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downsmail.co.uk New name for volunteer group
MEMBERS of Voluntary Action Maidstone voted overwhelmingly for the charity to change its name to Involve Kent.
At an extraordinary general meeting 29 votes, supplemented by 24 proxies, were registered to pass the motion. Just one person, by proxy, voted against. The organisation now has its
third name since it was formed in 1975 as Maidstone Voluntary Bu- reau. It became Voluntary Action Maidstone eight years ago. Involve chief executive Charlotte Osborn-Forde told the meeting that the decision followed a two-year review into how best to market the charity. She said: “Funding cuts and austerity measures have long been on our minds, yet our funds have grown in recent years, butwe can't assume it will stay the same. “Funderswant us to cover larger
areas so they can get better economies of scale. For example, one of our closest partners is the
Charlotte Osborn-Forde and Trevor Jones with the charity's new logo
West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group, which is one of the largest CCGs in the country, covering four divisions in Kent.” Involve Kent will retain its main
focus on Maidstone, but will con- tinue to provide voluntary services elsewhere in Kent. The falls pre- vention project already operates in East Kent and will soon cover Dart-
ford and Gravesham; the Maid- stone and Malling Carers project will additionally cover Medway. Advertising agencyWe Are Tan- gerine, based in College Road, Maidstone came up with the name Involve and produced the logo, in which the “vol” part of the word will be a different colour to high- light the charity's voluntary focus. On the logo is a smaller word on
the bottom right directly beneath, which could be used to localise an area or service, so meaning that the word Maidstone could still remain on relevant branding materials. Mrs Osborn-Forde added: “This
new name will help people throughout Kent know the service is in their area. However, our focus will remain on Maidstone and we are based here.” Involve board chairman Trevor
Gypsy site extended Alcohol thief
PLANNING permission has been granted for an additional mobile home and day room on a gypsy site in Marley Road, Harrietsham. Two years ago Bridget Cash was
given planning permission to sta- tion a mobile and a touring cara- van at The Mellows permanently. The applicant says the new cara-
van would cater for her daughter and the day room for her son, who is registered disabled. Mr Lord, an objector, felt the site extension was inappropriate for the Kent DownsArea of Outstand- ing Natural Beauty (AONB). He
said: “The borough council is dis- regarding the views of the parish council and local residents. “How many pitches are allowed
on the site? Every time another one is accepted it gives them the chance to have some more. This is damag- ing the AONB.” However, Cllr Tony Harwood
said: “This is a fairly small change in the site and there will not be vi- sual harm.” Permission was granted, on con-
dition of boosted landscaping, with eight votes for and four against.
sent to jail A LENHAM man who stole alcohol froma shop in the village has been jailed.
Matthew Jordan Hazelby (44),
from Robins Close, Lenham, ad- mitted shoplifting from the store in Honywood Road, Lenham, but he failed to surrender to bail at Mid KentMagistrates’ Court. Magistrates sentenced Hazelby to 120 days in prison.
Jones said that the standardised logo would save time and money. When asked by a member of the audience if the name could put off existing clients, he pointed out that he was on the project board which helped deliver the ill-fated £2m re- naming of Royal Mail to Consignia in 2001, which changed back to its original name just 15 months later. “I have a good idea about these things,” he said. “We have asked everyone we know whether they have a problem and there were only two objections.” Involve's services have expanded
so much in recent years that its turnover is now more than £1m, meaning it is a registered company aswell as a charity. The leadership, board, charity structure and projects will not be affected by the name change.
Immigrants
questioned EIGHTEEN immigrants were ar- rested after being found in the back of a lorry on Detling Hill. Those taken into custody in- cluded 12 men and a 15-year-old boy from Bangladesh, three men from Pakistan and a man and a woman from Nepal, all suspected of entering the country illegally. One of the Bangladeshis was de- ported. The others were given im- migration bail while their cases were considered. The 15-year-old from Bangladesh was now in the care of social services.
Anger as bollards prevent garage access
A PARISH council plan to prevent parking on Bearsted Green and tidy up the rear of Smarts Cottages has come in for criticism. The council has installed locked bollards behind the cottages, on the north side of The Green, replacing two old and damaged bollards, which now stop cars gaining access to three garages and the cricket pavilion. It has alsowritten to all residents
along the terrace threatening legal action if they do not remove their wheelie bins from the rear path, which the council owns. The council says both the meas-
ures are part of a wider-reaching strategy to tidy up the village and keep it clean and tidy for the resi- dents. An environment committee spokesman said: “The areawas be- coming untidy and being used as a
26 Maidstone East August 2015
car park. It was felt that were the bollards to be replaced it would sig- nal the beginning of an improve- ment scheme to tidy this shabby area.
“Several cars have sustaineddam-
age from driving over the old bol- lards when using the entrance to turn their vehicles and it is conceiv- able that claims against the council could arise. “If the council were to remove
them, it would be possible for any- one to drive up and park on The Green, as happened a few weeks ago.”
Trouble flared when painter and decorator Kane Fawcett, who rents one of the garages,was told he could not have a key to lower the bollards. Hesaid: “Iwas originally asked if
I would be a
keyholder.NowI have been told I can’t have akey –nor can anyone else. We can only borrow one from the parish council and re- turn it – which means a drive to Madginford and back to get to a garage a few yards frommyhome.” The parish council says wheelie bins, meant to be kept in gardens,
have been slowly left out on the paved area. The spokesman said: “Residents
have been asked twice before to re- move them. They are an eyesore for the majority – and in a conservation area.” ButEmmaBoundy,wholives in a first-floor flat, says this means she will have to put her rubbish inblack sacks inside her property. She said: “I have rented the flat for
two years and the bins are not mine to dispose of –andI amcertainly not putting my rubbish inside my flat, where my two children and cat can get at it.” The parish council spokesman
said: “It has become apparent that with the change of ownership of someof these properties, misunder- standings and rumours have over- taken the truth.We are never going to please all concerned.”
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