Chairman’s Letter April 2022


Hello!

Firstly, I must apologise for the delay in writing April’s Chairman’s letter. Unfortunately, I have had Covid, and it has taken me a while to catch up.

You may be aware that Jane Pyne, Martin Taylor-Smith and Barbara Weeden resigned from the Parish Council in April. I am sure you will join me in thanking them for their work on behalf of the parish. I would also like to thank Patrick Thomson for his work as a Borough Councillor, in particular his focus on air quality, and to welcome Ellen Neville as our new Borough Councillor.

For those of you who are hosting Ukrainian guests or are keen to find ways to help, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) have produced an excellent website. It is available in three languages (English, Ukrainian and Russian), and has dedicated information for guests, hosts and the wider community. The website can be found at https://twhelpsukraine.info/ and can be directly accessed through a link on HPC’s website.

The Annual Parish Assembly will be on Monday 23rd May at 7:30pm at Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School. After having missed the last two years due to the pandemic, we would love to see you there. This is an opportunity to hear from the Parish Council about its work over the past year or two, as well as for residents to ask questions. We will also be seeking your views on what projects are important to you and what you would like to see HPC focus on over the next few years. Please do join us.

Currently, we are advertising three councillor vacancies. Please do consider whether this could be a role for you. There are very few requirements, the most basic being that you should be at least 18, a British, EU or Commonwealth citizen, and live or work in Hawkhurst. We are not looking for any particular skills or experience, just the willingness to listen and work constructively to help us do our best for Hawkhurst.

If you would like further information, you can get in touch with Richard, our clerk. Alternatively, come along to the Annual Parish Assembly where you’ll have the opportunity to talk to any of us.

We have been busy with our plans for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Keep an eye out for details of events on the Hawkhurst Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Facebook page.

Clare Escombe
Chairman, Hawkhurst Parish Council