Retiring magistrate ‘won’t miss the job’
THE town’s longest-serving magistrate has retired, following a distinguished ca- reer spanning 37 years. Alan Sheppard, 70, left his position on
June 5 and has reflected on his time at the bench and the changes that had taken place. He said: “I shall miss the people I worked with, but not the job itself. Un- fortunately politicians of all parties have interfered with sentences, court houses have closed and justice is no longer local.” Mr Sheppard said that when he began
his career in 1976, there were 13 magis- trates’ benches, but this had been reduced to three.
Cutbacks had meant that as well as Maidstone, Mr Sheppard could be called to serve over a wide area, from Sevenoaks to Sittingbourne and beyond. The Ringlestone resident said the vital
Hub parking plan KENT and Medway NHS has resubmitted its application to increase parking provi- sion at the new hub for children’s services in Coxheath. In March, the authority withdrew a plan
for 38 extra spaces on two separate garden areas behind Heathside House in Heath Road. A similar plan has now been lodged and will be determined by Maidstone Council.
Heathside House was last year unveiled
as a one-stop location for services such as children’s therapy, paediatricians and child and adolescent mental health.
local element to justice has been lost and that knowledge of an area and its issues allows magistrates to be better informed. The qualified butcher, who has worked
across Kent, including at the former Co- op in Bearsted, also expressed concern that there was too much emphasis on the offender, and not enough on the victim. He said: “I am concerned that the vic-
tim is not always properly represented and that so much time is spent on stop- ping people from re-offending, that the victims of crime are forgotten.” Mr Sheppard was presented with a cer- tificate and gift by Lynda Jones, chairman of Central Kent Magistrates’ Bench, before the start of Maidstone Court The father and grandfather, who has
been married to wife May for 48 years, says that he intends to spend longer en- joying his garden and may contemplate voluntary work in the future.
Chairman of Central Kent magistrates Lynda Jones with Alan Sheppard
Garden land can stay MARK Ansell was given retrospective planning permission to extend garden land at The Sty, Hunton Road,Marden. The parish council called for the scheme
to be refused due to being an encroach- ment into open countryside without ade- quate justification. But officers from Maidstone Council stated that the land in question had been characterised by hard- surfacing for a significant period of time andwould not harm the open countryside. Ten members of the planning committee
voted in favour of the scheme, with one against and one abstention.
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Summer fair success MAIDSTONE Mencap’s grand summer fair made an expected profit of at least £5,000, which will help to continue the work of its playschool and clubs for adults and chil- dren with severe learning difficulties and disabilities. Delighted organiser Ann Tutte thanked
all who had helped to make the event on June 8 such a success. “On the day we also received a very gen-
erous donation of £4,000 from The Scottish Country Dancers who have supported us for many years. A big thank you from everyone atMaidstone Mencap, “ she said.
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