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dents) with other village traffic measures requested. The bubble window in the multiplay equipment at the play area had been smashed and it was agreed to replace it with a flat blue panel costing £191 plus VAT.


Permission was granted for the


Village Hall Management Com- mittee (VHMC) to use the playing field for a fireworks display and construct a beacon for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Councillors agreed to purchase


72 mugs at £3.25 each to be do- nated to the VHMC to distribute. It was agreed to donate £100 to


the youth bus Christmas dinner. The parish planters would be re-filled for the winter season.


Policing concern Loose Council


THE council was concerned to learn that there would be another change in the policing arrange- ments and PCSO Richard Chainey was thanked for all his efforts. The new PCSO was ex- pected to take over from Novem- ber 16. There would now be neighbourhood teams with Loose linked in with Tovil. The clerk was asked to write to Inspector Jerry Prodger reflecting the coun- cil’s concerns over the changes. Community warden Liz Lovatt


was workingwith borough coun- cil officers to set up a bag and flag event, hopefully including the King George V playing field, to focus on irresponsible dog ownership. A councillor’s niece, who had picked up several shattered bot- tles and litter on the field while covering for the caretaker, was thanked. A member of the public raised concerns over a recent burglary on the Linton Road and the war- den said she had visited the


householders that day. Borough Cllr Sue Grigg re- ported on issues which had been raised at her surgery. Asite meeting had been held at BusbridgeRoad and it was agreed that Kent Highways would un- dertake works including replac- ing missing bollards, repairing the broken speed sign, refilling major ruts and cutting back hedg- ing. County Cllr Eric Hotson had been approached about possibly funding a speed limit check and two crash barriers on the road. Concerns were raised about the


speed issue on the bend of the LooseRoad near the village green and access to and from the serv- ice road.CllrGrigg had written to Cllr Hotson about the possibility of speed indicator lights. The council asked her to pursue the matter with him. Not allWalnutTreeAvenue res-


idents would sign the necessary parking agreement so Maidstone Council would not be able to re- instate waste collection. There was nothing further the ward councillor could do. Aresident had asked if a larger


litter bin could be put on the side of Brooks Field, Old Loose Hill, as the current one was overflow- ing with dog’s mess. Installing a larger steel floor-standing bin would cost £200 which the bor- ough council was willing to pay. It was reported that a stile


bridge and fencing had been van- dalised on land in the valley be- longing to Loose Valley Conservation Society and the Loose Amenities Association. Loose andTovil parish councils


had been approached to assist with repairs to the damaged in- formation board installed by LooseValleyConservation Action at Great Ivy. It was agreed to pay £63 towards the cost. Councillors unanimously


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


In favour of supermarket Dear Sir - Regarding your article about the pro- posed Staplehurst supermarket (October, South), if it were possible to conduct a survey within the village, I am pretty certain that the vote would be a resounding vote in favour.


Peter Brenchley, Newlyn Drive, Staplehurst


Call it Olympic Square Dear Sir - With two notable major events to celebrate in 2012,would it not be worth con- sidering marking the mooted County Square in front of the town hall with a connection to one of them. First we have the honour as a country to be hosting the Olympic Games, so perhaps Olympic Square would be an appropriate name for this area. Secondly, February 6 will mark 60 years


since the Queen’s accession to the throne, so why not celebrate this by naming the new square Queen’s Square to honour this great achievement? Queen Victoria's statue already overlooks the area, so maybe in the fullness of time a


agreed that allowances would not be claimed. Loose had come inthe top 10 of


the Trees in Village competition and had been awarded the prize of a tree.Asuitable sitewould be chosen.


New police officer Marden Council


FOLLOWING police reorganisa- tion,PCSOJames Austinwas tak- ing over Marden from PCSO Pete Gardner who was transferring to Staplehurst. Marden would now come under the western policing division with Sgt Dave Liffen covering thisward. BoroughCllrRoddNelson-Gra-


cie was thanked for understand- ing the issues and supporting the parish council’s comments on Plumtree Farm. Councillors viewed the pro-


posed parliamentary boundary changes and could not under- stand why one ward from Ash- ford was included and Park Wood was kept separate from the other urban areas of Maidstone. They recommended these two be removed and suggested Paddock Wood being a replacement. This would then give more cohesion to the east/west corridor of wards.


Hedge request COUNCILLORS discussed a resi- dent’s request for the hedge in Headcorn Road beside the foot- way to the Oaks Farm estate be reduced in height and cut back properly. Itwas agreed to write to Kent Highways requesting action and timescale. The issue of yellow lines to dis- courage commuter parking in Headcorn Roadwas raised. Itwas noted that a traffic regulation order would cost at least £650 and require a great deal of work


Staplehurst Council


similar tribute by way of a statue of Queen Elizabeth II could also overlook the square and our townof Maidstone. LeeBlight, by email


Insist on local A&E Dear Sir - I share your concerns about ambu- lances not taking Maidstone patients to A&E at Maidstone hospital. I was a paramedic and operational shift manager with LondonAmbulance Service. In 999 emergency you had to take the patient to the nearest A&E hospital. Whomakes these "clinical"decisions to take patients to other hospitals, how do the ambu- lance crews know exactly what services are running and what particular specialist serv- ices are on offer? If an ambulance crew took patients to a further hospital and they died on route as a result, heads would roll. If I had to call for an ambulance in an emer-


gency Iwould demand it takesmeto the near- estA&Eand there is nothing they cando about it.


Chris Hebditch, by email South East Coast Ambulance Service says


that while in most cases patients are taken to the nearest A&E, the clinical need is most im-


to research the views of local res- idents. No further action re- quested.


Regarding the memorial to


Peter Day, a letter from the fam- ily indicated that a plaque for the seat was not possible after all. Councillors recommended that the poem and photograph be in- corporated into a frame for hang- ing inside the youth club building pending progression of amemorial garden idea. It was agreed that Nicholson


Walk gate be repainted in the spring. The drinking of alcohol in


public areas would be notified to the local policing team and trad- ing standards for action. A quote of £624 was approved


for tree works in Nicholson Walk, behind the play area in Surrenden playing field and a tree on the boundary of the school to allow better sighting by the CCTV cameras. It was likely that conservation


area approval would be required for these works. A resident had requested yel-


low lines in Chapel Lane but while councillors sympathised with the issue, they recom- mended no further action. Anewsalt bin had appeared in Station Approach forKHSto fill. The Health Centre access would be salted by KHS provided the gates were left open during the snow. It was reported that additional funding was being sought to in- crease the Sunday No. 5 bus, which was not of much use to residents due to infrequency of service beyond Hawkhurst. Playplace (a not for profit or- ganisation) had run a successful playscheme in 2011 but a short- fall of £593.71 had arisen. Itwas agreed to pay this amount to Playplace.


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


portant and the patient may be required to travel further to a centre of excellence.


Impressive new birth centre Dear Sir - I know you have had a lot of inter- est in the closure of the maternity unit at Maidstone and the moving of facilities to Pem- bury. Iwas due to give birth at Pembury but had to


make a last minute detour to the new birth centre at Maidstone as Iwould not have made the long journey there and would have given birth in the car. MydaughterAvaMarie Hodges was born on Thursday, September 29, andwas the first girl born at the new birth centre. I thought this could highlight the dangers of moving facilities so far away and yet show how excellent the staff and facilities are at the birth centre in Maidstone. I had a fantastic experience there and my daughter was delivered by the centre manager, who was excellent. I can't praise them enough and think they deserve positive publicity. Emma Hodges, CastleWay,WestMalling


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