Inmates vote to have their voices heard


While MPs were debating in the Commons the rights and wrongs of allowing prisoners to vote in


Parliamentary elections, inmates at Maidstone Prison were using their


democratic rights at a more local level. Peter Erlam reports.


THE Diversity and Equality Party had just won the first ever election of its type at Maidstone Prison… "The tide has turned," declared Mark Johnson, campaigner and founder of ex-of- fender charity User Voice, as he congratu- lated the winning candidate. He said that the democratically elected Prison Council, which will meet monthly, starting on March 3, signified a culture change. If a similar exercise in prisoner in- clusion were repeated across the country it would result in a marked reduction in re-of- fending, Mr Johnson told the Downs Mail. For several weeks, candidates and sup- porters of four different parties had cam- paigned hard and leafleted their fellow inmates. On polling day, there was a 63% turnout at the ballot box, overseen by regis- tration officers from Maidstone Council. Prison staff and external service providers also voted. Before MBC chief executive Alison Broom announced the result, the governor Andy Hudson said he believed "proper engage- ment with and between staff and prisoners


Above: User Voice founder Andy Johnson chats with the election winner. Left: one of the inmates casts his vote.


is the key to a successful prison". In the past, inmates had been consulted


on issues but their place on the Prison Council had been largely based on their popularity on each wing. Now, said Mr Hudson, these new councils would more accurately reflect the views from across the prison community. The scheme has already been a success on


the Isle of Wight, where prison councils were set up at Albany, Parkhurst and Camp Hill in 2009. The councils are made up of elected pris-


oners who voice the views of fellow inmates to management, in order to strengthen rela-


COPIES of the Downs Mail were among the vari- ety of school and community items placed inside a time capsule and buried beneath the floor of the new Cornwallis Academy building. School items included a laptop, filmed student interviews with the head and deputy head of the academy, uniform and school planner. Local parish councils and primary feeder schools also contributed objects, such as village photographs and history books, meeting minutes and newsletters. Dignitaries including the Mayor of Maidstone,


Cllr Eric Hotson, and KCC Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, Cllr Sarah Hohler, attended the ceremony. Representatives of contractor Carillion also joined the occasion as did school governors, sen- ior management of the academy and students from each year group. Head of Cornwallis David Simons said: “This ceremony marks the beginning of the end of building our new school and will give future gen- erations of Cornwallis students a snapshot of life in 2011. We are only too aware of how lucky we are in getting a new state-of-the-art academy in


Suspended jail


term for attack LOUISE Jeffrey (35), of Lesley Place, Maidstone, was given a suspended jail sentence for as- saulting a male victim by bat- tery.


She was committed to prison


for 180 days, suspended for 18 months, because the offence was so serious and for failing to comply with a community order in the past. Jeffrey was ordered to under-


take six months of treatment for alcoholism and 18 months’ non-residential mental health treatment.


26 Town


tions and improve the services provided by the prison. Maidstone's community engagement manager Martin Dacey said: "Isle of Wight had a huge impact, with reduced com- plaints coming in to staff and fewer disci- pline problems." Proportional representation means each


of the four parties has seats on Maidstone’s newly formed Prison Council. The result, with the number of seats in brackets: Diversity and Equality 184 votes (nine); Resettlement 147 (seven); Commu- nity and Environment 52 (two); and Train- ing and Education 49 (two).


Mail leaves its mark in Cornwallis time capsule Parents fined for


girls’ truanting TWO mothers have been taken to court because of their chil- dren’s truancy. One of them was fined a total


of £40 because her 14-year-old daughter regularly failed to at- tend classes at New Line Learn- ing Academy between June and December last year. A second mother was fined


£175 with £90 costs after her daughter was regularly absent from Greenfields Community School, Shepway, between June and November. Neither parent can be named for legal reasons.


Flats plan ‘out Pupils with some of the time capsule contents.


the current economic climate and look forward to moving in this summer.” ThenewbuildingistobehandedoverbyCar-


illion at the end of June in time for students to start lessons at the start of September.


Drivers who failed the breathtest


MOST motorists heeded emer- gency services’ warnings not to drive in heavy snow and ice, ac- cording to Kent police. But across the county as a whole, one in three of those who were routinely stopped by officers either failed or refused breathtests. In Mid Kent, during the cam-


paign period from December 1, to January 1, a total of 130 driv- ers were breathtested, of whom 36 were arrested. Insp Paul Sellwood said: “It’s


clear to me that most motorists heeded our warnings not to


drive in bad weather. However, the drink drivers chose to ig- nore this advice as one third of those routinely stopped by po- lice were arrested. “Drink drivers are clearly the motorists taking risks. Kent Po- lice take a zero tolerance ap- proach to those who flout the law and will continue to target drink and drug drivers through- out the year.”


of character’ A PLAN to build nine new flats on the headquarters of former electriciansOJRewindsin Brunswick Street, Maidstone, has been turned down. Maidstone Council felt the height of the proposal would make it out of character and harm the appearance of the area.


Nappies theft SIMON Paul Miles (38), of Les- ley Place, Maidstone, was or- derd to have alcohol treatment for 18 months after stealing a pack of 58 Pampers nappies and a Red Kite highchair, val- ued at £50.


Community work for drug possession


CORY John Singleton (23), of Cambridge Crescent, Shepway, was given a community order for possessing 3g of amphetamine and 27.5g of cannabis while on conditional discharge. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


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