Good news if you were given a parking ticket in Riverhead after 5pm – your fine has been cancelled
PARKING TICKETS: Have you recently received a fine for parking outside the charging hours in Riverhead? Miller & Carter, who own the car park, has told the Parish Council that they have spoken to Euro car parks who say that all tickets received relating to parking after 5pm ‘have been cancelled’. There is more about this on the Parish Council website at: www.riverheadpc.kentparishes.gov.uk There is also information about the new charges (free after 5pm) which were in place on 9 January should you need to contest a fine. Also on the website is an item with links to various private schemes for locating parking spaces for rent in Riverhead.
NEW SWINGS: Thanks to a very generous grant received from Enovert Community Trust, Sevenoaks Town Council has recently carried out refurbishment works at the Pontoise Close Play Area. These include a replacement swing set, repainting of existing equipment and the installation of a new piece of equipment.
HALF TERM ACTIVITIES: Looking ahead to the school half term, the Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve has various activities planned. On Sunday, 17 February, you and your children can build your own bird box and then go on a bird walk to spot what birds might nest in it. Or on Wednesday, 20 February you could try pond-dipping. Then on Thursday, 21 February it is the Wiggly Wild Show again – a chance to get up close to some amazing creepy crawlies with the help of an experienced bug wrangler. For more information about all these activities (and more) and to book go to www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events
RIVERHEAD PARISH COUNCIL: The next monthly meeting will be on Monday, 18 February at 7.30pm in the committee room at Riverhead Village Hall. Riverhead residents are always welcome to attend these meetings, but if there is a local matter that you would like to raise at this meeting, do contact the council beforehand on 01732 461278 or at clerk@riverheadparishcouncil.org.uk or via the website; www.riverheadpc.kentparishes.gov.uk so an informed response can be provided at the meeting. The agenda is posted about a week beforehand on the village noticeboards and also on the council website as are those for meetings of the planning committee. The Parish Clerk has an office (open Mondays and Thursdays from 9.30am to 12.30pm) at the Village Hall and phone messages and emails are picked up regularly at other times.
RIVERHEAD IN BLOOM: Is anyone, or maybe a group, interested in organising Riverhead in Bloom (as part of South and Southeast in Bloom) this year? Last time Riverhead entered the village won a silver but the competition does need to be a community effort rather than the Parish Council running the entry. For more information contact Caroline, the parish clerk on 01732 461278 or email to clerk@riverheadparishcouncil.org.uk
PARKLAND WORKING PARTY: The next Riverhead Parkland Working Party will be held on Wednesday, 13 February, from 9.30am to 11.30am when the regular volunteer group of Riverhead Parish Councillors and local residents would once again welcome others to join them. The village is very fortunate to have this wonderful parkland area, but your help is needed to keep it looking good. For anyone who is able to come to the working party, tools and refreshments are provided but do come appropriately clad, including sturdy footwear and gardening gloves. Meet at the entrance to the Parkland off St Mary’s Drive at 9.30am. More information on the Parish Council web-site at www.riverheadpc.kentparishes.gov.uk or phone 01732 461278.
BUS FEEDBACK: KCC has launched a Bus Feedback Portal. This includes information about how to make a formal complaint or compliment about bus services and who to contact in the event of problems. It also includes a feedback form for residents to let KCC know about their experiences of using buses and the quality of service provided. It will use the feedback to get a greater understanding of what types of problems bus users experience and to spot trends about the areas or on which services they arise. KCC will use this information to inform the conversations that it has with bus operators through the Quality Bus Partnerships and help improve things for bus users. KCC is encouraging people to use the form to let it know about their experience of using buses and the quality of service provided. The link to the portal is www.kent.gov.uk/busfeedback
CHIPSTEAD WI: The next meeting of Chipstead WI, which always welcomes Riverhead residents, will be on Tuesday, 12 February, when Iain Smith will give a talk entitled ‘Valentine’s Day – how Hever castle evokes images of love and romance’. The meeting starts at 8pm and the venue is Chevening Parish Hall, Homedean Rd, Chipstead (TN13 2RU). For more information about Chipstead WI call Janet Sharp on 01732 452715 or email barjansharp@tiscali.co.uk
The Riverhead village news is compiled by Maggie Miles. If you have any news or events you would like her to consider for the My Sevenoaks Community village column you can email it to her at: maggiejmiles@gmail.com
