News Homes report


access denied Continued from page one


response also revealed that KCC paid £15,000 excluding VAT to Peter Brett Associates “following the aborted discussions”. However, it refused our re-


quest for written correspondence between the consultant, council officers and leader’s office in re- lation to the report, citing only that between December 31 and April 10 there were 20 email strings, one engagement letter and one brief to the consultant. Cllr Garland added: “I believe


there is a public interest in mak- ing this document public. I like Paul Carter but what he didwas make public pronouncements challenging Maidstone Council’s methodology and funded a study using taxpayers’money. “He was told the numbers


were correct, but because he doesn’t like it he doesn’t want it made public and is sitting on it.” Cllr Carter declined to com-


ment but Paul Crick, KCC’s di- rector for planning, said: “Peter Brett was going to look into housing need but we decided to instead formulate our consulta- tion response on reaching a sen- sible housing target.”


downsmail.co.uk


Increase in recycling a blow to local charities


SCOUT groups, Brownies and dozens of Maidstone charities could lose out on vital funds as an inadvertent result of Maidstone Council’s improved efficiency. Aylesford Newsprint has decided


to remove its 11,000-litre paper banks from 128 sites across the county, claiming it is no longer eco- nomically viable to run them. The paper bankswere introduced


25 years ago, allowing residents to recycle and help charity. But coun- cils’ improved recycling initiatives have seen a marked drop in use – and in profits for charities. As a result, churches and commu-


nity groups will lose funds they have reaped over a number of years. However, in some cases this could


be as little as £1.20 a quarter, accord- ing to Matt Feekings, recycling area manager forAylesford Newsprint. Maidstone Rotary Club, which has


10 collection points across the town, expects to lose nearer £2,000 a year. Past president Dennis Fowle said: “We are disappointed to be losing this revenue, which will affect many charities we in turn support. How-


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ever, while it is a significant source of revenue, it is not our only one.” Mr Feekings said: “Our recycling initiatives were introduced before current EU legislation, which now places a statutory obligation on local authorities to recycle. “The negative aspect to the way


local authorities have embraced the legislation is that people now recy- cle at their front door.” Mr Feekings said the larger FELs


(front end loaders)would remain at supermarkets and will continue to help support Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, which has ben-


efited by more than £200,000 in the past 18 years. But he said: “It costs us £6,000 a


month to collect from these 128 sites. Sometimes, there is as little as 100kg of paper a quarter and there have been cases of groups receiving as lit- tle as £1.20 in return. “However, with dropping ton-


nage, the service is not environmen- tally or economically viable.” The groups using the recycling


service have been contacted and the 300 banks for paper and cardboard were due to be removed over a two- week period in early July.


‘No profit from collections’


MAIDSTONE Council intro- duced kerbside paper collections in 2001 and most homes have wheelie bins or plastic boxes to collect paper and plastic. The council recently signed a contract with Ashford and Swale councils to make further savings, and householders can now put glass in the same recycling bin.


The paper in the green recy-


cling bins is separated at a recy- cling facility and sold. The income funds the separa-


tion of the recyclables, so the council does not receive any profit. The council received £4,000 from paper collected at other pub- lic recycling sites last year, which was used to help clean those sites.


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