Town June 2015

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News

Children hit by council tax debt

AN estimated 2,285 households in Maidstone struggled to pay their council tax last year – with a knock- oneffect on almost twice thatnum- ber of children. A report by The Children’s Soci-

ety reveals that council tax debt is widespread, with almost 216,000 children in the South East living in 124,000 familieswhohave fallen be- hind with their bills. In Maidstone, the society esti-

mates 3,907 childrenwere affected. Rather than helping them get

back on their feet, local authorities are threatening struggling house- holds with court action and sending the bailiffs in, according to the re- port “The wolf at the door: How council tax debt collection is harm- ing children”. A spokesman for Maidstone

Council said: “The council works hard to support any residents expe- riencing financial difficulties. This includes referrals to debt advice agencies, targeted advice through the charity Step Change, and a

council tax reduction scheme that provides financial help for low in- come households. “We also facilitate the Maidstone Financial Capability Partnership, bringing together public, private and voluntary and community sec- tor partners to help residents who are in financial difficulty, or are looking to manage their money. “We encourage any resident ex- periencing difficulty paying their council tax to contact us as early as possible so that we can work to- gether to find a solution. “Enforcement agents are used as

a last resort, and only where an agreement for payment could not be reached and all other recovery methods have been exhausted. “We only employ certified en- forcement agents who operate to a clear code of conduct. Performance is monitored, and any complaints received are investigated.” Financial advice is available at www.maidstone.gov.uk/moneyad- vice

Royal date for stonemason

MAIDSTONE stonemason Gordon Newton has had his latest work un- veiled – by Her Majesty the Queen. Mr Newton, from Downswood, who owns The Stone Shop at East Far-

leigh, has a long association with the National Memorial to the Few at Capel-le-Ferne andwas invited to make the plaque for The Wing, the Bat- tle of Britain Memorial Trust’s new visitor and education centre. He was invited to the official opening, carried out by the Queen, who was ac- companied by the Duke of Ed- inburgh. The £3.5m education cen-

tre, designed in the shape of the wings of a Spitfire, pro- vides interactive displays of what it was like to fly in a dog- fight above Kent. Mr Newton said: “I was de-

lighted to be asked to make the plaque and honoured to be invited to the opening. Half a dozen or so members of ‘The Few’ – as Churchill named them – were able to be present and introduced to the Queen, so it was a proud moment.” The Stone Shop has been associated with the national memorial for

more than 15 years and, in 2010, Mr Newton designed and built the Fox- ley-Norris MemorialWall that lists the names of 2,938 aircrew who fought in the battle as a lasting tribute to them all. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain so the an-

nual Veterans’ Day in July is expected to be particularly poignant. Each year prior to Veterans Day, the stonework at the memorial, in- cluding the “Seated Airman” looking out across the Channel, is cleaned and maintained by The Stone Shop.

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