Tenant eviction plans ‘overdue’
MAIDSTONE councillors have delivered feedback on plans to make it easier to evict tenants guilty of anti-social behaviour. The Government has proposed that local authorities and housing associations should be able to evict residents found guilty of such conduct without having to go through the courts, as is currently the case. Housing consultative board chairman Cllr
John Barned works as a full-time community engagement officer for Hyde Housing and is vice-chairman on the board of Golding Homes. He said: “At the moment there is nothing in tenancy agreements that says anti- social behaviour can lead to a mandatory eviction notice. You have to go to court, get a possession order and warrant, and this can take a year. “If this goes through, it will be down to the director of a housing association to issue an eviction notice, providing an ASB investiga-
tor proves the offence. “As a housing professional, I
think this is a good thing. If it is totally proven then it should be mandatory. ASB is the biggest
Neighbourhood
Watch volunteers ANNE and Carl Holt have stepped down as co-ordinator and deputy co-ordinator of Linton NeighbourhoodWatch after two years. The parish council thanked
them for their work for Linton over the last two years. It is looking for volunteers to take over. To find out more, contact any of the parish councillors.
SMITHS
problem in housing and takes up 50% of a housing officer’s time. “Something like this is the biggest help we
can give them. It is a very good thing and long overdue. Most housing professionals think the same.” Fellow Conservative Cllr Jenefer Gibson
said: “We bend over backwards to be kind to people and I am not sure it is always appre- ciated.
“Making people lose their home is a dra- conian measure, but perhaps it will focus people’s minds on their behaviour.” Lib Dem councillor for Fant ward, Stephen Beerling, said: “Most of my ward work deals with anti-social behaviour. In the last two years I have never seen anything like it.” Maidstone’s head of housing, John Little-
more, will incorporate the board’s comments for the cabinet to discuss before submitting the council’s thoughts to the Government.
County care charges increased
KCC has announced increased charges for the elderly and vulnerable to receive care support. The decision means KCC will:
Charge people who use mental health services in the same way as all other people in receipt of services Include day care and transport as part of the services that can be charged Raise the amount of available income that is taken into ac- count when working out a person’s charge Reduce the standard amount allowed for the Disability Re- lated Expenditure Assessment (DREA) from £21 to £17 per week The measures will raise an extra £2.9 million for the au- thority. Changes to do with the amount of available income and disability-related expenditure allowance will be made first and new invoices should be received in mid January
2012.Newinvoices for mental health services, day care and transport will follow in April 2012.
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Seventh heaven
for local builders COXHEATH-based GML Construc- tion is the seventh fastest-growing firm in the county. The firm moved up 25 places on
last year’s achievement in the Mega- Growth 50 awards held in Maid- stone. The company grew 44% from 2009-10 to 2010-11, when its pre-tax profits were £336,000. It is not GML’s only accolade this
year. It was recently named SME (small to medium entrepreneur) of the year at the London and South East final of the Constructing Excel- lence Awards. The company, which employs 130 people, was honoured for its work on an outdoor education centre in Surrey.
TEL: 01622 765993 Essex-Herts-Suffolk-Cambs-London-Kent
You can e-mail the Downs Mail —
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South 9
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