Your chance to vote for new police chief
VOTING for Kent’s first police and crime commissioner is now just a matter of weeks away. As the Downs Mail went to
press, six candidates had stepped forward to vie for the coveted £85,000 a year post at the head of one of the biggest police forces in England. Voting takes place through-
out Kent – and the rest of Eng- land andWales – on Thursday, November 15. Two independent candidates
are in the running. They are: Ann Barnes, chair of the Kent Police Authority for the last six years and a magistrate since 1986, and former Med- way mayor Dai Liyanage. Heading the political con- tenders are Medway councillor Craig Mackinlay (Conserva- tive) and Ashford councillor Harriet Yeo (Labour), along with Tunbridge Wells lawyer Piers Wauchope (UKIP) and Steve Uncles (English Democ- rats), a health manager from Dartford. The role of the PCCwill be to
cut crime and deliver an effec- tive and efficient police serv- ice.
Voting takes place at polling stations throughout Kent from 7am to 10pm, where anyone who is a UK citizen over the age of 18 and on the electoral roll by October 31 is entitled to vote.
Unlike political elections,
the supplementary voting sys- tem will be used to elect the PCC – whereby voters will be asked to select their first and second preference. If no candidate has 50% of
the first preference vote, the two with the highest number go forward to a second count when ballots in support of an eliminated candidate will be re-allocated, based on their second choices. The key functions of the new
PCCwillbetolistentoand serve the public, monitor the force and hold the chief con- stable to account, set the po- lice budget and ensure the force runs efficiently. The Federation of Small Businesses arranged a “ques- tion time” event at the Hilton Hotel, Maidstone, on Tuesday, October 30, for local busi- nesses to quiz the candidates.
Michael Papa-Adams,Mario and ZondaMichaelas, DonnaWells, Claire Funnell, Stuart Bell, Lee Radford and Ryan Croucher
Footballers boost hospice funds SOCCERElite, in partnershipwith local fish restaurants and venue spon- sors Marino’s (Bearsted), Papa’s (Ditton) and Chequers (Lenham), has raised more than £2,000 for Demelza Hospice in their third major char- ity event. Soccer Elite coaches pitted their skills against 10 local sides, which
eachmade a donation to the charity for the privilege of playing against – and trying to beat – the current and ex-professional and semi-profes- sional players from the academy. DonnaWells, corporate fundraising partner from Demelza, said: “Itwas
a great occasion and the commitment of everyone from Soccer Elite FA was immense. “We thank them for their continued support of Demelza.” In addition to the funds raised on the day, Marino’s, Papa’s and Che-
quers raised£500from their customers along withadonation from Holt- wood FC, which is keen to support local charities.
Army detonates 80-year-old bomb PART of the A20 in Aylesford was closed for nearly three hours after a Second World War shell was unearthed by bulldozers on a building site. Police and Army officers were called to the scene after labourers discovered the 20lb shell while working on extending the trav- ellers’ site at Coldharbour. The shell, which was detonated in a controlled explosion, had
been buried for 80 years. The road was closed for 300 metres be- tween Coldharbour and the British Legion Village and had to be cleared of debris before it could re-open at about 3.30pm.
Have you got news for us? Phone our News Desk on 01622 734735 Malling 7
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