WESTERHAM TOWN COUNCIL’S PRECEPT

On 28th January Westerham Town Council reluctantly but unanimously decided to raise the Town Council charge – known as the Precept – from April 2013. This has been forced on it by a change in the way the Government calculates local authority funding which would have meant an 8.7% reduction in the Town Council’s tax income from £152,500 to £139,263. Against a background of no increase for the past two years, this would have led to substantial cuts in the services the Council provides, including services recently devolved to us by Sevenoaks District Council and Kent County Council which have increased our permanent cost base.

What does this increase mean for you?

For a band D household this will mean a 25 pence per week/£13 per annum increase (up 7.45% on last year’s figure), resulting in a total tax income to the Town Council of £163,862 for the year 2013/14. You will see on your Council Tax summary for the coming year that Westerham Town Council’s precept is stated to have increased by over 17% but this is not an accurate representation of the actual increase. This figure represents the increase over the reduced funding imposed by central government, whereas we actually received £152,500 last year. Unless we act positively to protect the funds required to maintain your public services, we risk having to make potentially irreversible cuts in the future.

What public services are funded by the Town Council’s precept?

WTC runs a youth club and provides children’s playgrounds and playing fields, pavilions and tennis courts in Westerham and Crockham Hill. Funds additionally cover the cost of street lighting, maintenance of public toilets, grass-cutting of public areas, summer play provision for children and three allotment sites; and also helps maintain recreational and open spaces including The Green. WTC also gives support in the form of grants to various local organisations and events such as last year’s Jubilee Celebration on King George’s Field and Westerham’s Christmas Lights and hanging baskets.

All this is achieved by 13 volunteer, unpaid, councillors and 4 part-time members of staff.

WESTERHAM ALMSHOUSE CHARITY

The Charity has 17 flats in Westerham for the elderly of Westerham and Crockham Hill who are on a limited income.

If you would like to be placed on our Waiting List or would like further details, please apply to the Clerk:

Mrs Sarah Marriott, The Telephone Exchange, New Road, Crockham Hill, Edenbridge TN8 6TE. Tel: 01732 866482

WESTERHAM MACULAR DISEASE SUPPORT GROUP

Macular Disease, usually in the form called Age-Related Macular Degeneration, is an eye condition that affects half a million people in the United Kingdom with 70,000 people each year developing it. The condition can affect anyone and as it can come on very quickly with impaired central vision in the affected eye it should be dealt with promptly.

The Macular Society, formerly The Macular Disease Society, set up 25 years ago has many support groups throughout the country specifically to help and provide a wide range of support for people with macular disease.

We are interested in starting a Macular Disease Support Group in Westerham to be held in the Town Library. If you have, or know anyone with, Macular Disease or wish to know more about this increasingly common eye condition, you would be welcome to join the Group.

If you feel that you could play an active part in the Support Group

please contact William Smith tel. 01959 563110 or email: .

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PLAYING SCRABBLE?

If you are interested in playing scrabble then sessions have been set up on Fridays between 2 – 4pm at the Westerham Library.

Contact Westerham Library for more details or just turn up.

A NEW U3A IN WESTERHAM


What is the U3A?
It stands for the University of the Third Age (the time of life when people may no longer be in full time paid work). Now there is more time to learn, to extend skills with the camera or the computer, or to tackle a long-delayed project - and have fun in the process! The U3A has grown rapidly because it meets a real need in each local community.
Why is a new U3A being planned in Westerham?
There are already several flourishing U3As in the West Kent area, and they are willing to assist a new U3A to start wherever there is enough demand. The local members decide on the details of where and when.
What does a U3A offer?
• A Monthly Meeting, with an outside speaker. There is tea and cake, and time to speak to friends.
• A chance to join the Study and Activity Groups, which are run by the members themselves on a large number of topics.
• There will be a regular newsletter, and copies of Third Age Matters and Sources magazine from National Office.
• Anyone can belong who is free during some part of the day when the Study Groups meet.
Are there Social Events?
Yes, there will be Coffee Mornings, a Lunch Club, and day visits arranged by a small committee exclusively for members of that U3A. Some of the groups have a strong social element, such as a Wine Group, Theatre Group and Walking Groups.
How much does it cost?
Each U3A sets its own subscription, usually under £20 a year. Members receive a range of services from National Office, such as discounted computer software, as well as events organised at national and county level. All events are kept as low cost as possible.
If you would like to find out more or want to join, or feel you can offer help,
there is a flyer on the Knole U3A website www.knoleu3a.org.uk which you can download and fill in to register your interest. It is called 'Planning for a new U3A in West Kent'. Please talk to your friends about this and encourage them to support your U3A.
Dates
There is a planning meeting at Westerham Village Hall on Thursday 11th April 2013, at 2pm. Everyone is welcome.

VODAPHONE RECEPTION

A number of complaints have been received about poor Vodaphone reception in Westerham. The Town Council has been informed that individual subscribers need to log the issue on the Vodaphone website in order for the Vodaphone engineers to review coverage in the Westerham area.

When sufficient subscribers have so logged, the engineers will review the coverage. No other solution seems to be possible.

This is how to log a network coverage complaint with Vodaphone:

1.  log on to Vodaphone website www.vodaphone.co.uk

2.  at the bottom right hand side of the home page click on 'Coverage Checker' under the 'Products and Services' heading

3.  Enter 'Westerham' in the box 'Where do you want coverage?'

4.  Under bottom left hand corner of the map which appears, click on 'Rate our network for this location'

5.  Fill in and submitthe form which appears.

ANNUAL TOWN MEETING

The Westerham Annual Town Meeting will take place on Tuesday 16th April at 7.30pm at the Westerham Hall. Mrs Early, Head of Churchill School, is the guest speaker with reports from the Westerham Town Partnership, the Westerham Society and the Westerham Residents Forum.

FORTHCOMING TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS

Monday 11th March Allotments, Playing Fields and Open Spaces Thursday 14th March Planning

Monday 18th March Council

Thursday 28th March Planning

Thursday 11th April Planning

Monday 15th April Youth and Community

Tuesday 16th April Annual Town Meeting

Members of the public are very welcome to attend these meetings. The first ten minutes of every meeting are available for members of the public to raise any issues with Councillors. All meetings start at 7.30 p.m. - except Planning which is held at 9.30 a.m. and Allotments, Playing Fields and Open Spaces which begins at 8.00 p.m. They take place in the Town Council Chamber in Russell House, with the exception of the Annual Town Meeting to be held in Westerham Hall.