Football player


jailed for attack A HEADCORN man has been sentenced to nine months in prison for attacking another player during a football match. Edward Judge (25), fromMoat


Road, Headcorn, was taking part in a the match at East Sut- ton Park, Sutton Valence, on November 12 last year. At one point, Judge and an-


other player challenged for a ball. Judge punched the player, knocking him to the ground. The victim had to be carried from the pitch and was taken to Maidstone General Hospital, bleeding from the mouth. The victim, who was 26 and


from Maidstone, was then taken to East Grinstead Hospi- tal for specialist treatment on his jaw which had been broken in two places. Titanium plates were inserted to the side of his face and front of his jaw. Judge was arrested and charged on January 13 this year with grievous bodily harm. He pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court. Investigating officer, Detec-


tive Constable Simon Powell, said: “This was a cowardly act that had severe repercussions for the victim. Football is an emotive and physical game, but acts beyond the laws of the game, will not go unpunished by the courts.”


Bungalow plan


goes ahead A PLAN for a new bungalow behind 36 Huntington Road, Coxheath, was accepted. The scheme, which will see


the loss of two silver birch trees, was criticised by a neigh- bour who lived behind the property, inWoodlands. She told the planning com- mittee: “The bungalow will cause a loss of light to our homes all year round. It will be cramped and unsightly. “This will cause stress and


upset to people in surrounding homes.” However, the committee was obliged to grant planning per- mission due to the precedent set by the creation of two bun- galows behind a neighbouring property a decade earlier. Itwas agreed to grant outline permis- sion on condition that native hedging is introduced to the western boundary of the site.


Harvest supper quiz TICKETS are now on sale for a harvest supper and quiz to be held at All Saints’ Church,West Farleigh, on Saturday, Septem- ber 22. Teams of up to eight can take


part, at a cost of £8 per person, to include food, but not drink (but you can bring your own!). For further details or to re-


serve your table, contact 813019 or 820305.


22 South


Tributes to popular councillor


Continued from page one “His passing leaves a gap in


local representation which will be difficult to fill. Nobody inpublic life could ever have cared more for those he represented and the is- sues that affect their daily life.” Fran Wilson, leader of the Lib-


eral Democrat group, said: “Mal- colm has been one of the most active and hard-working council- lors for this borough. He will be a difficult act to followand on a per- sonal level I will miss him as a friend and colleague.” Conservativemembersalso paid tribute. CllrStephenPaine,cabinet member for planning, transport anddevelopment, said: “Oneof the first times I heard Malcolm speak waswhen he called the Conserva- tive administration to task on the branding of Maidstone’s Park and Ride buses. “We had proposed to lose the


brandatoff-peak hours,andhedid not let us have any of it! He per- suaded an overview and scrutiny


committee to overturn the deci- sion and reinstate yellow buses. He has been instrumental in se- curing a London Cannon Street train service for 2019, as well as M20 junction improvements. “In recentmonths, Malcolmwas


my de facto opposition spokesper- son for all matters around trans- port. His knowledge of trains and highways was unrivalled in the chamber.” President ofDownsMail,Dennis


Fowle, said: “Maidstone will miss a respected political giant andwe owe much to his enlightened en- thusiasm and tireless dedication. He achieved much, mostly with a light touch which disguised a fer- vent determination towin somany battles.” Prior to local government, Mal-


colm had forged a career in the technical area of television and radio, working for the BBC and lo- cally for TVS. Malcolm leaves his wife Cynthia, who represents Allington on the borough council.


Cllr Malcolm Robertson’s knowledge of trains and highways was ‘unrivalled’


Selfless advisor sought no credit COMMENT


By Stephen Eighteen


IT is not surprising that Maid- stone Borough Council de- cided to fly its Town Hall flags at half-mast following the death of Malcolm Robertson. While politics is often por- trayed in the media as a dirty business, people like Malcolm have helped make it a much more savoury affair in Maid- stone. The abiding memory most


will have of Malcolm is of a character who sought no recog- nition for his selfless work in improving the lives of those living in the county town. Members of our editorial


team would often seek Mal- colm’s expert input on compli-


cated issues such as transport and recycling. As a member of MBC, KCC and the borough’s designated transport “cham- pion”, Malcolm was unique in being able to cross over into many different realms all at the same time. He would leave no stone un- turned as he explained, in depth, the various policies, de- cisions and processes that we were struggling to get to grips with. The conversation always ended with the feeling that Malcolm had miraculously simplified the most compli- cated of issues. Never, at any point, did he de-


mand to be quoted, or even hint that he should take the credit for any of the projects he was as- sociated with. He never sought to be the face, nor voice, of any


Jo’s butterflies head for Japan MARDEN garden designer Jo Thompson has been invited to compete again for world cup glory in Japan’s third Gardening World Cup near Nagasaki at the end of September. Jo joins 10 of theworld’s best designers in a competition to buildpeace gardens, followinga brief conceivedby the Japanese garden designer Kazuyuki Ishi- hara. Jo’s Butterfly Effect garden is


her response to the atomic shadows she saw at the Peace Park andmuseum last year. “The intricate shadows of


leaves and flowers, burnt on to walls by the blast, made me consider the fact that such deli- cate patterns could be caused by something so brutally ugly,” said Jo. The design incorporates butterfly-friendly planting and paper sculp-


tures by Kent artistMartin Dodkins. The competitors have twoweeks to build their gardens before an awards ceremony on September 28.


of his many campaigns. He rather took the view that the public deserved to be informed on things that affected them, and itwould have been crass to score points in doing so. Malcolm was unassuming, friendly and kind; he had time for everyone. He worked right up until the end, withdrawing from a borough council plan- ning committee meeting, which was attended by his wife Cynthia, the night before he died because he felt unwell. The loss of his reservoir of knowledge will be felt hugely throughout local politics. But most of all, his loss will be felt by his family and friends, both personal and work-related, as well as by those of us who aim to inform the public in a way only Malcolm could.


Homes refused A PLAN to develop five new homes at Upper Fowle Hall Farm, Willow Lane, Paddock Wood, has been refused. The scheme would have


seen a vacant barn replaced with three four-bed detached houses and two three-bed semi-detached houses. Maidstone Council’s decision


notice said: “The proposals would be an unjustified and un- desirable addition to sporadic housing in the rural area. “The application is consid-


ered to be an unsustainable form of development in that this is a locality poorly served by basic services and public transport and the occupants would be heavily reliant on the use of the private motor vehi- cle to access basic services.”


Have you got news for us? Phone our News Desk on 01622 734735


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40