

The hearings for the Tunbridge Wells Local Plan are ongoing (until 15th July at the time of writing). We are still hopeful that the Inspector will call for major modifications eliminating the proposals in Tudeley and/or East Capel on Green Belt, infrastructure (or lack of) and flooding grounds.

Councillors and the clerk met with officers from KCC to discuss our Highway Improvement Plan. As a first measure they are going to install Automatic Traffic Counts (ATC’s) in four places in the parish two on Five Oak Green Road, one each on Whetsted Road and Alders Road to measure the speed and volume of traffic. It is hoped this will provide us with the evidence for works to improve safety and slow the traffic through the village. Parish councillors have asked for the ATC’s to be done in September as the school holidays are likely to give a false picture of traffic speeds.

Thanks are due to Jeff Fenton, Richard Parr and Nick Cheesman for their role in the restoration of the Camel Bench now restored to the Recreation Ground [see separate article].

Hugh Patterson