Letters to the Council At a recent Council meeting it was agreed that all anonymous letters to the Parish Council will be discarded without consideration. You should know that you can write to the Parish Council in confidence, but under the Freedom of Information Act such letters would be liable for disclosure unless such information could put the writer in danger. Youth Group Bridge Youth Group commenced their meetings in the Village Hall after the Summer break on the 11th September. Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm. New members between the ages of 10 and 16 are welcome. The sessions are run by Canterbury CC youth workers assisted by adult volunteers. We would also welcome any adults who would like to assist as volunteer helpers. We have a rota of two volunteers at each session working with the youth workers which at present means that attending every 6 weeks. For further information please contact David Edmonds on 830795 or Pam Dobson on 832369. Art in Bridge exhibition To contact the Council Please write, telephone or email the Parish Clerk: Christobel Seath Bridgeford House, Brewery Lane, Bridge, CT4 5LF 01227 831085 email: clerk@bridgevillage.org.uk Bridge Parish Councillors Ann Edmonds Chairman, Affordable Housing Footpaths, Parish Forum 01227 830795 ann@bridgevillage.org.uk John Hill Vice-Chairman, Rural Area Member Panel Planning, Affordable Housing 01227 830215 johnh@bridgevillage.org.uk Colin Beesty Recreation Ground, Mill Centre, BVST Bridge School, Teen Shelter 07989 495202 colin@bridgevillage.org.uk Barbara Beinder Village Hall, Recreation Ground 01227 830514 barbara@bridgevillage.org.uk John Corfield Recreation Ground, ACRK 01227 830976 johnc@bridgevillage.org.uk Mark Esdale Affordable Housing, Village Hall Youth Group, Police Forum, 01227 832740 mark@bridgevillage.org.uk Mervyn Gulvin Recreation Ground, Mill Centre, BVST Allotment Association, Nailbourne Group 01227 830881 mervyn@bridgevillage.org.uk Selwyn Lewis Planning, Trees, Police Forum 01227 830186 selwyn@bridgevillage.org.uk Terry Wilmshurst Planning, KAPC 01227 830310 terry@bridgevillage.org.uk BRIDGE Parish Council Caring for the village Autumn 2007 Newsletter Bridge to Canterbury Cycle Route A new and more direct cycle route is to be investigated by Kent County Council Transportation. This was unanimously approved by the Canterbury City Council Joint Transportation Board meeting on 4th September in the Guildhall. Martin Vye, Michael Northey and John Anderson spoke in favour, emphasising the benefits of encouraging cycling and walking. Any reduction in traffic congestion, particularly the school-runs, would be welcome – look at the difference during school holidays. There are three possible routes. The old Elham Valley Railway line is the most promising, being nearly flat and connecting to two schools and could be extended down the valley. We hope to have a High Street stall to canvass support for this project. Saturday 6th October: 11.00 - 7.00 pm guitar recital from 5.00 pm Sunday 7th October: 11.00 - 5.00 pm Free entrance, refreshments available Bridge village web site Visit the web site for village news, information, agendas & minutes of Council and Planning meetings www.bridgevillage.org.uk Next Parish Council meeting 7.15 pm Planning Committee 7.30 pm Full Council Thursday 11th October 2007 Bridge Village Hall - all welcome Dogs on the Recreation Ground Street Cleaning and Litter Collection Bridge in Bloom results There has been an increase in the number of dogs on the recreation ground making messes (a serious health hazard) and scaring children using the play equipment. For the sake of the children and other users please ensure that your dog is never on the Rec-reation Ground. Also NO GOLF PRACTICE - it is potentially dan-gerous. Friends of Bridge Wildflower Project Thursday 1st November 2007 is the important date for seeding and hedge planting to take place in the Recreation Ground under the guidance of a Kent-ish Stour Countryside Project Officer. Anyone interested in this project and willing to help, please contact me:- Barbara Beinder 830514 It is vital that as many people as possible should take part. The jobs are not onerous and the more helpers the easier the task. Because we have been granted funding from “Awards for All” some publicity is inevitable. Do come along with spades, forks or trowel—as well as a big smile! Let’s have a good community effort then we can look forward next Spring to a transformed Recreation Ground. Barbara Beinder My thanks to the three volunteers who responded to my appeal in the last Newsletter. However, if we are to make a concerted effort to deal with a worsening problem, more volunteers would be needed. If sufficient people are willing, we could consider asking in-dividuals to be responsible for certain streets. Additionally, perhaps, we might organise ‘joint blitzes’ to deal with a problem that might be too great to impose upon one individual. If you are willing to help, please ring Selwyn Lewis on 830186 and leave a message if I am unavailable. When and if sufficient numbers are available to tackle the current problem, I will call a meeting so that we can plan an ac-tion campaign. Finally, I issue a despairing plea to ‘some’ dog owners. Despite the fact that a ‘dog bin’ has been provided at the beginning of Mill Terrace, some owners are ignoring their responsibilities, so that walkers often become victims in ‘dog excrement’ alley. Perhaps the Parish Council should consider running ‘dog owner’ classes, if the situation does not improve! Selwyn Lewis No fly-posting There has been a recent spate of fly-posting and whilst some has been in a ‘good cause’, they have not been taken down afterwards and now there are adverts for car-boot sales, yoga classes, etc.. The Parish Council does not con-done fly-posting, whatever the issue. Bridge in Bloom was judged at the beginning of August. We were es- pecially impressed with the Union Road area of the village. For the second year running Bridgeway Stores won the shield for the large retail cate-gory. Once again Julie Bennett, of the High Street, won the trophy for the best individual display. This year the residents of Mansfield Court have been given a special community award for their combined efforts to achieve such a lovely display. The presentation to the win-ners was held in the lounge of Mansfield Court on the 11th September. Keep up the good work everyone, it makes such a difference to the village. Ann Edmonds Overhanging plants Please check that your plants are not en-croaching on to the footpath. There are many places where pedestrians are forced into sin-gle file or even off the pavement and have to face thorns and prickles and after rain a wet surprise. Please cut the growth well back and check on it regularly throughout the growing season. Kent Village of the Year This year Bridge received commendations in the Environment and the Business sections.