Cricket and rugby unite at Mote Park
MAIDSTONE’S top cricket and rugby clubs are uniting to form a federation that will run the 25-acre sports ground at The Mote. Maidstone Rugby and Mote Cricket Club have set up the newMote Sports Federation to manage and fund the high-pro- file site. They will still run their sports clubs independ- ently. The clubs have agreed to
share site costs and income. Theywill work together to im- prove the ground and facilities and increase its profitability. The clubs have appointed
three members each to serve on the federation committee with cricket club chairman Glen Aukett (right), who becomes the chairman. Sub-committees will be responsible for the ground, pavilion and finances. If the pilot first year is suc- cessful the clubs plan to run the federation as a limited company. The site is held by a trustformedin1929bythe then owner, Lord Bearsted. The cricket club plays on the ground by right and rugby has a long lease the clubs have agreed to re-new. Discussions to provide im- proved facilities, including a
new pavilion and possibly a 3G artificial pitch, have begun. Rugby chairman Andy Gold-
ing said: “We shall both use our strengths and talents to improve this won- derful ground for the benefit of our clubs and people of Maid- stone.”
Cricket chairman Glen
Aukett said: “Both clubs will be stronger working together and I am confident we can now achieve so much more working together.” The iconic Tabernacle build-
ing is being totally renovated at a cost of more than £50,000 and will become the Mote Youth Sports Centre by next spring. The successful Mote Squash
Club will continue to operate independently and will be of- feredmembership of the feder- ation after the pilot year. The federation will look for other sports to play on the site and these will also be offered membership.
Gypsy site ‘must improve’
COUNCILLORS ordered that a gypsy site in Headcorn must improve before it can be given planning permission. An application was submitted
for the continued occupancy of a caravan at The Meadows in Lenham Road and to remove a condition restricting its resi- dency to John Bignall Snr. The caravan is one of over 30
at the Meadows, which is the borough’s largest privately- owned gypsy site. Planning committee member Cllr Tony Harwood said: “There
A GROUP of “guardian angels” is poised to take flight in Yald- ing and Laddingford. Vicar’s wife Judy Filmer is collating a good neighbour scheme, whereby people in need of help and those able to give it, can be matched up. Although many residents al-
ready act as good neighbours to the elderly and infirm, a loop- hole emerged during a power cut last year, when one elderly lady in Vicarage Road was left home alone in the dark for more than three hours. Parishioners are being asked
howmuch – or how little – time they might be able to give, to offer a range of tasks, from pro- viding a hot meal, acting as a
is genuine harm being done to the countryside on this site. I am not convinced everything has been done to overcome this adverse effect. “Given the amount of hard- standing, the effect of a new en- trance and the lighting, I would find it difficult to support this unless there is better mitigation. We have scope to go back to the applicant and come up with a scheme that safeguards the site.” Members unanimously agreed
to defer the application for offi- cers to negotiate improvements.
Neighbours there to help
taxi service to the doctor’s, den- tist or hospital, or just dropping in for a cuppa and a chat. Offers of and requests for
help should be made to Mrs Filmer at The Vicarage. The parish council has given the scheme its blessing.
Barnes victory ANN Barnes stormed to vic- tory in the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner elec- tions, beating her nearest rival by thousands of votes. Mrs Barnes, who lives in
Lyminge near Folkestone, has pledged to keep politics out of policing, resist privatisation of police services and fight funding cuts.
18 South
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