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Schoolgirl’s death inquiry


POLICE are still piecing together the events surrounding the death of 16- year-old Zoe Georgiou, who studied at Invicta Grammar School, as she walked along a road in Coxheath. Officers want to hear from any-


one who may have seen Zoe and her boyfriend on the B2163 Heath Road, near to Georgian Drive, at about 6pm on Saturday, January 11. Shewas involved in a collision with a silver Mazda travelling towards Boughton Monchelsea and died at the scene. Police have made it clear that this


was not a hit-and-run incident, nor was the driver of the Mazda ar- rested.


Friends of Zoe’s, many from the


sixth form at Invicta, left messages and floral tributes (pictured above) at the place where she died. One friend wrote: “I am heartbroken.” Another said: “We will miss you


so much.” Anyone with any infor- mation should call 01622 798538.


Town magnet


for migrants ALARGE number of the new east- ern European immigrants to South East England are expected to head for Maidstone, a report has claimed. The “network” effect cited in a


study suggests the county town will be the most favoured destination in the South East for Bulgarians and Romanians coming to the UK, fol- lowing the lifting of immigration re- strictions for the two countries on January 1. A report by Reading University


found that a significant number of Bulgarians and Romanians had made it into Britain, despite previ- ous restrictions. Of these, Maid- stone had registered 15.4% of all Bulgarians settling in the South East and 9.2% of Romanians. Tonbridge and Malling registered 4.5% and 3.9%.


Improving council play areas


MAIDSTONE Council is to spend £1.75 million improving its play areas in the next 18 months and will ask communities to get involved. The council is responsible for 54 of 85 play areas, with the remaining managed by parish councils who will be able to apply for up to £10,000 of match funding to improve their facilities. Cllr John Wilson, cabinet member for leisure services, said: “This is a sig-


nificant boost to current funding arrangements, with investment currently at £100,000 per year for council play areas, and no Maidstone Council funding for parish play areas.” The draft play area strategy is designed to even out the inequalities in


facilities across the borough. It also identifies 20 “non-strategically important play areas” that will be


offered to community groups to take on their management with council support. If not, the play equipment will be removed and the area main- tained as an open space. Consultation dates for the schemewere due to be posted on www.maid- stone.gov.uk. All upgrades to Maidstone Council play areas should be com- plete by summer 2015.


Social media ‘key to spreadingword’


SOCIAL media plays a vital role in the life of Kent Police and its NeighbourhoodWatch. West Kent Divisional Com- mander, Ch Supt Steve Corbishley told theAGM of Maidstone & Mid Kent Neighbourhood Watch: “So- cial media allows us to engage with people in a differentway. “We are able to reach people in


far more creative and far more ef- fectiveways.” He said itwas important to max-


16 Maidstone East February 2014


imise use of social media at a time when the force was facing swinge- ing budget cuts. Its operating budgetwas already


down from £350m to £300m – equivalent to the loss of 500 police officers and 1,000 support staff. He said it would be impossible


not to lose more officers in years to come, but hoped that closer work- ing with partner agencies would help minimise the impact. Ch Supt Corbishley said the force


had seen a rise in retail theft – food, meat and alcohol – and remained concerned at the sale of discounted alcohol by large pub chains. Alcohol remained the biggest


single factor in cases of domestic violence – another area of in- creased activity. He appealed to younger people


to get involved in Neighbourhood Watch and said: “It is imperative we get information out about peo- ple who target the elderly.”


Landlords plan to evict all tenants on benefits


MAIDSTONE’S best-known landlords have opened their doors to the in- flux of eastern Europeans – but slammed them shut on benefits claimants.


Judith and Fergus Wilson have


sent out 200 eviction notices to ten- ants on benefits and advised their letting agents they will no longer take on tenants in receipt of hous- ing support. The Wilsons, who live in Boughton Monchelsea became mil- lionaires through snapping up buy- to-let properties last decade. With a portfolio of 1,000 homes, chiefly in Ashford and Maidstone, theWilsons say their gesture is no different to that of many other pri- vate landlords, who find working tenants rarely fall into arrears,


while single parents and other fami- lies relying on housing benefit, often do.


Mr Wilson


said: “Ten- ants on bene- fits


are


competing with eastern Europeans who came to the UK in 2005 and have built up a good enough credit record to rent privately. “We've found them to be a good


category of tenant who don't de- fault on the rent.” Mr Wilson claimed that, of the number of tenants on benefit, more were in arrears than those who were not. He said sympathy for single mothers and the unem- ployedwas fast disappearing. But Stuart Jeffery, of Maidstone Greens, said: “I urge him to recon- sider his decision. His portfolio of properties covers Maidstone, which has seen an eight-fold rise in homelessness in the past three years and now is sure to rise even higher.”


Store targets town mums


MAIDSTONE mums have been la- beled Lidl’s new target customer. The reference was made by the


firm’s UK boss Ronny Gottschlich, who said it was targeting a “Maid- stone mum” who was no longer ashamed to shop in the discount supermarket retailer. Despite his reference to Maid-


stone, the company, which has stores at Farleigh Hill and Broad- way Shopping Centre, says it has no plan at this time to open more in the town. A Lidl spokesman said: “The


term ‘Maidstone mums’ is in rela- tion to the demographic of cus- tomers we now see shopping with us, with over 24% of our total cus- tomer base being ABs [middle and upper middle class]. “With Maidstone being an afflu-


ent area,we felt this term illustrates this Lidl customer basewell.”


MP’s car perk


MAIDSTONE and the Weald MP Helen Grant was the third most fre- quent user of chauffeur-driven cars in the Government. There are over 100 ministers. The MP used so-called “top-up”


cars 155 times last year, in addition to a number of chauffeur-driven journeys she was allowed using cars run by her own department. The revelation comes from a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Transport. Sports minister Mrs Grant came


third to Lib Dem former justice minister Lord McNally (293 jour- neys) and Lady Hanham (176), a minister in the communities de- partment.


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