Sherwood

Sherwood

		I'm proud to be County Councillor for Sherwood. It's a really challenging constituency in so many ways. Firstly because of its wide spread of residents - from the relative affluence of Pembury Road, through to the more challenging area around the Oak Road estate. In my view, the Sherwood Estate in general is often been treated less than fairly by both County and Borough Councils. However, since my election in 2001 I've worked closely with the Oak Road Community Action group. We've wiped out a Borough Council plan to drive a bus route right across the last remaining community green space on the Colebrook Recreation Ground, and following this some £65,000 has been raised from the National Lottery for a "Doorstep Green" project, which has revitalised previous wasteland into a landscaped community area (see left)
I'm also proud of Sherwood Park Primary School in Friars Way - its Head Teacher Keith Marden is one of the most energetic and visionary heads I've come across, and with a hugely dedicated staff he's making a real difference to the lives and prospects of hundreds of young people. Kent County Council signed a mini-Public Service Agreement with Keith in Summer 2004. This agreement sets challenging improvement targets for the school over the next couple of years, but will pay out a very worthwhile amount of money when the targets are met. In October I was at the school to help pupils open their first bank accounts (right)
		The next major piece of partnership working will be between Kent County Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, where working together, we will bring investment and resource to the Sherwood Estate. This is all planned to provide updated community meeting and leisure facilities, together with "hot desking" facilities where partner agencies can deliver excellent services to the people of Sherwood. Alongside this facility in Greggswood Road, we will seek to provide updated facilities in the old ETC buildings at Sherwood Park Primary School. By working together, we will bring a modern, joined up approach to solve the challenges facing Sherwood today and tomorrow.
Next we'll make sure that the proposed residential development for the Gas Works site, if it goes ahead, does so with full community consultation. Such large scale development will change this end of Sherwood for generations to come, and it's our duty to ensure that everybody is given a fair chance to have an input into the scheme.
Regular attendance at Sherwood Community sub-group, Sherwood Community Safety Partnership and Sherwood Community Network Lunches Regular attendance at ORCA (Oak Road Community Action) meetings In the face of Borough Council opposition, I successfully campaigned with local residents to have an unpopular Park and Ride bus route across Colebrook Playing Field removed from the emerging Local Plan. This has saved two football pitches and will ensure the survival of Saturday morning football for the young people of Sherwood Persuaded TWBC to fully refit Colebrook Rec changing rooms for community use I also assisted the residents in a successful bid for Countryside Agency/National Lottery “Doorstep Green” funding of £65,000 to revitalize a run down area of scrubland in the most deprived part of Sherwood. Presented awards at Childrens’ University (Sherwood CP School) – November 2002 Attendance at “Take One Picture” initiative at Sherwood Library - May 2003 Assisted with organization of first “Sherwood Jolly” including arranging for Mayor to open event – August 2003 Liptraps Lane – resiting of pelican crossing from outside residential properties – jointly with Frank Williams – January 2004 Attendance and media interviews at Adult Education “Taster Day” at Sherwood CP School Signing of Sherwood School/KCC mini-PSA Launch of KCC/Moat Housing Key Worker housing project at Tunbridge Wells High School – Sept 2003 Meetings with Bill Fearon, Principal West Kent College to agree learning and skills programmes for Sherwood – Dec 2003