News in brief 4 Maidstone Borough Council


Heritage Open Days Maidstone Borough Council is seeking people who have places of heritage, within the Maidstone Borough, that they would like to open up to the public during the weekend on September 6-9, 2012. Contact Christine Dier if you’d like to take part - email christinedier@maidstone.gov.uk or call on 01622 602748.


Connexions at Gateway Maidstone Borough Council’s Gateway reception will be welcoming Connexions through its doors. The Maidstone Connexions Access Point, will be offering a permanent presence at the Gateway from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.


Get involved Here’s three more ways to get close to or involved with this summer’s celebrations:


 Sunerkhomai


Saturday July 14 - Mote Hall, Maidstone Leisure Centre - £5


Sunerkhomai is ancient Greek for joining together and that is exactly what we are doing. The dance schools, youth theatres and sports clubs of Maidstone will perform a story of communities sharing common ideas and interests.


 Maidstone’s Got Talent Auditions


Saturday, May 19 – Hazlitt Arts Centre, Maidstone – under 16s 12pm - 3pm – over 16’s 3pm – 5pm


Maidstone’s finest will audition for Maidstone’s Got Talent. The winners and the runners up will be invited to take part in the Community Concert in Mote Park on July 19.


 The Games - An ‘undiscovered’ Aristophanes comedy


Wednesday, July 18 – Hazlitt Theatre – 7.30pm – £12


This is the story of three Greek nobodies caught up in a celestial bet between Zeus, Hera and Hercules. Our unwitting heroes: Stanzas (a terrible poet), Darius (the runt of the litter) and Hermaphrodite (born a girl) compete in the ancient Olympics with epic results for mankind. Contains simulated nudity.


Council Tax frozen for another year last year’s levels.


Council tax payers in Maidstone will not be asked to pay any extra for Maidstone Borough Council’s services next year, April 2012 to March 2013.


The council has set its budget for next year and kept the band D tax for its services at £222.39, the same as last year.


Kent County Council, Kent Police Authority and the Kent Fire and Rescue Service are also freezing their charges at


Reduction for disabilities Disabled people may receive a reduction in Council Tax through the disabled band reduction scheme. The scheme makes sure disabled people don’t pay more Council Tax if they need a larger home due to their disability.


 an additional bathroom or kitchen required to meet the needs of the disabled person


 a room (other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet) used by and required to meet the needs of the disabled person


 extra space indoors. To allow the use of a wheelchair


Council Tax Benefit & Second Adult Rebate


If you have a low income, whether you’re working or not, and need financial help to pay your Council Tax bill, you may be able to get Council Tax Benefit. If you share your home with another adult (not your partner) who may need financial help to pay towards the Council Tax bill, you may be able to get a Second Adult Rebate.


That means that the total bill for a band D taxpayer, excluding parish council precepts, will remain at £1,476.80 for 2011-2012. Kent County Council will get £1,047.78, Maidstone Borough Council £222.39, Kent Police Authority £138.68 and Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority £67.95.


About 15p in every pound of council tax paid goes to Maidstone Borough Council.


Council Tax: discounts and exemptions Discounts and exemptions


You may be able to get a discount or exemption if:


 you are the only person in the property over 18


The property must be the main residence of at least one disabled person. It must also have one of the following:


 you are the only adult over 18 and live with students (includes student nurses)


 you are the only adult over 18 and live with people with severe mental disabilities


 you have a live-in carer that does not care for their partner or child (up to 18 years old)


 a property is unoccupied (including annexes)


 properties are only occupied by students


 properties are occupied by one or more severely mentally impaired people


You may be able to obtain other discounts and/or exemptions, just see the back of your Council Tax bill, visit www.maidstone.gov.uk or call 01622 602003.


Slimmers shed the pounds


More than two stone has been lost by two slimmers who attended Maidstone Borough Council’s ‘Weight for It’, weight-loss programme.


Lorraine Huggett, 40, and 52-year-old David Fenton shed the equivalent of more than 14 bags of sugar between them.


Lorraine, of Old Tovil Road, Maidstone, saw the advert for the council’s weight- loss programme in her local doctors’ surgery.


She said: “It was not daunting, the support was fantastic, not judgmental just very supportive. I am vegetarian and did not feel like that was sidelined, as with other diet groups.”


Lorraine started the course weighing in at 17st 6lb, but within 10 weeks managed to lose almost a stone, and is still slimming down week by week.


David, of St Philips Avenue, Maidstone, heard about the sessions through a friend. He started out weighing 16st 7lbs and in just under three months is 15st 3lbs, losing about a pound a week.


He said: “There was no requirement to do or say anything. It was just a really supportive, helpful group.”


If you want help to lose weight via the sessions or for general health advice call the Community Development team on 01622 602222.


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