Tonbridge council news
Tonbridge council news, newest first: decisions, budgets, council tax, bins and services, each linked to the council's own papers.
Top story
Angel Centre Approved: Building Now Starts 25 January
Councillors unanimously approved the £20.6m Angel Centre on Tuesday. Work now starts on 25 January, not 19 November, and is due to finish in late August 2028.
More stories
Planning
Tonbridge Planning Call-In Ends 31 October: Who Decides Now
From 31 October, councillors can no longer call in planning applications. Two people will decide what reaches committee. Council votes on the change on Tuesday.
Council
Tonbridge Town Council: £35,000 for First Clerk in January
Tonbridge Town Council gets a temporary clerk from January on up to £54,609, paid back from its first precept. Council votes on the £35,000 cost on Tuesday.
Leisure
Tonbridge Angel Centre: £20.5m Found Without Borrowing
The council says it can pay for the new Angel Centre without a loan. Councillors vote on Tuesday; building would start on 19 November and finish in July 2028.
Leisure
Tonbridge Angel Centre Vote: Build Depends on Funding Gap
Full Council will be asked on 20 October to build the new Angel Centre only once a funding gap is closed. Cabinet also approved removing the living wall.
Housing
Tonbridge HMO Article 4: In Force, Comments by 27 November
Small HMOs near Tonbridge station, in Snodland and East Malling have needed planning permission since 16 October. Comment by 27 November; confirmation due by April.
Remembrance
Remembrance Sunday Tonbridge 2026: Parade 10.30am, 8 Nov
Tonbridge's Remembrance parade leaves the castle at 10.30am on Sunday 8 November, the council confirms; West Malling 2.30pm. Armistice Day at the Watergate.
Tonbridge
Tonbridge Riverside Path Lights: Work Starts in November
Lights go up on the dark riverside path from Town Lock to Vale Road and Cannon Lane from November, a year late. The council hopes to finish by Christmas.
Planning
Tonbridge Planning This Week: Royal Mail Solar Roof, 5 Homes
49 new applications across Tonbridge and Malling: 1,530 solar panels on the Tonbridge sorting office, five homes at Addington and a 10m mast in Aylesford.
Council
Tonbridge Council This Week: Angel Centre's £19.4m Bill
The auditor says councillors lack a funding plan for the £19.4m Angel Centre rebuild. Audit Committee accepted all three fixes on 28 September; Cabinet takes it on 6 October.
Council Tax
Tonbridge Council Tax Support to Ignore Disability Benefit
Tonbridge and Malling wants to stop counting a disability benefit as income when it works out council tax support. Have your say by 11 October.
Food Hygiene
Every Tonbridge and Malling Hygiene Rating in August Was a 5
All 22 food businesses given a hygiene rating in the borough in August scored the top mark. In July, 14 of 42 did not. The full list and what the scores mean.
Council
West Kent Council: Kent Merger Paused for Government Review
The West Kent Council merger is paused: on 7 September ministers told councils to stop work while the July decisions are reviewed. May 2027 elections go ahead as normal.
Bins
Tonbridge Christmas Bin Collections: Dates Not Out Yet
Tonbridge and Malling has not published its Christmas 2026 bin dates. Last year every round from Christmas Day slipped by a day or two until 12 January. Here is the pattern.
Recycling
Tonbridge Tip Opening Times: Nearest Sites, 8am to 4.30pm
Tonbridge has no tip of its own. The nearest are Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Allington and Maidstone, all 8am to 4.30pm and 9am to 4pm on Sundays. Book first.