News

Hawkinge Parish Council Meeting 10 September 2008

Community Centre

From the 28/06/08 this facility as well as keeping its charitable status became a company, limited by guarantee. At the AGM on that date a new Board of Director/Trustees was elected by the membership:
Chairman: T.Hutt
Treasurer: C.Tearle
Company Secretary: D.Godfrey
D.Callahan, J.McEnroe and J.Heasman

After an initial period of finding its feet , the new Board with the support of the staff is beginning to bring in a series of measures which will herald changes to the way the Centre`s day to day business will be conducted in the future.

These policies are designed to make the place more user friendly, welcoming and accountable. Amongst them are:

Mr. T. Ollerenshaw of 8 Fern Close, Hawkinge was elected onto the Council to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Mr. J.Punnett.

The Council agreed to the spending of £15K of its Section 106 monies on renovating the village hall car-park. In this scheme will be a footpath that links Canterbury Rd. to that beside the Community Centre.

The Council has decided to accept a gift of 3 acres of land behind Coombe Lane which will be managed as an informal nature reserve for the benefit of the residents of Hawkinge.

A progress report was given by Cllr Tearle on the football project. The decision has been made to push ahead with the building of changing facilities as soon as possible.

Since the pitches were re-laid out and available for hire from the 1st August it has been very busy, with on one day, 5 men's games being played. The Council whilst ensuring these excellent pitches are fully utilized is allowing Hawkinge based clubs to have priority.

Hawkinge Youth FC although a regular user in past seasons has decided to use other facilities. Cllr Tearle pointed out when asked, that the Council had not been asked by HYFC to use the pitches this year and had therefore not declined the use of these facilities to HYFC. They are appearing to want to use other facilities at the Churchill and Hawkinge Primary Schools as well as pitches in Folkestone.

Allotments

The Council is still awaiting written confirmation of the lease of the 2.5 acre site in Stombers Lane from Shepway District Council which will be for allotments.

It is the Parish Council's intention to run this site in partnership with the Allotment Association.