downsmail.co.uk


silver medal TEENAGER Tom Dixon from Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club (MIRC) has won a silver medal at the British Rowing Indoor Champi- onships.


The event at


Lee Valley Velodrome in London's Olympic Park, was managed for the first time by British Rowing, with teams and in-


dividuals competing in all age groups and abilities. Tom (13), who attends Valley


Park School in Vinters Park, raced against more than 50 other com- petitors in the Y9 Juniors event. He powered through in the last seconds of the four-minute event to take the silver by one metre with a personal best of a 1,123m. The winner of the Y9 Junior event


was Jamie Millington from the City of Oxford Rowing Club, who stormed to gold with a distance of 1152m in four minutes.


Formore local news www.downsmail.co.uk


News Tom rows to £1.3m grant for site lost


MAIDSTONE Council has lost a £1.3m grant because it was unable to purchase a suitable gypsy site in time. In 2012 the council was awarded


the sum from the Homes and Com- munitiesAgency for a travellers’ site on condition that it becomes estab- lished within three years. That limit will expire on March 31


and the Tory-controlled council has admitted defeat. Cllr Fran Wilson,


leader of the Lib Dems, said: “The borough really does need to move faster than it currently seems to do.” In Spring 2013, the council almost purchased a plot in Kettle Meadow, Lenham Heath that would have provided 15 pitches but was thwarted by locals who bought the land themselves. A council spokesman said: “We


are now looking at alternative op- tions to fund the initiative including


another bid to the Homes and Com- munities Agency.” However, Cllr Brian Mortimer


says he has been advised that any successful grant from the agency would only be about 50% of that awarded in 2012. The site would have helped ad-


dress the borough’s shortfall of gypsy sites, which prevents the council from protecting unallocated land from being taken over by gyp-


Forum to improve cycling facilities


CYCLISTS in Maidstone have been given a voice in the borough – thanks to a new campaigning group. Labour Cllr Paul Harper opened Maidstone Cycle Forum’s inaugural meeting, attended by individual cyclists and members of Maidstone’s San Fairy Ann Cycle Club, Sustrans and the Cycle Touring Club. Hewas joined by Elliot Dean, who


hopes the forum will be successful in campaigning for cyclists in Maidstone. One of its first jobs will be to lobby Maidstone and Kent councils for


chance of being heard and getting through its proposals to make Maidstone safer for cycling. Life-long cyclist and Labour


Elliot Dean (left) and Cllr Paul Harper (right) with forum members


improvement to the infrastructure and facilities for cyclists. Harper said: “As a councillor, I can


provide us with direct access to Maidstone Council.” He believes that by working as a community, the forum has a better


campaigner Elliot Dean said: “Our town and borough has very poor facilities for cycling. There is only limited provision and this is seen by the very low number of people cycling into town – under 200 regular cycle commuters, with some schools having almost no pupils cycling in. This is a disgrace.” Cllr Harper is also a spokesman for


the national Cycle Touring Club in Maidstone and Kent.


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Maidstone Town March 2015 29


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