Wye Newsletter 98 - March 2025 

  Landing page - full web version

Wye with Hinxhill Parish Council's logo - Wye Crown, River Great Stour and 'Invicta' the white horse of Kent

 

 

 

March 2025

  

  

News in summary

Signs of spring are breaking through the long bleak drear of winter and, though the whole world is going mad around us, village life continues. This newsletter will bring you up to date on several local matters, for example the saga to keep our community warden in Wye, and some long-awaited good news about the restoration of the former Methodist Church as a community centre.

 

We also welcome three new co-opted parish councillors and a new deputy clerk. Looking ahead to July, we expect students to return to Wye, after an absence of sixteen years. 2025 is also a significant anniversary year for The Green, and a cause for celebration.

 

In another clear sign of spring, the Parish Council's seasonal work pattern is changing from spreading salt on pavements, to mowing grass and planting trees. Next the Parish Council needs to prepare for the impact of the biggest local government reorganisation since 1974. 

This newsletter may be easier to read on a desktop, laptop or iPad screen.

Stop press!

Ashford Borough Council has granted planning permission and listed building consent for several necessary improvement works to Wye's former Methodist Church (FMC). With the necessary approvals in place, the FMC Working Group met today, Tuesday 18th March to take the project forward. The Parish Council will consider recommendations on the 7th April.

 

The Wye Revives project aims to restore the FMC for community benefit. Located in the walkable centre of Wye, the FMC will complement the facilities available in Wye Village Hall.  

Wye Court fire is out

Kent Fire and Rescue incident report at 13.00 Saturday 15th March

 

KFRS incident report: 'Firefighting operations have now finished in Wye as crews have managed to bring the incident involving straw bales under control. Residents near Olantigh Road in Wye are no longer being advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

 

We'd like to say a big thank you to those living in the area for their patience and co-operation over the last week while we worked to put out the fire in the quickest and safest way possible.

On Monday firefighters put in place a controlled burn strategy. Over the course of the week a watching brief has been in place, with regular site visits. Crews have worked hard to break up the straw bales and extinguish the flames using main jets and hose reel jets.'

 

Two engines attended the fire at Wye Court Farm when it started on Monday afternoon. This lengthy incident is a reminder that KFRS may need to call on Wye's fire engine to back up the full-time crews based elsewhere. However, the Wye fire engine can only answer a 'shout'* if a full crew of local on-call firefighters are available. Find out more about the flexible role and pay of an on-call firefighter, and how this fits around the crew members' day jobs. 

 

*The fire service has its own jargon and some terms like 'watch', 'line', 'haul aloft', 'chock-a-block' and 'crew' originated as naval terms from the age of sailing ships. However, 'shout' relates back to a time when fire crews would shout to warn people to get out of the way of their galloping horse drawn 'pump' (fire engine). 

Wye's community warden

Wye petitioners gathered together in the Sensory Garden in Little Chequers before handing their 60 page petition with over 900 signatures to Kent County Council.

Image above: on a bitterly cold day petitioners gathered together in the Sensory Garden in Little Chequers, to hand their 60 page petition with over 900 signatures to Kent County Council. Image credit: Steve Bloom 

logo for Kent County Council's Community Wardens.

First, some good news! After months of uncertainty Kent County Council (KCC) now agrees that Wye can keep Richard Sinden as our community warden. His contact number remains the same - 07969 583920. Residents will continue to benefit from his local knowledge and experience.

 

The bad news is that we now only have Richard on Wednesdays, and then only because Wye Parish Council will be paying for his salary - and KCC's overhead costs, which will add some 40% on top. However, as this is only a verbal agreement, it is still subject to contract.

This cost is a consequence of KCC's £81m budget cuts for the coming financial year. For context, cutting the community warden service in Wye and scores of other parishes will 'save' KCC about 1.2% of its target of £81m. Undeterred by this fait accompli, Wye resident Sue Powell took the initiative and collected over 900 signatures to her petition.

 

The petition called on KCC to keep Richard Sinden as Wye’s Community Warden, as he had gained the trust and confidence of residents and built a network of contacts. Although KCC has yet to respond to the petition, its clear and timely message succeeded in reinforcing Wye Parish Council's hand in its negotiations with KCC.

 

Initially, KCC was only prepared to provide Wye with a replacement warden - at full cost. KCC would not consider allowing Richard Sinden to remain in Wye, following its decision to reallocate him to work in the Downs North and Downs Central wards. Eventually, KCC accepted the argument that it was a total waste of all Richard's local knowledge to appoint and train a newcomer to work in Wye. Especially for just one day per week, as the appointee would have to start from scratch and need at least a year to acquire some local knowledge. The Parish Council did not accept KCC's initial approach, as clearly it would have offered very poor value for money for Wye's precept payers.  

Working for us

Police reminder - call 111 when it's less urgent than 999

Image above: 101 is the Police non-emergency number, open 27/7.

 

All calls to 101 go straight through to the same police control room that handles 999 calls. 

What does the job of a community warden entail? Since 2012, Richard Sinden has been problem-solving and helping hundreds of Wye residents in need of care or support. His main aim being to enable people to live independently in their own home for as long as possible, and have a better quality of life. Consequently, over the years Richard's practical interventions must have saved KCC a fortune in residential care costs - a point made by Wye and other parishes. Richard Sinden is also a trained first aider. 

 

In essence, the warden's job is to be on call and help people to manage their needs and problems, consequently the tasks are wide ranging, responsive and unpredictable. 

 

The task list includes advising people with housing problems; crime prevention, e.g. advising vulnerable people how to identify and guard against different scams, and avoid becoming victims of theft; connecting people who are homeless or have mental health or financial issues with appropriate support; leading social health, wellbeing and loneliness initiatives, like the popular Community Lunch and Sensory Garden projects; tackling inconsiderate parking incidents, low-level crime and anti-social behaviour, and liaising with Kent Police and numerous other agencies on behalf of residents. 

Paying our way

Wye has many elderly and vulnerable residents, many of whom live alone, and for over twenty years Wye has benefited from having a community warden based in the village. As other front-line services have closed, gone online or been replaced by chatbots, Richard Sinden has stayed in Wye, where he is a well-known face, and a trusted and well-informed local contact who is here to help people.

 

Five years ago, Wye went into the first Covid-19 lockdown. Richard Sinden responded to the crisis in many ways as the only visible presence around the village. For instance he was on-call 24/7 to collect food and prescriptions for the residents who were shielding; supply PPE; support Lady Joanna Thornhill staff and pupils to manage their variable leaving times safely, and advise people who were beaking lockdown rules.   

 

The recent petition shows the strength of public support for urgent action. In response, the Parish Council budgeted an extra £9,000 next year to retain Richard Sinden in Wye for one day per week, and enable residents to continue to benefit from his local knowledge and experience. Funding this day will add an extra £8.53 per year to the parish precept for a council tax Band D home, (or 16 pence per week). Fortunately, Richard is still contactable by phone on the other four days.

 

As discussed below, a reorganisation process is underway to replace both KCC and Ashford Borough Council with a new unitary local authority. Consequently, the remaining community warden posts across Kent will be vulnerable, as this is a discretionary service. In short, KCC has no statutory duty to provide a warden service, nor will the unitary successor authority. 

 

Although Wye parish residents will be funding Richard Sinden for one day per week during the next financial year, and this will fix the immediate problem, at best this is only an interim arrangement. Fortunately, we have time to plan ahead and find a long term solution. 

Wye's bus service reprieved  

Some more good news! Kent County Council has used some of its £22m central government bus grant funding to support Wye's number 514 bus service. Thankfully, Stagecoach will run the service for another year. Although the service number has changed to 514, the timetable still provides four weekday off-peak services per day, each way, between Wye and Ashford Park Street, via Sainsbury's. Services will not run on bank holidays. Stagecoach renumbered the 14 service as the 514 earlier this month. Stagecoach provides an online journey planner and a network map of connecting bus routes. You can also track your bus in real time .

 

The government capped fares at £3 in January and concessionary bus passes remain valid on the 514 route. The 2021 census showed that about 200 households (17.6%) in Wye have no access to a car. Therefore, it is concerning that Wye's very basic bus service is not commercially viable and relies on a government subsidy. The good news is only a reprieve. 

 

The 2021 census also recorded that some 700 Wye residents are aged 66 and over, and therefore entitled to free bus travel across Kent, London and the rest of England with a free bus pass. Bus operators earn money by claiming the fare for each concessionary bus pass journey from the government. Clearly, if more people - of all ages - decide to catch the number 14 bus sometimes, then Wye's service could become viable. As always for any financially marginal local service - either we use it or lose it.

Looking forward

Guess which ancient and characterful part of Wye will turn 800 this year? 

Wye community picnic in the rain on The Green, 27th June 2009.

Image above: Wye community picnic in the rain, held on The Green, 27th June 2009. 

The Green that we know today is a very civilised public green space. We take our legacy of this peaceful place for granted, but the first record of it emerged at a time of reconstruction after a two-year civil war, and a French invasion.

 

In a nutshell, King John signed, but then ignored, the first Magna Carta in 1215. This soon led to civil war with rebel barons. When John died in 1216, his nine-year-old son Henry III succeeded him, under the protection of William Marshal 'governor of the king and of the kingdom'. At this time the rebel barons much of England including London and Kent, except for the heavily besieged Dover Castle. 

 

The Kent Historic Towns Survey of Wye (2004) summarises the medieval origin of The Green. 'Wye's market place developed immediately south of the parish church at the north end of Church Street where the road widens out into a spindle shape. Its position close to the church is typical of undefended mediaeval towns.'

 

'The first record of a market at Wye is in 1225 when a charter of Henry III allowed the abbot of Battle Abbey to hold a weekly Thursday market and also two annual fairs, to be held on the eve, day and morrow of the feast of St Gregory (11th - 13th March) [now celebrated 3rd September] and on All Souls Day (2nd November). The fairs were held on The Green, an open space east of the market place.'

 

'The Green was the site of the fairs throughout most of the post-medieval period, and remained an open space until the nineteenth century. Unusually, the fairs continued until 1913, although by then they had been transferred from The Green to Horton’s cherry orchard.'

 

Wye Historical Society has photographs to confirm that The Green we know today has not changed its layout since the early 1960s. How we have made use of this open space is within the memory of older residents; however, this will fade away if we do not make a record.  

What does The Green mean to you?  

Medieval origins aside, what does The Green mean to you and to your family? Do you associate it perhaps with some memorable events? For example, as a place to watch HRH the late Queen Mother, and HRH Princess Anne walk in procession from Wye College to the church on Graduation Days? Or is The Green a quiet place where you can eat lunch, enjoy an ice cream, sit and read in the sunshine? Or is it somewhere to meet friends, socialise, walk the dog, climb the mulberry tree, eat mulberries, build a snowman, or play football?

 

Launched in 1999 the Wye Farmers' Market soon established itself as a twice-monthly fixture in the caledar of local events. In an echo of its medieval origins the regular markets soon became a magnet for associated community events in Wye, and an informal meeting place to catch up with local news. For example, pre-Covid, on Farmers' Market days the Parish Council held monthly drop-ins on The Green for several years. 

 

In preparation for the 800th anniversary of Wye's Royal Market Charter, the Parish Council is collecting an anonymous mosaic of short notes about The Green and how this space is used and how it contributes to village life. Please share a brief outline of your memories

Withersdane comes back to life

In July, a small group of Italian students will be attending a two-week summer language school, based at Withersdane Hall. Their draft programme includes a visit to Wye Farmers' Market and a walk around the village on Saturday 19th July. This will be an ideal opportunity for the students to practice their English.

 

If you or your organisation would like to help to make these students aged feel welcome in Wye, and improve their learning experience during their stay, please register your interest

 

The language school will be hiring some of the rooms and facilities at Withersdane Hall in July, as one of several temporary summer schools that it runs annually across the UK, for example at Ridley Hall and Newnham College, Cambridge, and the University of Sussex.

 

Meanwhile, renovation work on the rest of the 17 acre (6.9ha) Withersdane Hall site continues. Building work started in 2019 and is now well advanced and, thanks to Jeff and Nicola Austen, the locally listed gardens are now back to their former glory. Xenophon College London (XCL) aims to launch its residential degree courses in Wye in September 2025.

 

Well screened by mature trees, many of which have tree preservation orders, the Withersdane Hall site is over six times the area of Churchfield Green. 

Parish budget 

the magnificent black walnut tree on Churchfield Green in late winter

Image above: the magnificent Black Walnut tree on Churchfield Green is a 'notable tree' in the Ancient Tree Inventory, but its crown needs rebalancing. This work will help the tree to survive in the long term, by reducing its risk of storm damage and sudden branch failures.

In addition to a new investment of £9,000 to fund a part-time Community Warden in Wye, the Parish Council's budget also anticipates other substantial one-off costs in the year ahead. For example, the budget includes a 300% increase in tree surgery costs to maintain the black walnut on Churchfield Green, and deal with the backlog of routine work needed on other large trees. The budget also takes account of a 60% increase in building insurance costs for the former Methodist Church. 

 

From April 2025, the government will raise the employer’s national insurance contributions (NIC) rate to 15%, and lower the NIC threshold to £5,000. The new lower threshold will affect the cost of the Parish Council's three part-time employees disproportionately. Consequently, the budget allows for a 35% increase in NIC costs compared to last year. This increase is on top of the annual cost-of-living pay rises for staff.

Living Wage Foundation's logo for accredited employers

The Parish Council is an accredited Real Living Wage employer and as such has committed to ensure that both direct and indirect employees e.g. contractors, receive at least the Real Living Wage (£12.60 per hour). 

Consequently, and despite taking several cost-saving measures, Wye’s parish precept next year will need to rise by 14.98%. This will add £22.27 per year for a council tax Band D house, (or 43 pence per week).

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) will collect the parish precept within the council tax bill total. For a council tax Band D house in Wye, the parish precept next year will be £170.90 (or £3.28 pence per week) to fund all the Parish Council's responsibilities. ABC used to pass on some of the government's Council Tax Support Grant. Nor does ABC provide a concurrent functions grant any more to offset the Parish council's costs for street cleaning, grass mowing, managing the public WCs, allotments and playground equipment, and many other tasks. Consequently, 'double taxation' on parishes is engrained in the council tax system.

Unlike ABC and KCC, the Parish Council does not receive any share of the business rates collected in Wye, nor any central government funding. Consequently, the parish precept's share of the total council tax bill will be 7%. Unlike the other 93%, the parish element is the only part of the total that must be spent entirely within Wye and for the benefit of Wye residents. For more details, please download the 2025-2026 budget.   

The Parish Council is very mindful of adding to the cost-of-living pressures on residents, but it has no other significant sources of income. Worse still, and despite the additional houses built in Wye recently, the tax base in Wye has fallen by over 3.5% since 2022. In short, this means that each year, Wye has fewer precept payers to shoulder inflation and other cost increases. ABC does not provide any details of its calculations to explain this fall, but one likely reason is an increase in the number of households which are no longer able to make ends meet.  

From 1st April 2025, ABC will start to charge a 100% premium on council tax for properties registered as a second homes. This is in addition to the existing council tax premiums on unoccupied and unfurnished dwellings, but there are some exceptions to this charge.  

Welcome

Welcome to Wye Parish Council’s three newly co-opted parish councillors - Amanda Bryan, Kevin Flemen and Claire Ford. They bring additional experience and skills to the table and, for the first time in many years, the Council has no vacant seats. Welcome also to Hannah Adams as the new Deputy Clerk and Burial Clerk. Hannah took over both of these roles from Mary Lacey on her retirement at Christmas. Please see the Wye Parish Magazine to read a detailed personal statement from each new councillor.

Communities can do so much more than organise a street party!

The three new councillors’ terms of office will end in May 2027, when the whole Council will dissolve, and all nine seats will be up for election. Although Wye now has no vacant seats, there are still opportunities to join a working group or take on a voluntary warden role.

 

The new councillors have arrived at a critical time. They are especially welcome, given the extra challenges and opportunities that local government reorganisation across Kent is likely to generate soon.

Former Methodist Church 

Last October, the Parish Council applied to Ashford Borough Council (ABC) for planning permission and listed building consent for a range of works to bring the Victorian building up to date and fit for purpose as a community centre. However, as is to be expected with a listed building in the conservation area, ABC has attached several conditions which require more detailed information and the further approval of these details before certain works can start. 

 

The long-awaited permissions for the former Methodist Church (FMC) arrived late on Friday 14th March. The list of essential works includes a new level access door and gateway to provide disabled access, to make the building compliant with the Equality Act and Fire Regulations; replacements for the rusting modern steel roof over the vestry and failed modern uPVC windows in the adjacent hall; the installation of a second lightning conductor, photovoltaic panels and EV charging points for energy efficiency; the removal of the raised altar and lectern to create more space, and the removal of modern walls and the replacement of the modern staircase and layout to improve the internal circulation space in the atrium and flexibility. 

 

While the Parish Council was waiting for ABC's decision, it has been working through the maintenance jobs that do not need permission. For example, repairing the slate roof and upgrading the gas supply. The boiler is now able to provide background heating and keep the fabric aired. Specialist contractors have also removed all the asbestos that they can access, and electricians have just completed some essential safety work. 

 

The FMC is a Grade II listed building. Consequently, any works that alter or affect the fabric, or character or appearance of a listed building are subject to control and carrying out unauthorised works to a listed building is a criminal offence. Therefore, the Parish Council cannot proceed without having the necessary lawful permissions in place first.

 

The FMC Working Group met today, Tuesday 18th March to take the project forward. The Parish Council will consider the Working Group's recommendations at its 7th April meeting.

 

Securing funding for these works will be the next challenge. Grant making bodies require full planning permission in place before they will even consider a grant application.  

Devolution is coming... 

The coat of arms of Ashford Borough Council

Image above: the arms of Ashford Borough Council.

 

When will ABC be abolished?

What will replace ABC and KCC?

Where will it be located?

Who will decide the boundaries?

How will it operate?

Why is this reorganisation necessary, and what are the costs and benefits?

 

Many questions, but as yet not many answers.

Just before Christmas last year, the government published its English Devolution White Paper. This outlined the government's policy to devolve decision making powers and budgets from central government to new, directly elected mayors and new mayoral strategic authorities. This policy covers all the remaining shire counties. Devolution is coming, but as yet there is no clear timetable for Kent and Medway.

 

Underpinning devolution however, the government is also rolling out its parallel and far-reaching local government reorganisation (LGR) programme. In Kent, this will result in the abolition of Kent County Council, Medway Council and all twelve district authorities, including Ashford Borough Council.

 

The way forward is not clear, and there are many complex political and economic issues to resolve. However, the fourteen current authorities that cover Kent and Medway are considering their options, and how to replace themselves with perhaps three or four new unitary authorities.

 

The government expects that each new unitary should have a population of about 500,000. At present, Kent has a population of about 1.61m people, which is growing at a rate of 1% per year. Whereas Medway has a population of 286,800, which is growing at 1.5% per year. For comparison, the growth rate across the South-East region is also 1%.

 

The new unitary boundaries need not align with existing district boundaries. However, reorganisation is a real challenge in Kent, given its dispersed rural population, its many small and scattered villages and minor rural roads, and its relatively small and constrained urban centres, several of which are coastal and lack hinterland and infrastructure.  

A map of Kent and its two-tier district boundaries (red) and Kent County Council and Medway Council unitary boundaries (purple) and urban and rural population centres. Wye is marked with a red circle.

Image above: Kent local authorities. district boundaries (red) and Kent County Council and Medway Council unitary boundaries (purple) and urban and rural population centres (black). Wye is marked with a red circle; will it be put in south, east, mid or north Kent? 

KCC, Medway Council and all twelve district councils in Kent have a deadline of 21st March 2025 to produce an interim proposal to merge themselves into a small number of single tier unitary authorities. The Municipal Journal reports that the government expects the interim proposal due on Friday to be 'light touch' and 'high level' ahead of the full response due 28th November 2025. Consultations cannot start until after the KCC elections 1st May 2025.

 

Going forward, local government reorganisation will unfold during 2025. ABC will consider the draft version of the Kent Interim Plan for Local Government Reorganisation on Thursday 20th March. Appendix B (pages 20 to 64) provides helpful maps of the options and other detailed analysis to inform the discussion. The government will publish updates online and KCC, Ashford Borough Council and other districts have devolution pages on their own websites. For further reading, the House of Commons Library has published a helpful insight paper titled 'Is my council going to be abolished?'

Wye looks ahead

The English Devolution White Paper does not propose any changes to the structure or boundaries of existing town and parish councils (TPCs). However, Wye and other TPCs are now bracing for impact, and preparing for both the inevitable service disruptions and any potential opportunities that may arise during the local government reorganisation process. 

 

The draft Kent Interim Plan for Local Government Reorganisation (page 28) states that KCC, Medway and the twelve district councils 'are exploring ways in which we can devolve greater powers, funding and responsibilities to Parish and Town Councils.'  

Public right of way reopens

Kent County Council (KCC) closed a well-used section of the North Downs Way (AE109), between Little Olantigh Road (near Sidelands) and the junction with Marriage Lane. This closure enabled KCC contractors to install a hard surface to the path through The Junipers, the woodland section of the public right of way (PROW), path code AE109.

 

The temporary path closure order applied for up to six months, but KCC reopened the path ahead of schedule. This section of the North Downs Way is a designated bridleway, it is also part of the popular Wye Downs circular walk. At the same time KCC also changed the appearance of AE100A, the foot path from Marriage Lane to The Crown, by replacing the flight of steps and earth path with a similar hard surface. 

 

KCC elections 

As the government has decided that there will be no mayoral elections in Kent in 2026, the local election for all eighty-one Kent County Council (KCC) seats will go ahead as originally scheduled, on Thursday 1st May 2025. 

 

KCC will publish the names and political parties of all candidates in the Statement of Persons Nominated on Thursday 3rd April. Wye is in the Ashford Rural East division. 

 

Are you registered to vote?

 

To be eligible to vote in the KCC elections 1st May 2025 the registration deadline is midnight on Friday 11th April.  

 

If you have you moved home, or changed your name, please contact electoral services at Ashford Borough Council, via the Electoral Commission portal to register to vote, or to apply for a postal or proxy vote. You can also check if you are already registered to vote. 

 

Electoral Commission banner 'register to vote by 11th April 2025'

Annual Parish Meeting

The Annual Parish Meeting for Wye will take place on Saturday 17th May 2025, in the Small Village Hall, 19:00 - 20:30. Please put the date in your diary and look out for the agenda.

 

This event will be an opportunity for the electors of the parish of Wye with Hinxhill to catch up with reports on the past year, raise any local issues and put questions directly to elected representatives from KCC, ABC and Wye Parish Council. The agenda will include the annual awards presentations, and reports on the former Methodist Church, Wye Neighbourhood Plan Review and other projects. There is no shortage of hot topics to discuss this year!

 

The date is later than previously advertised to avoid the pre-election period before the KCC elections, to prevent any political parties from gaining an unfair advantage. 

Next Wye PC meeting 

Wye Parish Council will meet in the Reece Pavilion on Monday 7th April, starting at 18.45. When published the agenda will include a public open session near the start of the meeting, and the monthly update on the Wye Neighbourhood Plan review. You can download a copy of the next agenda and the minutes of previous meetings from the Parish Council's website. Wye Library holds paper copies of approved minutes.

Going underground

The three-phase overhead power lines along Olantigh Road, and across Olantigh Park Wye. This is UK Power Networks' next undergrounding project.

Image above: Overhead power lines

beside Olantigh Road, Wye. 

 

The Olantigh undergrounding project is the only one in the Kent Downs National Landscape for over eight years. 

 

For more information, please see the Kent Downs National Landscape Unit's undergrounding project page.

UK Power Networks (UKPN) will start work shortly on the removal of over 1,500m of 11kV overhead line along Olantigh Road. This line also bisects the 264 acre Grade II Olantigh Park, listed for its historic interest. UKPN will replace the overhead line and poles with an underground cable.

 

This work is part of a nationally funded scheme to remove the most visually intrusive overhead lines from protected landscapes, such as the Kent Downs National Landscape, and National Parks.

 

The Kent Downs National Landscape Unit

selected Olantigh based on national criteria. These include each overhead line's impact on landscape character and visual amenity, and the potential to improve the setting of heritage assets, and secure biodiversity benefits.

 

Completed decluttering projects have already improved some of the Kent Downs' most visited landscapes. For example, Igtham Mote and Little Scotney (National Trust), Hucking Estate (Woodland Trust), Ranscombe Farm Reserve (Plantlife), Belmont House, Kenfield Hall and St. Margarets at Cliffe

Road closure notice: 

Olantigh Road  

UK Power Networks has a KCC permit to close part of Olantigh Road to traffic. The Traffic Order starts north of the junction with Occupation Road and applies from Monday 7th April, until the estimated completion of works by Friday 9th May. Olantigh Road will remain open for pedestrian access during the works.

 

Please see the one.network live feed for further updates, and for other notices of planned and emergency road closures and roadworks across Kent. See National Highways for the current status of Operation Brock.

And finally...

Ten volunteer litter pickers pause for a photo standing on a bridge, upstream of Wye, April 2021.

Image above: ten volunteer litter pickers pause upstream of Wye, April 2021 

Many hands make light work. The Our Stour project needs volunteers to litter pick the riverbanks upstream of Wye, on Tuesday next week. Can you help?

 

Plastic bottles make up most of the visible litter and removing this also reduces microplastic pollution in the river and sea. Plastic pollution harms river and marine life in many ways, including entanglement, ingestion, smothering and chemical leaching.

 

Volunteers led by Our Stour have removed over 500 bags of rubbish over the past two years. Litter picking the riverbanks is best done in early spring, when the water level is low, and before the vegetation starts to grow.

Volunteers needed please!

Date: Tuesday 18th March 2025

Time: 10:00 to 14:30 

 

Meeting Location: Wye Village Hall car park, Bridge Street, Wye, Ashford TN25 5EA.

Equipment: Please wear sturdy shoes, (wheelbarrows and everything else provided).

Public Toilets: beside the Co-op, Churchfield Way, TN25 5BP.

If you want to stay all day, please bring lunch and we’ll walk to the public toilets for handwashing before eating. If you want to come for just the morning, please let me know if you are leaving. We’ll meet in the carpark then walk together into the fields using the path headed south from the carpark. Ashford Borough Council will collect black sacks from next to the public litter bins in the carpark of Wye Village Hall.

 

Contact: Milla Timms Our Stour Officer, Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership

Crime Stoppers' logo

Report crime anonymously, anytime on Crimestoppers freephone number 0800 555 111.

Action Fraud Alert logo Action Fraud Alert is provided by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau which is run by the City of London Police as a national service.

Register with Action Fraud Alert to receive verified, accurate information about scams and fraud in your area. 

If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime, contact your bank immediately by calling 159, and either report it by calling Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online to www.actionfraud.police.uk

 

Action Fraud Alert is a free subscription service provided by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which is run by the City of London Police as the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, on behalf of all UK police forces.

Please confirm your Wye e-newsletter subscription: just click here to opt-in. 

Thank you for reading this newsletter

Do you have any comments or suggestions about how the Parish Council can improve this newsletter and its format? Would you like to contribute an article for a future edition, or local photographs, a crossword, or even a cartoon or two. 

 

Please help to spread the word... economically. Just forward the covering email to your friends and neighbours, and suggest that they join the Parish Council's mailing list

Contact us

 

Wye Parish Clerk 

 

Parish Council Office
Former Methodist Church

Bridge Street 

Wye, Ashford, Kent 

TN25 5DP

T: 01233 812458

 

E: clerk@wyeparishcouncil.gov.uk

Civility and Respect Pledge
Living Wage Foundation logo for accredited employers
Twitter link to @wyeparishFacebook link to @wyeparishcouncil

Data Protection Act 2018 | General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

 

Wye with Hinxhill Parish Council is registered with the Information Commissioner.
The Parish Council protects your details, and will not sell or share them with any third party. The Privacy and Data Protection Policies are available online here.

 

DPA Registration Number: Z3458715

 

You have received this e-newsletter because you have given your consent to the Parish Council to contact you by email, and provided your email address, or you have taken part in the Wye Neighbourhood Plan process, either as a patchworker, or workshop member, or have been involved in either the Our Place Wye programme, Wye Flood Group, Wye Highway Improvement Plan, the WYE3 Masterplan process

or the Wye Neighbourhood Plan Review.

You can withdraw your consent at any time. Please click if you wish to

unsubscribe  from the Parish Council's newsletter mailing list.

or, if you need to update your contact name, email address, or postcode

please click here to inform the Parish Clerk.

© Wye with Hinxhill Parish Council 2025