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The Tunbridge Wells Town Forum has condemned a lack of consultation by the Liberal Democrat-controlled Borough Council after news that the Borough plans to abruptly stop work on forming the Town Council. A motion will be put before a meeting of the Borough Council next week to order a pause to the process due to …
Continue reading Shock as Lib Dems Halt Tunbridge Wells Town Council
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has given more details of the case for its £ 27 million project to update the Palm Court area of the Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre ahead of a scrutiny meeting on Monday. But concerns remain that the council will not get the returns it expects, creating a risk that council …
Continue reading First Half of Huge Council Shopping Centre Loan Nears Approval
Local Liberal Democrats were cheered this week by their victory by 107 votes in a council by-election for Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and Frittenden. The Lib Dems got 37% of the votes, increasing their overall majority on the recently reprieved Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The Lib Dems now have 26 seats against a combined opposition on the …
Continue reading Lib Dems Win Cranbrook By-Election to Cement Control of Borough Council
Escalating costs involved in restructuring local councils in Kent could mean the changes never happen. A shock announcement last Monday 7th September by the Labour government put on "pause" plans to abolish both Kent County Council and all the existing Borough Councils - with no timetable to resume the process. Indeed, it was announced that …
Continue reading “Shambles” as Labour’s Local Council Changes “Paused”
A council meeting in Tonbridge and Malling has refused to progress with a plan to build the 20,000 new homes demanded by the Labour government, but the decision was then immediately overruled by the government. The vote to pause the Local Plan was described as "irresponsible" by the Liberal Democrat group. But Conservative councillor, Sarah …
The owners of the snooker centre in Tunbridge Wells have spoken for the first time about how they were "devastated" to find the Borough Council wanted to knock down their home, the Friendly Societies' Hall. Construction of the ornate Friendly Societies' Hall (pictured below) began in 1877 after a royal visit by one of Queen …
Continue reading Victorian Snooker Hall Still Set for Demolition
There's concern that no significant assets are set to be given to the brand new Town Council for Tunbridge Wells, so leaving it with little power to enhance the town. The decision to form the new Town Council was made by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 15th July after public consultations. The Tunbridge Wells Borough …
Continue reading Royal Tunbridge Wells to have its own Town Council
Environmental campaigners have said that the climate and the UK economy will suffer as a result of the final approval for a new £2 billion runway at Gatwick Airport. On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal rejected legal arguments of campaigners trying to block the expansion and refused permission for them to appeal. Opponents of Gatwick’s …
Elections will take place next year for a powerful new West Kent council which will replace four existing local authorities. The West Kent Unitary Authority will cover the area currently run by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Maidstone Borough, Tonbridge and Malling Borough and Sevenoaks District Council. On Thursday, the Labour government confirmed its plans to …
Continue reading Abolition of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Confirmed
The Liberal Democrat plan to take on a council debt of £68 million to finance town centre development work appears to have turned into the major local election issue for voters who make their choice tomorrow (Thursday 7th). The Conservative candidate in Sherwood, Christian Atwood, told Southborough News today: "A lot of people are against …
