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The winner of last week's County Council election for the seat comprising Southborough says he is "acknowledging feedback from the community" regarding the lack of information about how the new Hub development will pay for itself. Peter Oakford told Southborough News that "as soon as the commercial negotiations are complete" he would request that the …
Continue reading Conservatives Promise to Publish Business Plan as Demolition Continues
The man who has masterminded the radical new Hub development in Southborough, Peter Oakford, was reelected for another four year term by 42% of voters in the "Tunbridge Wells North" constituency in yesterday's Kent County Council election. The opposition to the Conservatives was split between Labour with 26% and the Liberal Democrat with 25%. The …
Continue reading Conservatives win Southborough’s County Council Seat with 42% of vote
The Annual Town Meeting held on Wednesday gave an opportunity for ordinary residents to explain their concerns with the two hours dominated by the Hub project and anger at the replacement of garages with more housing. The full audio of the meeting is available here in 5 parts. LISTENING TIP FOR iPHONES: Click on the …
Continue reading Southborough’s Angry Voices at Annual Town Meeting 2017
Residents in Southborough will go to the polls on Thursday 4th May to vote for their Kent County Councillor, with opposition parties attempting to reduce the Conservative vote by capitalising on local concern about new house building plans and the decline of the town's shops and facilities. In the last week, the last cafe in …
Continue reading Key Local Election Vote for Southborough on Thursday
At this year's Southborough Town Meeting, residents were given a pledge that their Council tax bill would not rise as a result of the Southborough Hub development. Cllr Peter Oakford (left in picture below) told the meeting that: "The worst case scenario (for the theatre hire revenue) is based on 50 per cent of the …
Continue reading Pledge that Southborough Hub Means “No Increase” in Council Tax Bills
A new bus timetable comes into effect on April 2nd but there's disappointment that there will be no improvement in the sparse service at peak times, suggesting that car drivers will continue to clog up the A26 and pollute Southborough's air for the forseeable future. There had been hopes that a more frequent peak time …
Continue reading Traffic Gridlock and Polluted Air Set to Continue After “Disappointing” Bus Review
Efforts began this weekend to find the exact spot where a windmill once stood on Southborough Common near Modest Corner. An area with a raised area of earth has been identified as the likely location and a survey was undertaken of the ground there using professional equipment in an attempt to find evidence of the …
Continue reading Hunt Begins for Southborough’s Lost Windmill
A rousing speech from a former mayor, Richard Blackwell, began the historic final council meeting of Southborough Town Council to be held in its building in London Road, which is about to be demolished to make way for the Hub. Richard Blackwell (pictured below) served on Southborough Council for 31 years from 1972, and his …
Continue reading Southborough Council Holds Final Meeting at its Home of 140 Years
Thursday's by-election in Southborough North followed the usual voting patterns, with the Conservatives holding the seat with 60% of the vote - identical to the share that they achieved in a similar by-election in the same seat three years ago. The result appeared to represent the endorsement the Council wanted for its plans to replace …
Conservatives in Southborough will be hoping for a ringing endorsement from voters for their far-reaching plans for the Southborough Hub development when polls open on Thursday, but there are signs that the Liberal Democrats may have a chance of winning the seat. The by-election vote in the Southborough North seat is happening because the Conservative …
Continue reading By-election Vote to Test Support for Southborough Hub Plans
