Vocational centre plans
KCC WANTS to establish a vo- cational training centre for the hospitality industry at Oak- wood House, Oakwood Park, Tonbridge Road,Maidstone. A planning statement said:
“The vocational training would complement the existing use and particularly support the weddings and public events at theweekend while allowing for training at other times. “Thiswould give trainees real
life experience in a work envi- ronment. The range of catering from hospitality, buffets and
Solar boats to ferry workers
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the provision of cycles for rides along the towpath and nature trail and safety awareness proj- ects for local schools. Maidstone MP Helen Grant,
who is patron of the River Users Association, has backed the scheme, which Mr Bailey be- lieves could be a major boon to employment and tourism. More than 20 years ago, Mr
Baileywas instrumental in creat- ing the artists’ quarters around London’s Brick Lane and he has developed a riverside art fair which he hopes to expand. Hesaid: “Art is a greatplatform
for regeneration and I would like to see more people using the riverbank and the Lockmeadow amphitheatre. There is no reason why Maidstone cannot become the next Left Bank of Paris, or Hyde Park.” The river project will complete
a three-pronged business portfo- lio for Mr Bailey. As well as op- erating The Barge, he has just signed a 10-year lease to run the café and a new Kentish deli- catessen at the refurbished Maid- stone Museum.
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last two years and included 11 practices, with 98,500 patients, aimed at meeting the Govern- ment's original targets. The other 18 Maidstone area practices were already part of the West Kent Group.
Chairman Dr GarySingh,ofthe Northumberland Road practice, said his group was planning wisely to work within its notional 2013 budget. But he said this group had to
bow to SHA pressure to merge with the larger group. The SHA told Maidstone itdid not consider its geographical areawas satisfac- tory or it was financially risk-free. Maidstone fought hard, but lost. When the Maidstone patients'
group met, there was high emo- tion about the loss of more NHS services. Members were furious that Maidstone was again being deprived. Individual Maidstone area sur-
6 Malling
breakfast through to silver serv- ice dinners and weddings will provide opportunities that are not readily available at any other vocational centre. “Kent County Council will
work with the new service provider – yet to be appointed and contingent upon planning consent – to ensure that training activities complement the busi- ness and match or exceed the service that is provided to Oak- wood House customers. “This programme will enable business development and in-
come generation to run in par- allel with a day-release, full- time or residential apprentice- ship training programme and will allow young people to gain accredited qualification in a real and demanding workplace environment.” The centre will link with
other vocational centres, such as MidKent College. “Training facilities of this na-
ture will be the first of its kind in the country,” added the sup- porting statement. KCC will de- cide on the application
Variety show’s hospice boost SINGERS and dancers from Mandy Ellen Per- formingArtsinMaid- stone raised £2,100 for children’s hospice charity chYps with a variety show. The talented per-
formers staged a show for 200 guests at K College in Ton- bridge, after principal Mandy Ellen pledged to raise £10,000 for chYpsin2012. The charity provides hospice care to 120 children in their own homes acrosswest Kent. LouiseWright,of chYps, said: “Theshowwas absolutely fantasticand
Mandy Ellen (right) with Tony Saunders and his son Charlie, volunteer Debbie Bensley and DrewJames
the children and young peoplewere so talented. Thismoney will go to- wards helping children stay athomewith their families, where theywill receiveworld-leading hospice care.”
Freight firm spreads its wings LARKFIELD-based freight company Astran Cargo Services is ex- panding with the launch of an export services division. AstranWorldwide Shipping was formally opened by Chatham
and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch at its New Hythe Lane site. In the 1960s and 70s,the parent company pioneered the ultra-
long distance lorry route from the UK to the deserts of the Mid- dle East and is still the market leader on these routes. Astran chairman Hugh Thompson said: “With the Eurozone in trouble, many UK companies are looking to new export markets. We are being asked to move goods to more exotic locations.”
New chip shop A FAMILY fish and chip busi- ness has branched out with a new outlet at Kings Hill. Humphrey’s, which has a 60-
year history, already has shops in Allington andMeopham. Chris Humphrey, who has opened the premises in Liberty Square with his brother-in-law Chris Bramley, said: “My grand- parents established the com- pany so we are experienced in providing quality food.” The takeaway service was
due to be followed by a restau- rant in July. Andrew Blevins, managing director of Liberty Property Trust UK Ltd, said the deal meant that Liberty Square was now fully let and was truly a thriving town centre.
Bar to re-open THE former River Bar, at The Broadway,Maidstone, which has been empty for more than two years, is to re-open. It will be re-named Bridges
and is being transformed into a restaurant and bar. Owners John Buckwell,Michael Schembri and David Savin say the work could be finished by June, but the venue should defnitely be open for the arrival of the Olympic Torch on Friday, July 20.
Disabled parking A PARKING fee is being intro- duced for blue badge holders at the special bays at Maidstone Hospital to match charges at the new Pembury Hospital. The trust says charges are based on the ability to pay, not physical ability.
KCC jobs cut KCC HAS seen the equivalent of 2,417 full-time jobs cut from its staff since the general elec- tion, according to a GMB study of official data.
Concern over merger of GPs’ budgeting boards
geries had formed their own pa- tient participation groups and a representative from each joined the commissioning group’s new patient reference group. The aim was to inform the GP commis- sioners of user views. Mike Dawe, who represents St
Luke's practice patients, said: "Maidstone patients and profes- sionals have again lost influence. We need to redress the balance and should try to set up a new or- ganisation to get what is best for Maidstone area." Alex Turner, representing the
Vines Surgery, Tonbridge Road, said: "The combined group takes them too far away from Maid- stone and its patients. The West Kent Group does not have an at- tached patient group, sohowwill it communicate with about 600,000 patients?" Dr Singh said he favoured a
new GP/patient organisation for Maidstone which could work ef-
fectively if the West Kent and WealdGroup approved meaning- ful "locality rights". Former chairman ofMaidstone Division of the BMA, Sutton Va- lence GP Dr Paul Hobday,isa strong opponent of Government NHS reorganisation. He said: "Themerger is an inevitable con- sequence of a terrible mess of leg- islation.
"Maidstone will lose yet more
power, influence and, as a result, services. But this would happen anyway under legislation. Secre- tary of State Andrew Lansley's claim GPs will be 'in charge of budgets' is nonsense. It's a smoke screen for commercialisation."
ADepartment of Health spokes- woman said both GP groups voted for a merger. "This is very much a locally-driven process. There is no national evidence to suggest a right size. It is impor- tant solutions develop from the bottom up."
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Dr Bob Bowes, chair of West Kent andWeald, said: "People in Maidstone and Malling have sim- ilar health needs to those inWest Kent and Weald, and they go to Maidstone orTunbridgeWells for the majority of hospital services. "It makes sense for services at
those hospitals to be guided by a single body commissioning healthcare for the whole area. "Doing thatwill enable us to se-
cure a wider range of services than might be possible for either clinical commissioning group on its own, while keeping adminis- trative costs as low as possible." He emphasised a patient refer-
ence group would be set up. The SHA said individual prac-
tices in Maidstone and Malling andGPs from that areawhosit on theWest Kent Group’s governing bodywill now have a strong role in the way health services are commissioned for the people they represent.
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