Clean Safer Streets and Anti-Social Behaviour
Rubbish and fly tipping is a problem around our area. We will spend more council tax money to ensure that the Council has additional Enforcement Officers to clamp down on this anti social behaviour. We have also met with Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner in Painters Ash. During the meeting he reported on some actions he is taking to tackle crime and anti social behaviour. These include the recruitment of 270 new Police Officers. He will protect all the 300 PCSO jobs and he will re-establish the Police Cadets with recruitment focused in areas like Gravesham.
Inconsiderate and Illegal Parking
Another issue that local residents are concerned about is illegal or inconsiderate parking outside schools and parking near road junctions. We will continue to work with Kent County Council and the Police to tackle this problem. We will ensure that Officers spend more time in Painters Ash to tackle the parking hotspots. We will also work with the local schools to encourage responsible parking at drop off and pick up times. We want to see more appropriate yellow lines in problem areas, more 20 MPH limits and ‘No HGV’ signs where necessary.
Support for our Local Shops and Businesses
Over the years we have seen our local shops change, sometimes for the better and sometimes not. We must ensure that we support our local shops. We will ensure that we have the right mix of shops and listen to feedback from residents. In Gravesend, we will work to make the refurbished Market a real success. Increasing parking charges in the town centre is really damaging. Conservative Councillors opposed the recent increases in parking charges implemented by the ruling Independent Party.
Recreational Play Areas and Green Spaces
There are two play areas in Painters Ash and we will work hard to ensure that they are safe, clean and accessible for all. We will also look to see if we can enhance the nature trail that runs to the South of Painters Ash Despite the proximity to the A2, it could be a very attractive and valuable natural resource and part of a healthier lifestyle for Painters Ash residents. We will protect these areas by designating them ‘Village Greens’ so they cannot be sold off to property developers.
Protecting our Green and Open Spaces from Building Development
t was Labour Councillors who allowed property developers build on the green fields to the West of Wrotham Road / opposite Morrison’s. We appreciate it was a very difficult decision but they could have said NO...but they didn’t! If Labour wins this election, they will allow more building developments on many more greenfield sites. Not just a few houses but thousands of houses. Local roads are already very busy and more houses will mean more cars and our local services cannot cope with more people. Conservative Councillors will continue to fight against inappropriate development on our green open spaces.
