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Council stalwart plans to ‘re-invent’ himself


LONG-serving independent borough councillor Mike FitzGerald has announced he will stand down at the May elections. Having completed three


terms of office – 12 years – Cllr FitzGerald has been an active member of the community, wearing many hats – as well as the mayoral chain of office in 2006/07. He is actively involved in a number of charities and is a trustee of Maid- stone Christian Care and chairman of the


PROPERTY owner FergusWil- son has vowed to begin work to remove the boarding from Chart Sutton’s former village shop and post office (pictured) the day after Cllr FitzGerald’s successor is announced. Two buildings in the very


centre of the village have been redundant since an incident four years ago when, according to MrWilson, Cllr FitzGerald instructed enforcement officers to investigate upgrading work being undertaken under the instruction of the new owner. MrWilson, who claims


there had at the time been interest in turning the shop, which closed in sum- mer 2007, into a fish and


trustees of the Fusion healthy living centre in ParkWood. Cllr FitzGerald, who lives


with his wife Maureen, in Lax- ton Drive, Chart Sutton, will be 74 in May but he assured: “I am not retiring – just re-inventing my time.” He said: “I am still in love


with village life and value the people and friendships that have grown and I will con- tinue to support and safeguard


all that is good.” One of Cllr FitzGerald’s first claims to


chip outlet and the neighbour- ing Old Forge into a restaurant, told workmen to “down tools” and vowed to keep the build- ings boarded until Cllr FitzGer- ald left Maidstone Council. He now says that boarding


will begin to be removed from Friday,May 4, the day after the local elections, which will in- clude the vote for the new rep- resentative of Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton


fame was when he organised the first ever World Custard-Pie Throwing Champi- onship in Coxheath in 1967. After a 20-year break, he revived it during his mayoral year in 2007 and it continues to attract wide- spread publicity. Cllr FitzGerald said he had thought


long and hard about his decision to stand down but decided it was time to let a younger person take the reins in order to do justice to the constituents for a further four years. The member for Boughton Monchelsea


and Chart Sutton said: “I feel lucky and privileged to have served this ward and the


Former shop will soon have boarding taken down


on the borough council. “We will tidy the windows


up, give it a lick of paint and do conversion work for the flat above so it can be let out,” said MrWilson. Since the boarding went up, volunteers in the village have come together to run their own shop on the village green, from a small metal container. The former shop still has planning consent for retail use andMrWilson would be happy for a new shop to be set up there – at the right price. He said: “We know what we


paid for the property and what the return is for that expendi- ture. Whoever wants to pay the market rate can have it.”


wider Maidstone area. It has been an honour and a lot of en- joyment, meeting people and making friends.” Steve Munford, the current chairman of Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council, has already indicated he is pre- pared to stand as an independ- ent candidate in his place. Cllr FitzGerald said: “He has worked tirelessly to help de- liver the ambitions of the parish council, has been a strong chairman since taking office and I believe, if elected, hewill make an excellent Maidstone borough councillor. A “stepping down” party


with music and entertainment is being held by Cllr FitzGerald for invited guests on Saturday, March 17, at Boughton Monchelsea Village Hall.


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