New business start-ups aid economy Continued form page one


Commerce, said: “Our experience to date – and particularly in the last quarter of the year – is that there has been a signif- icant increase in the number of people looking to startupin business andaccess information and advice. “Our business workshops and one-to-


one appointments are grossly oversub- scribed, particularly in Maidstone.” Tudor said the surge in interest was


across the board, but with service sector dominance. The chamber is working closely with Maidstone JobCentre Plus to support


people wanting to go down the self-em- ployment route andTudor said; “Perhaps it is indicative of the times that people are looking towards other options when employment is no longer so readily avail- able.” In the Halifax survey, which tracks


where living standards are highest in the country, Maidstone came out 8th in the UK – and top in Kent.


The Halifax survey also revealed that in 2010-11,Maidstone was 15th highest in property price rises, with values boosted by 4%, pushing the average property price up from £198,427, to £206,404.


Centre wants longer opening hours DISABILITY charityMCCHhas applied to extend the use of its day centre at 84 Holland Road, Maidstone. It is currently only able to operate from the premises on weekdays (9am-5pm) and 10am-2pm on Saturdays. Under the terms of its planning permission use, is for- bidden on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The charity has submitted an application to Maidstone Council to open the day centre for visiting clubhouse members between 9am and 10pm seven days a week. Director Jacky Hammond wrote in a supporting letter:


“We provide services that ensure individuals have a job, home and a social life. The building is now used as a community hub of service provision for individuals with mental health needs and thosewith a learning disability.” She added that longer opening hours fit in with KCC commissioning requirements.


DownsMail In touch with your parish Loose Council


Barming Council Members leave


IT was reported that Councillors Ken Hesse and Peter Budgen had resigned. It was agreed that members


would not claim an allowance of £700. It was agreed that the precept


for the forthcoming year be set at £16,500, an increase of £2.09 per Band D household per year. A donation of £150 was given


to Medway Valley Rail Partner- ship towards the voluntary role carried out by Ian Patterson. Anew ceiling had been fitted


in the village hall.Adrain cover close to the hall had been taken.


A £10 NOTE left in the front porch of a dwelling in Maxwell Drive, Allington,was stolen. A substance that appeared to


be paint stripper was thrown over a silver 02-reg Rover vehicle at KnottCourt, ChillingtonStreet. Thieves gained entry to a dwelling in Halstow Close, Loose, after reaching through the letterbox to open the front door. Cash and bank cardswere among items in a handbag that was stolen. Power tools were stolen after thieves forced the rear door to a whiteRenault van in the car park at Asda Living, in St Peters Street. An attempt was made to steal


two silver mountain bikes from the storage area, of Farleigh Court, Farleigh Lane, Barming, but both were recovered. Sus- pects: twowhite males, one aged 20 to 30, wore a hat, padded jacket, dark jeans and trainers; the second wore a black jacket and jeans. Ablack Apollo bike was stolen


from Milton Street, Fant. Vehicles parked at the Travel


Inn, in London Road, Allington, were targeted.TwowhiteCitroen Berlingo vans were damaged, as was a white Renault Trafic. A television was taken during


abreak-inataflatin St Philip’s Avenue. Asafe containing cash andjew-


ellery was stolen from a property in Forest Hill, Tovil, after the back doorwindowwas smashed. Apower saw was stolen from a


Volunteers had begun clearing


the weeds from the land at Cedar Drive. Bulbs, grass and wild flower seeds may be planted. Quotes for a path from the car


park to the play area were being obtained. Chairman Cllr Fay Gooch re- ported that an additional person had been added to the licence for the burger van in the Barnjet lay- by. There had recently been con- cern over lorries reversing onto the A26 and also trucks parking overnight there. Kent Highway Services had confirmed it was originally the A26 road before it was straightened. As it was not an official lay-by, catering vans would not usually be permitted.


Recycling request RESIDENTS were asked to put paper collections out in the mornings, where possible, rather than at night, after reports that teenagers had been playing with fire at the bench on Brooks Field. Paper put out for collection by Loose Swiss Scouts was being used.


Loose Amenities Association


had applied to English Heritage to get the open ragstone culvert on Old Loose Hill, placed on the Na- tional Heritage list. Work was due to start on the Brooks Field project on January 9.


Beat the criminals IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE PHONE: Police: 01732 771055 Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111


building site in Armstrong Road. Two sets of car keys for aBMW


were stolen from a property in Upper Fant Road, Fant.Asash window had been forced open to gain entry to the property. A Toshiba laptop com-


puter was stolen after thieves forced a rear conservatory door to a property in Nor- rington Road. Agearbox in a plas-


tic bagwas stolen from the driveway of a dwelling in Boxley Close, Penenden Heath. Jewellery was stolen after thieves forced a rearwindow to a property in Audley Close. Arearwindowwas smashed to


gain entry to a dwelling at Lyle Court, Allington. Computer equipment, toys and games were stolen.


Jewellery went missing from


MrT’s Jewellers, in Gabriels Hill, after two individuals entered the shop to view particular items, and then left. Suspects: A dark European male, aged 30 to 35, 5ft 6in tall,medium buildwith dark brown, collar-length straight hair; a dark European female, aged 25 to 30, wearing a beige headscarf covering her hair and a beige dress and black cardigan.


An attempt was made to steal a


JCB from a building site in Leonard GouldWay, Loose. Two saws, testing equipment


and somescrap metalwere stolen from a shed in Mote Road. A pushchair, CD player and curtain were stolen from a camper van in Upper Road. A black Yamaha mo- torcycle, was stolen from the lay-by near the skate park in Postley


Road. Electrical cable was taken


from the sub station at Warden Close. A Claude Butler bike, Grand


Tourer cycle, Flymo lawnmower, hedge trimmer, tool box, pressure washer and gazebo were stolen overnight from a shed inMeadow Walk. A flat screen TV, computer


games and other items were stolen from a property inWood- ford Road, Fant. Ablue and black Gilera Runner scooter, regGJ52, was stolen from John Street. A Goodmans CD player was


stolen from a Citroen Saxo in Wordsworth Road, Penenden Heath. Five sheds were broken into in Burleigh Drive.


The current number of hits on


the website stood at 32,593, an av- erage 119 per week. It was agreed that the parish council’s newnewsletter for 2012 would be called Loose Views. After discussion on budgets


and the current financial climate, members agreed to an increase of 7% to the precept for 2012-13. The potholes outside the Post


Office had almost been repaired, but cars had been parked in the car park where the No Waiting cones were, and the cones had been collected without the work being done.KHSwould do a mail drop to ensure everyone was aware not to put their cars in the car park.


Aattempt wasmadeto break in


to a shed in Florence Road, Fant. Thieves stole a number plate


from a Kia Rio, GF59-reg, parked in Hampshire Drive, Shepway. A14ft long IforWilliams trailer


was stolen from Hayle Mill Road, Tovil. A handbag and wallet were


taken from a property in Mote Road. Both wing mirrors were re- moved from a black 08-regBMW parked overnight onthe drive at a property in Tonbridge Road. Padlocks were forced off two


whiteMercedes Sprinter vans be- longing to the same company in the Travelodge Hotel car park, St Peters Street, and tools were stolen from both. Asatnavwas stolen from a red


Ford Fiesta parked in Hackney Road, Fant. A rear window was forced to residential dwelling in Camp Way, Mangravet, but no entry gained. A fence at the property was damaged. Damage was caused in an un- successful attempt to enter a garage in Halstow Close, Loose. A rear door window was smashed to gain entry to a dwelling inWaterlow Road,but nothing was stolen. A child’s Muddyfox BMX was


Est. 2005


stolen from the communal area of flats in Barnhurst Road, Penen- den Heath. A GPS system and phone charger were stolen from a silver BMWin the Sainsbury’s car park in Romney Place.


• New Installations • Maintenance • Intruder Alarms • CCTV • Access Control • Existing Systems Serviced & Upgraded • Free Quotations • Fully Insured


www.prismalarms.co.uk 01622 880751 Support YOUR local paper — and we can support YOU - advertise on 01622 630330 Town 43


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56