The Cake - Spring 2022

COMMENT
CLLR KIM FLETCHER
Chairman’s
Message
Sadly, we have had to
say goodbye to two
councillors, Nancy
Warne, who has
done sterling work
heading up the Neighbourhood
Development Plan, and John
Smith, who led planning and
been a mainstay of Sissinghurst
activities. They have devoted
so much time and energy to
making the parish a better place
and deserve your thanks.
Our community is built on
people connecting with one
another and finding common
interests that create a glue that
makes a strong community.
Mostly this is based on giving
time to your interests which
also benefits others. In this
edition of The Cake you will see
many opportunities to share
your experiences and energies
to create a stronger community
and add to your own well-being.
Many of us are concerned
that the closure of High Weald
Academy will weaken our
community, and elsewhere in
The Cake, you will read about
the parish council’s initiative to
get it reopened.
The closure of the public
toilets has been a source of
frustration since the continued
vandalism caused TWBC to gift
the building to the parish. There
is good news on the horizon,
thanks to Cllr Colin Gilbert who
has put enormous time and
effort into re-opening them
soon.
Hopefully, this will prevent
fouling of footpaths around the
town. We will put a new wooden
Cllr Colin Gilbert has put enormous time and effort into the re-opening of the public toilets in Cranbrook.
See page 19 for more.
youth shelter in the Crane
Valley for youngsters to have
somewhere to meet, and not
wreck the WCs.
This is a huge risk with your
council tax money to try to stop
the vandalism of the toilets.
The damage cost most of all
TWBC’s budget for WC repairs.
Hopefully, the fast-food outlets
will publicise the 24/7 aspect of
their being open.
The new children’s play
equipment on the Ball Field and
Jubilee Field has caused some
upset as it is different and raised
some concerns. Councillors had
diligently sought new, exciting
equipment for the sites. They
are your elected representatives
who devote their time to the
common good, using their
expertise and contacts to come
up with the best overall solution
for the long term. Decisions are
made, not everyone is pleased,
but hopefully the majority will
be.
Parishioners could be working
together to create wider use of
our sports’ facilities. It is good
to report that the Weald Sports
Centre, run by Fusion, is to
spend £1.17m on improvements.
Nearby, is the Weald
Cranbrook Sports Club,
previously the rugby club, which
has burgeoning membership
and needs room to expand. It
also has extensive parking.
The parish owns and manages
the Ball Field, while Cranbrook
School shares Jaeger’s field
with the sports club for rugby.
I salute Mark Lawrence and
Wellbeing in the Weald for their
efforts to increase the access to
activities.
Are you making the most of
the facilities?
Cllr Kim Fletcher, chairman
of Cranbrook and Sissinghurst
Parish Council
ROGER FERMOR
The Cake • Spring 2022 7