MINUTES OF WADHURST ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
HELD AT THE COMMEMORATION HALL ON WEDNESDAY 28 MAY 2008 AT 20:00.

Present: Chairman of Wadhurst Parish Council in the chair, 78 members of the public, 15 Parish/District Councillors, County Cllr. Tidy, Clerk to the Council, PC Etherington and 1 member of the press.

Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting after the informal gathering and viewing of posters setting out the work and achievements of the committees.

Chairman and Cllrs. Doyle and Standley gave a presentation on the Draft Parish Plan which had been drawn up from comments on previous consultations and from a series of meetings with representatives of the community.

Comments and questions from the floor were taken under the various themes of the Plan.

Housing

  1. The proposed number of 200+ new homes for the parish will put considerable pressure on the existing infrastructure.
  2. Parish needs to influence where the new homes will be built.
  3. Development in ‘back gardens’ should be resisted.
  4. Update requested on proposed development at Wadhurst College and Queens Cottages.

Transport

  1. Traffic speed in the Lower High Street should be controlled by increased monitoring by the Police, further traffic calming measures and a permanent speed camera.
  2. Provision for cycling should be increased.

Parking

  1. Lack of parking in Lower High Street and request for provision of ‘residents only’ spaces.
  2. Maximise Greyhound car park by creating basement/first floor.
  3. Parish Council to take over responsibility for parking.
  4. Control parking by use of permits, short/long term areas or prohibiting parking before 9am.
  5. Increase on-site parking at Uplands and consider facilities for parents dropping off/collecting children.

Education

  1. Behavioural issues noted with some school children in the High Street.
  2. Need to educate children and adults not to drop litter.

Recreation

  1. Discussion on swimming pool and additional football facilities at Uplands; both projects have been abandoned due to lack of funding.

Economic Activity

  1. Additional parking required at station.
  2. Infrastructure questioned to support proposal to promote tourism.

General
Comment that environmental issues should be included in the Plan.
Suggestion that the Plan needs increased focus to fit in with the Local Development Framework.
Request for further consultation with the community before finalising the Plan.
Cllrs. asked if they had considered working towards becoming a Transition Town.
Request for recycling facilities in the centre of the village following the removal of recycling banks from the Greyhound car park.
Concern about health issues associated with the installation of a telecommunications mast at Durgates.
A show of hands identified that the majority of those present were against increased housing for the parish.

Chairman thanked everyone for attending.

The meeting closed at 21:45