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essential to our national survival. Perhaps Cllr Tony Harwood has missed


the point that the closure of the Russell Hotel reduces income into Maidstone. The Royal Star Hotel had the right location for a retail shopping experience but closed a generation ago. Where are the first-class hotels in Maidstone? Kent has Leeds Castle and Mote Park, neither of which come from the great political minds in this county. If the people of Kent oppose solar farms becausewe don’t like the reflection or they look ugly, what will help to pay the national debt?We moan about everything and do nothing but preserve the ordinary. We stifle business rather than encourage it. Maidstone remains in a permanent gridlock – the traffic jam oozes throughout the morning and the evening bumper-to- bumper period grows. The county and the nation require revolution. The revolution is in thinking, rather than just saying no. Compliance of the status quo will not do


if you have to breathe the air in the town centre; discussions on the state of the local NHS will not fix the problem. House- building needs more thought than objection. Ifwe accept austerity, perhapswe only


need one MP for Kent; perhapswe only need 325 MPs in the House of Commons. We have an extortionately-expensive


A STIHL petrol hedge trimmer, a Dewalt drill and a Stihl petrol chainsawwere stolen from the shed of a home in Roseacre Lane, Bearsted. A phone and a laptopwere taken from a


vehicle in Green Sands, Lordswood. A set of Callaway golf clubswere stolen


from an outbuilding at a property in Roseacre Lane, Bearsted. The rear window of a Mercedes van parked in a farmyard in Boxley was smashed.


Gardening equipmentwas stolen from a


shed at a property in Ashford Road, Bearsted. Jewellery and awalletwere stolen from


anAudi in Birch Drive, Lordswood.A man described as white, in his 20s, about 6ft tall and of slim buildwas seen in the car and ran off when challenged. A bicycle and alcoholwere stolen from


the shed of a property inn Tower Lane, Bearsted. A vehicle parked in HarvestersWay,


Weavering,was entered and a sat nav system and computer equipmentwere taken. Itemswere stolen from a shop during a break-in in Egremont Road, Bearsted. A vehicle parked in HarvestersWay,


Weavering,was entered and a sat nav system and computer equipmentwere taken. A Land Rover parked on the driveway of


a home in The Chimes, Bearsted,was broken into and golf equipment was stolen. Gas boleswere taken from a premises


in PilgrimsWay, Boxley. Awallet was stolen from a vehicle in


Ware Street, Bearsted. A property in Blacksmith Drive, Grove


Greenwas broken into and items taken. Two menwere seen behaving suspiciously and enquiries are ongoing. Toolswere stolen from a vehicle in Gleaming Wood Drive, Lordswood. A Citroen parked on a drive in Creve


Coeur Close, Thurnhamwas broken into and cash, a sat nav system and a pair of sunglasseswere stolen. A lockwas damaged on an outbuilding


in Detling Hill, Detling, but nothingwas taken. Two doorswere damaged at a property


in PennineWay, Thurnham, in an aempt to break in to the property. Fencing and garden furniture were damaged in a country park in Detling. Four vehicleswere stolen from Detling


Hill, Thurnham. A property in Monkdown, Downswood,


was entered and cash and keys to a white BMW320were taken. The vehiclewas then taken from the driveway. Three quad bikes were stolen from a


barn in Stockbury Valley. Itemswere stolen and damagewas caused when a cricket pavilion in White Horse Lane, Othamwas broken into. A Hyundai parked on a driveway inWell


Road, Maidstonewas broken into and searched, but nothing was found to be missing. A vehicle parked in Old School Close, Lenhamwas scratched on two separate occasions. Garden equipmentwas stolen from a


shed in Emsworth Grove, Vinters Park. The front gate of a property in Broad


Street Hill, Hollingbournewas damaged. A gate was removed from its hinges and


a security light smashed inWarren Street, Lenham. A bicycle that was chained to a balcony


in Wheeler Street, Maidstonewas stolen. Intruders caused damage breaking in to a stables complex in PilgrimsWay,


Maidstone East August 2015 35


Harrietsham, but left when the alarmwas activated. A purse containing cash and cardswas


taken from a Peugeot 508 parked in Ham Lane, Lenham. Itemswere stolen from a car in Wykeham Grove, Leeds. Awacker platewas stolen from an outbuilding in Rose Lane, Lenham. A carwas searched in Meredith Close,


Leeds and itemswere stolen. A mobile phonewas taken from a shop


in Hollingbourne. A horseboxwas stolen from a field in


Hill Green Road, Stockbury. The wing mirrorwas removed from a car parked on a driveway in Beauworth Park. A lawnmowerwas stolen from the shed


of a property in Senacre Lane, Senacre. A rear bedroom windowwas smashed at


a house inWillington Street, Maidstone. Two children’s bicycleswere stolen from


a garden inWestmorland Green, Shepway. A silver W-registration Ford Fiestawas


stolen from Groombridge Square, Senacre Kent peg roof tiles were stolen from a prop-


erty in Grange Lane, Sandling. The windscreen was damaged on a vehicle parked on a driveway inWillington Street.


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political system. Perhaps the politicians need to look at themselves before culling every government department and worker outsideWestminster. Shouldwe sell the BBC?Will that cover our NHS deficit?We are all responsible for the deficit. I wish the ladieswell in Parliament, but I


doubt any of today’s issues will be addressed to the satisfaction of the people of Maidstone. They are the same issueswe had in 2010.We will just have to grin and bear it. Richard Maryan, Coxheath


Hypocrisy of ‘Angel’


Dear Sir – I applaud the excellent work the newly-appointed Kims Angels will do (Downs Mail, July) but marvel at the staggering hypocrisy of one of the people involved. Val Springe is also a local councillor


who has been extremely vocal in campaigning vigorously against such developments. Has she not thought how odd it might


seem to the people of Bearsted and Thurnham that she now appears to be quite happy to work at a place that exists on a greenfield site next to anAONB at M20 junction 7? I’d be really interested to hear how one of our elected representatives can reconcile


this decision with her outspoken opposition to any development one junction down the M20. If, in the fullness of time, this


development actually happens, will she apply for a job there too? Sadly, politicians are known for being somewhat fickle when it comes to making a principled stand, so it really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. By theway, using the voluntary work


line won’twash, as she can volunteer with any number of other worthy charities and organisations in the area. Jon Carey, Bearsted.


Well, there is always someone willing to have a grumble isn't there? If I was a paid employee I could understand the issue but as a volunteer, I fail to see the problem. I do it because I enjoy it and actually, it gives


me a break from the huge amount of pressure we councillors are under regarding housing and commercial development in the area. I was not involved with Maidstone Council


when the Kims development was approved. Perhaps the writer would like to join me on one of my three-hour volunteer sessions (just one a week), which includes visits to patients – both NHS and private – who have said how much they appreciated someone taking the time to sit and chat with them when they have no visitors. Response by Cllr Val Springe


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