LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Give town some direction Dear Sir – I permitted myself a wry smile when reading in the Downs Mail of Cllr Malcolm Greer’s grandiose plans for attract- ing visitors to spend money in Maidstone, including “signs around the town to help visitors find attractions”. First, they have to find the town if com-


ing from the west along the A228 and A26. Maidstone doesn’t appear on the major route direction sign at the A26 Mereworth roundabout. Despite spending nearly £4m of local tax- payers money on the much-needed upgrade to the town centre, councillors Chris Gar- land, Eric Hotson and Mike Hogg have been aware of this KCC highways error for some considerable time but have chosen not to fight for the town. In fact, Cllr Hotson gave an incredibly pa-


thetic reason for sitting on his hands and doing nothing, despite professing to love the town. He said that there was not a prob- lem as nobody had asked his friends who live in the area for directions! A comment more suitable on Monty Python than from a long-standing KCC andMaidstone borough councillor. Incidentally, on another item in the Downs Mail, I believe Maidstone Council received a £1m lump sum on completion of the Lockmeadow development, in addition to the new agricultural hall, car park and leisure attraction in the centre of town. How come only £140k is to come from the Next development, which goes against the local plan? Are our councillors just incompetent or is there another agenda? Steve Russell, Matfield Crescent, Vinters Park


Quarry against wildlife law Dear Sir – When elected, David Cameron promised his Government would be the greenest ever. Once elected, he rapidly re- vealed his total ignorance of the natural world and how essential it is to the contin- ued existence of Man himself. Inevitably, therefore, he has gathered around him MPs of similar ilk, like Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, who has granted permission for the extension of Her- mitage Quarry into 32 hectares of environ- mentally-significant ancient woodland at


Edward Sales EDWARD “Ted” Sales (79) of Barming lived locally for well over 50 years, originally in Yalding and – after marrying June in 1962 – the rest of the time in Barming. Originally from a large family


in Hampshire, he had worked as an apprentice carpenter and bicycle delivery boy. After na- tional service he made his way to Maidstone where he spent many years working at a gro- cery shop inWeek Street. In the last few years of his working life he drove a truck doing de- liveries from KCC’s depot at West Malling. His neighbour Duncan said:


“Ted and Junewere like an aunt and uncle to me, theywere fan- tastic neighbours. Tedwas a re- ally nice man who enjoyed his garden and watching football on the television. “June has been overwhelmed with all the good wishes she


24 Malling


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OakenWood, Hermitage Lane. The fact that Mr Pickles has done this is possibly a violation of wildlife law, which is currently being reviewed for its adequacy, bearing in mind the scale of wildlife de- struction over the past 50 years. Our bird population, for example, has


been reduced by about 45 million. InMaid- stone alone, we now rarely see swifts shrilling over the town, as in the 1960s, or housemartins nesting. Swallows used to skim over Mote Park – a beautiful sight and sound. What makes the Government’s action par- ticularly suspicious is that the report on the adequacy of ourwildlife law is near to pub- lication. Why could they not wait? In any case, under the present wildlife


law, it was intended that development per- mission should only be granted on an area such as this with the support of an environ- mental impact assessment of the extent of current wildlife occupation and usage etc To be valid and useful for purpose, such a


report would, if necessary, have to take at least a year in preparation in order to record species which do not stay on the site all year round. For this purpose it must be pre- pared by appropriate, fully-qualified and experienced assessors. Derek Gould,Woodcut, Maidstone


Praise for hospital Dear Sir – I feel compelled to write to ex- press my praise for MaidstoneHospital’s ac- cident and emergency department. My wife tripped and fell on a bad pave-


ment, which resulted in the hospital visit. From the outset the receptionist was pleas- ant, followed by efficient service in various departments, including assistance from a paramedic when we went home.


Malcolm Holbrook,Maidstone


Have a heart Dear Sir – Patients with heart conditions face a long walk at Maidstone Hospital for the cardiac investigation unit. It would be easier if recorders could be returned to hos- pital reception to save patients long walks. It is almost impossible to park nearby, and many patients travel by bus. Barbara Betteridge, Dickens Road, Maidstone


We will remember


has had and is thankful to everyone. Ted was liked by many people.” Ted leaves his wife and brother Arthur.


Peggy Mannings PEGGY Mannings (85) moved to Snodland 23 years ago and fell in love with the town. Born in Acton Green, west London, she was evacuated to Guildford where she finished her schooldays and had her first job in the register office. She moved back to London where she worked in a muni- tions factory, before joining the land army based in Dorset. Peggy married Ron 56 years


ago and the couple had two children, Jean and Stuart, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. When the chil- dren started school she worked in the administration office of a


Masonic hospital and the cou- ple retired to Snodland. Ron said: “We explored Kent, where she found many places of interest and she may not be a celebrity as such, but she loved Snodland. “She looked forward to re- ceiving Downs Mail with Town Talk and reading all the news.”


Gillian Metcalf THE death in a boating acci- dent in the Brazilian rainforest of Gillian Metcalf (50) of Plum- mer Lane, Tenterden, made national headlines. Gillian was a solicitor for 26


years who specialised in busi- ness and planning law and was focused mainly on affordable housing issues. She was a part- ner in the firm of Sharratts in London, and was educated at


Use Next cash for roads Dear Sir – On June 6, the Conservatives on Maidstone Council’s planning committee passed the application by Next for a store on Eclipse Park, against officers’ advice They also refused to listen to legal advice


on the night to defer a decision to allow negotiations of conditions and Section 106 money, which could be used locally to lessen the impact of the store on the local environment and local roads. The failure to listen has resulted in Next dictating what planning conditions itwould accept, and only offering £140,000 to allevi- ate local problems, compared with the S106 or community infrastructure levy figure for the Next store in HighWycombe of £1.34m. We, it seems, are left to pick up the crumbs. At the planning meeting on August 8, a


paper was put forward, although subse- quentlywithdrawn due to failure to give rea- sonable notice to residents. It recommended all the S106 money should go to the town centre, and none to deal with the impact on local residents. It seems a good case for supporting local environmental improvements is to be ig- nored, as well as any improvements to local road safety or to deal with the inherent park- ing problems locally resulting from the lack of staff parking. Next claims there will be 180 new jobs, but have only allowed four parking spaces for staff. Traffic generated locally, using the Sitting- bourne Road, Hampton Road in Vinters Park, and Bearsted Road, will increase sub- stantially. Unfortunately the main stretch of Hampton Road through Vinters Park, for about 400 metres, has no pavement, requir- ingpeopletowalkongrass or themainroad. I havewritten to the planning officers ask-


ing that S106 money be obtained to improve road safety on Sittingbourne Road and Hampton Road, but this seems to have been ignored. Shouldwe fail to bring Next in line to help counter the problems that residents will have to dealwith, thenwhy would other re- tail developers, who inevitably will now apply to put other retail stores on Eclipse Park, feel they need to bother? Ian Chittenden – County councillor for Maidstone North East Division


Guildford College of Law and the University of Birmingham. Married to Charles, and mother to Natasha and Alice, Gillian was on a hotel boat with her family on September 5 when it was involved in a collisionwith an- other boat. She suffered serious head injuries from which she didn’t recover. The accident occurred during


a family holiday, described in some news coverage of the event as a “holiday of a lifetime”. Friends and colleagues praised Gillian’s professionalism, her de- votion to her daughters and her many strong and positive per- sonal qualities. Colleagues at Sharratts were


said to be devastation at the loss. Gillian leaves her husband and daughters.


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