Such sad days for the local press MailMarks


THESE are very sad times for


local newspapers with so many closing in the harsh economic climate. I cut my journalistic teeth in Sittingbourne and the Medway Towns and the deaths of the East Kent Gazette and Medway News have really tugged at the heartstrings. These had been such strong newspapers in their prime – right at the heart of local com- munities. They join an expanding ceme-


tery of local newspapers never to be seen again – and many others are on the brink. Communities will be so much poorer for their demise. Local and parish pump news is so im- portant to most of us and local newspapers aremuchbetter and convenient at presenting this than radio, television and web- sites.


Although I have not lived in Sittingbourne for more than 50 years, I still want to know what is happening there. I kept a sub-


DENNIS FOWLE - President Kent Campaigning Journalist of the Year 2001 email: dfowle2011@aol.com


scription going at the Gazette until its demise. I am glad the KMGroup has quickly started a successor so I will know about old friends who have died, the results of cricket matches I once played, the big changes happen- ing in the town, the flashbacks to events I recall and so much more. Without local newspapers,


who is going to report on the work of the local councils, en- courage debate and hold others to account when things go wrong? Most local newspapers have flourished on the back of prop- erty, motors and jobs advertis- ing. In the recent desperate


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Parking for profit Dear Sir - Following an article in the Sunday Telegraph on January 8, reporting on parking fines I have similar concerns that Maidstone Councilmay be guilty with regard to the point made by JennyMcCartney that “the regulation of parkingmust be about practicality, not prof- its”.


Indeed, my recent experience sadly sug-


gests, as was alleged in the case of the Kens- ington and Chelsea parking firm, that what would be found in Staplehurstwas “designed to extract as much cash as possible, by fair means or foul, from the motoring public”. If you have ever travelled by train from Sta- plehurst youmaybe aware there are three sep- arate car parks. Please imagine arriving early for a 1pm train to an important meeting in Birmingham, as I did, to find all three car parks full to overflowing with the clock still ticking. I then drove into the trading estate, where again there were many cars parked as I continued further into the estate and away from the station. Eventually, in an offshoot of Lodge Road, I


found a space but still there were single yel- low lines. I frantically looked and found a sign. To my relief it read “10.00am to 10.30am”. Appreciating the logic, given the proximity to a commuter station, I hurried to catch the train.WhenI returned late that night Iwas dumbfounded by a parking ticket but on further study, in the morning, found that my


Housing the


homeless MAIDSTONE Coun- cil’s frontline services are feeling the eco- nomic squeeze. Theworkofthe housing teams on both homeless prevention and the provision of temporary housing has increased, the council heard, and a further £60,000 was needed to maintain the present level of service.


22 South


economic years all these sectors have suffered seriously and ad- vertising has been much re- duced. On top of this, the internet grows in influence and has become an advertising com- petitor. In the Maidstone area, theKM


Group has faced major chal- lenges and is cutting back and adapting as it endeavours to re- gain past strengths. We on the Downs Mail have


not depended so heavily on property/motors/jobs advertis- ing and still enjoy the support of many local businesses. But they too feel the economic


pinch – and so does the Downs Mail. We now reach about


90,000 households in the Maid- stone areawith our four editions and we know how much this service is appreciated in the community. We work hard to keep it all going – but know cru- cial times are ahead. I cannot imagine Maidstone without the Kent Messenger and Downs Mail. As a newspaper- man I declare a vested interest – but I know many feel the same.





Clean up panto I hope next season’s Hazlitt pantomime cuts the sleaze and ups the charm. Iwas uncomfort- able at a matinee with my seven and five-year-old granddaugh- ters viewing characters “needing a slash” and “cracks in bottoms” humour. So much is dumbed down nowadays and I was appalled by the tone of much of Aladdin’s script. Our innocent children had


some fun. Butmypanto days are certainly over.


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


side of the road carried signs with restrictions from 2pm to 2.30pm. Howeverunintentional, I consider this to be


a form of entrapment. I have since reluctantly paid my fine but may I suggest (as I did when appealing against the fine) that the signs are changed to read “10-10.30amONTHIS SIDE” so that those in a hurry to catch a train and park legally have a fair chance of doing so. CliveBaxter, Linton Parish Council chairman


Beautiful churchyard Dear Sir – I wanted to underline Ann Cor- nelius's letter in January (South) regarding Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council being unhappy with the wildflowers growing in the churchyard.


anywhere else they or I would rather be. This pictures is completely untouched and


taken onmyphone camera.The area is simple and beautiful. Catherine Siggery (nee Gibson) SuttonValence


Rotate street darkness Dear Sir -With respect to your piece concern- ing the debate whether street lights should be switched off to savemoney (Town, Christmas) yes, perhaps itmaybe necessary to do this, but letme personally point out a couple of things The most likely streets to have their lights turned off are the side streets and cul-de-sacs where there is not asmuch traffic movement That is all well and good, but I do think that the type of crimes committed late evenings and early mornings in those areas will in- crease because the perpetrator can carry out their offences under the cover of complete darkness, whereas perhaps strategically- placed street lights would deter them to a de- gree.


Therefore, let the council take note, if they How could you possibly be anything but in


awe of this stunning, peaceful place?Mygreat grandparents, grandparents and my beloved mum are at rest here and I couldn't think of


New chapter for librarian Joan


BOOKWORMS are getting to know new faces in Yalding branch library, following the re- tirement of the village librarian Joan Milbery. Joan (65), from Downs Road,


has served the village for 24 years – and loved every minute. Having already worked five years beyond her planned re- tirement date, Joan decided to leave at the end of last year, lending out her last book on Christmas Eve. In typically modest fashion,


she shunned a party and pres- entation, slipping out quietly to adjust to her new life without work. However, villagers have paid tribute to her in print, in the parish magazine, with a poem penned by localsMichael and Brenda Stewart. Joan said: “I have had a won-


derful time and made many great friends, but I knew one dayIwouldhavetoretire.It was going to be hard whenever I did it, so it’s quite a time of ad- justment.”


are thinking of turning street lights off down side streets/cul-de-sacs, then I advise them to do it on a rotating basis, so that criminals can- not get used to certain streets having their lights out every night at the same time. If there is no actual pattern of the lights


being switched off it will not make it so easy for themto commit crime under cover of dark- ness.


Nameand address supplied


Couple stole to buy drugs A COUPLE stole from church collection boxes, including All Saints’ in Staple- hurst, to fund their drug habit. Magistrates at Sevenoaks jailed Mark


Wilson (43) for 240 days and his wife Diane, was given a four-month sus- pended sentence. The pair, from May Road, Gillingham


had admitted burglary and trespassing with intent and asked for 20 similar of- fences to be considered. As well as two thefts at All Saints’, bur- glaries were carried out between June and November 2011 at Maidstone, Head- corn,West Malling and Tonbridge.


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