News
Wardens to stay, council decides
KENT County Council has bowed to people power and is looking to keep its community wardens. The council had hoped to reduce uniformed numbers from 70 to 46 to make savings but, after a public outcry, now says it is likely to re- tain the service at its present level. Cllr Mike Hill, KCC’s cabinet member for community services, said: “We carried out a six-week consultation which produced nearly 1,200 responses. “More than 100 of those were
from district and parish councils and the vast majority praised the wardens, either as individuals or as a service, andwere keen to see it retained.” Bearstedwas one of many parish councils which wrote to KCC, ob- jecting strongly to any reduction in the service. Cllr Hill said: “We were already
aware of the important role that ourwardens play in the areas they serve, but this consultation has brought home to us how valued
they are by those communities. “We have listened and paid at- tention to public opinion and I am recommending that the correct course of action is to maintain the status quo. “I received an indication of sup-
port from my cabinet colleagues at a meeting in November, since when we have been working on some operational issues which have now been resolved.” Although all of the present uni- formed wardens will now remain, KCC hopes to achieve some sav- ings by a reduction in back-office staff and by closing three area of- fices.
There will also be some minor reorganisational changes to ad- dress the imbalance in some parts of the county, said Cllr Hill. “The main impact of my deci-
sion is thatwe have heeded public opinion and, assuming my recom- mendation is ratified by the full cabinet in January, this important service should remain at its cur- rent level.”
downsmail.co.uk Hotel helps homeless
THE Tudor Park hotel, near Bearsted, is serving hot meals to the homeless as part of Maidstone Churches’Winter Shelter campaign, which is again being backed by the Downs Mail. Staff at the hotel of-
fered to provide the food on Thursday nights for the entire 12-week win- ter initiative after read- ing about the campaign in the Downs Mail. Volunteers from the Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter charity collect a giant casserole, plus bread rolls, from the hotel every Thursday, and take it to St Michael and All Angels Church, Tonbridge Road, to feed up to 15 homeless people who will be staying the night in the church hall. The campaign, launched in 2013, provides food, company and a bed
Tudor Park chefs TomBiddle and Julie Boer with Major Grayson Williams
for the night for the town’s homeless until the end of February. “Tudor Park’s efforts are a godsend,” said Major GraysonWilliams,
chair of the charity’s trustees and member of the SalvationArmy, one of the seven churches involved in the shelter programme. The Maidstone Mosque was also hoping to provide meals for the homeless for the scheme. DownsMail readerswanting to help can call 07906 628413 or email
dianagordonuk@googlemail.com. Donations can also be taken to the SalvationArmy citadel in Union Street between 9am and noon.
Elton books Kent concert
LEGENDARY singer and songwriter Elton John will be performing at the Kent Event Centre in Detling on Sunday, May 3.
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Maidstone Town February 2015
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