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I won’t be betting on election MailMarks


MAIDSTONE faces most unpredictable


elections on Thursday, May 22 – and I look for some clues. The headline is that opposition parties


need to win probably four seats from the ruling Conservatives to deprive them of overall control. In a town historically not given to major changes it is a big task, with only 20 of 55 seats up for election. UKIP will be a major player in Maidstone elections for the first time, especially as they are held on the same day as European elections. How many residents will place a double UKIP vote? I expect a strong protest vote favouring UKIP in the European elections – but feel a vote for them in local elections is awaste. UKIP performed strongly in last year’s


KCC elections and is now the official opposition. Could this happen in Maidstone? It is very unlikely – but Maidstone could have its first UKIP councillor or two. Their votes could also decide the outcome in manywards. The Labour flag is also flying more strongly again in Maidstone. The party had no seats at all until one victory in 2012. The group will hope to add another one or two in May. The Greens make lile impact, but they too aract votes that could sway at least one seat. The Lib Dems will be defending nine


seats and must make gains if they are to be in a position to win control of a council via


AGPS system and a Bluetooth stereowere stolen from a white Citroen Berlingo van parked in MonktonsAvenue, Ringlestone. Therewas an aempted burglary at the garage of a home in Bower Street. Cashwas stolen from a silver Fiat Fiorino


van in The Laurels, Fant. Adisc cuerwas stolen from a flatbed


truck in Hart Street. Awhite and beige Hard Rock bicycle and


a white and green Cannondale Tiagra bike were stolen from a garage in Upper Fant Road, Fant. Aset of golf clubs and a white and red


Cirrus racing bikewere stolen from a garage at Basil Terrace, Enterprise Road. There has been a spate of thes from the allotments atWarwick Place. Sheds and outbuildings have been broken into and garden tools and equipmentwere stolen. The tax discwas stolen from a white


Yamaha motorcycle in Hampshire Drive. Petrolwas stolen from a white Transit


van in Drawbridge Close, Shepway. Toolswere stolen from a shed in the back garden of a home in Melford Drive. Two bicycleswere stolen from the communal area at Austin Heights, Hartnup Street, Fant. Onewas recovered, but the other, a white and red Evade gents mountain bike, is still missing. Amobile phonewas stolen from a blue


Peugeot 307 in Bazalgee Rise, Fant. Abarometer, briefcase, bank books and


other itemswere stolen from a property in North Pole Road, Barming. Two 10-litre green jerry cans of diesel


were stolen from the rear garden of a home in Lower Fant Road, Fant. Intruders got into the garage of a property in Union Street and stole skiing


DENNIS FOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


coalition deals. They have been campaigning hard and believe there is enough discontent with theway the local plan is evolving to see them home. But they did themselves no favours by puing politics ahead of their responsibilities to residents by boycoing scrutiny of the local plan.


The Lib Dems now really struggle in


national polling forecasts and they will hope their past ability to punch above their weight in Maidstone still holds good. They have an experienced and popular leader in FranWilson, who has challenged some rebellious campaigners andwon a massive vote of confidence from her group. But would she have a dependable, responsible team shewould wish to try to hold together as the cabinet? The UKIP/Labour impact will alsoworry the Lib Dems. The Conservatives know they are in a


real bale. They too will be veryworried about the UKIP/Labour impact. They would prefer not to be involved in the election run-in with a difficult local plan with a massive housing number driven by Government policies. But they feel they have met a difficult and vital challenge to


progress our desperately-needed local plan and publish considered proposals for public consultation. That tough buck has currently passed to us. They point to their record in a cash- strapped recession and claim with sound leadership they have achieved major economies while retaining quality local services.And in that depressing period they have achieved major Maidstone improvements such as upper and lower High Street, Mote Park and Cobtree Manor Park and a new King Street car park. If they did lose controlwouldwe notice


any major changes in Maidstone? It is the way of theworld that the parties vary lile on the vast majority of decisions the council must make. The Lib Dems believe they can cut the


local plan housing number by almost a half – dangerous thinking not supported by evidence at a time when the need to get the Government to authorise a local plan is much more important to Maidstone’s future than this form of politicising. We need the Tories, Lib Dems and KCC


towork diligently together to try to persuade a more modest decrease in that 19,600 evidence-based figure, probably on major infrastructure problems. I forecast through all this uncertainty and


turmoil the Tories will scrape home, perhaps via a coalition. But I will not risk your money on it – let alone mine!


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police


equipment, books and records and a red and beige Citroen 2CV, registration E702 UKL. Agreen and grey bikewas stolen from a


shed in Farleigh Lane, Barming. Cashwas stolen from a greenVWGolf parked in a sub-basement garage in a block at Hughenden Reach, Tovil. Intruders broke into a home in Mangravet Avenue and stole cash. Ared Nissan Micrawas broken into in


the car park in Scotney Gardens, St Peter’s Street, and documentswere stolen. Agrey Land Rover Discovery, registration DG58 EVC,was stolen from Whitmore Street, Fant. Agreen and blue Kawasaki trials motorcyclewas stolen from the rear garden of a home in Postley Road. Ornamental bricks have been stolen from


the Millennium River Park amphitheatre in College Avenue. Awheelwas stolen from a beige Skoda


Fabia in Kingsley Road. Awheelwas stolen from a blueVWGolf


inWaterloo Street. Awing mirrorwas stolen from an Audi


in Kingsley Road. Lady's and gent's gold jewellerywas


stolen from a property in Sage Court, Hermitage Lane. Abag containing football kitwas stolen


from a Vauxhall Astra parked in Milton Street, Fant. Awhite Suzuki Carry van, registration AK54 WJF,was stolen from Randall Street.


Thieves got in to the garage of a home in


Cedar Drive, Barming, and stole a grey and white mountain bike with white handlebars and an orange Husqvarna strimmer. Therewas an aempt to break into a shed


in the rear garden of a home in Upper Fant Road, Fant. Acopper tankwas stolen from a garden


in Suon. The suspectwas described as a white man with a beard. Hewas about 6 tall andwaswearing a blue hooded top. Ajacketwas among items stolen from a


whiteBMWin Loose Road. An electric iron which had been le on a doorstep to cool downwas stolen from Porchester Close. Milkwas stolen from a doorstep in Church Road, Tovil. Asilver Astrawas stolen from Queens


Road andwas later recovered damaged.A suspect has been interviewed. Power toolswere stolen from a lean-to in


the garden of a home in CliffordWay. Awheelie binwas stolen from a front garden in Tonbridge Road.


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