Maidstone Borough Council 5 Get involved with Council decisions


Most of our meetings are held at Maidstone Town Hall in the High Street. We have wheelchair facilities, including lifts and toilets, and an induction loop.


You are more than welcome to attend and you can ask a question – one per person. Email your name and address, your question and the meeting its for, to committeeservices@maidstone.gov.uk, by 5pm one full working day before the meeting.


Full Council


There is an hour long question and answer session at every full Council meeting. The Leader of the Council


answers questions and group leaders respond.


Service Committees


The Committee Chairman will answer questions during a thirty minute session at the start of the meeting.


Maidstone Joint Transportation Board You can ask questions or make


statements about any transport issue or item on the agenda. There’s a limit of 10 speakers per meeting. Each person can speak for three minutes and must register by 3pm on the day of the meeting.


Planning Committee


You can ask questions about applications being considered at the meeting. Each person can speak for three minutes and must register by 4pm on the working day before the meeting.


Petitions


Petitions and e-Petitions are a quick and easy way to bring issues to the attention of Councillors and influence local decision making.


Anyone who lives in Maidstone Borough


can submit or sign an e-petition. Petitions about planning or licence applications must be posted or presented in person to the council.


For more information about asking questions at council meetings, petitions and other ways to get involved with council decisions visit www.Maidstone.gov.uk/have-your-say.


Maidstone’s new committee system Most of the council’s decisions are taken by four new service committees.


Policy and Resources Committee


Chairman and Leader of the Council: Cllr Fran Wilson


Vice Chairman: Cllr Annabelle Blackmore


Cllr Fran Wilson Cllr Annabelle Blackmore


Considers the Council’s budget and strategic plan, economic development and corporate matters such as risk management.


Communities, Housing and Environment Committee Chairman: Cllr Marion Ring


Vice Chairman: Cllr Derek Mortimer


Cllr Marion Ring Cllr Derek Mortimer


Develops the housing strategy, waste and recycling strategy as well as making decisions in respect of community development.


Leader of the Council


Fran Wilson (Liberal Democrat) was elected Leader of the Council at the annual meeting in May. She is the political and elected head, the focus for political direction and the chief spokesperson for the Borough as well as an ambassador for the Council.


The leaders of the other groups are – Cllr Annabelle Blackmore, Conservative, Cllr Fay Gooch, Independent, Councillor Malcolm McKay, Labour, and Cllr Dave Sargeant, UKIP.


Following May’s elections the political make-up of the council is


• 25 Conservative councillors


Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transport Committee Chairman: Cllr David Burton Vice Chairman: Cllr Tony Harwood


Cllr David Burton Cllr Tony Harwood


Considers the Local Plan, development management policies and transport matters including parking and park and ride.


Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee Chairman: Cllr Gordon Newton


Vice Chairman: Cllr Richard Ash


Cllr Gordon Newton Cllr Richard Ash


Considers matters regarding our parks and open spaces, events, the leisure offer and culture and heritage services.


• 20 Liberal Democrat councillors • 6 Independent councillors • 2 labour councillors • 2 UKIP councillors


Are you on the electoral register?


We’ll start sending forms out in August to check everyone’s details on the electoral register and to make sure that those who aren’t registered have a chance to do so.


What you need to do first:


The first form to arrive at your address will be pre-printed with the names of people already on the electoral roll. It's really important to check and send this back quickly to confirm there are no


changes, or to tell us about anyone who needs to be added on, or taken off the register.


What you need to do next:


If you’ve acted on the first form to tell us there are no changes, you don’t have to do anything else. If there is anyone new, we will send forms for each of them to your address. Please look out for this.


To get onto the register, each person must fill in and return the form, or go online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and use the online service.


Remember – if you aren’t registered, you can’t vote, so please take a couple of minutes to make sure your details are correct.


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