Grant to tackle traffic problems
THE parish council in East Farleigh has re- ceived a grant to help them find a solution to the traffic problems which have been blighting the village. The Parish Plan of 2009 identified a se-
ries of problems, many of which related to heavy traffic crossing the historic bridge and the speed and volume of vehicles passing through the village. Despite flashing hazard signs, speed re- striction signs, and marks on the carriage- way, traffic issues are still a source of constant concern. Councillors have just agreed to the in- stallation of a traffic ‘gate’ on the north side of the river, to warn vehicles they are ap-
Remembrance
Day parade DETAILS have been released of Maidstone’s Remembrance Day Service and parade on Sunday, November 11. The military parade will
leave County Hall at 10.20am, marching along Week Street to meet up with the civilian pa- rade, which leaves from Earl Street. From there they will continue down the High Street, Lower High Street and across the bridge to the Cenotaph on the Broadway. There they will be joined by
the mayoral party for the serv- ice at 10.50am. After the service the parade
will return to the High Street, where the mayoral party will take the salute on the dais to- wards the front of the town hall, opposite The Muggleton Inn.
The following roads are likely
to be closed at various times during the morning: Sandling Road (outside County Hall); Earl Street; Week Street; High Street; Pudding Lane (junction with High Street); Lower High Street; Bridge Gyratory; St Peter’s Street; Broadway; Rocky Hill; London Road (from junc- tion with Buckland Hill to Rocky Hill); and Tonbridge Road (from junction with Broadway to junction off Ter- race Road).
Yes to extension ANNABELLE Blackmore, bor- ough councillor forMarden and Yalding, was given permission to extend her home at Poplar Tree Farm, Milebush Lane, Marden.
Maidstone Council’s plan-
ning committee granted plan- ning consent for the single- storey infill extension and rear porch extension for a utility area for Mrs Blackmore, a Con- servative member. Committeemember Cllr Clive English, a Lib Dem, joked: “This is an unexceptional building and an unexceptional extension. Therefore we should approve it.” It was approved, unanimously.
4 South
proaching a rural residential area and to slow down accordingly. Awards for All, England, offers grants of between £300 and £10,000 for projects that improve communities, and the lives of people within them. It is for voluntary and community groups, schools and health or- ganisations, parish and town councils. The charity has given the parish council
a grant of almost the maximum amount – £9,370 – which will enable the council to hire consultants to carry out a series of traf- fic surveys and come up with a range of possible solutions. Their recommenda- tionswill go out to public consultation be- fore a decision is taken.
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze inFarleighHill, EastFarleigh. after decking caught fire at the rear ofaproperty in theearly hours of themorning. The fire, which engulfed the
decking, a trampoline and set fire to windowframes on the house, is thought to have been started by a cigarette end, and it could have been a lotworse. Maidstone fire crews are re- minding smokers to make sure cigarettes and cigarsare fully stubbed out before they are thrown away. It is thought a ciga- rettebutt smoulderedonthedeck-
TV celebrities joined a pie-slap- ping extravaganza as teams bat- tled it out in theWorld Custard Pie Throwing Contest, held at The Stile Bridge Inn, Linton. Comedian and presenter Rory McGrath and sidekickWill Mel- lor signed up for rival teams in the contest, which is due to be screened for a Channel 5 series on Britain’s craziest feats. Organisers Mike FitzGerald
Members of East Farleigh parish council and residents with the cheque they will use to help solve traffic problems
Cigarette started decking blaze
ingbefore finally catching alight.A neighbour who spotted flames alerted the emergency services. Fortunately, no-onewas hurt. Maidstone crew manager, An-
drew Griffiths, said: “While mis- takes can and do happen, we would urge people to be as careful as possiblewhendiscarding smok- ingmaterials. “Cigarettes and cigars are de-
signed to stay alight and can burn at temperatures of over 700 de- grees. This means a smouldering cigarette could burn unnoticed for some time before suddenly spreading into a serious fire.”
Pie throwers almost splat record With points awarded for di-
rect hits, hits above and below the shoulder and on other parts of the body, the winning team was declared ‘Pie of the Tiger,’ with ‘Tutu Fruity,’ dressed as big bananas, runners-up. The best fancy dress team judged by joint sponsors Page & Wells was ‘Darren’s Nemesis’. Mr FitzGerald, who founded
and Cllr Brian Mortimer fell just short of their bid to beat the Guinness Book of Records record to throw more than 56 pies in the face of an opponent in one minute. They failed by just four pies.
MARDEN garden designer Jo Thompson has been busy work- ing on a peace garden near Na- gasaki, Japan, as part of a worldwide initiative for ‘Flow- ers, Greenery and a Prayer for Peace and Restoration’. Jo was one of 13 designers
from around the world invited to take part in the event in Huis Ten Bosch, to send out a global message of peace. Jo had just 10 days to con-
struct a 10 by 12 metre garden on the other side of the world, but she said: “This garden is very special to me and it came out ofmy being so moved by the atomic shadows I saw in the museum. “How could such beautiful
the contest in Coxheath in 1967, since which time it has at- tracted worldwide attention, said: “A big thank you to all the good sports that took part and the helpers who made this a day to remember.”
Council tax
bills reviewed MAIDSTONE Borough Council is carrying out a council tax re- view to make sure everyone en- titled to the single person’s discount is receiving it. Council tax bills are calcu-
lated on the assumption that two or more adults (over 18) are resident in the property. If only one adult occupies a property they are entitled to a 25% sin- gle person discount. The council, with the help of Capita Local Government Serv- ices, will review households from October onwards to make sure they are paying the right amount. The review will be carried out
by post, telephone interviews and by matching data against credit reference agencies. A spokesman said: “The re-
view is being undertaken to en- sure customers receive discounts they are entitled to, and because the council is committed to maintaining as low a council tax as possible for all its residents.” If you receive a 25% single person discount and your cir- cumstances have changed, or if you are not receiving the dis- count when you should be please contact the council on 01622 602003 or email council-
tax@maidstone.gov.uk
Garden designer Jo is big in Japan
South Korea, Japan and Malaysia will be judged by a panel including Britain’s Bob Sweet, from the Royal Horticul- tural Society. Medals were due to be an- nounced at a televised cere- mony on September 28, with prize money of about £4,000 being awarded to the winner of Best in Show. When Jo gets back from Japan
and intricate shadows, of leaves and flowers burnt onto walls by the blast, be caused by some- thing as brutal and ugly as a bomb?” Twelve large gardens by de- signers representing Britain, France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, South Africa, USA,
she will be back to working on gardening projects closer to home. Jo designs a wide range of
gardens from tiny rooftop spaces to residential gardens public spaces and country es- tates, both in the UK and over- seas.
You can e-mail the Downs Mail —
info@downsmail.co.uk
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