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Groups battle for control in Bearsted parish council’s poll

Never mind the general election, it is the battle for Bearsted Parish Council that is seeing one of the hottest contests.

One band of residents have formed themselves into a grouping named Best For Bearsted and are fighting together under the same banner for the 15 available seats in a bid to replace long-standing parish councillors.

But the current parish councillors are fighting back. Eleven of them have delivered a joint leaflet around the village citing what they regard as the council’s achievements over the past three years, urging voters to put them back in office.

The Best For Bearsted candidates
The Best For Bearsted candidates

They point out that they opposed new housing at Lilk Meadow and Barty Farm and industrial development at Junction 8, took possession of 25 acres of overgrown land off Bell Lane to use as public open space, revamped the play area and provided new Christmas lighting.

Vice-chairman Dennis Spooner said: “All existing Bearsted parish councillors consider we have an excellent record of achievement over the past three years, during which we have rescued the parish council from the chaos left to us in 2012 by its previous administration.

Bearsted Parish Council vice-chairman Denis Spooner
Bearsted Parish Council vice-chairman Denis Spooner

Council chairman Cllr Richard Ash said: “Those in the Best for Bearsted campaign are exercising their democratic right to stand for election to the parish council because they want to stage a musical event on the village green – the issue that dominates their Facebook and Twitter pages.

“Existing councillors are also in favour of this popular event and looking at ways in which it can return in 2016.”

The full list of candidates is: Richard Ash, Geoff Bennett, Richard Camp, Suzanne Camp, Daniel Conner, Kenneth Cox, Helen Cuming, Michael Cuming, Leslie Ethridge, Graham Farrow, Helen Farrow, Helena Goodwin, Tony Grieve, Ernest Hill, Fabienne Hughes, Jonathan Hughes, Tony Kettle, Geoff Licence, Wendy Licence, Patricia Marshall, Peter Powell, Fiona Redman, Tony Ryan, Dennis Spooner, Michael Stark, Paul Young.

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