Paddock Wood Town Council is divided into two wards. The East Ward has seven members and the West Ward has six members. Although elected to a specific ward, members can speak on any issue not just those related to their ward.
Full Council meets on the 3rd Monday of every month, at the Day Centre, Commercial Road. Meetings commence at 7.45, unless otherwise stated.
The Council has five full Committees: Planning and Environment, Estates, Finance, Policy & Procedures and Personnel. The P & E committee meets on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, except August. The Estates Committee meets on the 2nd Monday of every month, except January & August. The Finance Committee meets in June, November and January to review & set the budget for the following financial year, and the Personnel Committee meets as required. The Policy & Procedures Committee meets January, April, August & October. Other meetings are arranged as and when required.
What do you get for your Council Tax?
The Town Council has now set its budget and agreed the precept for 2022/2023.
The Council has approved precept of £500,976.81 for 2022/23. This equates to a 3.6% increase on the previous year. The Precept is an annual amount set by a Town or Parish Council in order to pay for costs contained within a set budget.
What does the Town Council element of your council tax bill fund?
Paddock Wood Town Council owns and pays for the upkeep of the following sites:
5 playing fields plus pavilions
5 children’s play areas & the skateboard park
Foal Hurst Wood, Orchard Meadow & Green Lane Spinney
The New Cemetery & Closed Church Yard
The War Memorial & Town Centre Benches
Town Council offices & St Andrews Hall at St Andrews Playing Fields
Town Council workshops at the Memorial Field
Open spaces at Cobbs Close, White’s Corner & Mount Pleasant
Five balancing ponds
3 allotment sites
5 bus shelters
The above sites are looked after by a full time Estates Manager & two full time groundsmen based at the Memorial Field. The Estates Committee meets monthly to agree future work and has budgeted for an additional groundman in the future.
The Town Council also funds the hanging baskets and planters in the Town Centre as well as the Christmas lights and trees.
This year in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Year it is hoped to have “Royal” colours for the hanging baskets. The Town Council has budgeted £10,000 for Jubilee Celebrations. Look out for details of plans as they develop.
The Town Council leases the Day Centre from the Borough Council and is responsible for the running costs and maintenance of the building. The Town Centre toilets are also funded by the Town Council.
Included in the figure above is £60,000 for the new Community Centre. The Town Council has been setting aside a sum each year since 2015. This will pay for the £1.9 loan needed to pay towards the Community Centre. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities granted the Council permission to borrow the money in September 2021. The loan has been applied for to take advantage of the current low interest rates as they will be fixed for the term of the loan. Planning permission for the new Community Centre was granted in October and in December the Council placed the contract with local firm Baxall to construct the building. It is hoped that building work will start in the spring. Now that planning permission has been granted the Council will seek further grant funding for the project.
Two new LTA complaint tennis courts, a new cricket wicket and improvements to the Memorial Pavilion are all included in the project.
The Planning & Environment Committee meets twice a month to comment on local planning applications. Due to the level of planned development identified in the Borough Council’s Local Plan, the Town Council has set aside £20,000 in its budget to pay for professional support at the forthcoming Local Plan Inspection. A further £5,000 has been allocated for the completion of the Neighbourhood Plan.
The Town Council assists with and funds the cost of the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade. It has also purchased and maintains 4 defibrillators.
The grant to the Community Advice Centre has been increased from £10,000 to £12,000 for the coming year. There is an even greater need for their services.
A contribution of £9,700 is also made towards the running costs of Putlands Sports and Leisure Centre.
The council is administered by a full time Town Clerk and a part time Deputy Clerk & Assistant Clerk/Financial Officer based in The Podmore Building St Andrews Road.
Full details of the Town Council’s budget and all its activities can be found on its website www.paddockwood-tc.gov.uk
Or by contacting the Clerk on 01892 837373, clerk@paddockwoodtc.co.uk
January 2022
