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Spring 2015
Did the Ancient Greeks play
tennis?
In this issue
Stonewater
2
Kington Town Council
3
Kington Young
Farmers
3
Kington Museum
4
Co-op Car Park
4
Rooms for Hire
5
Local Markets
5
Kington Remembers
6
Lady Hawkins’ School
8
Kington Town Council
Annual Report
916
Meadows
17
Kington Car Share
Club
18
Trees
19
Volunteer Drivers
24
I’ve no idea but the other day at
Eardisley Tennis Club, I was
playing opposite this student
home on holiday. I asked him
what he was studying and he
replied he was working towards
a phD in “Athenian Democracy”.
Later on I collared him and said
that although it must be
fascinating, what on earth is the
relevance
of
Athenian
Democracy to modern day life?
He tried to explain the purpose
of his phD but I had to ask him
to stop and explain it in
layman’s terms. This is a
summary of his explanation:
Ancient Greece was the home of
our modern democracy but the
vast majority of people could
neither read or write, or had any
access to knowledge and
information, yet their system
enabled the ordinary voter to
influence what went on.
Compare that with today; when
in the UK, the vast majority of
people can read and write, have
access to a virtually infinite
library of information and can
keep up to date with every
political development; yet we
stand by whilst power is held
very much in the hands of a tiny
minority.
Sobering words but as we move
into a period of electioneering
there are two things that stand
out. First, as an individual,
although I don’t have much
power, the little bit I do have I
need to wield, so it is essential I
cast my vote. Otherwise I’m not
even living up to the standards
of the peasant farmer breaking
his back in the hot and dusty
fields of two and a half thousand
years ago. Second, I need to
use the tools that we’re lucky to
have. I can read and write, I
can access the internet and I
can find out what’s really going
on;-but do I?
We at MAP can’t help you make
your decisions about voting but
we can help if you’re nervous or
worried about getting online.
Give us a call on 01544
231771 or pop in to the Old
Police Station in Kington.
Julian Reeves
Hergest Croft Gardens are looking for volunteers to help maintain the interesting
gardens.
Please could you contact Melanie Lloyd on 01544 230106 for more information
Page 2
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Stonewater in Kington
Welcome to the latest in our regular
bulletins, keeping you up to date with what
Stonewater is doing in Kington.
Stonewater who?
I’m sure many of you reading this article are
thinking the above.
Who are Stonewater and
where have they come from? On the 1st January
2015 Marches Housing Association, along with the
wider Jephson Group, joined together with Raglan
Housing to create one new organisation,
Stonewater.
Together, we are now one of the UK’s largest
social housing providers. This creates more ways
to improve services and build new homes for those
in need. But this doesn’t mean that everything
has changed overnight. At the moment things are
still the same and the only big changes you will
see are the name and the logo! The office is still
in the same place and the telephone numbers to
contact us are still the same. We will keep you up
-to-date, through this publication, of any changes
as they happen but for now it’s “business as
usual”.
weapon.
The injunction has been served to
prevent any further disturbance and to protect
individuals and the community.
It is important to us that that all residents who live
in our homes live without fear, are happy in their
homes and comfortable in their neighbourhoods.
If you are experiencing ASB and have spoken to
your neighbour to try to resolve the problem,
please contact Housing Officers Lysette Phillips or
Hannah Bragg on 01568 619607 for further
assistance.
In the Limelight!
The Stonewater Asset Management Team are hard
at work in Kington.
They have a number of
community projects underway which will see
improvements to three schemes in the town.

A £17,000 new bin store along with
structural repairs to balconies at Llewellin
Road flats - starting in mid February

Lighting upgrade and redecoration to the
communal access in Lower Cross

Replacement roof project for maisonettes in
Greenfields (below)
Image courtesy of
FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Zero tolerance to anti–social behaviour
Stonewater takes a zero tolerance approach to anti
-social behaviour (ASB), whether in the community
or towards staff members.
The County Court has recently granted an
Injunction for a recent ASB case. The injunction is
a court order to prevent noise nuisance and
threatening verbal abuse, including threats with a
Before
After
If you would like to know more or have an enquiry
on any of the projects please contact the Asset
Management Team on 01568 619673.
**Watch this space for further updates in the next
edition.
Neighbourhood Walkabouts
Lysette and Hannah will be walking around our estates as usual this spring. They would like to meet as
many people as possible, to share ideas for improvements.
We want to hear YOUR views on the areas that YOU live. Join them on the following dates:
Kington
Date
Lower Cross, High Street 1.30pm
Passey Court, The Square, Church Street 2.00pm
Park Road, Park Green, Park View, The Crescent, Oak Plock,
Churchill Road 3.00pm
Greenfield 2.00pm
Thursday 20th February & 24th April
Monday 24th March
Monday 24th March
Hatton Gardens 2.00pm
Llewellin Road 1.30pm
Arrow View, Brunley Close, Brilley 2.00pm
Victoria Court 2.00pm
Thursday 20th February, 20th March,
24th April & 22nd May
Thursday 08th May
Thursday 13th February & 17th April
Monday 17th March
Monday 05th May
Aconbury Leigh, Wall Hills Close 2.00pm
Thursday 15th May
This page has been paid for by Stonewater 4
Page 3
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Kington Town Council Annual Meeting
This year’s Annual Town Meeting will be at 7
o’clock, Thursday 19th March in The Training
Room, Old Police Station, Market Hall Street,
Kington.
The Annual Town Meeting is different to the
monthly Council meetings. It is a public
meeting, called by the Council, for the
residents and electorate who are all invited to
bring subjects for discussion to the meeting.
If you would like a question or discussion
topic to be considered for the agenda, please
contact the Clerk on 01544 239098 by Friday
6th March at the latest.
All council meetings are open to the public, by
law. We use the term 'public' meeting to
indicate a larger meeting, generally called to
discuss a specific subject. The Annual Town
Meeting is such a meeting and we would
really like you to attend, and to put forward
your views, questions, or any concerns that
you have about things that are happening in
Kington Town. This is a time of changes and
we know that many people have lots of
questions about what the Town Council is
doing.
Town Clerk
Kington Young Farmer’s Club
Kington YFC is a thriving social club that offers a range of fun activities along with training and
the opportunity to learn new skills. There is also the option of bringing out your competitive
side!
Young farmers isn’t just for young people from farming backgrounds or rural areas, it’s open
to everyone aged 10-26 who might be looking to make friends, improve their skills, broaden
their horizons and have a lot of fun. Recently, we’ve been Bowling, and taken trips to Quackers, Cheltenham Races, skiing in France, and various dances and do’s around the county. We
also took part in a ploughing match (no ploughing for us unfortunately) but this did also include cookery, metalwork, craftwork, hair and nails, fancy dress, scavenger hunt, and egg
whisking which is always a highlight! We have a few members who do very well in Stock Judging and compete at county level too. We also came 3rd in a recent Hedging Match. Not only do
we put on social events for our members, provide training and attend competitions, we also
fund-raise, and last year we donated to the Air Ambulance.
Regular meetings are held in Kington at The Old Police Station, Market Hall Street, Kington,
HR5 3DP. For more information about Kington YFC and how to get involved, please contact
Lydia Phillips, Club Secretary on 077915 33026.
Page 4
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Kington Museum
The museum officially opens for the 2015
season on Saturday 28th March at 10 30 am.
However, there will be a Pre-Season Preview
on Friday 27th March from 7 pm, to which you
are cordially invited.
There will be a drink and a nibble, the
opportunity to peruse the displays (most of
which are new and include Farming, Milling,
1950s, Kington Railway and Church Street
Through Time) and perhaps to volunteer your
services.
Thanks are due to all those individuals who
have generously donated or loaned items for
the displays.
The museum will be manning Rita’s Charity
Shop from Saturday 21st until Friday 27th
March.
We are a charitable trust run by volunteers
and any funds raised will be used to go
towards the running costs and improvements
to your museum. Consequently, if you have
any saleable items please contact Ros
Williams on 01544267472 or 07855861743.
Items can be dropped off at the shop from
Friday afternoon, 20th March, as she will be
there setting up things. Alternatively, items
can be left at the museum.
Last year’s Limerick competition was very well
supported with over 150 entries ranging from
the scurrilous to the sublime. Many thanks to
all those who entered.
This year we invite you to enter a Clerihew
competition. Once again there will be
excellent prizes.
Clerihews have just a few simple rules:
1. They are four lines long.
2. The first and second lines rhyme with each
other, and the third and fourth lines rhyme
with each other. AA BB
3. The first line names a person or pet, and
the second line ends with something that
rhymes with the name of the person or
pet.
4. A clerihew should be funny.
Here one of Edmund Clerihew Bentleys’:
Sir Christopher Wren
Said, "I am going to dine with some men.
If anyone calls
Say I am designing St. Paul's."
Curator, Kington Museum
The Guzzunder
Did you use one of these in
the 50s?
Update on Co-op Car Park
The sudden arrival of ticket machines and parking restrictions in the Co-op car park took
everyone by surprise, not least, I understand, the staff at the Co-op themselves. The event
attracted a lot of publicity with coverage in the local press and on local radio.
Representations to the Co-op’s Manchester head office were quickly made by the local
councillor, Terry James, Kington Chamber of Trade and Kington Town Council as well as local
residents.
On 20th February we met with the Co-op’s Operations Manager to set out our concerns about
the impact this would have on the town and the added pressure on the other nearby car parks,
which the Town Council is in the process of taking over.
We asked that the free parking be available for four hours with no restrictions on overnight
parking. They have agreed three hours free parking and no overnight restrictions and will
consider our request for an extension to four hours. They will also review the situation again on
three months’ time. We will keep you posted.
Bob Widdowson
Deputy Mayor
The Kington Chronicle
Page 5
Spring 2015
MAP Rooms available for hire
Have you thought about using Marches Access Point for
your next meeting, or even to show a film?
The Hergest Room
Our biggest room at nearly 600 sq ft, the
newly refurbished Hergest Room is ideal for
training, large meetings, conferences and
film shows. Wi-Fi enabled, with a smart
board and fully kitted out with 11 pc’s
including one with wheelchair access, you
can give your delegates a mixture of
traditional and online presentations.
With the ability to seat up to 60 comfortably,
refreshments always available, and rates
starting as little as £15.00 per hour, we
believe The Hergest Room offers real value
for money in the centre of Kington.
The Bradnor Room
Our smaller room offers privacy for meetings
or breakout groups of up to 8 people. With
separate facilities and a rate of just £10.00
per hour why not hold your next meeting in
The Bradnor, away from your busy office?
We try to be as flexible as possible in the way
we offer our facilities. Give us a call to
discuss your particular needs.
01544 231771 or
email: info@map-kington.co.uk
Kington Local Producers and Community Markets
The once a month Saturday markets, and the new Friday markets at Kington Market Hall are now gaining in success and popularity. Originally started as a Chamber of Trade initiative on the third Saturday
every month, the new weekly market on Fridays was set up by a group of local producers last year.
Providing opportunities for local producers to offer their wares, both markets are also ideally suited to
community groups wishing to raise funds and publicise their activities in the town and there are pricing
options for stall-holders to suit different needs.
All foodstuffs are to be of a high, standard, usually offered for sale by the
grower or producer themselves – and to be compliant with current food
hygiene standards and other legal requirements.
Other eclectic stalls such as arts and crafts, bric-a-brac, vintage items,
plants (grown by the seller) etc. would also fit well within the general
theme – any electrical goods used or offered for sale must have been PAT
tested.
People wishing to apply for a stall should contact David Pickersgill on
01544 267684.
Page 6
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Kington Remembers 1914—1919
Two of his sisters, Honor and Sadie Lloyd in
1917 went to work at the large munitions
factory at Rotherwas. With others they formed
a women's football team, the Munitionettes.
and football and WW1 is a theme that Kington
Remembers also wants to explore. We are
hoping to have an event on June 20th with
Kington Football Club to remember Bert
Hamer, celebrate the Munitionettes and hear
about football in the war. Interested? Can you
help us organise it?
Following the successful launch of Kington
Remembers last October, the group has been
planning events for 2015. This year we will
remember events such as Gallipoli, the first
use of poison gas at the Second Battle of
Ypres, and the Battle of Loos all of which
involved
casualties
from
Kington.
On
November 20th, Lt. General Sir Alistair Irwin,
the former chairman of the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission will round off our
series of Kington Conversations with a talk on
that remarkable organisation.
If you can help and want to join us please
contact the Chair of the group, Bob
Widdowson, on 01544 231387 or via email at
rw@gumpol.demon.co.uk
for
further
information.
Dates and times of group
meetings are on the Facebook page – Kington
Remembers. You will also find lots of
information about Kington in the Great War
and details of the events on our webpage:
kingtonremembers.org.uk.
Bob Widdowson
Kington Remembers
We are also hoping to hold several community
events for people to bring along any
mementos or memories, find out more about
the Great War and help people to research
their family history in the war.
Our visual display in the town centre will,
hopefully, be up and running in early Spring
with information about key events in 1915,
and biographies of Kington’s casualties. One
of them was Albert Henry Hamer of Kington
(2nd King’s Shropshire L.I.) who was killed in
Action near Ypres on the 17th May 1915, aged
41. Albert, or Bert as he preferred to be
known, was educated at Lady Hawkins’ School
and went to work in his father’s building
business as an assistant surveyor. By this
time, 1891, his family was living at a house
called Rock Close on Gravel Hill, Kington.
Records provided by surviving relatives show
he was quite athletic and sporty. He played
football for Hereford Thistle, a team no longer
in existence, and was offered professional
terms to play for Aston Villa.
The Gas Man. An illustrated talk by Roger W G
Curtis, local historian, on the first German use
of poison gas during the Great War a hundred
years ago; Britain's retaliation by the Special
Companies RE just months later and attempts
to protect her soldiers against this dreadful
weapon as an unreported war of the chemists
was fought. Including reference to the
experience
of
his
grandfather
a
schoolmaster turned Divisional Gas Officer.
April 17th at 7.30. Venue will be advertised
nearer the date.
Page 7
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Piggy-in-the-Middle
Roundabout Update
Thanks to everyone who helped to raise
nearly £1,000 in the Community Shop and to
all those who offered suggestions for what to
do on the Tavern Roundabout. From the
sublime to the ridiculous! There is lots of
support for flowers, vegetables, trees, various
sculptures, with other ideas such as a show
allotment and even bee-hives.
The government has designated
Saturday 21st March as
"Community Clear Up Day"
Check it out at
www.facebook.com/ClearUpDay
As part of this initiative Kington Local
Environment & Energy Network (KLEEN) is
holding a special tidy-up of the former
Lyncolec site at Hatton Gardens Industrial
Estate (just off the Tavern Roundabout). They
are meeting there at 10am and expect to
finish about lunchtime, so why not consider
joining them? Wear sensible footwear and
strong gloves. It would also be useful to bring
buckets, barrows and brooms.
Alternatively you could organise a local clear
up of your own on that day.
If you need black bags or any other
assistance ring Tina Davison (number below).
KLEEN holds regular litter picks all through
the year and would welcome volunteers.
Contact us on 262762 if you are interested.
Tina Davison
Various practical, safety and legal issues have
been clarified by “Highways.” It is now clear
that we cannot site large obstructions or hard
objects on this roundabout. Low plantings on
the
roundabout
(or
even
strategically
positioned runner-beans) and soft-sculptures
(like the wire-framed sheep) would be fine.
The “Cultivation License” has to be applied for
by Kington Town Council which has now
sensibly deferred this to be decided by the
new councillors after the elections in May.
It is also possible to apply for additional
planning permission for a plinth on the spit of
land between the Titley road and the entrance
to Hatton Gardens for more robust or solid
objects. This can be considered along with the
proposed improvements to the Industrial
Estate entrance signs.
“Have You Seen The Little Piggy?”
Some of you will have noticed that the sheep
grazing on the roundabout had been joined
firstly by a wire-frame outline pig and then by
a little straw pig (this is sounding more and
more like “The Three Little Pigs”!) that has
sadly gone missing during the January
storms! We would be grateful for any
information leading to his safe return.
Richie Cotterill
Page 8
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Lady Hawkins’ School
SIXTH FORM PARIS TRIP
On Tuesday 27th January 2015, sixteen Level
three students studying
Health & Social Care or
Hospitality
visited Paris
for a four day residential
trip.
On
the Wednesday,
students visited Paris,
climbing the Eiffel Tower
and taking a river cruise
along the river Seine.
They were also given a
tour of the main sites in
the city, including the Musée du Louvre and
the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.
On the Thursday, the students spent the day
in Disneyland as well as attending subject
specific seminars and workshops which
included visiting speakers and assignments to
complete.
The trip was a fantastic opportunity for
students to see their subjects applied in
practice in one of the biggest theme parks in
Europe.
SIXTH FORM ARCHAEOLOGISTS.
Hawkins’ students have had many
opportunities to work with
professional archaeologists
over the past few years.
They have helped excavate
Roman
artefacts
at
Lyonshall,
they
have
identified
features
unearthed
at
Eardisley
Castle
and
they
have
surveyed the site of the
wartime US hospitals at
Hergest
Camp.
Sixth
Formers are now working with Clwydd-Powys
Archaeological Trust in the Walton Basin area.
Last week, Sixth Former Gemma Rath helped
to survey the site of an abandoned medieval
village near Old Radnor focussing on relict
field boundaries and trackways. Over halfterm, Gemma and some other Sixth Formers
are going to get digging on a local Roman
Lady
site. We look forward to seeing what they
find!
YOUNG ENTERPRISE
Outlines is our current Young Enterprise group
which started in October 2014 and comprises
of seven Year 12 students. Outlines is
participating in the national Young Enterprise
Company
Programme,
which
involves
students setting up and running their own
company for the whole academic year.
This year the company has decided to make
handmade home décor. The team recently
participated in a trade fair at Old Market
Hereford and had a highly successful day.
They were praised for their lovely products
and beautifully dressed stall. They also had a
stand at ‘Santa Sunday’ in Kington Market
Hall, selling their produce to the community.
HEREFORD HOSPITAL VISIT
On the 26th November the Year 13 Health
and Social Care students visited Hereford
County Hospital to see what goes on behind
the scenes in the different departments. The
group were lucky enough to see the
Emergency
Department,
Pharmacy,
Laboratories and were even allowed on the
Maternity and Children Wards and given an
inside look at the Special Care Baby Unit. The
day was very worthwhile and gave the group
a real sense of what Hereford County Hospital
does.
LHS FUNDRAISING
Students and staff alike have been busy
raising money for various good causes both in
school and out over the Christmas and New
Year period. £145 was raised for Unicef by
staff deciding to donate instead of sending
Christmas cards to each other. Students have
taken part in a Readathon for Click Sargeant
& the Children’s Cancer Charity and are now
gearing up for Red Nose Day events including
a ‘silly selfie’ competition organised by
students from the School Council.
Lady Hawkins School
Page 9
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Kington Town Council
Annual Report May 2014 – March 2015
Since the beginning of the year, we have seen
a continued increase in the workload of the
town council, when compared to just a few
years ago, before government cuts and
Herefordshire Council’s decision to dispose of
assets in the market towns.
Under negotiation for transfer are the Old
Police Station, the Museum building, the
Market Hall and Place de Marines, the Coach
House and Public toilets, three Car Parks and
the three Play Areas/Open Spaces at Crooked
Well Meadow, Old Eardisley Road and Garden
Close. Read more about progress on all of this
in Bob Widdowson’s update later in this
report.
The Kington Community Asset Trust has been
set up to both hold and manage the assets
once transfer has taken place, subject to a
business plan.
It is likely that by the time you are reading
this report the Town Council will have taken
on the Market Operators License, meaning
responsibility for management of the Market
Hall area and the running of markets is done
within Kington (previously Herefordshire
Council). Initially this will be done on a
voluntary basis, and if successful in
generating an income stream, then funds
could be allocated towards management and
maintenance through the Kington Community
Asset Trust.
Kington now has a good working relationship
with our Balfour Beatty locality steward who
supplies the Town Council with regular
updates on road repairs and a schedule of
planned works in the area. As previously
reported, a vast reduction in the amount of
roadside grass cutting will be seen this year.
Task and Finish Groups have been set up to
look into helping make general improvements
at the entrance to Hatton Gardens Industrial
Estate, the roundabout at Sunset and the
area of the War Memorial.
At Remembrance Day this year, Kington was
chosen to host the Queen’s representative,
the Lord Lieutenant Lady Darnley. It was a
particularly poignant occasion due to the
recent loss of Oliver Thomas whose young life
was tragically cut short whilst serving in faraway Afghanistan.
The new town council which will be formed
after the elections on 7th May, will be faced
with much to do in view of all the changes
and challenges ahead. We need willing people
prepared to work together, to give of their
time and share their skills as part of a team.
Anyone wishing to find out more should
contact the town council office on 01544
239098.
The Kington in Bloom group produced
colourful hanging baskets in Place de Marines
again last year, and added to the number of
planters in the town centre. Many hands
make light work - joining the Kington in
Bloom group to increase enjoyment of the
town for residents and visitors alike is a great
way to help, without the formalities of
becoming a councillor yourself! Contact the
council office if you wish to be put in touch.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
the outgoing town councillors for all they have
contributed, and members of the public
attending meetings for taking an interest in
the affairs of Kington Town Council.
Cllr Celia Kibblewhite, Mayor.
Page 10
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Owning our Own
Asset Transfer Update
The new company has been formed and registered. It is called the Kington Community Assets Trust. The first three nominated directors
are Lawrence Banks (Kington United Charities), Bernard Ray (Kington Chamber of
Trade) and Cllr Bob Widdowson (Kington
Town Council). The next step is to apply for
charitable registration and then appoint three
further directors with relevant skills.
We are aiming to transfer the assets by the
end of March this year but this will depend on
whether the charitable registration can be
achieved by then. The assets will first be
transferred to Kington Town Council and then
leased, on a long lease to the new company.
This ensures that ownership remains vested in
the town council.
The open spaces at Kington Park, Crooked
Well and Garden Close will pass to a revamped Kington Recreation Ground Trust. At
present the sole trustee is the Town Council
but we are hoping to change this to include
wider representation from the community.
We are still working on a lot of the fine detail
such as boundaries, particularly for the car
parks, operation of markets in the Market
Hall, and management issues at Mill Street
car park so still much to be done!
Cllr Bob Widdowson, Deputy Mayor.
Page 11
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
The future of Kington Library
A year ago, the Town Council was told that
Kington Library faced closure by March 2015
because of funding cuts at Herefordshire
Council. To prevent this we suggested that
rather than closing the library its future could
be ensured by extending its role to include a
range of other services that could attract other funding.
Herefordshire Council commissioned a study
and last December Herefordshire Council’s
Cabinet agreed a recommendation that:


a wellbeing centre is established in Kington at the current customer services and
library from a combination of funding
from customer services and health prevention from April 2015; and
£78,000 capital funding is allocated to
improve the facilities at the centre.
Across the country many libraries are developing their role as centres for wellbeing: the
starting point being that libraries by definition
are places of wellbeing. Examples can be
found in London, Devon, Lincolnshire, Suffolk
and Surrey.
A review of this report by the Kington Town
Council Services Committee welcomed the direction that Herefordshire Council was taking,
but noted also that further thinking on the
ways in which the library could be developed
were needed and two town councillors volunteered to provide a supplementary report.
Their report endeavours to take the thinking
further, to achieve both an effective service
for Kington and its surrounding area.
Cllr Bob Widdowson, Deputy Mayor.
Page 12
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Kington Town Council’s Year
Beatty locality steward to determine
breadth of remit within the locality.
May 2014


New Mayor elected, plus two deputy
Mayors in line with new policy.
Appointments made from Town Council
to committees and outside bodies.
September 2014

June 2015




Reports of forthcoming cuts to local bus
services.
Launch of Neighbourhood Plan in
Huntington.
Assurance from Herefordshire Council
that unspent 106 monies would be made
available after a settling in period for the
new contractors, Balfour Beatty.
Request for some of 106 monies to be
spent on signage and road safety
improvements at Crooked Well meadow
and Llewelyn Road referred to Task and
Finish Group.



July 2014





Report of large reduction in grass cutting
along
roadways,
now
limited
to
dangerous visibility splays only.
KTC complain to Marches Housing
Association regarding problem dogs in
the area.
Task and finish group set up to follow up
106 monies.
KTC objection to large Broiler Unit
development just outside Kington.
Report from meeting with Doctors
surgery regarding difficulties in accessing
appointments and loss of Paramedics car
from surgery – referred to Services
committee.
August 2014





Great War group lottery application
approved.
Tender for erection and removal of
Christmas lights to be circulated by
Clerk.
Kington in Bloom prize-giving
Accepted Auditors report.
Arranged meeting with new Balfour

Task and finish group set up to
investigate
improvement
and
enhancement
of
War
Memorial
surroundings.
Task and finish group set up to explore
ways to manage Sunset roundabout in
the future.
Rights of Way Scheme scheduled for
discussion with Balfour Beatty locality
steward.
Task and finish group set up to
investigate
improvements
to
the
entrance to Hatton Gardens Industrial
Estate.
Clerk to be paid for extra hours in
connection with Asset Transfer matters
and allowed up to a further 130 hours
within the financial year in connection
with Asset transfer matters, if necessary.
October 2014




Presentation
from
Inspector
Paul
Crumpton of West Mercia Police on local
policing. Emphasis on advantages and
disadvantages of living in an area with a
low crime, resulting in low visible police
presence. Still important to report
incidents.
Kington
Remembers
(WW1)
group
announce launch of project: a talk by
Professor Jack Spence entitled “War
Versus Diplomacy”. Website now up and
running.
Report from meeting with “Caring for
God’s Acre”, the PCC and KTC - now
awaiting response from PCC regarding
proposal to manage a small area of the
churchyard as a wildflower meadow.
Accepted the transfer of assets from
Page 13
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The Kington Chronicle
Herefordshire Council subject to business
plan.
Solicitors instructed to register the new
Community
Asset
Company
at
companies
House
and
apply
for
charitable status.
Adopted business plan and instructed the
Clerk to complete the tasks identified in
the plan prior to asset transfer.
Kington Recreation Ground Trust to seek
legal advice through the clerk on
amendments to enable transfer of open
space assets to the Trust.
Planning and Local Green and Spaces
consultant be appointed to assist with
the Neighbourhood Development Plan.
(funding to come from a grant, not KTC’s
general funds)
November 2014




Internal auditor appointed for the year.
War memorial group report members of
British Legion broadly in favour of
suggested new design for War Memorial
area.
Task and finish group set up to
investigate installation of speed indicator
device for areas in Kington.
KTC to use Blachere to put up and take
down the Christmas lights again this
year.

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
Report of concerns over time taken for
an ambulance to arrive following recent
incident in Kington. Clerk to contact
Ambulance service to clarify target
response times, and whether this had
been affected by removal of Paramedic
service from Kington Medical Centre.
Clerk to set up meeting with Ambulance
service.
KTC and Lafarge Tarmac to meet twice
yearly to monitor problems in Back
Brook.
Grants awarded to local organisations as
per recommendations of grants panel.
Kington Town Council to protest to
Dudley Building Society following sudden
closure of Kington Branch. Also KTC to
write to MP expressing concern about
loss of rural services in general.
Kington Festival committee decision not
to hold festival in 2015 due to lack of
volunteers. Wheelbarrow Race will still
take place plus a football related event
to be organised by the Kington
Remembers group.
Recreation
Ground
trust
to
be
approached about storage of festival
equipment in the future.
Successful week in the Community Shop
has raised almost £1000.00 money to be
banked with the Town Council but ring
fenced
for
improvements
to
the
roundabout.
Report that two Doctors shortly to be
leaving Kington Medical Practice. Report
on the Neighbourhood Plan public dropin event at the Market Hall during
November.
January 2015




December 2014

Spring 2015
Further reports of delays in ambulance
attendance at recent incidents.
Report of potential loss of Citizens Advice
Bureaux from Herefordshire due to
funding cuts. This despite an extra
£400,000 being allocated to Balfour
Beatty for grass cutting.
KTC to write to Head of West Mercia
Ambulance Service documenting poor
attendance at incidents and requesting
attendance at a Town Council meeting.
Report on latest developments at
Kington
Medical
Practice,
Mayor
authorised to call a public meeting
pending outcome of meeting with Deputy
Mayor, MP Bill Wiggin and others at the
Practice.
February 2015



Herefordshire Rural Business and Crime
Forum advance notice of forthcoming
event for Kington
Report of car parking charges introduced
at Coop store.
Resolved to set up a workshop on the
future of Kington Library in partnership
with Herefordshire Council.
Page 14
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Kington Area Neighbourhood Plan
During 2014 the Town Council in partnership
with Huntington and Kington Rural and Lower
Harpton Parish Councils have been preparing
a NDP using new planning powers granted by
government. These new powers mean that
local communities now have a greater say in
where development goes and where it
doesn’t, the speed at which development
takes place and the character of that
development. However the overall planning
framework remains the responsibility of
Herefordshire County Council and policies in
the NDP must conform to County policies. In
addition the Neighbourhood Plan will only
come into force only if a majority of Kington
Area voters support it in a local referendum.
Because of this, considerable effort has gone
into involving the whole community in the
preparation of the Plan through public
meetings, discussion with a range of
organisations in the area, distribution of
information to all households and a website
(Kingtonareaplan.org). We appreciate the help
and expertise given by many residents and
organisations in the town especially MAP. We
have also benefitted from the close working
relationship that has been established
between the Town Council and the rural
Parish Councils.
Work on the NDP has coincided with a major
review of County Planning policy and the
production of a new Local Plan the Core
Strategy 2011-2031. A major part of this
strategy relates to housing and it proposes
200 new dwellings for Kington Town during
the Plan period. However it provides little
guidance on where these might be located or
justification for the numbers. Elsewhere in the
county the Core Strategy identifies housing
sites but uniquely this task is left to the NDP
in Kington. This is both a challenge and
opportunity. That we can decide where
development goes and where it should not, is
a strong power. However decisions about
siting and numbers are already proving
controversial.
As a next stage in the Plan preparation we will
be collecting detailed evidence about both
documented housing need, the sites which
could accommodate new housing and also
identifying particular local green spaces that
should be protected against development. We
hope that all residents will provide us with
help and guidance in this task.
The Plan could also have great influence on
the future of the town centre and help protect
our retail economy.
The Hereford Core
Strategy includes a commitment to improving
the High Street and we are considering how
our Plan can highlight and strongly encourage
this commitment so that it is implemented
early in the Plan period.
Our aim is a Plan that gives clear guidance to
developers as to what we want for our
community. If our policies show clearly that
we will only support development that
respects the character of our town and the
beauty of our rural areas, be sustainable, and
be innovative in keeping our local economy
vibrant it will give us all greater certainty in
the future.
Cllrs Martin Fitton & Ros Bradbury
The Kington Chronicle
Page 15
Spring 2015
Kington Town Council Finances
Accounts 2013/14, Estimated Income and Expenditure 2014/15
and Budget for 2015-2016
Expenses
2013/14 Actual
income and
expenditure
2014/15 estimated
2015/16 Budget
Audit
7,201
930
1,000
Churchyard
1,468
3,000
3,000
Christmas Lights
9,114
4,800
3,500
Contingency
0
0
0
Election expenses
0
500
500
Freighter
2,280
2,280
1,140
Grants to local organisations
4,979
3,116
5,000
Insurances
3,450
3,300
4,000
Kington in Bloom
807
400
900
Mayors allowance
1,000
1,000
1,000
5,870
6,240
2,000
Office cost including salaries
Neighbourhood Plan (from
grants)
Other
868
750
0
2,800
3,285
2,194
9,000
15,000
814
750
600
1,832
1,300
1,600
804
1,100
1,800
1,415
8,000
6,000
0
2,500
2,500
72,053
82,835
85,975
54,052
58,861
63,270
Council Tax Support grant
9,948
11,139
11,730
Services
1,461
1,767
1,490
Grants
900
6,240
2,000
Other
806
5,342
Total income
67,167
83,349
78,490
Balance
-4,886
514
-7,485
Premises
Recreation ground
Subscriptions
Services
Training and travel
Asset transfer costs
Tourist office support
Total expenses
Income
Precept
Page 16
The Kington Chronicle
Local groups supported in 2014/15


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





Kington Festival Association £500.00
To assist with annual Festival
Kington Tennis Club
£493.98
Tennis coaching for youngsters of Kington
Kington Show Soc.
£250.00
Provision of electric and manual scooters
for Disabled access to Show
Kington Museum
£300.00
Purchase of display cabinet
Kington Bowling Club
£300.00
Purchase of mats and rink markers
East Radnorshire Day Centre £100.00
Towards transport for dementia sufferers
from Kington to attend the Centre
St Mary’s Church
£500.00
To reseal floor of Parish House
KADOS
£500.00
To assist the Dick Whittington Pantomime
Rough Rides
£172.80
Website hosting
Spring 2015
Meetings
Full council meets on the first Monday of the
month except on Bank Holidays when it meets
the following day. All meetings start at 7pm.
Members of the public are welcome to attend
and may raise any issues they have at the
start of the meeting. Committees meet on the
third Monday of the month.
Staff
The Council is supported by its Clerk, Gwilym
Rippon, who works three days per week and
the Assistant to the Clerk, Mary Tolhurst on
one day per week.
The Lengthsman and Handyman is Patrick Edwards and the Recreation Groundsman is Ken
Perks.
Town councillors serving during
2014/15
Jeremy Atkinson,
Elizabeth Banks,
Kay Birchley,
Tom Bounds,
Ros Bradbury,
Richie Cotterill,
David East,
Martin Fitton,
John Ford,
Christine Forrester,
Celia Kibblewhite,
Julia Reid,
Esther Rolls,
Bob Widdowson,
Sally Williams.
Kington Town Council information
The Old Police Station,
Market Hall St, Kington. HR5 3DP
Phone: 01544 239098
Email: clerk@kingtontowncouncil.gov.uk
Website: www.kingtontowncouncil.gov.uk
Office opening times:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11am – 1pm,
plus either Tuesday or Thursday.
All other report photo’s by Richie Cotterill
Page 17
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
Meadows
Kington Town Council is responsible for the
upkeep of Kington Churchyard and last year
we met up with the PCC and a
representative, Andrea Dorking, from Caring
For God's Acre to discuss the possiblilty of
encouraging more wildflowers in the area.
Historically a meadow is an area of grassland
from which livestock is excluded from late
spring until early summer in order to allow
the growth of a crop of hay. Over the last 60
years many wildflower rich meadows have
been lost throughout the country due to
changes in farming practices as grassland
has been “improved” so that it only contains
a few vigorous species of grass and white
clover. Yet wildflower meadows increase the
variety of wildlife as a richer diversity of
plants support in turn a greater diversity of
insects, which in turn are food for small
mammals, such as voles, shrews and
hedgehogs and birds, which also feed on the
flower seed.
Wildflower meadows do, of course,also look
beautiful! We are very fortunate in Kington as
we live close to Birches Farm which has
never been sprayed and has beautiful
wilflower meadows. It is situated at the top
of the hill on the left on the way to Eardisley
and is currently being managed by
Herefordshire Nature Trust which is hoping to
raise money to buy it and thus protect it long
-term.
Luckily for us, Andrea confirmed that the
grassy areas in the churchyard also contains
many flower species which will flourish if left
uncut. As meadows do particularly well if
they have an open, sunny aspect, not shaded
by trees, walls or shrubs, it was decided to
carry out a trial area, oval in shape with a
path running through the middle, on the
most southerly side of the churchyard at the
bottom of the bank closest to the town. This
designated area can still be cut up to late
April but will then be left until mid-July when
it will be scythed. The resulting cuttings will
be removed as wildflowers do best on poor
soils with a low fertility and if the cuttings are
left, nutrients would seep back into the soil
favouring the taller, coarser plants such as
willowherb, fat hen, bindweed, nettles and
couch grass to grow. These would then
outcompete the meadow flowers which we
are trying to encourage.
So, take a walk up to the church next June
time and we hope you will be pleased with
what you find. We are hoping to invite
children from both schools in the town along
to draw and identify the flowers....
Although it is much easier to conserve and
encourage existing areas of wildflower
meadows as is the case in the churchyard, it
is of course also possible to create new
wildflower meadows even in your back
garden especaillly if it's sunny. New meadows
will fare better if the chosen area has not
been treated with too many chemicals in the
past. Begin by removing any grass turves
and rake the exposed soil. Wildflower seed
can be bought which contains, for example,
10 species of flower and 4 grass species. Sow
the seed in early spring and net the area to
stop beds having an early feast! Then cut in
mid-July and remove the cuttings after which
it can be mown at the same time as the rest
of the lawn until May the following year.
Good luck!
Sally Williams
Chair of the Environment Committee of Kington Town
Council
The Kington Chronicle
Page 18
Spring 2015
Rhyme by Clive Williams and Photo by Richie Cotterill
Kington Car Share Club
Get “On The Road”
with
Kington Car Share Club
Are you someone who –



Is not a car owner but would benefit from access to a car? ...or
Wants to give up your car (or second car) but just can't do without it? ... and
Is interested in saving money while reducing traffic congestion and pollution?
Then the Kington Car Share initiative may be right for you!
Our aim is to promote cleaner, greener travel and affordable car use.
How it works:




One time membership fee of £20
Monthly subscription fee of £5
Easy online booking system
Monthly usage bills based on time and mileage
(at about £1.60 per hour and 20p per mile less any petrol you have bought)

Community scheme where everyone helps with the running of the club
If you are interested please email kleen@live.co.uk or telephone 01544 231236
Richie Cotterill - KLEEN
The Kington Chronicle
Page 19
Kington Trees
At the Kington Tree Mapping meeting, last
December, we discussed our ambition to
create an online digital map of the trees in
Kington. We want this to be compatible with
other similar projects in the country to build
up the bigger picture. This would become a
tool for keeping an eye on the growth, loss
and planting of trees.
This FREE training session on Winter Tree
Identification and Surveying was such good
fun we are going to offer it again this Spring.
We are also looking for suitable public sites to
plant fruit, nut and coppice trees around the
town next winter.
Richie Cotterill - Tree Warden
Trees ID & Survey Training
with Lewis Goldwater
Sunday 29th March 2015
10am - 2pm at MAP, Kington
Marches Access Point, Market Hall Street
Free
- donation welcome!
Learn how to identify a range of common
native trees, use maps, aerial images and a
GPS unit to locate trees; measure, record
and photograph trees and upload records to
The Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree Hunt.
Bring warm clothing, sturdy footwear, maps,
a pencil/pen and something to write on; a
digital camera, smartphone or GPS unit (if
you have one), plus your lunch and a drink.
Please book your place by phone: 231236 or
email: kingtontrees@live.co.uk
Spring 2015
Page 20
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
The Old School, New Radnor, LD8 2SS
Manager – Jane Bartlett - 07968349456
Chairman - Shirley Hughes - 01544262185
radnorvalleylittledragons@hotmail.com
www.radnorvalleylittledragons.btck.co.uk
Charity number 1025851
Theme
The children are enjoying the 'bird watch' theme this term based around “RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch”, they’ve been
making bird feeders, bird watching; finding bird prints in the snow, making a variety of garden birds in craft activities.
Holiday Club
We will be running a holiday club in February Half Term, on Wed 18th, Thurs 19th and Fri 20th from 8am until 5.30pm
for only £17 per child all day with the 3rd sibling FOC, for children aged 3-14 years old, there will be lots of indoor and
outdoor activities, We will also be holding a holiday club throughout Easter dates to follow.
Don’t forget……
We are now able to offer full day child care, including a breakfast club at Radnor Valley Primary School. We offer child
care for 2 year olds upwards from 8.10am until 5.30pm for only £28.00 per day, £15 for a morning/afternoon session.
We offer 10 hours free 3 year old funding from Powys County Council and registered with Herefordshire Council to
receive 15 hours funding for 2 year olds who are eligible under their criteria for families who live in Herefordshire.
Our parent and toddler group meets on a Monday morning 9.20am until 11.20pm, a social morning for the children to
play and parents to chat, tea/coffee/ snacks for the children for only £2.50. Regular visits from local health visitor.
HERGEST CROFT
GARDENS
OPEN DAILY
3 April - 1 November
12noon - 5.30pm
Visit 70 acres of gardens with spectacular colour
Plant Sales includes rare and unusual shrubs and trees
Gift Shop has a wide selection of attractive gifts
Delicious homemade lunches and teas
served by Ridgeway Catering
Flower Fair Monday 4 May
10.00am - 5.30pm
An Auction and Events in aid of
St Michael’s Hospice, Hereford
A variety of plant nurseries will be selling interesting and unusual plants, as well as local
craft and produce stalls.
T: 01544 230160 E: gardens@hergest.co.uk www.hergest.co.uk
For other events please check the website or
contact the Estate Office
If you would like to make
changes
in
your
diet,
improve
your
health
condition or lose weight
and you don’t know where
to start, as a nutritionist I
can help you achieve your
goals effectively and most
important safely for your
body and mind.
Contact:
07443471224
Email:
info@healthandnutrition.org.uk
Page 21
The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
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The Kington Chronicle
Spring 2015
The Kington Chronicle
Page 23
Spring 2015
ELLY INGRAM MTI
Mobile Holistic Massage
Therapist
Providing an individually tailored massage in the
comfort and privacy of your own home. For
aches and pains, or just to de-stress and relax,
whatever your needs are, I can provide a unique
massage just for you. No two treatments are ever
the same.
Regular massage has been shown to have many
health benefits, some of which can include improved sleep, improved energy, calmed nerves,
increased flexibility, better digestion or just
maintaining good health and wellbeing, whether
that be physical, mental, spiritual or emotional.
07792 743 894
www.ellyingram.co.uk
Registered with MTI & CNHC
Kington Osteopaths
Diana Mann B.Sc (OST)
Richard Mann B.Sc (OST)





Neck and back pain
Sciatica
Headaches
‘Frozen shoulder’
Joint problems




Muscle problems
Sports injuries
Overall assessments
Post operative rehab e.g. post
knee, hip or shoulder surgery
01544 239210
www.kingtonosteopaths.co.uk
9 The Square, Kington HR5 3BA
The Kington
Chronicle
Marches Access Point
The Old Police Station
Market Hall Street
Kington
Herefordshire, HR5 3DP
Phone: 01544 231771
Email: kingtonchronicle@gmail.com
The Kington Chronicle is a community project
run by volunteers in conjunction with The
Kington Area Regeneration Partnership
(KARP). As a community newsletter, The
Kington Chronicle needs your news, photos,
letters and announcements.
Advertising
If you would like to advertise in the Kington
Chronicle, please contact Emma (KARP
Administrator) on 01544 231771 to discuss
your requirements.
Volunteer drivers needed to keep
Kington moving
I am sure most readers think, as I do, that
living in or around Kington is very enjoyable.
Although I live out in the countryside I am
able to make the most of living here because I
have a car and can drive. However there are a
growing number in our community who don't
have that luxury. Perhaps they no longer
drive, live outside our ever dwindling public
transport system, or find it difficult to walk
great distances. This is where Community
Wheels is able to help. The purpose of the service is to provide door to door transport for
people who do not have access to a car and
are unable to use public transport due to mobility difficulties or because of the nonavailability of the service. Travel might be to
the doctor, hospital or dentist, or to go shopping, go to the hair dresser, visit friends or
relatives.............the list is endless.
effective, flexible social car scheme run by the
community for the community. We are part of
the Travel Links county network and supported by Herefordshire Council.
The service is reliant on volunteer drivers who
are paid a mileage allowance but give their
time freely. The service covers the whole of
north Herefordshire but the Kington area is
particularly short of drivers and recently the
charity has had to turn away clients because
they could not get a driver to cover their
needs.
Ivor Clucas
Do you have a car, a few spare hours a week
perhaps and are willing to assist keep Kingtonians moving then please get in touch with
the manager of Community Wheels in the Leominster office. There are no binding commitments; you can do as little or as much volunteering as you like, but as they say every little
helps.
So if you are interested in becoming a driver
ring Sarah Bateman on 01568 617722 or
01432 343932
If you want to make a booking for the service
the number to ring is 01568 615785
Community Wheels is safe, accessible, cost-
The views expressed in the Kington Chronicle and the information contained therein are not necessarily
those of the Kington Chronicle nor do we vouch for or necessarily endorse the views or guarantee
accuracy. So if you feel like suing us, please don’t bother as we’re skint.