Visitor centre may make a return
THE Visitor Information Centre (VIC) could be partly moved back to the Town Hall, if some Maidstone borough councillors get their way. Members have spoken in favour of having
aVIC presence at both its former location and its current spot in Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery. The economic development scrutiny com-
mittee discussed the issue at its last meeting with cabinet member Malcolm Greer, assis- tant director of regeneration Brian Morgan, and other councillors. They debated which part of Maidstone should be viewed as the “town centre” – the Town Hall and Jubilee Square or the area around themuseum and FremlinWalk. Cllr Fay Gooch said she feared the Town Hall could “let down” Jubilee Square if it was not put to better use. She askedwhatwas to stop the council having a satellite VIC at theTown Hall in addition to the one in the museum. Councillors Clive English, Rodd Nelson- Gracie, Bryan Vizzard, Daphne Parvin and Martin Cox all spoke in favour of having two sites. Cllr Nelson-Gracie said Voluntary Ac- tion Maidstone (VAM) had taken 1,003 en- quiries about the VIC at the TownHall since August, out of 4,000 enquiries in total. He said theTownHall was a tourist site in itself, which Maidstone should be proud of, and said a VIC presence should be included there. Mr Morgan believes the museum is in a perfectly adequate position to provide tourist information. He said: “Since the VIC has been in its current position the footfall has increased month on month, and the retail in- come from the shop is higher than the former VIC and the museum shops.When you add the room hire to that it is actually providing a significant additional income. In 2009, £180 million was being provided into the Maidstone economy by tourism, which was 12% up on 2006, and when you look at the
Tax benefits are reviewed
MAIDSTONECouncil has ap- proved a local council tax benefits scheme, following a public consultation exercise. The largest proportion of
the 786 residentswho replied to the council questionnaire agreed with the council’s pre- ferred options. This means the council will
now offer an 8.5% reduction in council tax benefit for working age households in 2013/14, increasing to a 13% reduction in later years, sub- ject to future demand and grant received. They will also remove the
10% discount for second homes and reduce the period of exemption for vacant and empty properties from six months to one month. Awards to pensioners will remain at current levels. The changes have been
made in response to the with- drawal of the national coun- cil tax benefit scheme from April 2013 and a £1.3 million reduction in central govern- ment funding.
16 East
draft Core Strategy supported that view. However, he conceded it did need better sig- nage, which he saidwas being dealtwith, al- though a “mystery shop” by Visit England did not identify any problems with location. Chairman Cllr David Burton said he was uncomfortable with increased visitor num- bers being used as evidence of the success of theVIC’s new location, because the numbers included visitors to both the VIC and the mu- seum.
Charlotte Osborn-Forde, chief executive of-
Volunteer Kate Dickinson, above,
speaks to a member of public at the Visitor Information Centre in the Town Hall and, right, VAMchief executive Charlotte Osborn-Forde
2011 figure there is again that percentage increase.” He said the tourism industry provided 3,678 full-time equivalent jobs, which equated to about 5,004 actual jobs. He believed the VIC was “clearly in the town centre” and said the
ficer for VAMsaid the charity recruited 744 volunteers last year through the Volunteer Centre based in the Town Hall. She said: “These volunteers support about 150 volun- tary and community groups in the borough to deliver a wide range of important services, from supporting isolated elderly people to mentoring young offenders. “Our base in the town hall enables us to provide this essential service.We are keen to work with Maidstone Council to find a solu- tion, and already provide basic information and signposting in the town, and of course direct anyone who requires it to the tourist information in the museum.” The committee is reviewing the operation
of the VIC and was due to publish its find- ings as Downs Mail went to press.
‘Lottery consent needed’ for relocation BRIAN Morgan said the Visitor Information Centrewas included in plans for the neweastwing extension at the museum, whichwas paid for by a Heritage Lottery Grant. Maidstone Council signed a contract with the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2009, he said, con- firming a VICwould be there for 25 years, so if the councilwanted to move the VIC back to the Town Hall itwould need to consult the Heritage Lottery Fund. Cllr Martin Cox said that in other towns, including those in France, visitor information centres
are always intown halls and that is where people expect the VIC to be in
Maidstone.MrMorgan saidCanterburyandDoverboth had theirs inmuseumsand inBexleyheath the VIC is inalibrary. Cllr Malcolm Greer said relocating the VICwould bea“backwards step” but said hewould like
to look at an additional satellite service elsewhere. He stressed that information leafletswould be kept in the Town Hall aswell as at the VIC’s newlocation.
Hospital jobs for local people
MORE than 500 people have al- ready found work at Maid- stone’s new state of the art medical facility at Newnham Court. The £80m Kent Institute of Medicine and Surgery (KIMS), close to J7 of the M20, is set to create 400 jobs in the long term, but statistics from Vinci Con- struction show the construction phase has already provided a boost to local employment. Some 544 people have been inducted on the project during the first eight months of con- struction, with 30% of those carrying out non-specialist services on the site living within 10 miles of the project, and just under 50% travelling less than 20 miles. Maidstone council’s cabinet member for economic and com- mercial development, Cllr Mal- colm Greer, said: “I amdelighted
Grant for carers MAIDSTONE & Malling Carers Project has received £48,325 from the Department of Health’s health and social care volunteering fund. The project, which is part of
that the KIMS project is already providing jobs for residents in the borough, and look forward to the completed centre providing further opportunities.” When the new hospital opens, probably in early 2014, it will provide the only cardio- thoracic and neurosurgery terti- ary care beds in Kent. It will provide private med-
ical care and support for the NHS by providing treatments to Kent residents for which they currently have to travel to Lon- don hospitals. Up to a quarter of its capacity will be available for NHS treatments.
Offices can be converted into cottages WALLER Developments has been given permission to convert of- fices at 24 and 25Well Road,Maidstone, into two cottages. The properties, which have been unoccupied since at least
2004, became surplus to requirements due to the development of the Aldi supermarket nearby.
Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk
Voluntary Action Maidstone (VAM), provides information and help to people who look after a family member, partner or friend who needs support due to disability, illness, addic- tion or frailty. The new funding will be used
to set up a befriending service to visit carers, and it is hoped the volunteers will be, or will have been, carers. Barbara Hagan, manager of
the project, said: “We are de- lighted to have been awarded this funding and are looking forward to developing this new service for local carers.” There are 2,288 carers regis-
tered with Maidstone and Malling Carers Project. For in- formation, support, or to find out about volunteering, please ring 01622 685276. VAM is seeking a number of new trustees/directors. Call chief executive Charlotte Os- born-Forde on 01622 677337.
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