Art students rewarded
YOUNG artists’ talents have been recognised by theMid Kent Decorative and Fine Arts Society. Each year the Sutton Valence-based group in-
vites secondary schools to nominate the work of talented pupils for its art award. The 2013 awards ceremony took place at St Nicholas’s Church, Otham, and Elliot Round from Maidstone Grammar School won the com- petition, together with £750 prize money. His work involves installations, photography and contemporary art. The runner-up was Daniel Bethell, of New Line Learning Academy, who claimed £250. Candidates are all year 13 pupils preparing to
study art, or an art-related topic at university or college. Submissions range from photography to fine art.
Kent cricket back at Mote?
KENT County Cricket Club confirmed at its annual meeting a strong desire to return first-class cricket to Maidstone. A member questioned the club miss-
ing out on the huge population in Maid- stone and Medway Towns since 2005, when the club withdrew from the county town. Chief executive Jamie Clifford said
the club now felt confident The Mote Cricket Club’s wicket had much im- proved and this would be tested with many 2nd X1 games there this summer. He was pleased The Mote CC now had major improvements in mind for the
ground facilities, including a new pavil- ion, and when these were achieved Kent hoped for a very early return of first-class cricket. Kent 2nds’ programme at The Mote
starts with a one-day fixture against Somerset on Monday July 1 followed (July 2,3,4) by a three-day game against the same county. The 2nds play a 20/20 game against Essex on Monday, July 22, with a three-day game starting on July 23. The 2nds play a three-day game against Sussex starting on Tuesday July 30 followed by a one-day game on Au- gust 2.
Lights to be switched off overnight ‘to save cash’ Continued from front page
street lights and 30,000 lit signs and bol- lards, which cost about £5.8m a year to il- luminate. There is no legal requirement for the council to provide street lighting, unless it is linked to road safety – although the prac- tice up to now has been to leave most of the street lights on all night. In a bid to reduce energy consumption
and C02 emissions, a series of introductory measures have already saved the council £130,000. These include installing energy-efficient
lamps and dimmers. The council is now going to trial a 12- month switch-off of surplus lights and the conversion of a significant number to “part- night lighting” – measures which could re- duce the county’s energy bill by £900,000.
Some 3,100 street lights have been identi-
fied as unnecessary. A KCC spokesman said: “If these schemeswere being designed today, these lights would not be installed. They are far in excess of the normal light- ing standards and are generally located on roads leading to or out of local settlements.” The 12-month trial starts this summer,
with crime levels and road safety being monitored at each site. Switching off these lights will save the taxpayer around £150,000, but if any sites prove to be adversely affected the lights will be reinstated. Light sensors and time switches on other lighting columns will ensure the lights come on at dusk, turn off at midnight, then come on again at 5.30am until first light. This will apply on minor roads, including residential and rural roads and industrial
Maidstone’s Rural Older Persons Forum
Your opportunity to have your say on local issues, meet people and help shape the future of your area
Join us for this FREE interesting and social morning event for people over 55 living in rural areas of Maidstone borough. Light lunch and refreshments included
Question panel and talks from :
-The Kent County Council Chairman - Elect, Eric Hotson -Medway Valley Countryside Partnership -Action with Communities in Rural Kent
Head of planning at Maidstone Borough Council, Rob Jarman. Stands and information from various organisations.
Thursday 30th May at Headcorn Village Hall 10:00am-1:30pm
If you would like to attend, or support the event by volunteering, please contact Brighter Futures on 01622 762 403/
danny.hewis@vam-online.org.uk . Transport may be provided for those with difficulty accessing the venue. (£3 per person).
Funders
estates, and high speed roads, saving a fur- ther £750,000 a year. Town centres and main roads which carry
a significant amount of night-time traffic will be unaffected, as will areas containing sheltered housing, vulnerable people or which already have high crime rates. Cllr Paulina Stockell welcomed the re-
port, saying: “This is not before time.We are only doing what many other local authori- ties have already done. Kent is the most lit county in the country – but we don’t have lights in the rural areas anyway!” Some members feared it could prove dan- gerous driving out of Maidstone along the A20, being plunged from awell-lit road into darkness, although Cllr Jenny Whittle said: “Most of the A20 is unlit – and it will be nice to see the stars again.”
8 East
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
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