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From left: Alison Broom, Ann Barnes, Annabelle Blackmore, Helen Whately, Fay Gooch, Fran Wilson, Helen Grant and Tracey Crouch 


Women rule Maidstone roost MailMarks


THE latest election results mean women


now hold just about every top position in the Maidstone area. What a total revolution over the last 25 years. The three MPs for Maidstone and area


now include Helen Whately, selected by the Conservatives in Faversham and Mid Kent when Sir Hugh Robertson stood down and elected with a massive majority. She joins Helen Grant (Con) who triumphed in Maidstone and TheWeald with just about a doubled majority in the face of a controversial campaign by Lib Dem Jasper Gerrard, which angered many voters. She is no longer the sports minister – but


Prime Minister David Cameron praises her in a fulsome leer for leaving “a ministerial legacy of which you can be justifiably proud”. The Prime Minister appointed some new ministers hewants to try to ensure they are loyal to the Government.Among them is probably Tracey Crouch (Con, Chatham andAylesford), who is given a chance to use her enthusiasm for sport as Helen’s successor. How odd that this sport role has moved across Maidstone – from Sir Hugh to Mrs Grant and now to Miss Crouch.


Parents not a special case


Dear Sir – I’ve just read the June issue of Downs Mail and am staggered by a Maidstone mum’s claim that she avoids the town centre as she is unable to park in a parent and child space. I cannot understand why parents even need these spaces. My mother-in-law had five children all


born within six years of each other, but she managed. Mymumhad two and she managed, and I managed 18 years ago when I had my own child. I hated lifts but with a pushchair I had no choice but to use them, and soon got over my fear. The lady says she is forced to use floors further up which makes her shopping trip a nightmare. What’s the nightmare? I never had a problem, nor did mymumor mother- in-law. Then again, our children knew how to behave becausewe took time to teach them, rather than expect the world around us to make life easier for us. She also says: “As parentswe have to pay


for our space, so being forced to park on the sixth or seventh floors with three young children is inconsiderate." Does she think those who aren't parents don’t have to pay? I have to pay and am


Contact our team ...


Stephen Eighteen Editor stephen@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231


42 Maidstone East July 2015 Diane Nicholls


Assistant editor diane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 232


Jane Shotliff Journalist


jane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Dawn Kingsford


Journalist dawn@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


And who is our elected commissioner of


Kent Police? CurrentlyAnn Barnes, of course.


Women occupy all the top roles in Maidstone Council. Lib Dem Cllr Fran Wilson has been narrowly elected leader of the council (she has the benefit of past experience in this role) and her deputy is now Independent for Barming Cllr Fay Gooch. The Conservative group, still the largest


on the council with 25 of the 55 seats, will be mighty influential and has re-elected its leader – Marden’s Annabelle Blackmore, whowas leader of the former cabinet-style council up to May. These women must work very closely


with the top management of the council.At the head is an experienced chief executive – Alison Broom. So Maidstone has put its top leadership faith totally in the ladies. I work closely


with most of them in my journalistic and local campaigning duties and in the main they giveme confidencewe are in good and caring hands. They deserve our support andwe must


wish themwell in challenges ahead. Probably the greatest challenge faces Cllr


Wilson. She needs to try to hold the politically hung Maidstone Council together to evolve at pace the crucial Maidstone local plan in the face of what seems sure to be localised resident opposition to major residential, business and leisure development. Government pressure for substantially


more housing will leave the council with very few opportunities to restrict this growth – and I cannot see as realistic KCC leader Paul Carter’s suggestion of inviting neighbouring areas to take some of our load. She may be helped by a reversal to the former commiee style for running the council. Many councillors see this as much more democratic than the cabinet system, allowing them to air their views and participate in final votes – and it also shares the blame. We shall see. Go to it ladies!


often on higher floors because I’ve not got a child, I’m not disabled and don’t need my carwashed, but you don't hear me complaining. The reason people without children use


them is probably because like me (and I don’t use them, I’d like to add) is that they remember a time when they didn't exist and fail to see the point in them. If there are no lifts to use then I’d see her point, but I really don’t in this case. What’s inconsiderate is lazy parents who can't be bothered to cope thewaywe've had


to do in the past, andwant everything simple and easy. Try using the lift, teach your children to hold your hand, or each other's hand, and behave. You'll find life a lot less 'inconsiderate' and so will I. Lisa Lomas, Foxglove Rise, Maidstone


Lost property folly


Dear Sir – Regarding your story about the police no longer handling lost property, have they really thought this through? Surely there is noway that anything is


Comment


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