Learn more about what the Liberal Democrat councillors have been doing in their respective wards! 

Download the latest copies of Leybourne and West Malling Headline for February 2019: 

Leybourne Headline

West Malling Headline

Imagine If...

At this time of National Crisis

A solution could be found

Which enabled the UK:

On Thursday 2^nd May there will be local elections for both Tonbridge and Malling Council and also Sevenoaks District Council. 

On Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council there are currently 48 Conservatives, 4 Liberal Democrats, and 2 Independants. There are no Labour members. 

Despite being the coldest night of the year, Members of Tonbridge and Malling Liberal Democrats braved sub-zero temperatures for our regular Politics and Pint evening in the warmth of the Chequers bar in Tonbridge.
Chairman David Thornewell introduced Richard Morris - our new Prospective Parliamentary Candidate - to the group, kicking off a lively discussion of Westminster, European and local issues. 

The draft Local Plan as approved by the full Borough Council on 12^th September 2018 was delivered to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol on 23^rd January 2019 together with all the representations they received during this last public consultation phase.  This will have included additional ones made by landowners and developers seeking new housing sites as at Kingshill.

Richard Morris will be the Liberal Democrats' Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for Tonbridge and Malling in the next general election. 

On Monday, the Borough Council launched the final six weeks of consultation on the Local Plan.  Our fate is now in the hands of the Government Inspector.  All comments should be sent to the Borough at localplan@tmbc.gov.uk by 4pm on Monday 12 November.  They will send them to the Inspector along with comments on them from Borough officers.

The Borough Council has published its revised Local Plan with house building plans for up to 2031.

The good news is that the Borough Council proposes to extend the Green Belt to Wateringbury Road. This was the single most popular policy with the public for the whole Plan. The bad news is that it includes 205 new houses on New Road between Bradbourne House and The King and Queen, and around 1,000 houses extending Kings Hill northward onto Broadwater Farm as far as Pikey Lane.

The document can be read on the TMBC website but it is long and in places complicated. We have three chances to hear the Plan explained:

Sunday 1^st July, 12 till 3pm. West Malling Primary School, Norman Road. West Malling Parish Council Public exhibition and meeting on the Local Plan. Presentations at 12.30 and 1.30pm. Plans on display.
 
Friday 20^th July 7.30 pm East Malling Institute.
 
The East Malling Conservation Group are holding their AGM on 20th July at the East Malling Institute from 7.30pm. Following a very quick AGM open only to members of the Group, the rest of the meeting will be a presentation of the Local Plan by David Thornewell, Chairman of the Parish Council, open to members of the public, followed by questions.

The Young Persons Travel Pass for 11-16 year olds will go up by £10 to £290 per year in September.  Applications open June 4th and payment can be made half yearly.  The cost for parents on a low income is £100.  The pass is subsidised by KCC council tax payers by £300 per year and is the only such service in the country outside London.

Bazaar is back at the Pilsdon Community, Water Lane from 25th May to 5th June from 10.30 to 5pm each day except Tuesday when the hall is closed.  Bazaar sells Nepalese and Asian fabrics, clothing, jewellery, ornaments, rugs, ornaments, cards and handmade papers.  A feast of colour!  Refreshments available.