DownsMail In touch with your parish


station had not been manned since January 4 and the clerk was awaiting an explanation from Southeastern. The need for litter picking in Chantry Road and around the medical centre, and for the High Street to be swept, was raised in the public forum. Maidstone Council would be contacted.


Staplehurst Council Precept to rise


IT was agreed to set the parish precept for 2012/13 at £96,100, equating to £40.40 per annum for a band D property and a 15% increase on the previous year.


Following the clerk’s letter of resignation, councillors had considered various staffing arrangements and proposals were being considered. Regarding the Golding Homes


newts relocation site in Bell Lane, it was agreed to defer de- cision on fencing until after the work had been completed, to retain ownership of the area and to accept the proposed im- provements to retain its conser- vation value. Responses to the chairman’s letters to Kent Police and the MP about wheel clamping at


ABRITISH Grasstrack champion was reunited with the Kent Air Ambulance pilot and doctorwho saved his life following a crash in Collier Street. Craig Drury (18) sustainedmul-


tiple injuries after he was in- volved in a racing incident, colliding with a barrier at a race meeting.He returned to the track to donate £5,500 to the charity. Chief pilot Captain Blaine Ashurst landed at the track within two minutes of the 999 call and Dr Steve Rashford and critical care paramedic Chris Fudge gave Craig, who lives in Sevenoaks, an emergency anaes- thetic at the scene. The teenager was airlifted to


the major trauma centre at the Royal London Hospital where he spent 36 days, 12 of them in in- tensive care, beforehewas finally allowed back home. He said: “The doctors at the hospital satmum and dad down that night and said I had a slim chance of making it through the night. Kent Air Ambulance saved me, they toldmethat in hospital. “I was thanking the doctors in hospital and they were saying, ‘don’t thank us, you’ve got to thank the air ambulance’.” Following the crash inSeptem-


ber, Craig’s family and friends raised £5,000 for the charity from a number of fundraising events including a golf day, sponsored swim and mini triathlon. Craig visited the helicopter


The Parade had been circu- lated. It was hoped that govern- ment policy would be changed in April to outlaw wheel clamp- ing. A response from The Pa- rade owners was still outstanding. The PoleCat CCTV cameras


had now been installed. The planning application for the lighting pole at Jubilee playing field had been registered. Three proposed new planter


sites would be checked with Kent Highways. A community clean up was


being organised for Saturday, March 24. Concerning plans for the Dia-


mond Jubilee, the council con- firmed a maximum of £600 towards the souvenir brochure and agreed to drop the idea of organising a beacon. It was reported that Voluntary Action Maidstone intended to use the youth club facilities for its Brighter Futures exercise classes. VAM would also be working with the library and may provide a minibus to a su- permarket. It was noted that Maidstone Council had refused a planning application for a car body work- shop and change of use of agri- cultural land to parking at the Cross at Hand Garage, Maid-


base in Marden to meet Blaine and Steve for the first time since his accident and presented them with a signed photo saying: ‘Thanks for saving my life’. Hewas seven points clear of his


rivals going into the final race when he crashed and was un- aware he had won the 250cc British Championship.


YALDING School has a new headmistress in the shape of Dorinda Perry. Mrs Perry (pictured) joined St


Peter and St Paul Primary School in Vicarage Road at the start of term after 10 years working at Fawkham Primary School, near Longfield, first as deputy head, then head, when the school was graded outstanding by Ofsted. Prior to that she taught at Crockenhill School, near Swan- ley.


Mrs Perry, who has one grown-


up son and lives near West Malling, is looking forward to the challenges of hernewpost and al- ready has lots of ideas in the pipeline. She said: “My philosophy is


‘we do the best we can, but have great fun at the same time’. “Children need to enjoy their learning to farewell and succeed and their school days should be happy.” Shortly before leaving her last school,Mrs Perrywas instrumen- tal in the opening of a school


stone Road. The parish had rec- ommended refusal.


Play area update


Sutton Valence Council


REGARDING theWarMemorial Play Area and field, work had been due to start on the final stage of the play area on January 16. The clerk reported on the re- moval of old play equipment. Work to clear the blocked gul-


ley in the car park would take place in January. A provisional date of April 28


was agreed for the annual parish meeting. The clerk had asked for thin double yellow lines at South- ways but there was no guaran- tee this was possible. A letter had been received


from a resident regarding dan- gerous parking outside his house (opposite the Murco). This would be reported to Kent Highways. The jubilee committee was planning a party at the playing fields on Saturday, June 2 for the children of the parish and senior parishioners, and a swing band dance on June 4. Edward Bassett was co-opted


as a parish councillor to fill the vacancy.


The following planning ap- plications were considered: Redvers House, Chart Road, erection of a double garage – no comment; Sutton Valence School, North Street, recon- struction of a ragstone retaining wall – approve but do not go to committee.


Yalding Council Cattle to return


THE cattle from The Fen were sold at auction, resulting in a small loss of under £100, but it was agreed this was a worth- while project and would be re- peated for 2012. The final grantmoney for the playscheme had been received. Cllr Paulina Stockell was thanked for her grant and it was explained that this allowed children from other parishes to attend. The clerk would write to parishes that had children at- tending, asking if they would consider a contribution to next year’s scheme. Parishioners will enjoy a sec-


ond year with no increase in the precept, which will remain at £46,000 – £44.31 a year, or 85p per week, for a property in Band D.


Air ambulance thanked for “saving my life” Royal tree for Although he is expected to


make a full recovery within two years, Craig has now decided to quit the sport. He added: “It is a shame I’ve been cut short in my path because I’ve ridden in Eu- rope since I was 12, representing England. I’m glad I’m out of it now because if I go back some- thing bad will happen.”


New head for Yalding School


Laddingford? AN oak sapling grown from seeds from the royal estate could form the focal point of a Ladding- ford tree-planting scheme to mark the Queen’s Jubilee. Local resident Rebecca Bibby


has obtained 60 free trees from The Woodland Trust, including the oak sapling, and drawn up plans which involve the creation of new wooded areas, shady glades and a wildflower meadow on the fringes of the field, oppo- site Laddingford School. Pike Fish Lane resident Re-


becca snapped upthe offer of free trees in her role as a Friend of Laddingford School (the PTA). She said: “There is a decided


bank, encouraging children to save and learn the value of money. She also set up a nature trail and spiritual garden in the school’s eight acres of forest. Chairman of governors Patrick


Rowesaid: “We are absolutelyde- lighted to welcomeDorinda Perry to the team.We visited her previ- ous school where she had created an enviable learning environment and we look forward to the changes that a fresh eye will bring.” Mrs Perry succeeds Glynis Coates, who retired last year after 16 years as headmistress.


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


lack of shade at present and these trees could help address that problem.” The field is owned by Yalding Parish Council, who Re- becca has consulted over her plan. The parish council will contest proposals from Maidstone Bor- ough Council to fill in a dry ditch after Rebecca argued that re- search had shown that children played in the long grass, the hedges and the ditches – not the cut grass areas. The 60 trees – 20 birch, 20


rowan and 20 wild cherry – along with the oak sapling, are due for delivery later in the spring and Rebecca would ide- ally like to see them planted in time for the Queen’sDiamond Ju- bilee in July.


South 31


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