PARISH COUNCILS LAUNCH GREEN BELT PETITION

The countryside between our local communities is under threat. The pressure for new house building in Malling is greater than ever before. Developers have put forward 40 sites for new house building in the two parishes of West Malling and East Malling alone.

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council will be looking at whether to include these new sites in the new Local Plan which will set out housing sites in the Borough until 2040.

The extension of the Green Belt would:

● Protect the historic communities of West Malling and East Malling

● Prevent the merging of East Malling, West Malling, Larkfield, Leybourne and Kings Hill

● Protect the openness of the countryside between these communities, helping to retain their rurural character https://www.change.org/p/extend-the-green-belt-between-west-malling-east-malling-and-kings-hill

This petition seeks support for an extension to the Green Belt to protect the green fields between West and East Malling and Kings Hill.

This should be done by drawing the boundary broadly along Wateringbury Road from Red Hill in the south to the A20 London Road in the north via Chapman Way, Winterfield Lane, Lucks Hill and the West Malling bypass.

The Forty Acres Country Park offered by developers should be included in this new Green Belt.

Please sign the petition to send a message to TMBC that defending our countryside is a top priority for us, and it must be for their Local Plan too.

Please share with friends, family and neighbours. PS. Please make sure your postcode is fully recorded and please ignore the invitation to contribute money. It has nothing to do with the petition.

TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN VOTE ON MAY 3rd DO THIS NOW

To Make Sure You Can Vote On May 3rd Do This Now

Although there are very few prosecutions for fraudulent voting, the Government has decided that everyone must show a document to prove their identity before they are allowed to vote. The new system will begin on May 3rd for voting in the Borough and Parish Council elections.

Any of these documents will be accepted .

Passport

Driving Licence

Blue Badge

Older Person’s Bus Pass

Disabled Person’s Bus Pass

Oyster 60 plus card

You MUST take the original document, not a copy, to the Polling Station.

If you don’t use a computer or a digital camera, ring

TMBC 01732 844522 and ask for Electoral Services. They will try to help.

If you have none of these documents, there are 3 things you can do.

1. You can apply for a Postal vote. You do not need a photograph. This is the best option for any younger or older person. Your voting paper will come to you through the post with a reply paid envelope. If you still want to vote in person, you can take the slip to the Polling Station on Election Day. To get a form, google https://www.gov.uk/government/publica tions/apply-for-a-postal-vote

2. You can get an Older Persons Bus Pass. You never know, you might use it on a bus too! You get the form from the Borough Council or KCC . Ring 01732 844522 or search www.kent.mybuspass.co.uk

Whatever you choose to do, Please do it NOW. Borough and Government will be very busy with all these extra forms.

THANK YOU TESCO!

3. Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-forphoto-id-voter-authority-certificate. Or you can get a paper copy from the Borough Council, at TMBC, Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling or ring 01732 844522 and ask for Electoral Services. You will need an electronic photograph of yourself. The completed document must go to the Borough Council Offices.

Malling Action Partnership are grateful to Tesco Community Grants for the cost of printing this community information leaflet.