New rules for housing applicants


DEPENDENT children under the age of 21, irrespective of gender, will be expected to share a bedroom under Maidstone Council’s proposed new housing allocation scheme. To make the best use of its housing stock


and to give applicants a better chance of get- ting a house, the council is tightening up on its allocation criteria from April next year. Priority will be given to individuals and families who live and work in the borough and who make a positive contribution to the community – not to families on benefits. Because of the limited number of larger homes, children up to 21 who are still living with their parents will be expected to share a bedroom. Maidstone’s head of housing and commu-


nity services, John Littlemore, said: “There is an extremely limited supply of social housing inMaidstone, and this policy is de-


Music for charity A FABULOUS festive and musical evening at Frankie’s Farm Shop, in Staplehurst, raised £3,000 for the WestFarleigh charityDandelion Time. The charity, which helps children


with troubled backgroundsorwho are victims of trauma, abuse and neglect, is based at Elmscroft in Charlton Lane. Frankie's Farm Shop hosted an evening for 50 guests, with all pro- ceeds going to the charity. The musical entertainmentwas pro-


vided by Mixed Blessings, Barbishop and Short Back and Sides. The event was sponsored by Barclays Maid- stone.


The Song for Life choir performed at Frankie’s Farm Shop


signed to work with housing providers to make best use of the stock available.” In replacing the points system with five


bands of “need” the council is proposing to award additional priority to applicants in employment or who assist their local com- munity in other ways, such as serving in the armed forces and doing charitable work. Applicants will need to meet two main criteria – they must have a local connection and a housing need. Anyone who has an income over £60,000


or savings of more than £30,000 will auto- matically be rejected. Housing need will include overcrowding, substandard housing and housing that is unsuitable on medical or welfare grounds while in cases of acute need, such as home- lessness, the council will prioritise the need for accommodation.


“The allocation scheme has been de- signed to ensure that access to subsidised housing supports the corporate aims of the council, as well as reflects the current leg- islation,” said Mr Littlemore. “The changes have been suggested to en-


sure those on the register have a realistic chance of being housed.” The proposed bandswill encompass com- munity contribution, homelessness and pre- vention, housing need,medical andwelfare grounds and transfer requests. The length of time an applicant has been


on the waiting list will also be taken into ac- count and an applicant who refuses a suitable property will go to the bottom of the list. A full copy of the draft allocation scheme


is available by emailing Housingop- tions@maidstone.gov.uk or calling 01622 602440.


Windows smashed VANDALS who smashed win- dows at one of Maidstone’s old- est historic buildings caused more than £2,500 worth of damage. Thugs smashed windows at


the 14th century Gate House of the Archbishop’s Palace in Mill Street, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Gate House is occupied


by theMaidstone office of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and, because of its SAM status, the windows had to be rein- stated exactly as they were be- fore.


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