LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


I welcome shopping village Dear Sir – I am sick of the whining town centre vested interests complaining about the J7 retail development. I live in Bearsted and I welcome it. The town centre is a disgrace – costly and inadequate parking, jobsworths fining you for staying a minute too long or stalking you in case you drop a crumb, pound and char- ity shops everywhere, old-fashioned open- ing hours still rife, grotty pubs and clubs leaving stinking rubbish around, a useless river front blocked off by a dual carriageway and, insultingly, councillors talking as if we are lucky to be allowed to visit. Well get this. I don't have to go there, I go


where they try to please me - Bluewater and the new J7 development, places where PC anti-car councillors can't play their childish games, where I'm welcome. More of these please and shut up town centre, learn what being customer friendly really means or become another Gravesend. Frankly, it’s what you deserve. StephenWilliams,Ware Street, Bearsted


No vote without computer Dear Sir – In the South edition of the Downs Mail, you carried a story inviting us to vote for our favourite park. How are people with- out access to a computer supposed to vote, given that the only option given is via the website? Whilst there are obviously computers in libraries etc, many people still have no idea how to use the internet. I am sure there are many elderly people who use the parks reg- ularly who must have felt disenfranchised by this article.


MGaherty, Bearsted


Homes not in Mote Park Dear Sir - Please let me assure Andy Hol- brook (letters, October) the proposed resi- dential development is not inMote Park but on four acres of the Mote Cricket Club site owned privately by trustees. This development has been discussed


with Maidstone Council over many years and the key layout of our current proposal was strongly encouraged at a meeting we had with Tory, Lib Dem and Independent group leaders. This also included support- ive Lib Dem councillors for High Street ward and Tories for Shepway North. Our club is grateful for a £15,000 grant from the council to help uswith substantial costs of preparing a planning application. We work very closely with the council to submit a satisfactory application suited to our magnificent ground and respectful of neighbours while enhancing the environ- ment of Mote Park in a sensitive way. It is seen as an enabling development and commits us to finance amajor improvement


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


to the site facilities. Kent County Cricket Club walked away in 2005 because these have become so faded and outdated for first- class cricket and modern sporting needs. The club would like to see the Maidstone festival return. Nowwe have a bid of about £4m for these


four acres to enable us to build an excellent new pavilion and other significant im- provements to secure a centre of sporting excellence for generations to come. We see many benefits for the local com- munity andwill consult shortly with neigh- bouring residents who we respect and cherish their friendship. We think Maidstone will once again be


very proud of a popular and magnificent sports ground and community facilities. Our volunteers work very hard to achieve this and we are grateful for so much local help and support.


Glen Aukett, chairman, The Mote Cricket Club.


MPs not worth my vote Dear Sir - I would just like to endorse An- thony Lang’s letter (Kent is place for air- port). He has put in to print the opinions of the


vast majority of people. It seems we are here merely to finance numerous public en- quiries that feather the nest of politicians’ legal profession associates who meet in the bars and clubs surroundingWestminster. I have not voted since 1990 as there is no


one to vote for. Unfortunately the press ap- pears to have joined the circle, under the pretext of PC. I amamazed that you actually printed his


letter.Well done, Downs Mail. Richard Lawson, Langley


Mall victim of council plan Dear Sir – The front cover of your October issue says that the £8 million plan proposed for the Mall development will probably be scrapped . They (the council) blame the Next Home development at Eclipse Park. But I thought the council approved that


plan? I despair! I enjoy your paper though, and find it very informative. Thank you. Barbara Gilbert, Poplar Grove, Maidstone


Editor’s note: Our story stated that The Mall shopping centre was opposed to the Next store, not Maidstone Council


Enquiry report misleading Dear Sir – I refer to the article on page three of your October edition, entitled “High cost of parish inquiries” which is quite mislead- ing as you have taken the comments of Don Wright, the chairman of the standards com- mittee, out of context.


Yes, I agree that the cost of the inquiry


was high, but if the clerk, Helen Elstone, and Chris Dyke, the chairman at the time, had acted on the advice that themonitoring officer had given the council, the whole episode would never have happened. Your report omits to inform readers that


Don Wright concluded the hearing by say- ing: “I would stress that although the costs of investigating complaints is high, this should not put people off making com- plaints, especially in cases such as these, where the complaints have been upheld.” Since this time, Bearsted Parish Council


has appointed a new chairman and will soon have a new clerk. I am continuing to work hard with my fellow councillors to make Bearsted a better place in which to live.


Geoff Licence, Bearsted Parish Council


Gypsy site refusal wrong Dear Sir – Iwould like to express my disbe- lief at the refusal of the Olive Lee extension to the gypsy site planning application at George Street, Hunton. I am a local resident who has lived here


for nearly 30 years. The so-called lorry depot story from Cllr Dennis Collins is ridiculous. The Lee family has lived and used the site as a base for nearly 40 years, and as I live nearby I have witnessed this. There have been never been any lorries or


large vehicles stored or going in and out of that property over this period. The only vehicles and traffic are the nor-


mal type, ie small commercial vehicles and cars etc, in common with any grown-up large family. The Lee family is clean and tidy and they


keep themselves to themselves. This site is perfect for expansion. Certain people should not reject this gen-


uine application to fuel their own prejudice. There is a chronic shortage of gypsy sites in and around Maidstone, and extensions of long-established sites are part of the solu- tion. As a retired planning and appeal officer,


this application, when taken to appeal, will, in my view, be carried in favour of the Lee family. Local councils are already thousands of pounds in debt, and embarking on appeal cases such as this is just folly and a waste of taxpayers’ money. Appeal decisions cannot be based on scaremongering, fabricated stories and a puppy barking. The appeal inspector will base his or her decision on genuine infor- mation and facts. This application should have been passed


at local level, with reasonable conditions imposed. Paul Johnson, George Street, Hunton


DownsMail In touch with your parish


Chart Sutton Council Late bus service


A MEMBER of the public com- plained about the number 59 bus service operated by Arriva, saying it was consistently late and sometimes did not arrive at all. The bus had taken thewrong route and had not allowed chil- dren on at times, causing serious safety concerns. Communitywarden Liz Lovatt advised that County Cllr Brian


Clark was already dealing with thematter and suggested the res- ident should contact him. The clerk had also arranged for the East of Maidstone Bus Group to discuss this with Arriva/KCC at their next meeting on October 21.


Community warden Lovatt thanked the parish council for its donation towards the Com- munity First Responders. Resi- dents were reminded to draw their curtains when dark outside


and ensure items stored in sheds and outbuildings were secure. Young people were urged not to call at properties displaying No Trick or Treat signs. Flytipping had increased, pos-


sibly due to the closure of Tovil waste centre. Residents should not touch flytipping but should report it to Maidstone Council environmental services. Any residents concerned


about elderly or vulnerable peo- ple during the winter should


contact the community warden. PCSO Richard Kirby reported


one theft of a vehicle in Brish- ing Road. He said the lack of safe stopping areas in the village caused a problem for police speed enforcement, however, he hoped to deploy an interactive speed sign in the future. It was agreed that the notice boards should be repaired and refurbished where necessary. The damage to the small multi-


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