Town’s ‘rough’ diamond shines again
MAIDSTONE’S “jewel inthe centre of town” nowshines more brightly with completion of £2.5m im- provements toMote Park.
The description was given by
MayorCllrRoddNelson-Gracie when he performed the official opening ceremony. Funding of £1.8m came from
the Heritage Lottery Fund whose chairman, Paul Hudson, has been aMaidstone resident for 40 years. He said: “It is fabulous to see the park brought back to something like its former glory of Victorian times. Ithadbecomestressed and rough around the edges.” Cabinet member for leisure and culture Cllr John Wilson thanked
friends and volunteers who put in more than 3,000 hours of work and said: “This is something to be proud of.” Guests were taken on guided
toursof the circular lakesidepaths and over the newbridge to see the restored parkland and waterfall, opened-up views of the lake, new seating areas, car park improve- ments and impressive new steps from the café to the lake. The visitor hubs at Willington
Street and School Lane have play areas and better car parks. Maidstone and the Weald MP,
Helen Grant, who was among the guests at the opening, applauded the work of Maidstone Borough Council. Shesaid: “Councilmembersand
officers have worked tirelessly to ensure the improvements to Mote Park notonly represent significant value for money but provide some- thing foreveryone. There isnowfar better access to the park and its many attractions, which will en- couragemuchgreater public use.” Other funds for the restoration
came from a development grant and the Big Lottery Fund's Parks for People programme.
Scouts to get
Sandling HQ KENT Scouts has been given permission to set up its head- quarters in Sandling. Maidstone Council’s plan-
ning committee granted con- sent to convert agricultural and equestrian buildings in Grange Lane into the group’s new base. The plan includes the reten-
tion of residential use of White Cottage for an on-site manager and the use of the land to the west of the site for Scouting ac- tivities such as camping. The barn and two stable blocks will be extended, and a new building will be built to house a climbing wall. Car parks and an access to the pub- lic highway will also be formed.
Kent tops list of
council job cuts KENT County Council has seen the greatest fall in local council jobs in the south east since the election, according to figures released by the GMB union. The South East has seen 23,600 job cuts from the first quarter of 2010 to the first quar- ter of 2012, a drop of 7.8%. The number of local author-
ity workers in Kent has fallen by 4,346. In Maidstone the number has fallen from 580 to 520, putting it 38th on the list, and Tonbridge andMalling has seen the figure fall from 737 to 694, putting it in 42nd place.
Above, the
new bridge. Right, picnic
benches in the seating area
overlooking
the lake, and left, new steps link
the cafe and the lakeside walks
Police authority chair re-elected ANN Barnes has been re-elected for the sev- enth consecutive year as chairman of Kent Po- lice Authority. The decision was taken at the annual meet-
ing of Kent Police Authority, where the posi- tion of vice-chairman went to Kent County Councillor Mike Hill. As of this November there will be national change to how police forces will be held to ac- count. Police authoritieswill be abolished and replacedwith po- lice and crime commissioners, directly elected individuals with a wider remit to cut crime. In Kent, residents will be able to vote for their preferred candidate on November 15.
Have your say on crime at road show KENT Police Authority’s road show will be visiting Sainsbury’s in Romney Place, Maidstone, to find out what the police can do to make the public feel more satisfied with their policing serv- ice. Shoppers at the event from 10am to 4pm on August 31 will be asked to name their biggest policing priority for crime, anti- social behaviour, and visibility.
Flats scheme for vacant offices
VACANT offices in Tonbridge Road,Maidstone, are to be con- verted into eight flats. A pension plan company has
been given planning permission for a conversion project on No 20. The scheme will see the demolition of a single-storey rear extension and the erection of a new two-storey rear exten- sion, as well as alterations to the main part of the existing building. A small block will be constructed to the rear of the
site to provide a total of eight one and two-bedroom flats. The supporting statement
said: “Almost all of the existing features/character of the build- ing externally are to be retained with minimal alterations. The refurbishment work will mod- ernise the accommodation.” Maidstone Council granted consent on condition that a proposed window on the first floor east elevation shall be ob- scure glazed.
Top police honour for chief constable THE Chief Constable of Kent, Ian Learmonth, has received the Queen’s Police Medal in HM The Queen's Birthday Honours list. The medal is awarded to officers for distinguished service. Mr Learmonthwas promoted to his current position in July 2010.
His work with the force was praised by the PrimeMinister during the riots last year.
New watch
liaison officer KENT Police’s Neighbourhood Watch liaison officer for the Maidstone area, Lorraine Hemphrey, is leaving. The new liaison officer will be Suzanne Daniell, who can be contacted on 01622 604395, or at
suzanne.daniell@kent.pnn.po-
lice.uk.
Lorraine said: “Suzanne is ex- perienced in Neighbourhood Watch. I have been very fortu- nate in having the opportunity to work with the Neighbour- hood Watch and its members for the last eight and a half years and I have enjoyed every minute. “They all do such an amazing
job and that should be recog- nised by all in Maidstone.”
Club exhibition MAIDSTONE Camera Club holds its annual exhibition in The Mall, Maidstone, from Monday August 27 to Sunday, September 2. New members are always welcome and anyone interested in photography can speak to members at the exhibition or call Tony White on 01732 521121, Derek Hodge on 01622 738556 or Peter Brook on 01622 710456.
Meetings are held at Madgin-
ford Hall, Egremont Road, Bearsted, every Tuesday from 7.30pm to 10pm from Septem- ber to June. Opening times for the exhibi-
tion match those of the shop- ping centre.
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