Parish Precept 2012/13
The Parish Council meeting in January 2012 decided it would leave its precept at £40,000 for 2012/13
For details of the budget for the coming year please see attached
The Parish Council meeting in January 2012 decided it would leave its precept at £40,000 for 2012/13
For details of the budget for the coming year please see attached
Medway Council are pleased to announce they have signed a legal agreement to create a permissive bridlepath between Wybournes Farm, High Halstow and New Barn Farm, Spendiff.
The path has been created with the generous agreement of the landowners/farmers, Richard Whitebread and Harold Osenton. So far its been waymarked by volunteers and further signage will be installed next week.
The new permissive bridlepath also provides a link to a footpath (RS/55RS55A) which leads to Cooling, previously this path would’ve been a dead-end for walkers. Please find below two links showing the location and the length which may be useful.
High Halstow Project Day was started in June 2003 after the acquisition of a new trailer from Trident Trailers. The initial idea was to clear the three main dumping sites on the extremities of our village.
The entrance to field half way up Dux Court
The dip between High Halstow and Cooling
The bottom of Britannia Road.
These were soon cleared and continue to be monitored. Attention has been directed to the general litter that collects in Dux Court, Christmas Lane, Britannia Road, Cooling Road and the roundabout and bypass area at the bottom of Christmas Lane. On the Saturday following the Parish Council meeting villagers and friends of High Halstow gather at the Village Hall car park at 8.30am for the designated project for that month. Although currently no planned dates set, if you have any idea of what needs doing around the village please feel free to email george.crozer@highhalstow-pc.gov.uk
When a resident applies for planning permission to Medway Council (the Planning Authority), on receipt they will send a copy of the application to the Parish Clerk. The Parish Council is a statutory consultee and has to be advised of all planning applications within the parish. The Clerk in turn will forward the application to a Parish Councillor who sits on High Halstow Parish Council’s Planning Committee.
The Councillor will then contact the immediate neighbours (or anyone else they consider might be affected), offer them a sight of the application and plans and listen to any comments they might have. If the neighbour wishes to object they must do this themselves by writing to Medway Council.
Planning applications are discussed at parish council meetings. In the event that the closing date for comments to Medway is before the next parish council meeting, the Clerk has delegated powers to respond to Medway, with the advice of the councillor handling the application; however if the application is contentious, a meeting of the Parish Council’s Planning Committee will be called.
It must be noted that the Parish Council is merely a consultee. The responses sent to Medway have to be made on planning grounds, but at the end of the day the decisions are Medway’s and they may not necessarily agree with the wishes of the Parish Council.
Historically, Medway Council has appeared to concentrate on those highly visible areas of Medway, such as Rochester Castle and Gillingham Park, and rural villages such as ours did not always receive the levels of care and attention demanded by local residents. Therefore, in April 2007, the Parish Council took on the devolved function of maintaining all the Publicly owned green spaces within the Parish Boarder from Medway Council.
The Parish Council put together a specification and invited contractors to make sealed bids for the tender. Six companies approached the Parish Council and a total of four bids were received. After due consideration, the contract was awarded by the full Parish council to Turfsoil for a twelve month probationary period.
During this first twelve months, the green spaces within the village saw a remarked improvement and much positive feedback was received by the Council. On the rare occasions when problems have arisen, Turfsoil have quickly and effectively remedied the situation.
In April 2008, the Parish Council again invited tenders on an annual basis, but satisfied with Turfsoil, invited Turfsoil to bid on a tri-annual basis. Two companies submitted bids for the annual contract and Tursoil submitted their tri-annual bid. After due deliberation, the contract was again awarded by the full Parish Council on a tri-annual basis to Turfsoil, whose bid was considered to offer the best value in both price and standard.
Councillor Martin Mitchell as Portfolio Holder together with the Parish Clerk are responsible for the management of this contract and meet on a monthly basis with the contractor to monitor standards.
With effect from January 1st, 2009 the contract will be extended to include the publicly owned land on the Wilcon Estate, following the successful negotiations between the Parish Council and the Developer. This will make the Parish Council responsible for over 143,000 sq metres of grass cutting, managed woodlands and boarders and verge side maintenance.
The Management Plan for Forge Common relates to
1 Promoting the growing of natural wild flowers.
2 Maintaining the boundary fences and access.
3 Providing some form of fire break to the adjacent properties.
4 Promoting the nesting of Skylarks.
5 Promoting the use of the common.
The village of High Halstow is host to a very scenic section of the Saxon Shore Way. Walkers will delight in the deciduous woodlands and the panoramic views of The Thames acting as a backdrop to the Halstow Marshes Although fiercely protected by by-laws and statutes, the footpaths that meander through the parish are now for the enjoyment of man and his dog. Not so a brief 50 years ago, before the onslaught of the motor car, when each path ended in a designated place of employment for farm workers, shepherds and fishermen.
There are many footpaths to enjoy in and around High Halstow, many of these are official rights of way but there are also a number of popular trails on common land. Villagers and visitors alike are most fortunate to have access to the RSPB Northward Hill Reserve. With the exception of RS50, all paths are accessible to the public by kind permission of the RSPB who maintain these paths. Entry is strictly forbidden to the Sanctuary area, however, except with express permission from the Warden.
Each season brings its own delights together with a few drawbacks. Spring sees carpets of bluebells and garlic-mustard, patches of violets too but sadly, more rarely now, the humble primrose. The song of the nightingale on a spring night evening is enchanting. On the downside, the paths tend to get quite muddy, despite the fact that the RSPB widened some of them. Suitable footwear is advisable.
During the summer it is pleasant to sit on the lawn area of the wood and admire the oaks, butterflies and birdsong. Walkers are grateful to the public-spirited villagers who collect the rubbish left by the mindless. Nature, at its most rampant, results in nettles and brambles constantly trying to invade the walkways. Take a stick, if attempting more inaccessible paths. Remember to always adhere to the pathways, thus encouraging the birds to nest in the public area of the wood. Visually, autumn is undoubtedly the most beautiful. The common Field Maple, insignificant during the rest of the year, erupts in a blaze of yellow. Hips, haws, blackberries and sloes make the ingredients for tasty jams. A myriad of different fungus burst forth, including, unfortunately, the stinkhorn where walkers are advised to hold their breath.
Dew on a cobweb, hoarfrost on the blackthorn. Winter has her more subtle attractions
Rights of Way
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The Heron Trail
Following negotiation with RSPB a pretty much final route for the Heron trail has been marked out. Starting from Forge lane it runs northward across Dalham farm SSSI (the horses field) and into the Nature reserve, it will then runs close to the edge of the wood on the existing pathway until meeting the Saxon Shore way where it will turns left, dip down past the Viewing seat to the gate adjacent to the cherry orchard. At this point the trail will lead out onto the marsh and after crossing the dyke hug the edge of the wood until it emerges at the proposed viewing point.
The viewing point as well as the trail will be well stocked with seating for frequent rests and interpretation signage to explain what you can see and hear. The return journey takes in an entirely new section of woodland rich in wildlife and will emerge into Forge common near the northern corner. A gentle walk diagonally across the common will return you to the start point via White Road
Provision has been made to include a toddler trail much shorter in length and starting from the white road car park. Although RSPB will be funding this project they have agreed to let us help with the design of the signage and positioning etc. If you are interested in walking the proposed route early in July or joining in with helping with footpaths or the common please let me know. George Crozer
Mayor Opens Next Chapter of Public Access to the North Kent Marshes
The Mayor of Medway, undaunted by the blizzards, led the way out to a Marsh Viewpoint yesterday (Friday 4 March, 2005) to officially open the Heron Trail at High Halstow.
The Trail allows the public for the first time to walk right around the RSPB’s Northward Hill reserve to a viewpoint which looks up into the UK’s largest colony of herons and egrets.
“I am so proud to be able to open this Trail,” said the Mayor. “I have so many fond memories of exploring the Marshes as a child when my father worked at the radio testing station here. I used to see the herons then, which were something of a well-kept secret. Now for everyone to have the chance to come and enjoy them and the Marsh landscape is wonderful.”
Despite the appalling weather, over 50 people still turned up for the opening and enjoyed the hospitality of High Halstow Parish Council.
The RSPB’s Regional Director, Chris Corrigan, who travelled up from Brighton for the opening, declared it another milestone in the Marshes’ history. The Northward Hill reserve had been gifted to the RSPB in 1956 but it is only in the last six years that the RSPB have made great strides in acquiring more land on the Marshes such as their Cliffe Pools reserve, and in starting to enhance access.
The Trail is a collaboration between the RSPB, High Halstow Parish Council, and the local community group The Friends of the North Kent Marshes.
“This trail is very much something for local people,” said Chris. “But it is by conservation and communities working together in this way that we can also realise the Marshes’ potential for green tourism. From Gravesend to Whitstable, what we have here is brilliant for wildlife and can be brilliant for people too.” The Mayor herself expressed her amazement at the range of displays, leaflets and literature on show which are now available to promote the Marshes.
A free guide to the Heron Trail is available from the RSPB by ringing 01634 222480 or email northkentmarshes@rspb.org.uk. Alternatively you can view the trail from the following link Heron Trail. A wide range of information about the Marshes is on The Friends of the North Kent Marshes website at www.northkentmarshes.org.uk
Suggested Walk
A particularly pleasant walk exits from the end of Longfield Avenue: RS42 joins the Saxon Shore Way. Turning right in the direction of St Mary Hoo, you will see their Church appear in the distance. A small section of lane leads onto RS24. Here you do not turn left immediately onto RS38 but proceed towards the distant church until you reach the well signposted footpath cross-roads.
Turn left here and shortly you will arrive at an area where the blanched remains of lightning-struck trees bear witness to the elevation. The panoramic views of the Thames from this point are most impressive. RS38 leads you over two stiles and descends between the field fence and some woodland.
After another stile the path proceeds inside the hedge, giving an impression of seclusion. The lane you arrive at leads ultimately to the Thames but you turn left here, back towards the village, passing through the tiny hamlet of Decoy. Shortly after passing the RSPB car park, you turn right onto RS39 and make a fairly steep ascent through the corner of Northward Hill Reserve. Another stile and a diagonal path across the corner of a field will lead you back alongside an elm hedge to the point where you joined RS24 on your journey out. At a comfortable leisurely pace, allow an hour.
According to the appraisal, a massive 42% were willing to assist in maintaining footpaths. Budget provision from next financial year includes the provision of footpath signs to show villagers and visitors alike the way around the various walks.
The Village Project Day started last year has initially concentrated on litter picking on the main roads into High Halstow. The intention is for the number of projects to increase along with the number of volunteers. Footpath maintenance is one of the projects the Parish is hoping to add to the list in order for us all to enjoy. In the meantime we can all do a little to assist with footpath upkeep, the silent majority will be grateful to you. A sweet wrapper picked up here or a bramble cut back there, these tasks will not go unnoticed.
Added March 2011
Wybournes Way Permissive Bridlepath
Medway Council are pleased to announce they have signed a legal agreement to create a permissive bridlepath between Wybournes Farm, High Halstow and New Barn Farm, Spendiff.
The path has been created with the generous agreement of the landowners/farmers, Richard Whitebread and Harold Osenton. So far its been waymarked by volunteers and further signage will be installed next week.
The new permissive bridlepath also provides a link to a footpath (RS/55RS55A) which leads to Cooling, previously this path would’ve been a dead-end for walkers. Please find below two links showing the location and the length which may be useful.
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