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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Roundabout a big help Dear Sir–Iwould like to point out to the people complaining about the new round- about at Notcutts that the person who planned it is far from an idiot! I live inWeavering, and it has previously


been a nightmare when trying to get on to theM20 London-bound motorway. From the Notcutts direction, once round


the roundabout, you have had to either cut in front of the traffic coming along the slip- road from the Sittingbourne Road direction, or rely on somebody letting you in, enabling you to join theM20. With the speed of the traffic and not too


many courteous drivers these days, this has been a “take your life in your hands” situa- tion for many years. Now, when you come round the round-


about, you are in the correct left hand lane to join the motorway. I feel sure that if those complaining were


to approach the roundabout from the Not- cutts direction, theywould see what a great improvement this is. Slip roads are fine if all the traffic is going in the same direction, but if you have to cross the inner lane to join another road, it is not at all good. I do agree that at the moment, approach-


ing the roundabout from either direction, with the extra lanes, it is a little confusing, but as with anything new, it will not take long to get used to it.


David Berry,Weavering


Bring cannon back to town Dear Sir – Iwas shockedwhen the bus Iwas on rounded the corner from the one-way bridge system into the High Street, only to see that the cannon was no longer there. I have lived in Maidstone all my life, and


have spent many a wait for the bus sitting on the cannon’s plinth. I have read the in- scription surrounding it, but cannot recall what it said. I think it was gifted to Maid- stone after being captured from the Rus- sians. Iwonderwhether itwill be returned to its rightful spot? Or will it be exhibited in the museum? I wanted to put my point across as I am saddened that such a landmark has gone. I hope that it will be returned. Vicky Simmons, Edmund Close, Maidstone


Editor’s note: As reported in May’s Downs Mail, the cannon is being repositioned into a new paved open space as part of Maid- stone Council’s High Street regeneration scheme. This will involve its temporary re- moval and demolition and reconstruction of the stone plinth, using the existingmate- rials wherever possible. The cannon will then be re-sited on the reinstated plinth.


Thanks to caring councillor Dear Sir–Iwould like to thank Councillor Mike Hogg for all the work he does for the residents of Tovil. He cuts down over- growth, organises litter pick-ups and helps the elderly with any concerns they have. Well done, and thanks Mike. Elaine Black, The Tail Race, Tovil


MP wasting our money Dear Sir – I have followed with interest the recent (and I have to say on-going) story of Helen Grant’s expenses, accommodation and office arrangements as well as the ex- traordinary story of one of her aides (Tony Williams) being “short-changed” in his con- tract of employment as regards to leave and sick-pay entitlement. It has been widely reported in the media,


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: stephen@downsmail.co.uk


including a short item as part of a Channel 4 investigative piece on MPs expenses and spending, that only after MrWilliams chal- lenged the restricted clauses in his contract that he was correctly paid the sick-pay that he wasentitledto–achallenge that was about the last thing he needed to deal with having just suffered hospitalisation with a heart-related problem. However, it is not Mr Williams’ employ-


ment contract that bothers me, it is the re- ported story (Downs Mail/June, amongst others) thatMrWilliams is now fit to return to work but Mrs Grant has decided to put him on paid “garden leave” instead of al- lowing him back to work. The IPSA (Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority) website clearly con- firms that non-London area MPs have a staffing budget of £137,200 pa to meet vari- ous staff overheads, but primarily “staff salaries, employers’ contributions to Na- tional Insurance and employers’ contribu- tions to pension schemes”. I’ve looked everywhere to find where IPSA confirms that MPs can pay their staff salaries for stay- ingathome, buttonoavail.SohowcanMrs Grant justify this situation? If this flagrant misuse of public funds is allowable, it should be stopped immedi- ately. If it is not, then surely Mrs Grant must be asked why she is wasting tax payers’ money and be forced to pay it back imme- diately. I am pretty sure that if I helped my- self to public funds Iwould be arrested and charged.


Gerry Mansfield, by email


Editor’s note: A garden leave provision would be a clause in a contract of employ- ment where an employee is not required to attend work while they serve out a period of notice, but are still bound by all the terms of the contract. It would be normal practice for an employer to invoke this clause for an employee in a senior position or where they have access to sensitive or confidential ma- terial.


Save our bluebell wood Dear Sir – How many residents realise that part of the development off Hermitage Lane involves building on a bluebell wood, which is in fact on the council’s list of an- cient woodland and therefore protected under government legislation? I understand this was not on the original


plans, but was quietly voted through as an expanded scheme, hoping, no doubt, that it would not be noticed until it was too late. This woodland is being cut back dramati-


cally, with two access roads running through it. Once done, it will never recover and wildlife will be lost forever. When every empty house and suitable building is used for homes, and land which is not part of our national heritage is built on, then it could be considered a necessity to use sites such as the bluebell wood, but at the moment that is not the case. If you care about keeping our green spaces, please petition the local authority to stop this from happening. Patricia Fyfe, HalsteadWalk, Allington


Protect this ancient land Dear Sir – Croudace Strategic is preparing to submit a planning proposal to Maidstone Borough Council for 600 houses on two fields near Maidstone Hospital. Our bluebell wood separates the two fields, and it is Croudace’s intention to drive two roads through this ancient wood- land. The residents in this area are fully against this proposal and intend to petition


the council against it. There is nothing better than walking through this wood, listening to the birds singing and catching sight of woodpeckers, jays, bluetits, magpies, robins and occa- sionally a goldfinch. If the developer suc- ceeds in decimating this wood with a road, this will stop. Once a road has been driven through the wood, its beauty would be lost. The developer has already cut down a 400-year-old oak tree because a “tree sur- geon” said it was dangerous. This tree was struck by lightning many years ago but had been unaffected by this strike for more than 20 years. It has been left lying on the ground and everybody seeing it agrees there is no sign of disease. At least six other trees were felled at the same time to make room for the oak tree to fall to the ground. Shortly after this exercise was carried out, surveying was undertaken in this same area. Ancient woodland is protected and should not be built on? How are they able to disregard such protective laws for the sake of building the roads? Once this wood has been decimated by the road, dog walk- ers, parents and their children will no longer be able to walk safely in that area. The proposed landscaping within the


new development will never replace the bluebell wood – the habitat and biodiversity within this wood has taken hundreds of years to establish and there is no way small areas of landscaped space will ever replace such beauty.


BarbaraWoodward, by email


More parking is vital Dear Sir – Ever sinceHeathsideHouse, Cox- heath, re-opened with inadequate on-site parking, drivers have been forced to park on Heath Road itself. Now I read that plans to enlarge their off-road parking have been dropped. It is bad enough thatwe still have to nav-


igate the many build-outs on Heath Road, with no indication when they are to be modified and part removed,whilst each car parked on the road becomes the equivalent of a build-out. Three or four cars parked to- gether outside Heathfield House causes havoc on this busy road, whilstwe also find cars parking just outside the double yellow- lined area west of the shops. Parking for the shops at busy times is also becoming impossible, particularly when commercial lorries are unloading, so Iwon- der what will happen when the new en- larged shop opens on the corner with Stockett Lane? Extra off-road parking is needed for Coxheath shoppers. In addition, the resurfacing ofHeath Road


is due, despite the modification to traffic control in the village. The thought process of the parish, plan-


ners and KCC roads people leaves me cold! Brian Richardson, Heath Road, East Farleigh


Park a beautiful place Dear Sir – I first started going to Cobtree Park just four months ago, after being told about it by another dog walker. I now go al- most daily – my dog loves it and so do I. I have have found it free from dog mess


and litter. Talking to other people using the park, both young and old, they love the place as I do. I also wish the children’s ad- venture play area had been there when my grandchildren were young. I suppose it’s like the saying, you can’t please all of the people all of the time – but for me it’s a beautiful place. Molly Greenslade, Allington


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