Dec 18, 20244 min read

Gazette - Autumn 2024

Updated: Jan 6

Mayor of Tunbridge Wells

It’s been a busy summer for the Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Cllr Nancy Warne. She’s been invited out and about across the borough to help commemorate and celebrate special events for our communities and businesses. From wreath-laying, ribbon-cutting, carnival-opening, prize-giving and speech-making, to name a few of the things she’s been up to. She’s very much enjoying the role. “It’s incredibly varied and very rewarding”, she said. “People are so pleased to see you, and every week I’m able to meet new people and hear more and more about the fabulous range of amazing work that goes on in the borough, making it such a special place to live”.

She is also raising money, this year, for her chosen charity, Wellbeing in the Weald, which runs activities to promote the health and wellbeing of people in and around her home town of Cranbrook: http://www.wellbeingintheweald.co.uk .

What's the council doing?

Primark, Nando's and Sostrene Grene come to Tunbridge Wells

In October 2023, the Council completed the acquisition of the long leasehold of Royal Victoria Place shopping centre. The Council appointed RivingtonHark as asset manager, Knight Frank as property manager and Knight Frank and Cradick as letting agents to create a full professional team to advise and manage the running of the centre.

Since the purchase of the Royal Victoria Place leasehold, a huge amount of work has been going on behind the scenes between the Council, Knight Frank and the council's administration. The decision to buy the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre and discretion were key to negotiations with the leading retailer Primark. In March 2024, the Cabinet members (which included Ellen Neville and Nancy Warne) and the Full Council agreed to come to the table with Primark and progress their interest in the former BHS unit. It has now been formalised and a £2m refit will commence immediately.

Primark are not opening new stores anywhere else in the UK, but they made an exception for Tunbridge Wells as it is in such a desirable position.

Why is this such good news? Primark is known in the retail industry to be a store that significantly increases footfall which, in turn, attracts further businesses to open. All this will benefit existing businesses in the town. This has a further wealth effect for the borough as more businesses provide more rates and investment in to the town. This is really big news for our borough.

This is a huge achievement that has taken years of negotiating to encourage M&G to sell the freehold to the right type of business and to get Primark to come to Tunbridge Wells town centre. This is an important step in reinvigorating the town centre and delivering a vibrant economy.

Primark were the number one choice requested by tenants of RVP, local businesses and residents, especially younger people. The economic benefits and increase in footfall will provide a boost well beyond RVP. Although it is more than a coincidence that most visitors to Primark will then be drawn into RVP which the Council now owns.

This investment by Primark follows on from the opening of Sostrene Grene and the recent news that Nando’s is looking to lease the former Gateway building (subject to planning). This is all part of delivering our tenant strategy mix to increase footfall for all ages and interests to Tunbridge Wells' town centre.

What's the alliance doing?

After the local elections at beginning of May, we’re off to a flying start!

Firstly, we have taken up chair and vice chair positions on the most important council committees making us strong opposition for the new Liberal Democrat administration. One senior Liberal Democrat pleaded “Please go easy on us?!”

Challenging the administration and working cross-party to prioritize what is best for our wards is the backbone of our manifesto as one-party rule does not benefit our complex and unique borough.

We are ensuring that you are not overlooked and money is not spent on populist projects.

Secondly, we negotiated for Nancy Warne to become Mayor of the borough for this municipal year. She is a fantastic ambassador for women in politics and a rural champion.

Bravo Nancy, we are very proud!

Thirdly, with talk of devolution from Whitehall and the rolling out of unitary authorities becoming louder we are focussing our efforts on next year’s Kent County Council elections which will take place in May. More information on these elections will become available in the next few months.

The next Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections will take place in May 2026.

Useful council contact details

Contact information about council services can be found on the TWBC and KCC websites. It can often be quicker to find the appropriate page on the website by using a Web search, e.g. "Tunbridge Wells missed bin collection" or "KCC report pothole".

Planning Enforcement Enquiries – enforcement@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Tree Protection Order map (TWBC website) – tunbridgewells.gov.uk/planning/trees/protected-trees

Land Owner issues (if not owned by KCC or TWBC) – www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry (note: there is a £3 charge per request)

Damage to street Names – depot@tunbridgewells.gov.uk (street signs are a KCC matter)

Parks, Street Scene, Licensing, etc

Issues related to Parks, gardens, allotments, lighting issues, broken fences, etc – parksteam@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Street scene (including waste, recycling, street cleaning etc.) – depot@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Licensing issues – licensing@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

FOI issues – FOI@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Economic Development (including Business Advice and Support, Tourism Marketing and VTW website, Transportation, Assets of Community Value) – business@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Business Rates – businessrates@midkent.gov.uk

Environmental Health/Food issues – EHAdmin@midkent.gov.uk