downsmail.co.uk
Homes crisis for singles
A SHORTAGE of social housing for single tenants in Maidstone has been highlighted. The admission, by Maidstone
Council’s head of housing John Lit- tlemore, was in response to a Free- dom of Information request. The borough council said 638
people were on the waiting list look- ing for one of the borough’s five one-bedroom properties, while there were 112 people under-occupying their present accommodation and needing a one-bedroom home, at the time of the enquiry. The bill to the borough council this financial year for housing benefit was £44,927,712 .
Surgery plan MAIDSTONE Council has granted planning permission for Marsham Street Surgery in Maidstone to be converted into a four-bedroom house and a one-bedroom flat. The surgery will move from the
grade II listed building into the NFU Mutual Building in Albion Place alongside St Luke’s Medical Centre, later this year. The council is still to determine an outline proposal for five townhouses on the corner of Holland Road and St Lukes Road.
News Council tax support cut
MAIDSTONE Council has decided the level of council tax support to be available to low income households from April 2014.
The change follows the Govern-
ment’s decision to remove the na- tional council tax benefit system and replace it with a requirement for local councils to develop and imple- ment their own scheme. Whilst pensioners have been pro-
tected from any change, overall funding for the schemewas reduced as part of the wider package of wel- fare reforms, resulting in the council having to take some tough decisions.
The council has maintained the
key elements of the former national scheme to ensure that those most in need continue to receive a higher rate of support, but people on coun- cil tax support that are working age will be asked to pay a minimum of 13 per cent of the bill in 2014-15, up from 8.5 per cent during this finan- cial year. Cabinet member for corporate services Cllr Brian Moss said: “The
council recognises that this is a diffi- cult time for many residents and has to balance the needs of claimants with the wider interest of the council tax payer and the funding available to the council. “The council is able to fund the discount by changes it has made to discounts and exemptions in other areas, such as those given to owners of second homes in the borough.”
Inner Wheel marks 70th birthday
THE Inner Wheel Club ofMaidstone, formed through Rotary to help with the war effort at Maidstone East Station, has celebrated its 70th birthday. More than 100 ladies attended a district lunch,
and president Elizabeth Hext made the birthday cake, which she cut with district chairman Judith Cooper. The pair are pictured. Speaker John Pearce and his wife dressed in war-
time uniforms and talked about and played Glenn Miller music. Members work hard to raise funds for charity –
more than 100 have been helped – and there is now a road named after the club in Sri Lanka.
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.org.uk jjubileepr mar school Maidstone East Edition January 2014 15 or a paper copy Te 01622 808 873 l ffor appliic atiionsons
Applying to Jubilee Primary Scho olwill not affect your KCC Applying for both gives you t he advantage of a choice of
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