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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


Clean up roundabouts


Dear Sir – The state of roundabouts in Maidstone is an issue that is really bugging me, and the new roundabout near the Vinters Park Crematorium has set me off afresh. It has a gleaming white-tiled trim with mock “arrows”, just like all the others around Maidstone.


But just look at the state of these – the tiles have all turned black because they are


USED cooking oilwas stolen from the steps of Babo’s Fish Bar in Derringwood Drive, Downswood. Eight red 250kg drums of nickel pellets


were stolen aer entry was gained to a large lorry trailer in Old Chatham Road, Sandling. Ablack and red Nissan quad bike with a foreign number platewas stolen from a field in East Lenham Farm, Ashford Road, Lenham. Jewellery and personal documentswere


stolen aer a windowwas forced to a property in School Lane, Maidstone. Keys and a charity box were stolen from


St Mary's Church, The Square, Lenham. Atwo-year-old chocolate brown


Paerdale bitch and a five-year-old black Paerdale dogwere stolen from a rear garden in Coalpit Lane, Frinsted. Ablack leather dressage saddle and


black bridle with a white bit and glier brow bandwere stolen from a rear garden in Ashford Road, Lenham. An unsuccessful aemptwas made to


gain entry to a home in Yeoman Court, Ashford Road, Bearsted. Quad bikes were stolen from the garage


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


not kept clean or maintained. So why repeat this failed design, or why not clean them?


I rang KCC and was told “there is no funding for this”. So, what about the prestige of the county town? Are we really going to sit back and sele for such a disgusting state of neglect? Compare this with what you see in places in France. There you see roundabouts that local people can be


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!


proud of.


The genius who came up with the toilet tile design has much to answer for and so will KCC if they are not maintained and allowed to become a continuing eyesore that is blighting the town. Patrick Clarke, by email


Patrick, I contacted KCC but it declined to comment.


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


of a property in Hazel Street, Stockbury. Therewere three possible suspects, with one described as a white European male, 15-19 with untidy hair,wearing tracksuit booms. The suspect vehiclewas a grey Land Rover Discovery estate. An Apple Ipadwas stolen from a property in St Faiths Lane, Bearsted. Asmall open top trailer and an orange Husqvarna ride on mowerwere stolen aer entry was gained to a residential outbuilding in Hazel Street, Stockbury. Damagewas caused aer an aemptwas


made to enter a shed in Maidstone Road, Lenham. Kitchen and bathroom fitmentswere


stolen from a property in Fairbourne Lane, Harrietsham. Clocks,watches and jewellerywere


stolen in a residential burglary at The Street, Bredhurst. Asilver Toyota Hilux pick upwas stolen from a driveway in PilgrimsWay,


Hollingbourne. Dieselwas stolen from a Mercedes Benz


van parked at Eclipse Roofing Supplies, Old Goods Yard, Station Approach, Lenham.


Computer equipment and bankcards


were among items stolen from a property in Frinsted.Ablue 4x4 vehiclewas seen and may have been involved in the burglary. Several shedswere broken into at the allotments at Roebuck Business Park, Ashford Road, Harrietsham.


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