ASSISTANT TO STAPLEHURST PARISH CLERK
Part-time administrative support required from mid September. Computer literacy and office skills essential with good organisational abilities to meet deadlines.
JOB DESCRIPTION & APPLICATION DETAILS
STAPLEHURST HEALTHCHECK
A VITAL REPORT
This report is the result of a community exercise undertaken by a small group of people during the first decade of the 21st century for the community of Staplehurst. Its contents are aimed at authorities, organisations and individuals with a responsibility for, or interest in, improving the environment and wellbeing of those who live, work in or visit Staplehurst. To read a summary of this report and to see the report itself and the supporting materials please follow this link;
The V Team Returns
Voluntary Action Maidstone have announced that the V Team started work again in May in Maidstone after a short break, until at least March 2011.
The V Team works with local volunteers who may need extra support and undertakes gardening, decorating and practical tasks in the community for people who are unable to do it themselves, have no one to help and can not afford to pay somebody. From now until October the V Team will be doing gardening work in the community. The V Team already has a very full client list for gardening, and is supporting a number of vulnerable elderly and disabled people so that they can continue to live in their own homes
However, there are now a very limited number of spaces for new gardening clients to have their garden done on a one off basis. New clients must;
- Live in the community in the borough of Maidstone (ie not residential care)
- Be physically unable to do the task themselves, ie disabled or very elderly
- Be on a low income so that even low cost gardening services are out of reach
- Have no one else, ie friend or relative who could help.
The V Team will continue to also undertake small practical emergency tasks for people in desperate need throughout the summer, such as moving a bed to enable an older person to return home from hospital, where possible. If you know someone who could benefit from the help of the V Team and who meets this criteria, please telephone or email Deborah Trend, Deborah.trend@vam-online.org.uk or 01622 677337 (Wed mornings and Fri all day).
Safer Kent Awards - Police Extended Family - See Police News for details
PARISH COUNCILLOR VACANCIES
Following the resignation of Councillor Barry Franks and the statutory period of Public Notice, Staplehurst Parish Council co-opted local elector John Kelly to fill this vacancy at its meeting on Monday 17th May. On Wednesday 5th May Public Notice of two more vacancies was posted on the Parish Council Noticeboard. Councillors Jenny Fairfax and Steve Smith both resigned from the Parish Council for personal reasons. No bye-election (at parish expense) was called so the Parish Council is now able to fill these two vacancies by co-option at its meeting on 21st June 2010. Any local electors who may be interested in becoming a Parish Councillor, or wish to find out more, should please contact the Parish Clerk or any existing local Parish Councillor for further information.
LDF PUBLIC MEETING - follow up
As you may be aware, the Local Development Framework process to respond to the Government's new housing targets up to 2020 is under way. Potential sites for houses have been identified and are currently being assessed for suitability by Baker Associates on behalf of Maidstone Borough Council. Much information about the LDF process and documents filed to date is available at http://www.maidstone.gov.uk/planning__building_control/local_development_framework.aspxOnce current work is complete it will be put out to public consultation in July and August 2010. However, there was an opportunity to feed in local opinion at an earlier stage at the public meeting held on Monday 16th November. Local views were invited on the currently proposed housing sites and the infrastructure that may be required to support them. From that meeting 5-7 delegates were selected to attend a more formal MBC Workshop day on 25th November and represented the majority views expressed at the public meeting. It was reported that MBC was taken aback at the strength and consistency of public feeling from Staplehurst and will hopefully have taken these on board as the LDF process continues over the next year. Residents are advised to respond to the public consultation during July and August 2010. In the meantime local representatives are working on a local survey to support the views put forward to date. Local residents' responses to a questionnaire being drawn up for the spring issue of the Village Update will be very much appreciated and help to under-pin the LDF process.
GRASSROOTS GRANTS
Funding up to £5,000 is available through the Kent Community Foundation Grassroots Grants scheme. Read the Guidance Notes, complete the application form with handy hints and then see if your group is lucky. If you are a local group, capable of delivering a practical community run activity which improves the lives of the community with a realistic budget then you may have a chance. Equipment, local events or workshops, volunteer expenses and training, staff costs, rent and overheads, costs to expand an existing project are all examples of what can be funded. What have you got to lose except a few hours in putting together a bid? Apply today!Grassroots Application FormGrassroots GuidanceGrassroots Helpful Hints
SPEEDWATCH TRAINING
Several volunteers are now trained to use the Speedwatch equipment and teams are out and about with increasing frequency. Any drivers who choose to ignore the lawful speed limit will have their car registration numbers noted and details of persistent offenders will be passed to the Police for action in due course. You have been warned! If you wish to receive Speedwatch Training please contact the Clerk who will put your name down for future training events. Tel: 01580 891761 or Email: staplehurst1@btconnect.com
COMMUNITY POLICING
PC Marc Pennicott has been working in this area since September 2005 supporting Staplehurst and Marden. When on duty, he can be contacted directly by Mobile on: 07980 770575, Office Telephone: 01622 604391 or by Email on: marc.pennicott@kent.pnn.police.uk. He provides support to Staplehurst's KCC Community Warden Chris Lomax and Police Community Support Officer Pete Gardner who are regularly to be found walking the streets of Staplehurst. These officers can give advice on protecting yourself, your home and your proprety from crime and on how you can play a part in keeping your community safe.Community Warden Chris Lomax helps residents on any community matter and can be contacted on 07811 271254 or Email on: chris.lomax@kent.gov.uk. Police Community Support Officer Pete Gardner can be contacted on 07772 226134 or email; maidstonerural.neighbourhood@kent.pnn.police.ukThere is a Police and Council Surgery at the Library between 10 and 12 noon on the last Saturday of each month, where parishioners can raise issues or ask for advice.