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BADGERS MOUNT RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION

 

BMRA Newsletter - April 2017

Lots of sun but cold winds. The bluebells are lovely this year, particularly along the crest of the ridge overlooking Shoreham – about 1 mile across the valley from the Andrews Wood carpark.

BMRA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
7:30 pm for 8:00 pm start

The Residents Association will be holding its Annual General Meeting in the Memorial Hall on Thursday May 11th from 7:30 pm for an 8:00 pm start. Wine, soft drinks and nibbles will be provided. The outline agenda is attached. Please let the secretary know in advance of any points or propositions you wish to raise. Are there any volunteers for the committee? Nominations can be made in advance through the secretary, or can be made at the meeting.



SUMMERTIME REMINDERS

There has been no significant rain for the last month or more. As a result, the surrounding woods are full of dry leaves and twigs – please take care if you light a bonfire and make sure that any embers have been extinguished. The accepted custom is to avoid lighting bonfires before 6 p.m. to avoid inconveniencing your neighbours.


ROAD SAFETY UPDATE

We have been promised that speed roundels will be applied to the main roads ‘in the near future’. These consist of white speed limit reminders painted on the road surface near the existing repeater signs on lamp posts, and they help to moderate vehicle speeds. There will inevitably be some disruption when they are applied, but please bear with it and think of the benefits to the less mobile pedestrians.

Cycling
Cycling is good for you and the environment, but please be aware of the potential problems when mixing bikes and pedestrians on our roads and pathways. I have been surprised twice when walking our dogs by cyclists approaching silently from behind. Luckily the pathway was wide enough for no damage to result when a dog shied into the path of the cyclist. I appreciate that my hearing must have deteriorated with age, but I would implore cyclists to follow the Highway Code and ensure they have an ‘audible means of warning of their approach’. Bicycle bells are cheap, have an adequate warning range and do not cause the panic and annoyance that a hurriedly shouted last second ‘Look out!’ may do.

If you cycle or know people who do, please ask them to fit a simple, cheap bicycle bell – and use it. It will not affect your performance in the slightest but could well prevent crashes and injuries, both to yourself and to other people. Additionally, remember that narrow footpaths are dedicated to pedestrians, not bicycles


PLANNING

Elite Motors Garage. The development proposal for a care home has been approved, but at present we have no idea when work will start.

Sevenoaks District Council future development plans. The next stage of the Sevenoaks District Council future development plan is due to be published for consultation in July. Both the Parish Council and the Residents Association will keep you updated.


F M CONWAY UPDATE

The BMRA representative and a resident continue to meet regularly with both the site and management personnel to discuss any local issues or concerns raised by residents concerning FM Conway operations. Recently, The F M Conway local management team has changed, but our representatives feel that their previous good working relationships will continue

We would remind all residents FM Conway will not tolerate loud bangs (tailgate banging) under Health and Safety rules. So if you hear these, please inform the BMRA secretary (see above for contact details) or via the web address with the date and time.


SOCIAL EVENTS

Easter egg hunt: 12 children and their helpful adults spent a glorious afternoon on Sunday 9th April taking part in the Easter Egg hunt. All over the mount were pictures of eggs that the children had to find and answer the questions with the eggs, after an hour or so of clue finding the children returned to Johnson's Avenue to hand in their quiz sheets and collect a prize.

Walking Treasure Hunt 24th June: The next event in the Badgers Mount social calendar is the walking treasure hunt on Saturday 24th June starting at the village hall from 2pm and returning at the end of the walk for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. This is open to young and old, with clues for children and adults. There will be two routes so you can choose how far you want to go. All the clues will be based in and around Badgers Mount, a great way to test your observation skills and work out some cryptic clues. This is another opportunity to meet friends new and old in Badgers Mount. Why not come along. £1.00 donation per entry and contribution towards the tea and cake.

For this event it is vital that we have numbers in advance. If you are planning to come along you MUST book in with Zena zbelton@live.com or 01959 534566. We need a minimum number of 15 people booked in by Friday 16th June, there is quite a lot of work planning the route and writing the clues. Avoid disappointment and let Zena know you are coming, otherwise you might turn up to an empty hall just because we don't know people are interested in coming.

Coffee Mornings & mobile library: Coffee mornings are held in the Memorial Hall every Thursday from 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 noon. Why not come along and meet your neighbours and have a chat about anything you like. The mobile library visits the hall car park alternate weeks between 11.10 and 11.45, so please use it to help keep this service going. Coffee mornings cannot be held on election days, but if the library van is due, it will be there as normal.

Badgers Mount walkers: We meet on occasional Friday nights at 6.30pm and walk for approximately 90 minutes locally. For more details, please email willum50@hotmail.com


DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Annual Parish Meeting Friday 28th April from 6.00 p.m.
Come along and find out more about the Parish Council and local groups and services. More details in the recent Parish Council Newsletter.

Kent County Council elections Thursday 4th May
You should have received your polling cards if you are registered to vote locally.

Parish Council AGM Friday 5th May
The Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council, together with a normal full Council meeting.

Residents Association Annual General Meeting Thursday 11th May from 8:00 p.m.
See Draft Agenda attached.

Memorial Hall AGM Friday 19th May at 8.00 p.m.
The Memorial Hall management committee AGM will take place on in the Hall. Please come along to find out more about our only community facility in Badgers Mount and the wide range of activities that take place.


LOST IPAD

An iPad was lost on the afternoon of Sunday 2nd April in Highland Road near the Memorial Hall. It is known that it was found by a young couple (late 20s / early 30s) with a small dog who asked a resident whether they recognised the person in the wallpaper photo, but unfortunately they didn't. The couple said that they would hand it in to a police station, but enquires to Sevenoaks and Bromley have been unsuccessful. If you are the couple, or know who they might be and where the IPad was handed in, please phone 07860 445107. A reward has been offered for return of this item which contains many irreplaceable photos etc.


402 BUS – CESSATION/ROUTE AMENDMENT

Rumors regarding the cessation or modification to this bus route persist despite the absence of any concrete proposals or comment from Arriva. Arriva have recently published a revised timetable for this route.
Apparently the existing franchise may be the subject of a renegotiation or a retendering procedure and in which case commercial confidentiality may be the reason that Arriva may not want to divulge its hand at this stage.
Currently June 2017 is the latest rumour for a decision and declaration of intent. Don't hold your breath but the BMRA will keep you informed.


NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

The BMRA remain very much supportive of the resurrection of this scheme and the subject will be discussed at the forthcoming AGM. Regrettably however unless an adequate quantity of willing volunteers or even unwilling volunteers come forward then it will not be possible to relaunch the scheme.


DEFIBRILLATOR

The PC are to purchase a unit in this current financial year and the BMRA hope to support this initiative by arranging some First Aid training in the Memorial Hall which will include practical hands use of the equipment.


JENKINS NECK WOODS

The RA is assisting the Parish Council in this matter by enlisting the specialist skills of residents. A small sub-committee has been setup with specific expertise in cost-benefit analysis and local knowledge (over 70 years of local residence in 1 case). They will discuss the various options for the future and how to compare these options on a common basis.


NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

The Parish Council has asked the RA to nominate some members to assist their steering committee in outlining the way ahead on the Neighbourhood Plan, although there is nothing to report as yet since the full steering committee has yet to meet.





BADGERS MOUNT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
THE 53rd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
WILL TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, 11th MAY 2017
IN THE MEMORIAL HALL, HIGHLAND ROAD at 8.00 PM prompt

Refreshments and nibbles available from 7:30 pm

DRAFT AGENDA

(1) Apologies for absence.

(2) Minutes of the 52nd Annual General Meeting held on Thursday, 12th May 2016 to be agreed. Draft Minutes are available on the BMRA website and some hard copies will be available for study before the meeting.

(3) Matters arising from the minutes and not covered elsewhere.

(4) Presentation of the Chairman’s Report including

a. Report on FM Conway Ltd matters (Trevor Simmons)
b. Report on Planning matters (Gordon Plumb)
c. Report on Entertainment matters (Zena Belton)

(5) Presentation of the Accounts, Treasurer’s Report and appointment of the Auditor. Some copies of the accounts will be available for study before the meeting commences.

(6) Appointment of the Committee:

Chairperson, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and minimum of 4 members.

(7) Any Other business

The outgoing Committee have no propositions to put to the AGM. Please inform the Secretary beforehand if you wish to raise a specific proposition for discussion so that it can be added to the final Agenda.

BMRA CONTACT DETAILS

Full contact details on the BMRA Committee page.

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