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21 December 2006
Prospect
Lodge planning application goes to appeal
Recently a planning
application to demolish Prospect Lodge in Gorse Way (picture)
and replace it with 7 flats was refused by Sevenoaks District Council.
The owner has now appealed to the Planning Inspectorate under
reference APP/G2245/A/06/2032584. If anyone wants to
make representations they need to write to the Planning Inspectorate,
Room 3/15, Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay,
Bristol BS1 6PN by 30 January 2007. You can follow the case,
view documents and make comments online at the Planning
Portal website.
Nativity Plays
(Dartford
Messenger, p14-15) Pictures of Nativity plays at New Ash Green and
Langafel Primary Schools.
Sue seeks history of the
Green Man
(Dartford Messenger, p13) Appeal for information
by new landlady of the Longfield Hill pub.
14 December 2006
Do
you know this man?
(Dartford Times p17) Photofit of man wanted
in connection with attack on 47 year old man at Centre Road, New
Ash Green. (see also Dartford Messenger, p3 "E-fit
appeal")
Nativity Play
(Dartford
Messenger, p17) Pictures of play at Langafel CE Primary School.
9 December 2006
Annual
report of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 2005/6
(FHC) The
trust, which runs the Darent Valley Hospital, made a £4.4
million pound loss last year on a turnover of around £100
million. However service has improved. Last year there
were nearly 100 people who had to wait over 13 weeks for an outpatient
appointment, this year it was none. Likewise no-one had to
wait more than 6 months for an operation, although the total numbers
on the waiting list has increased over the previous year. About
0.7% of operations are cancelled at short notice, within the national
1% target.
The trust covers the 234,000
people Dartford, Gravesend and the northern part of the Sevenoaks
district. In 2005/6 they employed 1,729 staff divided into
215 medical, 616 nursing, 313 assistants and support, 239 theraputic
and technical, 13 ambulance and 333 administrative.
7 December 2006
Past
Times
(Dartford Messenger, p12) Picture feature of Fawkham
Primary School's Victorian wash day.
Road relief for villagers
(Dartford
Messenger, p19) Widening of Whitehill Road to 8m has been completed
ahead of schedule at a cost of £100,000. Longfield Parish
Council donated the land.
Bankruptcy notice
(Dartford
Times, p70) Bankruptcy orders published in respect of businessman
of Farm Holt, New Ash Green; and kitchen assistant of Main Road,
Longfield.
Treat yourself
(Dartford
Messenger, p15) Picture of St Mary Magdalene Christmas Fair in Longfield.
30 November 2006
Crossing
should be free
(Dartford Messenger, p7) Article lists the
top Dart Tag regular users of the Dartford Tunnel: (by postcode
area) Maidstone (14,901), Romford (13,965), North Kent (12,970),
Chelmsford (11,122), Southend (10,333), Tonbridge (8,325), Ipswich
(5,738), Colchester (3,897) and Canterbury (3,612). There
are 552 Dart Tag users in the DA3 postcode area that includes Hartley,
Longfield and New Ash Green.
Irish stew?
(Dartford
Messenger, p2) Picture of PCSO Tony Quilter trying new menu at Langafel
Primary School.
23 November 2006
Children
in need day
(Dartford Messenger, p20) Pictures of events
at Axton Chase School and Hartley Primary School.
16 November 2006
Cllr
James Gaywood
(Dartford Times, p69) Official notice and report
of the Standards Hearing (see 2 November)
9 November 2006
Vice-chairman
is scolded after official probe
(Sevenoaks Chronicle, p8)
Full report of the Standards Hearing, which found Hartley councillor
James Gaywood had breached the code of conduct by not declaring
a personal interest in a planning application near his house. He
was accused of changing his story according to the circumstances
by the hearing chairman, a charge he denied. He told the paper
he had considered resigning but decided to draw a line under the
matter.
All above board at the
council
(Sevenoaks Chronicle, p16) Chairman of standards
committee denies any cover up by the council to save councillors
from embarrassment (see 2 November)
Man
admits molesting girls
(Dartford Messenger, p3) Longfield
man admits charges of sexual assault on five young girls.
2 November 2006
Vice-chairman
breached code, says official report
(Sevenoaks Chronicle,
p2 and 16) Sevenoaks Council vice-chairman and Hartley councillor,
Cllr James Gaywood, found "to have failed to have failed to
declare an interest in a planning application that could have affected
his own house just a few doors away". The investigating
officer dismissed other more serious charges, but found he had failed
to declare a personal interest when he should have done, and had
thus breached the council's code of conduct. The paper in
an editorial was concerned that the council refused to let them
see a copy of the report saying "it does not have the right
to use its power to protect elected councillors from embarrassment;
such actions make a mockery of local government".
Wheels of fortune: Cyclists
Support worthy cause
Riders aid sick kids
(Dartford Messenger, p 20;
Dartford Times, p24) Seven cyclists
from Hartley Social Club raise £2,350 for Darent Valley Lollipop
appeal. A 76 year old member added £150 from a sponsored
knit (picture). See also "Riders Aid Sick Kids"
(Dartford Times, p24)
Club watch - Ash Green Scouts
(Dartford Messenger,
p 23) Profile of organisation and picture.
Kent Road, Longfield - new parking regulations
(Dartford
Times, p 68) Amended parking restrictions to apply in Kent Road
under KCC (Various Roads, Dartford) (Prohibition and restriction
of waiting and loading) Order 2006.
26 October 2006
Sevenoaks
Open Spaces to be disposed?
(Sevenoaks Council cabinet agenda
& minutes) The council has decided it wants to save money on
maintenance of open spaces in estates, otherwise transferred to
the West Kent Housing Association. Where the land has "no
other reasonable use" it will be offered to the parish council
free of charge. However where it has development value it
will be sold at market value, one such site identified is at Small
Grains in Fawkham, even though it is apparently green belt land.
Hoselands Green in Hartley is another site owned by the council,
but there is no information which category it falls in.
Torched
car
(Dartford Times, p7) Thieves dump car on someone else's
drive at Hawthorns, and then set fire to it. Fire crews from
Dartford attend.
Post
office: shadow minister calls in to give stamp of approval to campaign
(Dartford
Messenger, p5) Visit of Alan Duncan to Longfield Hill Post Office,
after 4 million petition was handed to government to stop post office
closures. Article mentions the Longfield Hill office is not
threatened with closure (picture)
19 October 2006
Healthy
Eating: Let's all go down to school, have a banana
(Dartford
Messenger, p19) Healthy eating programme at Axton Chase School includes
frozen bananas instead of ice cream (picture)
16 October 2006
Dartford
Postcode area worst in south east for identity theft
(Callcredit
Press Release) Research by the credit reference agency found
the DA postcode had 3.06 incidents of ID theft per 1,000 population
in the period May 2005 - May 2006. This was the highest of
all the south-east postcodes and puts DA 12th out of 121 nationally.
Overall the South East average was 1.45 per thousand. Their
research found thieves are "most likely to target people living in relatively
affluent neighbourhoods who
typically have a higher than average number of financial products including
credit facilities."
Gareth
Johnson reselected as Parliamentary Spokesman for Dartford Conservatives
(Dartford
Conservative Association Press Release) Local Conservatives have
reselected Gareth Johnson as their prospective parliamentary candidate. He
is married and a father of two who now lives in Hartley; he contested
the Dartford seat for the Conservatives the 2005 general election,
reducing the Labour majority to 706 votes.
12 October 2006
Coffee
morning success
(Dartford Messenger, p18) Macmillan's largest
coffee morning raises £3.8 million nationally. Picture
of event at Langafel school
9 October 2006
Major Online
Mapping Project Shows "Iron Chain" Between Smoking and
Deprivation
(Action on Smoking and Health
Website) Report conducted by ASH and Cancer Research UK finds
correlation between deprivation and high levels of smoking. Locally
the number of smokers for each ward are set out below. Hartley
and Hodsoll Street are in the top 10% in the whole country for the
numbers of non-smokers. Within Kent only 14 out of 282 council
wards have more non-smokers.
|
Ward
|
M (%)
|
F (%)
|
Total(%)
|
Rank (out of 7932)
|
|
Hartley & Hodsoll Street
|
19
|
18
|
18
|
790
|
|
Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet
|
19
|
18
|
19
|
939
|
|
Fawkham & W Kingsdown
|
23
|
22
|
22
|
2,494
|
|
Ash
|
26
|
25
|
26
|
3,962
|
|
National average
|
28
|
26
|
27
|
|
The director of ASH said "We hope that local Councils, NHS Primary Care Trusts, MPs and decision makers
will use these maps as part of their work on tobacco control. This project shows
once again why smoking must be top of the list of concerns for everyone who
cares about tackling poverty and social exclusion."
5 October 2006
Father
thrown across room by lightning strike
(Dartford Messenger,
p3) Lightning strikes in Culcroft and Brambledown on Sunday. Interviews
with residents with pictures.
28 September 2006
Hero
relives dog attack hell after tot dies
(Dartford Times, p4)
Interview with Porchester Close man who saved child from being attacked
by dogs. See also 31 August 2006
Green Man, Longfield Hill - Application to vary premises licence
(Dartford
Times, p 37) Internal alterations proposed.
Jump to it: 'chute stunt for school
(Dartford Messenger,
p13) Picture of teacher planning to jump to raise money for Milestone
School.
Good try: new kit for rugby team
(Dartford
Messenger, p19) Picture of NAG junior rugby club in new kit, sponsored
by Barclays Bank.
1 October 2006
New
deacons ordained in September
(Rochester Link, p1) Picture
of Rev Elizabeth Robertson of Fawkham and Hartley Parish, ordained
on 9 September.
21 September 2006
Offer
to kill rabbits is declined
(Dartford Messenger, p9) Longfield
Parish Council turn down offer to shoot rabbits at allotments in
Whitehill Road.
14 September 2006
Court
must decide who killed Lucie
(Dartford Times, p8) Letter
from New Ash Green resident, who is against the idea of 'blood money'
being paid by defendant in Lucie Blackman trial in Japan.
In bankruptcy
(Dartford
Times, p36) Bankruptcy order against resident of West Shaw, Longfield.
7 September 2006
Teenager
to put fun back into kids' lives
(Dartford Messenger, p9)
18 year old man from Knightscroft, New Ash Green, who is a member
of the North Kent Community Church is going to work with the poor
in South Africa for 6 months. Article mentions pastor and
church.
Mail's performance 'well
above average'
(Dartford Messenger, p4) 95.4% of first class
post in the DA post area delivered on time.
Big cat fever hits village
(Dartford
Times, p8) Letter from Longfield resident says the recent story
had her "glancing away from Emmerdale and out of the living
room window for the first time in ages".
Riding high for mane attraction
(Dartford
Messenger, p14) Photo feature on party for four horse loving friends
at Speedgate Farm, Fawkham. They all celebrated milestone
birthdays (60, 50, 40, and 30) this year.
31 August 2006
Savaged
- Tearful mum reveals how surgeons battled to save tot's arm after
vicious dog attack
(Dartford Times, p1) Report on dog attack
in Porchester Close. Interview with mother and neighbours
(see also Dartford Messenger, 24 August 2006, BBC News Report 25
August 2006)
Appeal for store carjackers
(Dartford
Times, p2) 60 year old lady pulled from her car by thieves on 15
August in Waitrose car park, Longfield, suffering cuts and bruises.
Police request
for help - see Kent
Police Website
for descriptions of thieves.
Man injured
(Dartford
Messenger, p10) Accident between car and pedestrian on Main Road,
Longfield, on 21 August.
Let the celebrations begin!
(Dartford
Messenger, p14) Axton Chase school gets 100% pass rate at grades
A-G at GCSE, with 46% getting 5 or more A-C grades. Picture
of four pupils with their results.
24 August 2006
Hero
saves boy, 5, from dog attack
(Dartford Messenger, p1) Man
saves neighbour's child from attack by pit bull cross in Porchester
Close.
Dodge death and move
(Dartford Messenger,
p9) Figures from the Office of National Statistics say the life
expectancy in Longfield and New Barn is 79.1, making it 6th highest
out of Dartford's 21 wards.
First choice
(Dartford Messenger, p11)
Axton Chase school records 93.9% pass rate at A level and 30% going
onto higher education.
Is this the beast of Main Road?
(Dartford
Times, p6) Residents of Main Road, Longfield spot what they believe
may be a black panther. Kent Big Cat Research Centre is investigating.
Pictures of animal and local residents.
17 August 2006
Hospital
repair claims slammed
(Dartford Times, p3) Following Channel
4 "Dispatches" programme, Carillion deny they charge £420
to fit a light switch at Darent Valley Hospital, saying they quote
a price and the Hosptial Trust either agrees to it or they don't.
New chapter joy
(Dartford Times, p5)
Following £95,000 refurbishment of New Ash Green Library,
visitor numbers are up 38% and lending by 65%, reversing 3 year
decline (picture).
Club cash grant
(Dartford Times, p5)
HAWK Youth scheme gets grant from Kent
County Council of £18,000 for base. Money is for
an 8-12 year old club in Hartley, New Ash Green and West Kingsdown.
Rain stops play
(Dartford Times, p13)
Longfield Summer Festival cancelled because of heavy rain.
Property
Market
(Dartford Messenger, Property 31) 4 bed house in Gorsewood
Road on market with Sealeys for £415,000.
10 August 2006
On
the spot £80 fines for litter louts
(Dartford Times,
p15) Sevenoaks Council have taken powers to be able to fine people
for littering, fly-posting, grafiti, noise nuisance and not keeping
dogs under control.
House prices to soar once station opens
(Dartford
Messenger, p11) Estate agents forecast big rise in property prices
for north Kent when Ebbsfleet Station opens in 2007.
Summer summary of fun and games
(Dartford
Messenger, p19) Pictures of children's drumming and percussion workshop
in New Ash Green.
3 August 2006
Cricket
Success
(Dartford Messenger, p 21) Former Hartley resident
plays first match for Wiltshire in Minor Counties Championship.
Extra Classrooms
(Dartford Messenger,
p 6) Milestone School in Ash Road, Hartley, has applied for additional
classrooms and play area.
Property
(Dartford Messenger, Prop 11)
Your Move has 4 bed detached house in Parkfield for sale at £495,000
Heartbreak for missing girl's family
(Dartford
Times, p 1-2) New Ash Green family of Louise Kerton, who has been
missing for 5 years in Germany, speak to the paper about how they
cope, and about the new police investigation. Kent Police
request anyone with information to get in touch with them.
22 July 2006
Latest
news from Mid Kent Water
(Mid
Kent Water Website) There is no change in the current hosepipe
ban, although the company still have not invoked their powers under
the drought order they obtained. Statistics from boreholes
show water levels in the chalk are still very low, and a new rainfall
map of the county helps to explain why. The North Downs
area west of the Medway is the driest in the county, with only 70%
of the average rainfall last winter, compared with 79-89% for other
areas.
13 July
2006
Peer today,
friend tomorrow
(Dartford Messenger, p13) Twelve year 9 pupils
(pictured) at Axton Chase school complete peer mentoring course.
Hi hoe silver
(Dartford
Messenger, p3) RW Emby Design of New Ash Green wins bronze medal
at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
In remembrance
(Dartford
Messenger, p21) Chairman of Hartley Parish Council lays wreath to
commemorate 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
6 July
2006
Property Market
(Dartford
Times, Property 1 & 3) Featured property is 5/6 bedroom house
in Manor Drive, on the market with Bairstow Eves for £825,000.
22 June
2006
All that jazz:
Summer concert entertains the crowds
(Dartford Messenger,
p2) Feature on jazz concert at Manor Field for Arthritis Research
Campaign (picture).
15 June 2006
Lightning
strikes and floods
(Dartford Messenger, p14) Flooding in
the area following storms on Tuesday, including Station Road, Longfield.
Scrutiny of school grounds
(Dartford
Messenger, p17) Judges from School Grounds in Bloom to visit Hartley
Primary School.
Enthusiastic crowds enjoy
school event
(Dartford Messenger, p19) Pictures from Hartley
RC Church fete.
1 June 2006
Fun
of the fair
(Dartford Messenger, p21) Picture feature on
the New Ash Green Primary School May Fair.
Well done
(Dartford
Messenger, p20) Member of Hartley Art Group has had pictures accepted
for exhibition by Royal Society of Miniature Painters.
29 May 2006
Google
Trends Launched
(weblink
to Google) This is a new service from the search engine Google
which tells you which towns search for a particular term the most.
This is done by the online identity of the computer (the IP
address number), which Google can use to estimate where the computer
is (it's not an exact science). A trends search finds the
top 10 towns searching for that term and then ranks them as a percentage
of all searches. This tends to favour the larger towns. This
means that Dartford only appears to get mentioned for more local
searches, thus Dartford comes out at number 1 for searches like
Bluewater, Brands Hatch and Erith, and 4th for South Eastern Trains
for example. It also allows comparison between different search
terms, this shows the volume of searches for Dartford to be considerably
higher than for Gravesend, but equal to Sevenoaks and much less
than Bromley.
25 May 2006
Mid
Kent Water granted drought order
(Press
release) DEFRA has granted Mid Kent Water a drought order which
allows them to ban many other uses of water. However at present
the company has delayed implementation, so all that is in force
still is last August's hosepipe ban.
If implemented things like
car washing, filling private swimming pools and ornamental (ie non-fish/wildlife)
ponds and the running of ornamental fountains will be banned.
Home Plan
(Dartford
Messenger, p9, 15) Dartford Council grant outline planning permission
for new school building and 150 houses at Axton Chase School, Longfield.
A further article said the local PCSOs had solved the parking
problem outside the Main Road entrance
The Question of a unitary
authority
(Dartford Messenger, p8) The writer from Eynsford
points out that the area from Eynsford to New Ash Green looks to
Bromley, Dartford or Gravesend for services. Perhaps they
say, Swanley and the "northern parishes" of Sevenoaks
should be a unitary authority on its own.
Top safety awards for firms
(Dartford
Times, p9) Bovis Homes of New Ash Green wins RoSPA safety award.
Casinos will bring us all
misery
(Dartford Messenger, p8) Writer from St Mary's Way,
Longfield objects to application for large casinos.
24 May 2006
Court
case decision may help Hartley Wood Village Green Claim
(Open
Spaces Society Press Release) The Law Lords decision in the
Trap Grounds case means that landowners cannot defeat a claim just
by fencing the land after an application has been made. However
the application may still be rejected on other grounds.
In
depth article
22 May 2006
Sevenoaks
well above average for greenhouse gas emissions
(British
Gas survey) Survey finds that Sevenoaks district is the 55th
(out of 386 boroughs) highest for greenhouse gas emissions. Each
household in the district produces an average 6,463 kg of carbon
dioxide annually. The average for Britain is much lower at
5,595 kg pa. By contrast neighbouring Dartford (236th - 5,430kg)
and Gravesham (244th - 5,406kg) are below the national average.
The figures were obtained
by taking the Department of Trade and Industry's 2003
figures (500kb Excel file) for energy consumption by district
and dividing by the number of households.
Emissions from domestic properties
account for a quarter of the national total, so they have an important
role in meeting the national target of a 20% cut by 2010.
18 May 2006
Clean
sweep for roads
(Dartford Times, p3) Figures published by
the GMB union found that Sevenoaks District is one of only 3 in
the country with no dirty roads.
4 May 2006
Girl
priased for 'tireless charity work'
(Dartford Times, p6)
11 year old cancer sufferer from Meopham (pictured) wins Dartford
Civic Award for raising hundreds of pounds for Darent Valley Hospital's
Lollipop Appeal, including £200 from a jar at the Longfield
Fish Bar.
Bankruptcy
(Dartford
Times, p35) Unemployed man from St Mary's Way Longfield made bankrupt.
27 April 2006
Caring
for baby Widget
(Dartford Messenger, p3) Picture Widget the
lamb at Hartley Bottom Farm.
Little acorns take on oak
(Dartford
Messenger, p3) Hartley Parish Council objects to Southwark Council
attempting to erect fences on their land in Hartley Wood, after
HPC applies to make it a village green.
In the hot seat
(Dartford
Messenger, p20) Picture of Cllr Malcolm Harris talking to resident
at member's surgery.
20 April 2006
Goods
Vehicle Operator's Licence Application
(Dartford Times, p28)
K L Express Logistics Ltd of Chapel Wood Enterprises, Ash Road applies
for operating licence for 3 goods vehicles and 3 trailers. Also
application in relation to Crossways Business Park, Dartford.
Open Day
(Dartford
Messenger, p20) 135 attend Parish Plan open day.
James Gaywood
(Dartford
Messenger, p20) Is elected vice-chairman of Sevenoaks Council.
13 April 2006
A
gift to last generations?
(Dartford Times, p8) Hartley resident
writes to strongly support green issues - "People must remember
we are custodians of our natural surroundings. We don't own
them and we don't have the right to do as we please with them."
Farms spring into action
(Dartford
Times, p16) Pictures of new born lambs at Hartley Bottom Farm. Shop
and pony sanctuary mentioned.
Teen's concerted effort
for sick kids
(Dartford Times, p17) Wellfield teenager and
friends (pictured) to stage charity concert in Dartford to raise
money for Darent Valley Hospital Lollipop Appeal to create a children's
high dependency unit there.
Howay the lads: students
show chants can be a fine thing
(Dartford Messenger, p4)
Axton Chase pupils (pictured) take part in recording football chants
for world cup song by Ricky.
10 April 2006
Surprise
snow
| 
Rectory
Meadow
|
A
couple of inches of snow fell in the previous evening,
well after the start of spring! However snow this
late in the year is not unheard of, snow fell in London
on the 2nd June in 1975, and more heavily on 27th May
1821 - see link.
|
Mid Kent Water apply for drought
order
(Press
release) Mid Kent and Southern water are applying to government
department DEFRA for further restrictions on water use which will
include restrictions on washing cars and windows, filling swimming
or paddling pools, or watering greens and allotments. A public
enquiry is to be held today in Maidstone.
6 April 2006
Man
denies threatening pub bouncers
(Dartford Times, p 9) Man
from Westshaw in Longfield sent for trial by Dartford magistrates,
accused of threatening bouncer of the Litten Tree in Dartford with
a baseball bat.
'Shake up won't harm policing'
(Dartford
Times, p22) Police claim area reorganisation to fewer areas, which
involves moving Hartley and New Ash Green into the Tonbridge area,
will allow them to deal with major incidents, but keep local focus.
Sponsored walk to take
in churches
(Dartford Messenger, p11) Christian Aid sponsored
walk to take place on May 13th to take in Longfield, Fawkham, Ash
and Hartley churches.
30 March 2006
Sisters
are 'shoeing' it for themselves
(Dartford Times, p19) Follow
up story about Puss in Boots shoe business from Farm Holt, New Ash
Green, and its recovery following a robbery last November
(pictured).
Cameras switch on for safety
(Dartford
Times, p23) Speed cameras will be in Ash Road next week.
27 March 2006
New
benefits clinic for Hartley
(Sevenoaks Council Press
Release) For a six month period a weekly housing benefit and
council tax benefit advice point will be available in Hartley Library
from 2-4pm on Wednesdays from 29 March. There will be 3 half
hour appointments which will have to be booked at the council on
01732 227000, followed at 3.30pm by a drop in clinic for more simple
enquiries. Cllr Ramsay said "this convenient service
will avoid the need to travel to the council's offices in Sevenoaks
or the local office in Swanley"
Proposal for Mobile Phone
Base station at Hartley Grange
(Hartley Parish Council Press
Release) Orange want to build a 20m mobile phone mast at Hartley
Grange, near Billings Hill Shaw and Church Road. Plans are
available in Hartley Library. This is not a planning application
yet, but what is called "Pre-planning consultation", but
a planning application is very likely to follow.
For details on mobile phone
masts in Hartley see our masts
page.
24 March 2006
Cops
warn kids: Don't take pic of lamp post
(The Sun, p 23) Police
community officers stop 3 Hartley children (pictured) for taking
pictures of his initials on a lamp post on Hoselands
Hill. Newspaper and boy's father critical of police.
See also "Officers
stop lamppost boys" (BBC website 24.3.06)
23 March 2006
Asbestos
death
(Dartford Messenger, p5) Maidstone coroner finds that
67 year old Gorsewood Road man died last November, because he lived
near an asbestos factory as a child.
By royal appointment
(Dartford
Messenger, p19) Church Road lady was one of the members of the Kent
National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts presented to the
Duchess of Gloucester, after they gave a new altar frontal to Canterbury
Cathedral.
21 March 2006
Woodland
Fire
(News Shopper Website)
Dartford fire brigade called to fire in woods by Porchester Close,
caused by kids' campfire. 12 sq metres of land destroyed.
16 March 2006
Five-a-side with a twist
(Dartford
Times, p5) Two brothers and a sister from Pitfield are dressing
up as dragons and elephants to raise money for the National Children's
Home and the National Epilepsy Society. They were in Longfield
collecting on Saturday 18th and plan to run the London Marathon
to make the £6,000 target.
Moo-ving On
(Dartford
Times, p10) Hartley farmer (pictured) welcomes end of beef export
ban. He recalled the ban coming of 1998, likening it to the
foot and mouth crises of the 1950s and 1960s.
Trying
to tackle the thieves at rugby clubs
(Dartford Messenger,
p 10) £3,000 stolen when thieves broke through a fire door
at New Ash Green Rugby Club, escaping in a van across the fields
towards Redhill Wood (picture).
Lots of lolly for hospital
appeal
(Dartford Messenger, p15) Axton Chase pupils raise
money for Darent Valley Hospital appeal for children's high dependency
unit. Fundraising included pop-idol themed event (pictured).
Quality is rewarded
(Dartford
Messenger, p16) KCC Chairman John London (pictured with Cllrs Gaywood,
Oxtoby, Barnett, Coutts, Harris) opens new parish office at Hartley
Library. He also presented the council with its "quality
council" certificate (this has rather a limited meaning - see
in depth article)
15 March 2006
Congratulations
Barclays
(FHC) Congratulations to Barclays Bank, whose staff
were seen clearing up the litter outside the branch in Longfield
today.
9 March 2006
Pensioner's
family slam death verdict
(Dartford Times, p2) Gravesend
Coroner records an open verdict on 81 year old lady from St Mary's
Way, Longfield. Her family was not happy with this because
they said it left their questions about her treatment at the hospital
unanswered.
Van cams alert
(Dartford
Times, p 17) Mobile speed cameras will be at Ash Road from 13-17
March.
2 March 2006
Churches
pull together to save congregation
(Gravesend Messenger,
p15) Hartley United Reformed Church building to close after last
service on 14 May, but congregation to share All Saints' Church
holding URC services at 11am. URC minister said "we love
gathering in our much loved buildings, but at the end of the day,
it's people and relationship with God that matter.
As a result of the closure
the Glad Tidings Bookshop, which opens on Saturday mornings in the
URC Church Hall, are looking for a new home.
(pictures of Church and
Glad Tidings Bookshop)
New council leader is welcomed
(Dartford
Times, p5) Cllr Jeremy Kite (pictured) of Longfield ward is elected
new leader of Dartford council.
Town's top of planning
list
(Dartford Times, p5) Sevenoaks won a higher percentage
of planning appeals in the second half of 2005 than any other Kent
authority (74%).
Disgust over unholy attack
(Dartford
Times, p8) Letter from New Ash Green resident condemning vandalism
of RC Church in Hartley as "the lowest of the low", adding
"this just shows the complete lack of respect we have in our
society today".
1 March 2006
Police
force power to move from town
(Dartford & Swanley Express,
p 1) Sevenoaks Council vote to move Hartley and New Ash Green from
the North Kent Police Division, based at Gravesend, to the division
based at Tonbridge. New Ash Green MP, Michael Fallon, spoke
in favour, although he did concede that the New Ash Green area would
be much further from their police headquarters under the proposals
than at present.
See in
depth article
23 February 2006
Priest
fears religious hate motive in Church attack
(Dartford Times,
p2) Vandals break into St Francis de Sales RC church, stealing sherry
and the CCTV tape, and breaking a statue of Mother Teresa. Interview
and picture of Fr Hugh Bridge.
See letter 2
March
Tax bill set to increase
(Dartford
Times, p7) Sevenoaks council raise council tax by 4.9% for 2006/7.
Kent County Council increases their precept by 4.75%. Quote
from Hartley and Hodsoll Street councillor Ramsay.
Tsunami appeal fundraiser
success
(Dartford Times, p15) Two women from New Ash Green
raise £8,000 for a Sri Lankan village (picture).
Bottle attack
(Dartford
Times, p31) 41 year old man attacked by gang outside Badger Pub
in New Ash Green, who broke a bottle over his head.
16 February 2006
Care
Centre plan given go-ahead
(Dartford
Messenger, p3) Planning permission given for dementia respite care
centre at Brickfield Farm, Longfield.
A welcome use of space
(Dartford
Messenger, prop 3) Feature on The Kaben, Woodland Avenue (pictured),
on the market with Your Move for £469,500
9 February 2006
Thousands
of pupils off sick as illness hits the classrooms
(Dartford
Messenger, p 4) Many schools hit by an outbreak of the milder form
of flu - Influenza B, and what is believed to be gastroenteritis.
One school hit was Milestone School in Hartley (pictured)
with 17 pupils off sick the week beginning 9 January.
Ready for an executive decision
(Dartford
Messenger, prop 3) New 5 bedroom house in Gorse Way to let
with Ashton Burinshaw for £2,500 pcm (picture).
New high for building land
(Dartford
Messenger, prop 6) Baistow Eves has a plot for sale with planning
permission for a 4 bed house in Longfield Avenue, New Barn. It
is 90 x 45 feet or 0.09 of an acre, and offers "above £200,000"
are invited, making an equivalent of £2.15 million per acre.
2 February 2006
Snow
fun for street gangs
(Dartford Messenger, p 6) Hartley/New
Ash Green Youth Worker claims scheme to take youths to Chatham dry
ski slope is a success. He says many hang around with little
to do due to social deprivation and poor local public transport
links. Police have given a grant of £950.
Young, enthusiastic pupils celebrate the Chinese
new year in style
(Dartford Messenger, p 5) Picture feature
of celebrations at Hartley Primary School.
1 February 2006
Spotlight
on Hartley
(Gravesend Today, pp 16-17) Very good short article
about Hartley past and present with pictures of All Saints' Church
and Hartley Bottom Farm.
19 January 2006
Hospital
school makes a recovery
(Dartford Messenger, p19) Interview
with headmistress of the West Kent Hospital School in Longfield,
where she praises the help they received from Axton Chase School
after the fire
in November.
12 January 2006
Memories
of when world was linked by telegrams
(Dartford Messenger,
p14) Interview with former Hartley resident (pictured) who worked
as a telegraph operator from 1966 to 1991. Detailed description
of the job in the days before computers and mobile phones.
Panto Friends
(Dartford Messenger, p17)
Performance by professional panto players at Langafel Primary School
(picture)
5 January 2006
Quake
aid is on the way
(Dartford Times, p 16) Hartley Girl Guides
mentioned as one of the local groups who contributed to ¾
ton of blankets and tents being sent to the Asian Earthquake zone.
Families
devastated as pet dogs are stolen
(Dartford Messenger, p5)
Two dogs vanish from workplace at Fawkham Road, Longfield, feared
stolen.
Tranquil chalk grassland becomes nature reserve
(Dartford
Messenger, p11) Parish Council designates Rectory Meadow as a local
nature reserve (picture). (Unfortunately the article does
not mention the hard work done by the North West Kent Countryside
Project to return the area to the chalk grassland)
Badgers at risk as cattle disease looms
(Dartford Times,
p6) Farmers raise concerns about the risks of bovine TB, which meant
the slaughter of whole herds in the 1950s. However they and
the RSPCA agree more research is needed on whether badgers are to
blame.
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