Councillors battling for your votes
THE budget is out of the way for another year, so now it is time to think about the other main event in the political calendar – the local elections. Borough council elections take
place on Thursday, May 3, and in Maidstone, just over one third of the seats – 19 wards – are up for grabs. There are also several parish elections that coincide.
Maidstone has 55 councillors. Of these, 30 are Conservative, 21Lib- eral Democrats and four Inde- pendents. There are no Labour members on the council at pres- ent, although the party is plan- ning to contest at least three seats in next month’s elections. It promises to be anerve-wrack-
ing time for several key figures al- ready in the council chamber,
There is still so much to do Chris Garland, Conservative leader
THE national Conservative administration has had to make savings across all services, clearing up Labour’s financial mess, but we have done this not by cutting wholesale but by delivering services in partnership with others. We have ‘balanced the books’ every year that we have been in control and have now frozen council tax for the second year. Independent surveys show that resident satisfaction has leapt from 43% when we took over four years ago from the Lib Dems to 63% today. But there is stillmore to do.We have embarked on amajor rein- vigoration of Maidstone and have delivered key projects to bring new jobs, companies, investment and trade. We have delivered new homes for families and have sought to tackle and reduce the effects of the recession. Indication of that success is illustrated by a recentHalifax survey that showsMaidstone is top in the UK for employment and the eighth most desirable place to live in Britain. Never before has Maidstone had that kind of recognition. If elected, we will continue with our drive for economic pros-
perity and protecting our rich historical countryside. We will continue to build upon the success and recognition that Maid- stone is currently receiving.
Independents ‘only credible vote’ Mike FitzGerald, Independents leader
INDEPENDENT councillors safeguard and promote the interests of the local commu- nity, without being dictated to by any par- ticular political party. They are free to ask difficult questions and during the past year the Independents coun- cillors have done just that. They have challenged decisions and sought justice for parish councils. They have challenged the CCTV move to Medway and the closing of the Tourist Information Centre in the Town Hall. People are fed up with politics controlling decisions. Road safety is a serious issue in Maidstone and Independents believe safer speed make safer roads. Traffic congestion is getting worse, and thismust be addressed as part of the core strategy. We give a voice to residents and we champion the protection
of local countryside.We have an important role to play as pub- lic health transfers new commitments for the council. I ask you to come out in force and vote Independent, the only alternative at this year’s elections. Although I amstepping down, I will leave the council ensuring the Independent voice with your support can continue to drive change and deliver for the people of Maidstone.
Line-up of confirmed candidates (*= standing councillor)
ALLINGTON: Malcolm Robertson* (LD), Barry Ginley (Con),Wendy Hol- lands (Lab) BARMING&TESTON: Fay Gooch* (Ind), Susan Black (Con) BEARSTED: Richard Ash* (Con), Steve Gibson (Lab), Ciaran Oliver (Green), Geoff Samme (LD) BOUGHTONMONCHELSEA& CHART SUTTON: Gill Annan (Lab), An- drewLe Hegarat (Con), Stephen Mun- ford (Ind) BOXLEY: Wendy Hinder* (Con), Mick Beckwith (Lab), AndrewWaldie (Green) BRIDGE: James Ross* (Con), Robert
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Field (LD), Bruce Heald (Lab). Robin Kinrade (Green) COXHEATH&HUNTON: John Wil- son* (Con), Denise Hay (Green), Mar- tin Rabicano (LD), KeithWoollven (UKIP) EAST: Martin Cox (LD)*, Tony Den- nison (Con), Hannah Patton (Green), Marlyn Randall (Lab) FANT: Stephen Paine* (Con), Stuart Jeffery (Green), Paul Harper (Lab), Irene Shepherd (LD) HEADCORN: Richard Thick* (Con), Penny Kemp (Green) HEATH: Bryan Vizzard* (LD), Patrick Coates (Lab), Richard Coates (Lab), Scott Hahnefeld (Con), BrianMoss
however, including council leader Chris Garland who is up for re-election in Shepway North, along with fellow long-standing Tories John Wilson (Coxheath & Hunton) and Richard Thick (Headcorn). On the Lib Dem benches, county and borough councillor Malcolm Robertson will be fight- ing for votes in Allington, and for-
mer mayor Daphne Parvin faces the pollsters in North Downs. Another former mayor, long- serving leader of the Independ- ents Cllr Mike FitzGerald, has already announced his intention to retire. His seat in Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton will be contested by Andrew Lehegarat for the Tories and In- dependent StephenMunford.
Time for leadership and vision FranWilson, Lib Dem leader
IT is time for real leadership and vision at Maidstone Borough Council. If quality of life and the economy are to be protected, council- lors must display toughness and innovation. Your Liberal Democrat representatives work tirelessly to ensure delivery of high quality residential and employment development. Our track record on defending our country- side is widely respected and we are champi- ons of the historic, literary and cultural legacy that should define our borough. However, it is increasingly hard to fightMaidstone’s corner from a position of opposition. In leadership,wewould tackle the twin scourges of congestion
and poor air quality. We would sweep away out-dated office blocks and replace them with commercially attractive new de- velopment.Wewould deliver a thriving town centre and protect our wonderful countryside. We know front-line services really matter, and despite current economic woes we believe quality services can be safeguarded. The decline in local service provision and the emphasis given
by the Conservative-led council to expensive pet projects is un- acceptable and wrong. It is clear that Maidstone Borough Coun- cil desperately needs a change in leadership and direction.
Making the borough a great place Patrick Coates, Maidstone & TheWeald Labour party secretary
MAIDSTONE Labour Party will work towardsmaking Maidstone a fantastic place to visit, shop and live. We will ensure that council activities offer maximum value for money. If elected,wewill seek to freeze councillors’ allowances to 2015, so that money is spent on front-line services. Labour will work to set up Neighbourhood Forums across the
town to engage local communities in local issues. We will seek to encourage good design in planning applications and seek planning gain from developers to enhance local neighbourhoods. We will encourage the council, housing associations and the private sector to build more affordable and social housing. We will fight plans to cut public services, while keeping the council tax base as low as possible every year. Travel, parking, speed limits, and roads are all areas of concern. Your Labour councillors will work with KCC to ensure that Southeastern Trains improve the service on the London-Maid- stone East-Ashford line as well as theMedway Valley Line. We believe it is possible to create economic growth through in- vestment in the arts and will ensure the Hazlitt Theatre and Maidstone Museum remain great resources for the community. We will work with local GPs to overturn the Tory Health Min-
isters’ decision to reducematernity provision at Maidstone Hos- pital and to improve health services.
(Con), Mark Naghi (LD), James Shal- ice (Green) (two seats) HIGH STREET: Denise Joy* (LD), Paul Butcher (Con),Wendy Lewis (Green), Marianna Poliszczuk (Lab), John Stanford (UKIP) MARDEN&YALDING: Ralph Austin (LD), StevenMcLoughlin (Con), Edith Davis (Lab), Ian McDonald (Green) NORTH: Jenni Paterson* (LD), Keith Adkinson (Lab), Charles Elliott (UKIP), Jeff Tree (Con) NORTH DOWNS: Daphne Parvin* (Con), Ralph Austin (LD), Audrey Gard- ner (Lab), Sarah Goodwin (Green), Carol Vizzard (Ind) PARKWOOD: Gary Cooke (Con), Debbie Fernandez (Lab), Daniel Mori- arty (Ind)
SHEPWAY NORTH: Chris Garland* (Con), Gary Butler (NF), Jim Grogan (Lab), Alan Heyes (Ind), Stephen Mug- geridge (Green) SHEPWAY SOUTH: Bob Hinder* (Con), Geoff Licence (Ind), Malcolm McKay (Lab) SOUTH: Ian Chittenden* (LD), Vianne Gibbons (Con)
Parish council seats up for election: Barming, Boxley, BoughtonMalherbe, Boughton Monchelsea, Bredhurst, ChartSutton,Coxheath, EastFarleigh, Headcorn, Hollingbourne,Hunton, Lin- ton, Marden, Stockbury, Teston, Ul- combeandWestFarleigh. Vacancies exist at other parishes, including Yald- ing, whereanelection will alsobeheld.
Have you got news for us? Phone our News Desk on 01622 734735
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