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downsmail.co.uk Money heads list of concerns
FINANCIAL issues continue to dominate the list of problems for Maidstone residents who seek help from Citizens Advice Bureau.
Advice on benefits and tax cred-
its topped the list of enquiries in 2014/15, with 25% of clients need- ing help in this area, with a further 19% needing advice on dealing with debt.
Employment (12%), housing
(11%) and relationships and family (9%) followed. The bureau dealt with 7,300
clients during the year, creating a total of 24,893 points of contact, of which almost half (46%) were face to face appointments and 25% tele- phone calls. The bureau secured £300,681 for
its clients and had a further £334,319 in debts written off. Almost all clients (95%) were
happy with the service they re- ceived and the main cause of criti- cism was long waiting times for advice.
Addressing the annual meeting, chairman, Sir Michael Buckley said: “To some extent, they are the in- evitable consequence of the time re- quired to explore the problems of clients and to give them full advice. “I am proud that the bureau has
gone from strength to strength in the difficult financial climate of the past few years, but very conscious that the credit for this rests with the staff and management and my fel- low trustees.” The bureau has 31 paid staff and 76 volunteers, but is always looking
to recruit more. Chief executive Bonny Malhotra
said: “I never cease to be surprised by the level of commitment given by our volunteers in Maidstone. Colleagues, both paid and unpaid, are this organisation’s powerhouse and events bear witness to the fact that even under extreme pressures we have continued to provide an excellent service.” He said the bureau had suffered
from austerity – cuts in local au- thority funding and funding for do- mestic abuse, along with support from the legal aid agency and other small funding streams – but a num- ber of new opportunities had opened up.
Operating from its base in Bower
Terrace and at Maidstone Gateway, advisers now help those migrating from benefits to Universal Credit. It has also become the delivery centre for PensionWise in Kent and Med- way. Mr Malhotra said: “Often pro-
viding a bespoke service at both venues has been difficult to man- age but volunteers rally to our cry of help and give us additional days above their duty days.” The bureau provides outreach services at Parkwood, Marden and Headcorn as well as home visits and also provides an advice service in Maidstone jail for prisoners, their families and prison staff.
Business as usual, says castle chief Apple pie quiz
THE new chief executive of Leeds Castle arrived in Kent to a baptism of fire.
Formal Naval officer Sir David
Steel arrived in Kent to find himself caught up in Operation Stack and the aftermath of the planning en- quiry onWaterside Park. Sir David, who spent 37 years
with the Royal Navy, expressed his delight that the planning inspector rejected the appeal regarding the land at J8 of the M20 – and that the Government has finally taken on board the problems caused by lorry congestion on the motorway. He said: “Operation Stack has
had a marked effect on the percep- tion of what is accessible in Kent and I amparticularly delighted that this has now become a national issue to resolve, with the Govern- ment clearly asking for a solution that will ease traffic congestion
when Operation Stack is in place. “It is business as usual here at
Leeds Castle and visitors can still get to us quite easily with a bit of careful planning – even when Op- eration Stack is on.” Sir David is looking forward to getting to know his neighbours in Leeds, Broomfield and Holling- bourne and said hewas committed
to working with the local commu- nity. He admitted his knowledge of Kentwas sparse, having spent most of his working life at sea and three years in command of the Naval base at Portsmouth. But he said: “The sitewas not dis- similar to Leeds Castle, with a com- plicated mix of heritage, accommodation, business and land to administer.” He paid tribute to the work of the existing team who, he said had been both welcoming and under- standing. He said hewas delighted to learn the outcome of the contro- versialWaterside Park planning in- quiry, which had cast a cloud over the castle in recent months. He said: “Any development is
likely to add to the volume of traf- fic in this area and recent events have shown what congestion can do to us.”
PCSOs rewarded for their bravery
TWO community support officers who seized a firearm from a man in Headcornwere among 60 police of- ficers, civilian staff and members of the public to receive awards at the West Division area commander’s ceremony. Maidstone PCSOs Dave Rowley
and John Boyd wrestled the gun from the 64-year-old man, who had reported nuisance youths near his home. They are pictured with mayor Cllr Daniel Moriarty. Two officers who discovered a cannabis farm in East Peckham were also recognised. Sergeant Joe Breen and PC James O’Gorman seized £50,000 worth of cannabis and arrested the man re- sponsible in October 2014. Of- fender David Hill, who later
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admitted the farm yielded about £100,000 a year,was jailed for three years. Also honouredwas detention of-
ficer Danielle Finlay, based at Maidstone police station, who was recognised for her outstanding ob- servation skills after finding a quantity of the class A drug fen- tanyl hidden in a secret pocket within a newspaper, which a woman had tried to smuggle in
Maidstone Town November 2015
while visiting a detainee. Victoria Hicks (38), of Sunning-
dale Court, Maidstone, was jailed for 21 months after admitting pos- sessing a class A drug with intent to supply. West Division commander Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishley said: “Kent Police officers are called to difficult and potentially danger- ous situations every day, and risk their own safety to protect the pub- lic.
“It is right they get the recogni-
tion they deserve, and I am very proud of everything they do. I would also like to congratulate those members of the public who showed tremendous courage in dif- ficult situations, whose awards are alsowell-deserved.”
for Mencap MAIDSTONE Mencap members will be holding their annual apple pie quiz on Saturday, November 14 at Cobtree Hall, School Lane (off Willington Street), Maidstone. The fun event takes its name
from a tradition that the quizmas- ter asks for a slice of apple pie and cream as his fee, and the sweet is also provided to everyone else who goes along. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm
and tickets are £6 each which in- cludes the apple pie. Teams are six to eight people. Contact Rita on 07790 643218.
Fish and chips
day for Ma AFAMILYwhoorganised a fish and chip feast as a fundraiser inmemory of their lost son have raised £1,800 for a self-help community centre in Cambodia. Matt Carapiet (23), from Bearsted,
died in the Nepalese earthquake ear- lier this year. His family have con- tinued to help the community centre, where Matt volunteered dur- ing his travels, in his memory. Marino Fish Bar in Ashford Road offered to make a donation for each fish and chip supper sold on one day to support the centre. Therewere people queuing out of
the door to support the cause and a family spokesman said: “It was touching to see so many familiar faces. Thanks to Marino's for kindly offering to run the event.” There is a collection box in the shop for those whowant to donate.
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