Family centre


‘a safe haven’ THEMeadow Children’s Centre at Park Wood has been praised by Ofsted for its excellent range of services, care, guidance and support for families. Rated good in its recent re-


port, the Sure Start centre was described as welcoming and at- tractive. The high priority given to the safeguarding of children and protection of everybody who uses it, means that it is a safe haven. The centre, inFurfield Close, is


a hub for health and family serv- ices in one of the country’smost economically deprived areas. The Ofsted inspector said the


staff know families well and tailor their work to meet their needs. Parents felt able to share information and concerns. For many families, the centre and its staff had provided effective support in times of crisis. Families were routinely asked


for their views and the centre took these seriously. “As a re- sult, parents know what they say really matters,” said the report. Parents said activities such as


baby massage, breastfeeding support, yoga groups and the cookery group help them to de- velop healthier lifestyles. Thecentreislinkedtothe Meadow Children’s Centre Nursery which was rated out- standing by Ofsted in 2009.


Tree ‘stealing my time’


A MAIDSTONE man has protested at the retention of a neighbouring tree, claiming that it is making his life a misery. Gerard Lizzi, of 589 Loose


Road, objected to a Maidstone Council-proposed Tree Preserva- tion Order on a mature horse chestnut at number 591, near the junction of Norrington Road. He told the planning commit-


tee: “This tree is only 1.7m from my drive and is illegally placed. It should be kept at least 10m from boundaries by law. It isdam- aging my drive with its roots and is stealingmytime. I have to clean and sweep every day. “Thistreeisadangerto pedestrians too. It does not let me enjoy my property; it creates a misery.


YOUNG entrepreneurs show- cased their ideas to business leaders at a MidKent College trade fair. The Mayor of Maidstone Cllr


Rodd Nelson-Gracie was among the guests who grilled students about their business plans, in- cluding Charlotte May (pic- tured), who was running a pet-sitting service. Abbie Spence (18), from Bearsted, was named overall winner for her “Carping Around” plan to use Kent’s nat-


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“I ask myself, ‘is this a civilised society?’ I would like to enjoy my property. This tree has entered and damaged my property; how would you feel if I entered and damaged your property? A tree preservation order is needless.” However, the committee al-


lowed the TPO to go ahead. Cllr Mike Hogg, who is a wardmem- ber for the area, said: “Mr Lizzi


Mayor praises students’ ideas


ural resources by way of a fish- ery with accommodation. Cllr Nelson-Gracie said: “It’s


good for the future of the coun- try to have young people with- the confidence to put their business plans forward.” MidKent College is working


to help establish a separate or- ganisation called Entrain, which aims to help young peo- ple set up their own businesses and bid for work. Visit www.midkent.ac.uk for more information.


does not live there full time. It is not causing a public nuisance.” Cllr Tony Harwood said: “People pass this tree all the time. It is a noticeable part of the street scene. I cannot see any damage or proximity to neighbours or highway so I find it difficult to marry up the ob- jector to the reality. “If we see a change in owner-


ship of the site, it could be moved, which would be nega- tive for the street scene and air quality.We can’t underestimate how significant this tree is for one of the air pollution hot spots.”


Councillors voted, by 10 votes


to two, in favour of a TPO on the tree.


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