Account query costs council £2,000


BEARSTED Parish Council is facing a bill of more than £2,000 after a resident objected to a payment made to the Joint Parishes Group. Roger Vidler, from Ware Street, an active member of the Bearsted and District Local History Society, wrote to the Audit Com- mission querying the parish accounts in June 2010 and, in particular, the funds paid by Bearsted to the JPG. The parish council paid £11,600 to the JPG


in 2009/2010, which decided how to spend the money to fight the Kent International Gateway (KIG) application at a public inquiry. Most of the funds went to an external con- sultancy who drafted “Proofs of Evidence” for presentation at the inquiry. At the time of the KIG inquiry, there were 15 parishes in the JPG, all making a pro-rata


THE Valley Invicta Trust is planning to build a new sports hall and changing rooms to serve both its schools. Valley Park and Invicta Gram-


mar have a total of over 2,000 pupils, yet neither has a sports hall, which means that PE is re- stricted to a small gymnasium at each school. A supporting statement said:


“The two sites are highly devel- oped with the exception of the


Circus returns


to village green THEreturn of John Lawson’sCir- cus to Bearsted Green marked a victory for local opinion. The family-run show has a 30-


year history of performances in the village, but the parish coun- cil last year decided to stop the circus performing due to the im- pact on the village green. But many locals disagreed.


Rev John Corbyn of Holy Cross Church, Bearsted, said:“We did- n’t need to arrange a petition be- cause so much other voicing of opinion was organised.” The circus, which holds the


title of Britain’s Best Small Cir- cus, was asked to return. Ringmaster Attila Endresz


said: “We leave a bond with local parish councils to repair ground we use and are very careful to clear up.We’re really happy to be back in Bearsted” On April 1, seven local churches joined with John Lawson’s Circus to hold a Palm Sunday service in the big top on the village green.


SELECTION of pupils at Maid- stone’s four grammar schools is weighted against poorer pupils. The claim is made by the Rev


John Corbyn, vicar of Bearsted and Oakwood Grammar School governor, in a parish magazine. He says Government statistics


show stark differences, with 0% 11-plus passes at some schools in Maidstone’s poorer areas, to80% at Yalding, 67% at Platts Heath and 49% at Bearsted’s Roseacre.


12 East


contribution, according to the number of electors. Bearsted, one of the most densely populated parishes in Maidstone, pulled out of the JPG once KIG had been resolved. The Audit Commission issued its report in December 2011, and the inspector stated: “I have found no evidence of unlawful expendi- ture and whilst I have identified some failings in the council’s governance arrangements,my decision is that it is not appropriate to issue a public interest report. I will, however, make a number of recommendations to the council about its arrangements.” The Audit Commission has issued a bill


of £2,044 to Bearsted Parish Council, which chairman Cllr Paul Young has objected to. However, the commission is insistent the parish has to pay.


hard play areas between the two schools. The new sports hall is sited on space set out for tennis. “The sports hall will provide


for teaching in all weathers. The location, between the schools, will allow for separate access during the day whilst preserv- ing a suitable secure access out of school hours from the Valley Park School. “The new sports hall chang- ing facilities have been de-


LORDSWOOD gymnast Georgina Varley has won a bronze medal in Russia.


Georgina, 21, took part in the


23rd European Championships for Trampoline in St Petersburg, where she won the bronze medal in the double mini trampoline dis- cipline, with gold going to Russia and silver to Portugal. Georgina said: “This is the high-


light of my career so far. Years of hard work and training have paid offwith this medal.” Georginahasbeenoverwhelmed


KENT Police is starting the new financial year saving more funds than anticipated. Recommendations from an independent review mean Kentwillsaveabout £1mto £1.5m per year. Chief Consta- ble Ian Learmonth says he is planning on recruiting more officers for Kent. He said: “We planned for the £50m saving we needed.We are


Mr Corbyn says it is a myth the system helps poor children at- tend grammar schools and en- courages social mobility. In secondary schools with the lowest GCSE successes, 28.8% of pupils have free meals. Fewer than 3% of pupils at the gram- mar schools have free meals. “Whatever the meek may in-


herit, poorer members of society do not seem to inherit a grammar school place,” he added.


Cllr Young said: “Whilst any resident is


free to challenge council accounts, I find it unfair that the taxpayers of Bearsted need to foot this bill when the objection con- cerned money we paid to help fight KIG, which I regard as money well spent.” He told members of the parish council: “I


do not feel it is right we should be invoiced for an objection to our accounts, when no fault has been found.” Cllr Young suggested the council might appeal but Cllr Bernard Carine recom- mended the bill be paid without argument. Cllr Richard Ash said: “Residents are en-


titled to object if there is something they don’t like when we spend their money.” Cllr Pat Marshall added: “It’s called democracy.”


Schools planning shared sports hall


signed to serve both indoor and external sports and are accessi- ble to the all-weather pitch and external sports fields. The loca- tion suits the management of both schools, as it maintains two entrances and allows for the better control of pupils. “The scheme makes use of ex-


isting sports spaces whilst pro- viding a year-round facility.” Maidstone Councilwill deter- mine the application.


Bronze for Georgina in Russia


by messages of congratu- lations and is looking for- ward to re- peating her success at the National Champi- onships at Birmingham in July. She is supported by PHSC plc,


the Aylesford-based provider of health, safety and environmental consultancy and training.


Plans to recruit more police


on track to deliver those sav- ings, and Kent has also seen a reduction in crime of about 4%. Recommendations from the Winsor Review mean that any savings made will mean we will be in a position earlier than ex- pected to recruit more officers. “We recruited 20 officers ear-


lier this year and will be look- ing to recruit further in the autumn.”


Poorer pupils ‘less likely to get grammar place’


 Kent is to be the first county in 50 years to build a new gram- mar school. KCC agreed to the school in Sevenoaks after petition pressure from parents. To meet new Gov- ernment policy, the school must be an extension of an existing grammar so it will be linked to anotherWest Kent school. KCC has agreed it will be a


four-form entry school, initially with 120 pupils


Woodland gifts ANOTHER area of woodland in Bearsted will be safe from devel- opment, after the owners’ deci- sion to bequeath it to Bearsted Woodland Trust. David and Claire Browne have


said that over an acre next to Ma- jors Lake will be given to the trust - and protected as green space in perpetuity with all other areas of the trust -when they die. This is their second giftto the charity - five years ago they do- nated land enabling the trust to widen the link to GoreMeadow. The trust has also been left £116,000 in the will of lifelong Bearsted residentTrevor Coulter, who died inMay last year. Trustees said the money could


be put towards operating costs should it become necessary to employ staff in a post volunteer eraand to buyotherlandtopro- tect Bearsted were it to become available.


Teen travel pass MAIDSTONE students aged 16 to 19 will have access to a new travel pass from September. Butitwillcostthemmore


than £500 a year. KCC’s Freedom Pass allows students aged 11-16 to travel to and from school for £100pa. It also enables them to travel any- where within Kent free. KCC has now unveiled a pass


for 16-19 year-olds which will be available from September. The average cost will be


£520, although studentsmay be eligible for further support from their own schools and colleges.


Miracle retold THE miraculous story of a church will be retold by Detling players in Boxley Church on May 12. The Boy with the Cart, by Christopher Fry, tells of a young boy, Cuthman, who trav- elled from Cornwall to Steyn- ing, West Sussex. When he got there he witnessed a miracle and helped to build a church. The re-enactment starts at 7.30pm. Refreshments will be served and donations are in- vited. Details: 01622 737471/ tikkigulland@hotmail.co.uk


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