the
News
downsmail.co.uk Council services to go digital
MAIDSTONE Council is looking to reduce its face-to-face contact with residents. The council has drawn up a three-year plan to improve effi- ciency while saving money. In the current year, proposals in-
clude ending the late-night open- ing of the Maidstone Gateway on Thursdays and introducing plan- ning appointments with gateway staff to free up the duty planning officer. There will be an increased move
towards automation, with comple- tion of the work on an automated switchboard. The council also wants to allow residents to apply for parking per- mits online and further improve its
website, including making it more usable for mobile devices. The Gateway’s opening hours
will be changed to 9am–5pm to help with the increasing number of emails being received and, at the same time, it will look at ways of reducing incoming and outgoing post. The council wants to move more telephone payments to the Gate- way’s automated line and review its policy on taking credit card pay- ments and cheques. Next year the council will review
the Monday-Friday opening hours of the Gateway, aswell as Saturday opening, and begin efficiency re- views of the finance, parks and leisure departments. It will also ex-
Donation boosts cancer service
A SERVICE launched by Maid- stone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has progressed, thanks to another generous donation by the Peggy Wood Foundation cancer charity. The endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) can help with carrying out an accurate biopsy of lymph glands, which assists in diagnos-
ing and accurately staging lung cancer. It also helps to diagnose other cancers. The equipment was handed
over in the endoscopy unit at Maidstone by Bryn Annis, chair- man of the Peggy Wood Founda- tion, to respiratory consultant Dr Syed Arshad Husain and Avey Bhatia, chief nurse for the trust.
tilecompany
Visit our showroom for an extensive range of beautiful tiles
Mosaics Porcelain Ceramic
Natural Stone Glass
tiles and splashbacks
Showroom at... 32-34 Union Street, Maidstone Kent ME14 1ED
Tel: 01622 683375
info@ceramictileagency.co.uk
www.ceramictileagency.co.uk 10 Maidstone Town September 2014
plore the introduction of web chat. In the third year, the council will consider outsourcing the contact centre. In 2012, the council carried out
focus groups and surveys with res- idents and businesses, which found many felt frustration with red tape and the lack of communication be- tween council departments. Urban residentswere much more
likely than their rural counterparts to interact with the council face-to- face.
Respondents generally used the internet to find out information, but almost half used the phone to make a complaint. More residents and businesses would prefer to interact with the
council by email in the future than the current numbers and fewer by phone.
Residents and businesses criti-
cised the council’s website, which has since been re-designed and re- launched, with feedback from resi- dents largely positive. It costs the council about £7.86 for
a face-to-face meeting in the Gate- way, £2.35 if someone telephones the contact centre, 21p for awebsite visit, 67p to process an incoming letter and 46p to process an outgo- ing letter, resulting in a total spend of about £1.7m in 2011/12. Would you prefer to interact with Maidstone Council online than in person? Let us know your views on
stephen@downsmail.co.uk.
Hospital staff with chief nurse Avey Bhatia, Bryn Annis, from the Peggy Wood Foundation, and Dr Syed Husain
STONE GREEN NURSERIES
www.stonegreennurseries.co.uk
We grow our fantastic range of plants with passion and pride for garden designers, landscapers, local nurseries, farm shops and other horticulture outlets.
Wholesale Nursery open to the public September 5th-7th and 26th-28th
We have a truly exquisite selection to offer you from the tried and tested to the more unusual. Huge range and fair prices
We invite you to our open days
Your selection will come from our growing beds, you can’t buy fresher
If you have a taste for plants we can offer you a feast.
*Shrubs*Trees*Herbaceous perennials*Climbers* *Large plants for instant impact* 9am-5pm Fri, Sat, Sun and BHM.
Truly a gardener’s paradise Pluckley Road Bethersden TN26 3ET
Please remember we are only open on these dates We accept most major credit cards
For detailed directions please use website Follow day –glow signs from A20 at Charing and A28 at Bethersden
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48