News


Governors elected to NHS council


AS members of Kent Community Health NHS Trust vote for their first council of governors, two Kent mem- berswere elected unopposed. Michael Dobson (28), who works


for Global Radio, was elected to rep- resent patients and public in Maid- stone, and JackWise (20) was elected unopposed in Tonbridge andMalling. An NHS Trust Council of Gover-


nors aims to ensure that local people and staff working in the NHS can be more involved in the decisions the trust makes about the way services are delivered. The governors repre- sent members to the trust at all levels, but most especially at board level. Only people who have signed up as members of the trust can vote for their chosen candidate. Atotal of 31 people put themselves


forward for election by our public members – each vying for one of the 13 public seats on the Council ofGov- ernors. Voting closes at 5pm on No- vember 21.


Burial park bid A PROPOSAL has been unveiled to establish a woodland burial park at White HorseWood, Detling Hill. The site includes the northern part


of the White Horse Country Park, which is owned by KCC. A support- ing statement on behalf of Gerald Eve said: “The woodland burial park is designed to provide a natural and sustainable alternative to conven- tional burial and cremation options and is based around restoring and en- hancing the biodiversity of the exist- ingwoodland.” Maidstone Council will determine whether the scheme requires an envi- ronmental impact assessment when it is submitted as a formal planning ap- plication.


Trees face axe


SOUTH East Water has been given planning permission to remove pro- tected trees in ancient woodland in Detling to replace a water main. Maidstone Council gave the go-


ahead for the company to fully re- move three trees and part remove another five in HorishWood,west of Hockers Lane. Work will also take place on an additional 10 trees. The council did, however, demand


a pre-commencement meeting with the applicant to agree the individual trees to be removed and the working methods to be used.


Council commuters JUST 31% of borough council em-


ployees receiving a salary of over £40,000 live in the Maidstone area. The admission came from Maid-


stone Council in response to a Free- dom of Information request from a Mr Fagg.


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downsmail.co.uk


Thriving gym club moves to new home


PEGASUS Gymnastics Club’s dream of expanding into a spacious new headquarters in Maidstone will become reality sooner than expected.


The Olympic-standard club has brought forward its removal to new premises in Tovil because of increas- ing pressure on its cramped resources at Crismill Lane, near Bearsted, where it has been based since 1995. The club had planned to take over


its new home in units 2,3 and 4 at the Farleigh Hill Trading Estate at the end of March 2014. It has now decided it can achieve this sooner by completing the project in two phases. Parents and children will head to


the new site when they return from the Christmas break. The first phase will include the recreational hall which will be fitted with new equip- ment for the start of the January term.


Also ready will be changing rooms, reception and office facilities and parking spaces for 75 cars. Phase two will be completed by


March 31 and will include a new training hall and rooms, dance studio, café and seating. Head of coaching Ionut Trandabaru


aid: “A year ago we presented on these three warehouses in Tovil and invited parents, guardians, children, friends and representatives of British Gymnastics to see them and won- dered if this projectwas ever going to get off the ground. Seeing the build- ing now in its advanced stages makes me feel very excited and proud of our achievements as a club with the sup-


Shock as school is put into special measures


A BEARSTED primary school has been placed in special measures by the school watchdog Ofsted. Madginford Park Junior School, in Egremont Road, had slipped from good to satisfactory when it was in- spected previously, in February 2012, despite being held in high regard by the vast majority of parents. The special measures ratingmeans


the schoolwill receive more frequent inspections and senior staff and gov- ernors could face dismissal if matters do not improve. Headmaster David Day quit a


month before the October inspection, since when Stephanie Guthrie, head of Madginford Infants School, in Merton Road, has been managing both sites. Only seven years ago, under the previous head, Madginford Parkwas deemed outstanding in all areas and in the top 5% of schools nationwide for Key Stage 2 English. Many parents still believe it is the


best school in the area, describing it as “a fantastic community school” where their children are “eager to learn”. The school has 375 pupils aged


from 7 to 11, and the 2012 report found that pupils enjoyed school and there were very good relationships between adults and pupils. “Staff had a strong sense of re- sponsibility for the wellbeing of pupils in the school, and share a common ambition with leaders and the governing body to provide the best for the pupils in their care,” said the inspection report, adding “the school provides good additional and pastoral support for all pupils, in- cluding disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.” As the Downs Mail went to press,


Ofsted had not yet released its offi- cial report, whichwas expected to be imminent. Staff have been instructed not to comment to the press.


Farm stall turned down


APROPOSAL to set up a roadside stall near The Harrow pub inWest- field Sole Road, Lidsing, has been turned down. Maidstone Council felt the plan-


ning application by F D Atwood and Partners for a field shelter and fencing to facilitate the sale of farm produce on land west of the pub would have affected the rural and isolated appearance of the area. A decision notice added: “The


Maidstone East Edition January 2014


use represents an isolated and free- standing retail activity unaccept- ably separated from the agricultural holdings where the produce to be sold at the site is grown. “As such the associated built de-


velopment is considered to repre- sent unjustified built mass while generating unacceptable levels of activity resulting in unsustainable rural development.”


Crash victim is named


A MOTORCYCLIST who died from his injuries after an accident on the A249, near Detling, has been named as 43-year-old Nick Lockwood, from Wateringbury. Nick, who worked on the Detling Aerodrome estate, was riding his green Kawasaki when it hit the back of a Ford Fiesta at Hucking. He died from head and back in-


juries on November 25 – three days after the accident. His distressed family said: “Nicholas was a much loved father, brother, nephew, granddad and part- ner, of a very big family. He will be sadly missed by so many.” They thanked everyone for the sup-


port they had received. The driver of the Fiestawas unhurt


in the crash, which closed the A249 for five hours on November 22. Witnesses are asked to call the Seri-


ous Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538, quoting CAD 22-1186.


House refused


MAIDSTONE Council has turned down a proposal for a house and garage to be used by the manager of Grafty Garden Centre next to The Glen, Headcorn Road, Grafty Green, saying suitable accommodation was already available.


port of British Gymnastics and other funding partners. “This is a significant milestone in moving forward and defining our goal to provide one of the best gym- nastics facilities on the south east re- gion.”


Founded in 1987, Pegasus was ini-


tially based at Invicta Grammar School but has grown to run classes for 500 gymnasts. Courtney Tulloch, who lives near Mote Park and James Hall, ofWateringbury, (both 17) are in the provisional squad for the 2016 Olympics in Rio and have also both been shortlisted for the youth Olympics in Australia in January.


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