New Ash Green Village Association Limited December 2015 Issue No. 70 Items included in this issue: Wassail Away Your Christmas! Chairman’s Report p.2 2014-2015 Wassail! Saturday 9th January 2016 Alan Pett—End of an Era p.3 What better way to start the Contribution Rise p.4 year than with a torch-lit proces- Virgin Media sion and a cup of good cheer. Growers Meet Up Meet at the Village Hall from NAG Mini Ballers 4pm onwards and join the SDC Energy Surgery Woodlands Group for this old Kentish Tradition. Bring torches Obituaries: p.5 Peter Masson or lanterns and something to Mike Rose make a noise with! Before and Village Centre Update after the procession to the orchard (approx. 4.30-5.30pm), Are you a responsible p.6 there will be music and dancing Dog Owner? in the hall featuring our regular guests, West Hill Morris and St NAG Firework Night p.7 Clement’s Clogs. For those who may be interested, there’s also a Xmas Tree Recycling p.8 short guided tour of the orchard Pavilion Xmas Fun and meadow starting at around 3pm from the Village Hall. For The wassail custom – what’s it merrily. Eventually horns were SORNs p.9 more info visit:- all about? sounded and a great deal of ‘A Village on the Hill’ Wassailing (old English ‘wæs noise would be made to scare www.nagwoodlands.btck.co.uk hæl’, literally 'be you healthy') is off bad spirits and diseases and Covenants and Byelaws p.10 or phone Jerry on 879897, awaken the tree from its winter Summer Newsletter & 11 the ancient tradition of bestow- Correction or email ing health on an orchard at the slumber. start of the farming year, while [email protected] Christmas Sticky Toffee p.12 the trees are still dormant. For The New Ash Green Wassail is a Pudding Recipe weary labourers, it would also simple celebration of the old Village Walks have been a great excuse for a traditional orchard that sits NAG Arts Community mid-winter party! between the Minnis and Nine Horse Wood, and is about toast- Dating back to around 1540, it ing the good health of the trees involved the local farm-workers to encourage a bumper apple THE VILLAGE visiting their orchards after dark, crop next year. Having spent ASSOCIATION around the time of Old Twelfth twelve years rescuing it from WOULD LIKE TO Night (which used to be between former neglect (the Woodlands TAKE THIS the 5th and 17th January). The Group was established in Febru- OPPORTUNITY TO best tree would be selected to ary 2004), this is a great way to represent the whole orchard. celebrate the revival of our com- WISH ALL Cider would be poured over its munity orchard in keeping with RESIDENTS AND roots and pieces of cider-soaked the old traditions. BUSINESSES IN THE toast or cakes would be placed VILLAGE—A VERY in the forks of branches and For more information and some HAPPY CHRISTMAS hung from twigs. The wassail photos of past Wassails, visit and other songs would be sung www.nagwoodlands.btck.co.uk AND BEST WISHES as a blessing to bring a good FOR THE NEW YEAR crop in the coming year and the tree would be toasted loudly and Page 2 Issue No. 70 Chairman’s Report 2014-2015 This is my last Chairman's has been achieved, and how in all private sewers (with small report, having stood down from easy it is to forget these exceptions) being adopted by the Council of Management after successes. In no particular or- water companies in October 30 odd years of involvement in der, I could mention Northfield, 2011. VA affairs. I have been proud to the village's electrical supply, foul The related topic of rainwater serve my village in this way, and drains adoption, rainwater dis- disposal was also pursued to a feel that the management of the posal rebate, successful opposi- satisfactory conclusion, again village grounds has been devel- tion to a proposed increase in with national impact, so that all oped and brought to a point drainage costs and high speed householders whose rainwater where the village is mature and broadband, amongst others. disposal is dealt with by them- well maintained at an affordable Having essentially completed selves via soakaways (as in New cost. Where possible, I have their development of the village, Ash Green) are entitled to a sought to pass responsibility for Bovis tried their luck for an addi- rebate for this. Thames Water things like the sewers to others, tional development on North- were obstructive in implement- so that villagers do not pay twice field, on land which I believed ing the direction by Ofwat, but effectively for such services. should have been passed to the continued pressure has resulted 2014 was another generally VA. The VA finished up taking in all New Ash Green residents satisfactory year, with another Bovis to court over the matter, benefitting from the rebate. excellent performance by our succeeding in a case finally Thames Water, in common with Greenland staff, drawing a decided at the Court of Appeal. the other water companies, has range of compliments. Not only Flowing from support given by to make application the regula- are we maintaining our land- Sevenoaks District Council in the tor, Ofwat, for approval of the scaping to a high standard, case, having secured the free- charges that they seek to make improvements are also being hold ownership of the land, for water supply and for sewage undertaken. Hardlands mainte- Northfield was then leased to disposal for periods of five years. nance and village lighting contin- the Ash-cum-Ridley and Hartley There is a mechanism for the ues to be satisfactory, and good Parish Councils by the VA for companies to apply for an terms have been renegotiated use as a public open space. This interim increase if they can dem- for the lighting electrical supply. has the advantage that Hartley onstrate exceptional circum- residents contribute towards Improvements have been made stances. Such an application the cost of maintaining this to the Village Hall but, in was made by Thames Water, to asset, which would otherwise fall common with the Sports which the VA made a submis- wholly upon the residents of “...My special thanks are due Pavilion, villagers have not been sion in response to the consulta- New Ash Green, notwithstand- to current Council of supporting their asset as much tion. In rejecting the application, ing use by Hartley residents. Management members, many as one would wish. These enter- Ofwat quoted two specific con- of whom have served the prises are not profit making, but When built, the village was sup- sultation responses in support village for as long as me, for need to cover their operating plied by overhead electricity of the rejection, one of which their contribution in 2014.” and maintenance costs, as well cables, from Longfield and West was that of the VA. as providing for replacements Kingsdown. Long term residents The most recent success has Alan Pett and improvements in the future. will remember the endless been the provision of highspeed They need to be used to achieve power cuts in inclement broadband. The VA was instru- this. weather, and the sudden lighting mental in getting a cable service of thousands of candles around Mine has not been a solo per- to New Ash Green in advance of the village! Pressure on the elec- formance, but part of a team other parts of the “Dartford tricity supply company, sup- effort. My special thanks are due area franchise”, when new ported by the Parish Council, to current Council of Manage- arrangements came into being eventually gave us an under- ment members, many of whom under legislation, at the time ground supply, immune from have served the village for as that the original Rediffusion interruptions due to the long as me, for their contribu- system was withdrawn. Unfortu- weather. (The cable passes tion in 2014. I would also like to nately, the new system was through Hartley, which is still thank all of the others who have rather limited and ultimately was supplied by overhead cables!) served previously who have withdrawn by Virgin Media as given of their time freely and When built, the foul sewer net- being uneconomic, despite pres- voluntarily to make and keep work of the village remained sure from the VA. With a New Ash Green the special 'private' and the maintenance change of the ownership of place that it is, for the benefit of responsibility lay with the VA, Virgin Media and ongoing con- all. I would also like to thank all of and hence the cost of mainte- tact by the VA, we were able to our employees, past and pre- nance with villagers, who were secure a new service to New sent, in the Office and our dedi- paying the normal sewage rate, Ash Green from Virgin Media, cated Greenland workforce, so subsidising all other Thames which coincided with an upgrade without whose loyal support we Water customers. After over by BT to provide their own high- would all be the poorer. 20 years of pressing the issue speed broadband to the village. with central government, legisla- This means that villagers can As I look back over my time tion was enacted which resulted enjoy either or both, and we are serving the village, I realise what Issue No. 70 Page 3 not at the mercy of a monopoly administration, my personal landlords is ongoing and there is service provider.