Local Government Reorganisation September 2026
Local Government Reorganisation is now under review. Please see the attached government letter for more details.
Flood Warden Appeal
Flood Wardens Needed in Hildenborough
Hildenborough sits on the River Medway and hasn’t forgotten the flooding of winter 2013. Since then, a small team of local volunteers — the Hildenborough Flood Wardens — has worked alongside the Environment Agency and Kent Resilience Forum to keep our village prepared. Numbers have fallen recently as wardens have moved away or stepped back, and we urgently need new volunteers to keep the scheme running. We are particularly looking for volunteers to cover the following roads:
Leigh Road & Streamside Close
Leybank
Byrneside
Bramble Close
Elm Grove
Brookmead
What does a Flood Warden do?
Flood Wardens act as the link between the Environment Agency and the community. The role involves monitoring local flood risk areas, passing on official flood alerts to neighbours, supporting the village’s community flood plan, and helping vulnerable residents know what to do when a warning is issued.
No experience necessary
Full training is provided free of charge by the Communities Prepared, covering local flood risk, how the warning system works, and what to do in an emergency. You don’t need any special skills — just a little time and a willingness to help your neighbours.
Why it matters
Every additional warden means faster warnings reaching residents and better coverage across the village. Communities that prepare and work together make all the difference when flooding happens.
If you can spare some time to help protect Hildenborough, please contact the Parish Council Clerk ku.vog.licnuochsiraphguorobnedlih@krelc — we’d love to hear from you, whether you can commit regularly or just want to find out more first.
Follow Us on Facebook to Keep Up to Date
Did you know that Hildenborough Parish Council has its own Facebook page?
Following us is one of the easiest ways to stay informed about what is happening in and around the village.
By following our page, you will be among the first to hear about:
● Village news and community updates
● Planning matters and consultations affecting Hildenborough
● Road closures, highways works and travel disruption
● Recreation Ground and open space improvements
It is a quick and convenient way to keep in touch between our keys magazine article and website updates
Please search for Hildenborough Parish Council on Facebook, or visit (6) Facebook, and click Follow to join us or scan the QR code.
Do share our page with your neighbours, too — the more residents we reach, the better connected our community becomes.
Thank you for helping us keep Hildenborough informed.
New Pathway at the Recreation Ground – Phase 2 Works Beginning
Recreation Ground, Riding Lane, Hildenborough
Hildenborough Parish Council is pleased to let residents know that construction of the second phase of the new pathway at the Recreation Ground on Riding Lane is due to begin on Monday 17th August.
This next section will extend the improved pathway, making it easier and safer for everyone to enjoy the Recreation Ground.
While works are underway, parts of the area may be temporarily fenced off or inaccessible, and we ask visitors to follow any signage on site and take care around the works. We’ll aim to keep any disruption to a minimum.
Looking further ahead, Phase 3 — the path running behind the tennis court — is planned for 2027/2028, completing the pathway improvements across the Recreation Ground.
We’re grateful for residents’ patience while these improvements are carried out, and we look forward to seeing the completed pathway in use.
West Kent councils to form new unitary authority under Government reorganisation plans
Please find below the latest news from Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council.
West Kent councils to form new unitary authority under Government reorganisation plans
Government ministers have decided Kent and Medway will be served by four councils from April 2028, in the biggest shake up of local authority arrangements in 50 years.
The government is replacing Kent County Council, Medway Council and the 12 district, borough and city councils that currently deliver services in the county with four new unitary councils.
Those councils will deliver all the services in their area, much like Medway Council does today, including education, social services, highways, libraries, emptying bins, leisure centres and housing services.
Following a government consultation which attracted around 3,000 responses, the Secretary of State has opted for 4b:
- a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west.
- A unitary council covering Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north.
- A unitary council covering Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the centre of Kent.
- A unitary council covering Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east.
Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Matt Boughton says:
“We welcome ministers’ decision to move forward with a four unitary council model for Kent and Medway. Throughout this process, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has consistently supported an approach based on strong independent evidence that offers the best balance of high-quality, cost-effective services and alignment with local communities. We will now continue to work constructively with partners to ensure a smooth transition and the best possible outcomes for our residents.”
In a statement, Kent and Medway’s council leaders said: “We want to reassure our residents that not one of our services will change overnight – you will still be dealing with the same council staff tomorrow and the day after that. The new councils will come into effect from 1 April 2028.
“All of the councils in Kent and Medway have a long history of working closely together to do the very best for the people we serve and that will not change one bit.
“This is the start of the process of bringing our different teams together with the aim of designing then delivering the best possible services for the people we serve. Of course, this change affects the thousands of council staff across the county who work incredibly hard day in and day out. Our focus will be supporting them through this change while helping them to carry on delivering our business-as-usual services seamlessly.
“There is a lot of work to do but we will make sure we take every opportunity to make our services the very best they can be.”
Read the background to local government reorganisation:-https://kentcouncilleaders.org.uk/
Collision Reporting Survey
Have you been involved in or witnessed a traffic collision?
We’re collecting information to help build a better understanding of road safety issues in our Hildenborough and an important part of this is ensuring all traffic collisions are recorded.
Completing the questionnaire takes just a few minutes.
Scan the QR code or complete the survey online:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KD5HJKK
Speed Indicator Device Consultation Results
NEWSLETTER
Speed Indicator Device Consultation — Your Results
Earlier this year, Hildenborough Parish Council launched a public consultation asking residents for their views on the installation of Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) along the B245 and other roads in the village. We are pleased to share the results of that survey.
Overwhelming support for SIDs
An impressive 85.5% of respondents said they support the installation of Speed Indicator Devices in Hildenborough, with only 12.7% opposed and 1.8% unsure.
Speeding is a real concern for residents
The results show that speeding is a significant worry for the local community. 63.6% of respondents said they are very concerned about speeding in Hildenborough, particularly along the B245, with a further 23.6% somewhat concerned. That means nearly nine in ten respondents have some level of concern about vehicle speeds in the village.
Will SIDs make a difference?
72.7% of respondents believe Speed Indicator Devices will help reduce speeding, with 16.4% unsure and 10.9% not convinced.
Who responded?
96% of respondents were Hildenborough residents, with the majority (65%) in the 41–64 age group, followed by over 65s (22%) and 26–40 year olds (11%).
Next steps
The Parish Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the consultation. The results will now be used to support our case for the installation of SIDs in the village. We will keep residents updated on progress through our website and newsletter.
The Leigh Expansion and Hildenborough Embankment Scheme Spring/Summer 2026 Newsletter
Please find attached the latest newsletter for the Leigh expansion and Hildenborough embankment scheme
The Leigh Expansion and Hildenborough Embankment Scheme April 2026
Volker Stevin kindly invited Hildenborough Parish Council to attend a site visit of the Hildenborough Embankment Scheme, which is due to be completed and handed back to the Environment Agency in July 2026. During the visit, Volker Stevin provided a guided tour of the site along with an information sheet detailing the works carried out. The information sheet is now available to read on the Parish Council website under the News section.
Antisocial Behaviour Reporting for Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council
Please find the information and links needed to report incidents of antisocial behaviour in our village to Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council