Council tax freeze ‘just good luck’ Members asked


COUNCIL tax in Maidstone will be frozen for the second year in succession. Butitisdowntogoodfortune,


rather than good planning, ac- cording to opposition benches. The council has made savings


of £1.9m in the current year and is looking to save a further £1.6m in the 12 months from April. Council leader Chris Garland


said the council tax freeze would mean £3m in lost rev- enue to the council over the next 10 years, and that sacri- fices would have to be made. He told the council: “We can


no longer be all things to all people. Resources must be fo- cused.” Cuts across the board will af-


fect grants to outside organisa- tions, support of arts and


cultural events and leisure serv- ices. Outsourcing the town’s CCTV system to Medway has also saved cash. He said the budget still repre- sented value for money and, with £3.2m in balances, the council was in a healthy position. However, LibDem leader Cllr


Fran Wilson said the council’s balances were only healthy be- cause of handouts from central government, including a sub- stantial VAT refund and the New Homes Bonus, combined with the council officers’ mana- gerial skills. She said: “We support the


freeze on council tax but the ability to make this decision has nothing to do with clever local budgeting. It is only possible be- causeWestminster’s coalition is


prepared to underwrite it for an- other year.” She accused the council’s


Tory leaders of being short on ideas and said: “Over and over again, this cabinet has demon- strated a lack of understanding and empathywith other organi- sations, businesses struggling to survive and residents facing real financial hardship. “This administration has left


us with revenue severely under strain, capital at a low ebb and balances reasonably healthy only because of our good for- tune.”


Independent Cllr Mike FitzGerald said the closure of public toilets, cuts in grants to outside bodies and a reduction in grants for cultural events were all to be regretted.


to take their cut THERE was a proposed re- duction of £23,380 to the mayoral and civic services budget for the coming year. Cllr Mike FitzGerald pro-


posed that members sacri- fice £15,000 of their allowances to offset this re- duction, as he felt it impor- tant that the civic role retained its high profile. However, chief executive Alison Broom stressed that there would be no reduction to the mayor’s civic duties and said the savings would be made in other areas of the mayoral budget.


Fund aims to help town’s families


A NEW charity focusing on Maidstone families has been launched – and re- ceived its first big donations. Help aMaidstone Childwas set up by


Maidstone Children’s Board in conjunc- tion with Voluntary Action Maidstone. It was launched by KCC’s cabinet member for specialist children’s serv- ices,Cllr Jenny Whittle (Con), at theCel- ebration of Children’s Services, held at the Hazlitt Arts Centre. TheKent-based Brook Trust has said it


Yalding member


is next mayor NEXT year’s mayor will be Cllr Rodd Nelson-Gracie. Cllr Nelson-Gracie (Con), who representsMarden and Yalding, was brought up and educated in West Sussex, but has lived in Nettlestead Green for almost 30 years. After leaving school he moved


to London,where he became an articled clerk with a firm of chartered accountants. After qualifying, he spent


three years with Ernst & Young before moving into the manu- facturing industry, where he spent 25 years in finance posi- tions in the UK and overseas. Prior to his retirement in 2010,


Cllr Nelson-Graciewas bursar at King’s School, Rochester and later The King’s School, Canter- bury. He and his wife Philippa have three daughters and three grandchildren. He joined Net- tlestead Parish Council in 1995 and was elected as a borough councillor for Yalding in 1997. Following the boundary changes in 2001, he became one of the three councillors to repre- sent Marden & Yalding. He is a governor at Yalding Primary School, and at a preparatory school in Tonbridge. He has been deputymayor for


the past year and will succeed Cllr BrianMortimer in May. Deputy mayor for the coming year will be Cllr Clive English.


4 South


will donate £1,000 to the cause, as has Golding Homes. The fund aims to “increase the life


chances and wellbeing of children in Maidstone and reduce inequalities”. The Kent Community Foundation,


based in Ashford, will oversee and ad- minister the fund and donations should be sent toKent CommunityFoundation, Evegate Park Barn, Evegate Business Park, Evegate, Ashford, TN25 6SX,


HEADCORN Local History So- ciety has been selected to host the Kent History Federation’s annual one-day conference. The conference takes place on Saturday, May 12, from 9am at Headcorn’s new village hall. More than 100 delegates are expected to attend the day, which offers a programme of lec- tures and visits, plus the chance to take a trip on a vintage bus. There will be a welcome by


Dr Maurice Raraty, chairman of the KHF, followed by talks on


Clinic plan refused ALASDAIR Smith has been re- fused permission to move his chiropractic clinic to his home inWest Farleigh. In August,Maidstone Council allowed the applicant to live at the Coxheath Chiropractic and Natural Remedy Centre at 43 Stockett Lane. Mr Smith then applied tomove to an outbuild- ing at White House Cottage, Heath Road, but the application was refused , claiming it would harm the countryside.


charity’s logo YOUNG people are in- vited to enter a competi- tion to design the fund’s logo.


Alex Turner, Sharon Manning from Homestart and Cllr Jenny Whittle at the launch


marked “Help aMaidstone Child”. Chairman of the fund, Alex Turner,


said: “Maidstone has its own problems, someof whichstemfromhomelessness or domestic violence, and we see this venture as a case where charity really does begin at home.” The charity has the backing of both KCC and Maidstone Borough Council.


Hall hosts history conference


Industry in theWeald of Kent in the 16th and 17th centuries, hop cultivation in the Weald and Headcorn atWar. In the afternoon, members


can visit the Headcorn Aero- drome Battle of Britain Mu- seum, Smarden local history heritage centre, enjoy a tour of the village and the church or visit Boy Court at East Sutton. If you would like to join the society and attend the day’s conference, call Ray Sadler on 01622 892175.


Conversion rejected THE owner of a publishing business near Paddock Wood has been blocked in her attempt to convert the business head- quarters into a residential home. Jean Ang wants to move the business away from The Sta- bles, Willow Lane, due to poor internet speeds. But Maidstone Council refused her proposal, saying there was not enough ev- idence to show she had tried to find a commercial use for the building.


There are four age cat- egories: up to four, five to 11, 12 to 16 and 17 to 24 years old. The closing date isMay 14. Local Maidstone busi-


nesses have donated some great prizes for the competition and others will be announced. The Switch Café willbe running the competition, and details can be found on its website at www.switchcafe.co.uk,as can details of how to do- nate prizes.


Home replacement AN outline planning applica- tion has been lodged for two re- placement houses at Fountains, Chart Road, Chart Sutton. Michael Leeks’ plan, which


will be determined by Maid- stone Council, would see the existing house demolished.


Haydn’s Creation SUTTON Valence Choral Soci- ety, accompanied by the Beres- ford Symphonia, will perform Haydn’s Creation at All Saints Church,Ulcombe, at 7.30pm on Sunday April 22. Tickets are £12 and £8 (half


price for concessions) from Molly Poulter on 01622 842988.


Holiday let agreed ROBERT Chapman has been permitted to convert a barn into a holiday let at The Old Coach House, Spenny Lane, Claygate. The proposal was endorsed by Visit Kent.


Flower festival A FLOWER Festival and Jazz Concert will be held at East Sutton Church on June 22-24.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


Young artists invited to design


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