News Higher fines


for dog mess MAIDSTONE Council is to impose the toughest fines the law will allow on irresponsible dog owners and litter bugs. Councillors have approved a £5


rise in fixed penalty fines for those caught dropping litter, not clearing up after their dogs and letting them run in gated parks reserved for children. The council says the increase in


fines to £80 – the maximum per- mitted under the Clean Neigh- bourhood and Environment Act 2005 – will further reduce litter and fouling in the borough’s parks and open spaces. Areport to the council’s commu-


nities, housing and environment committee, said: “Our Dog Watch campaign has assisted with the en- forcement of dog fouling within the borough. The introduction of higher fines, we believe, will fur- ther deter those current offenders who form a small irresponsible mi- nority of dog-owners in the bor- ough.” Private company Kingdom has


held the contract to enforce litter controls in the borough since 2011 and since then has issued nearly 19,000 fixed penalty fines. The new £80 fines will come into force from April 1.


Harley’s latest


charity event YOUNGfundraiser Harley French, from Ditton, is organising a dinner and dance to raise money for El- lenor Lions Hospices. Harley was awarded Ward &


Partners’ fundraiser of the year award after cycling 30 miles around Ley- bourne Lakes to raise money for the charity. He has now set himself a chal- lenge for 2016, to raise £5,000 for Ellenor Lions Hos- pices, starting with the din- ner and dance


at The Bridgewood Manor Hotel in Walderslade at 7pm on Friday, Feb- ruary 5. For further details and to buy


tickets go to www.harleysdin- neranddance.eventbrite.co.uk.


Fewer deaths


A SIGNIFICANT improvement in mortality rates has been reported by NHS West Kent Clinical Com- missioning Group. This could be due to management of long-term conditions such as cardiovascular disease and breathing difficulties (COPD).


16 Maidstone East January 2016


downsmail.co.uk


Rugby club feature in proposal for 452 homes


MAIDSTONE Council has fired a shot across the bows of a landowner hoping to develop two sites in Tovil for 452 homes.


Farmland stretching from Dean


Street to Stockett Lane – with room for 452 homes, new headquarters for Maidstone Rugby Club and a GPs’ surgery – was placed on a list of potential housing sites aswell as two fields near Bydews Place, which could contain 50 houses. Following protests from local res- idents, Tovil Parish Council and Lib Dem councillors Clive English and Derek Mortimer, the borough’s strategic planning committee re- moved the land, which included a former tip, from its draft local plan. The committee felt the sites


would cause traffic problems, un- dermine the protection of the coun- tryside, would not deliver the community facilities needed in Tovil and had not been the subject of proper consultation with the local community. Cllr Mortimer said: “Ifwe had ac- cepted the recommendation, this would have allowed the sites to by- pass the regulation 18 public con- sultation process, and move straight to the next stage (regula- tion 19). “These proposed sites are very controversial locally and I could not accept that these should pass directly to regulation 19 without any input from Tovil Parish Coun-


cil or local residents when other local sites have. I am very pleased that the committee endorsed my call for removal.” Alan Firmin Ltd wants to de-


velop 28.4 hectares of land that would include a sports field for the rugby club, whose lease at The Mote Cricket Club comes up for re- newal in May 2016. Company director Paul Firmin is vice-president of the rugby club –


his late father Alan played rugby for Kent. Although based at The Mote for


more than 50 years, the club believe the new site will secure their long- term future. The cricket club have been work-


ing with Maidstone Council on a proposal for an “enabling residen- tial development” on the upper rugby pitch at Mote Park to find the £4m needed to improve its ground.


‘Village’ plan submitted


COUNTRYSIDE Properties has submitted a planning application to build a mini-village off Sutton Road, Maidstone amid hundreds of other homes already under construction to the south of the town. The proposal for 800 homes, a primary school, community hall, nursery,


creche, pub, restaurant, allotments, play area and a 60-bed care home has been lodged with Maidstone Council. The village would be called Rumwood Green and includes open land to


the south of Sutton Road, next to the Langley Park housing development, currently under construction. The developer likens the layout – off amain street, with a green – to vil-


lages such as Tenterden in the Weald of Kent and Marlborough in Wilt- shire, adding: “The village centre is intended to be the heart of this community. It does not aim to be a major shopping centre but will pro- vide a range of community services, well-located for the residential neigh- bourhoods. Any services provided here will complement those planned for Langley Park.” It says talks have already been held with KCC. A development of 800 homes, on land allocated in the council’s draft local plan, would surround the home of KCC leader Paul Carter.


£80k officer Continued from page one


Opera boost for hospice


A FESTIVAL concert featuring one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular comic operas raised £11,000 for Heart of Kent Hospice. Achoir of 150 singers, led by Maidstone Choral Union, sangHMSPinafore


at Maidstone’s Mote Hall to a packed and appreciative audience. The choir’s music director, Martin Hindmarsh, led the choir and orchestra


while Dr Colin Morris directed the 10 performers who sang the individual parts. Dr Morris, a distinguished Gilbert and Sullivan performer, also played the part of Sir Joseph Porter. An audience of more than 500 watched the performance, including the


Mayor ofMaidstone Cllr Daniel Moriarty and Cllr David Pickett, Maidstone Choral Union’s new president. The concertwas part ofVoices for Hospices, aworld-wide event held every


two years to raise funds for hospices. Maidstone Choral Union has led the event for Heart of Kent Hospice since Voices for Hospices began in 1991.


leaves his role. A council spokesman said: “The agency fees are similar to the on-costs (Na- tional Insurance, pension etc) that the council incurs for members of staff that it em- ploys directly.” Mr Spooner has pledged to create a “square mile” in Maidstone, in- cluding the rede-


velopment of land at Maidstone East station. He also hopes to influence man- agement of The Mall to bring for- ward its improvement plans. The council spokesman added:


“Mr Spooner is also responsible for planning, development and man- agement of Maidstone borough in- cluding leading the delivery of multi-million pound projects to improve the whole borough and the quality of life for all residents, not only in the town centre.”


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