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Local tax to support our NHS MailMarks 


WEcherish our “free” NHS health service


– but know it is far from totally free, becomes less free and will cost us more in future. We have long accepted most opticians’ and dentists’ work is charged … heavy costs of parking at hospitals…payment for prescrip- tion drugs… Government is now authorising a 2% in-


crease in council tax if ring-fenced to social care. This is closely driven by pressures on the NHS, especially hospital bed-blocking, a shortage of nursing home places and care in the community. After watching Government and the local


NHS and social care economies and councils struggle through desperately difficult finan- cial years I have no serious problem with these charges if they truly protect the health service and social care. One advantage of charging through coun-


cil tax is that generally the heavier cost will fall on those best able to pay. As a Band G council tax payer I expect I need to find about another £5 a month. Now Government is taking this council tax


route I anticipate other charges will follow. For instance, could another 1% be added to


Badgerswere there first


Dear Sir – I think Dennis Fowle (Mail Marks, December) is being unfair to badgers. Does he not think it is he who is encroaching on their land? It is always the human that is right and all the wild animals that are wrong. You only have to look around to see how


much countryside is being used up for housing to know why he is being invaded. I know it is annoying, but what about


cats?A lot of people where I live go off to work and put their cats out and it is they who ruin gardens. P Durant, Flood Hatch, Tovil


Re-open High Street


Dear Sir –With reference to your article on the proposed new traffic system the comments and proposals of Carlo Aubato are entirely correct. Every main road leading out of Maidstone has a set or sets of traffic lights which inhibit the flow of traffic out of the town and which could be eliminated by the provision of footbridges or, in other cases such as The Wheatsheaf, a roundabout. An example of inconceivable planning


was the construction of the FremlinWalk car park next to the dual carriageway along Fairmeadow. The carriageway was originally developed to ease traffic flow but is now restricted by numerous traffic lights and is often congested by traffic queuing to enter the car park.


Contact our team ...


Stephen Eighteen Editor stephen@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231


34 Maidstone East January 2016 Diane Nicholls


Assistant editor diane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 232


Jane Shotliff Journalist


jane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Dawn Kingsford


Journalist dawn@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


support our local hospitals or to finance im- provements in our seriously under-perform- ing local ambulance service? Is the time close when Government will


want us to pay a fee for GP appointments, a contribution towards surgery we elect to un- dertake (eg replacement knees or hips), hear- ing aids, preventive care and hospital meals? It is political dynamite, of course, but politi-


cians know the financial truth and at some stage they will have to reveal courage to sus- tain a health service under such pressure from increasing demands and costs and a rapidly- growing and ageing population. Calls on the Government purse are im-


mense. One way or another we are going to have to pay more to retain a high-quality health service. Just look at what residents of most other countries pay – and grit your teeth!


Whether the construction of Fremlin


Walk was actually necessary is a maer of conjecture, but entry into the car park could have been made available from Faith Street via Station Road, an area which is now virtually disused by vehicles. A similarly barren area is the top end of


the High Street which supports few shops and a vast expanse of expensive paving, presumably designed mainly for the congregation of late-night revellers, who appear to be the main category of individuals the county town has sought to aract for the past 20 years. In view of the limited number of major


shops and stores in this area of the town, surely it would also make sense to reopen the High Street to all vehicles in order to alleviate the congestion caused by channeling traffic around peripheral roads that are unable to cope with it. Ron Carr, by email


Cafe dog ban annoying


Dear Sir – Regarding your article on Cobtree Manor Park, I amalso amazed that dogs are banned from the cafe there. The thing that annoys me most is that it is claimed it is for hygiene reasons, but in the next few words it says “except for guide dogs”. What can an ordinary pet bring in from outside that guide dogs can’t? People whowalk their dogs regularly


make sure they are properly trained and are clean andwell-behaved. I would never leavemy dog outside. I


Wobbly welfare What a pity MP for Chatham and Ayles-


ford (also minister of sport) Tracey Crouch was advised to apologise for saying the cost of subscription television should not be counted when considering the level of state benefits. That should have been the starter for a


very long list. I believe it should include overseas holidays, cars, mobile phones and iPads etc… friends suggest many more. In Britain today, welfare ensures a fairer


and more compassionate society. Govern- ment now has a responsibility to try to achieve a living standard belowwhich no re- sponsible people should fall. The world has moved on since I experi-


enced my parents and other members of the family having to consider so carefully how every penny was spent to avoid the despair of poverty. I recall how my new pair of school shoes


was considered an exciting luxury. But I still look back on mostly very happy days. Many are convinced that Tracey Crouch


got it spot on.


used to go on holidays with her and most seaside cafes would let her in and she would always sit under my chair. P Durant, Flood Hatch, Tovil


Push for a bypass


Dear Sir – I read with disbelief comments made by KCC leader Paul Carter, who complains that Maidstone is one of the most congested towns in the South East, and is building too many houses and states that it sometimes takes him 15 minutes to get off his drive! Is this the same Cllr Paul Carter who is supposed to have Kent Highway Services under his control? KHS never seems to object to any planning application for housing in Maidstone and its lack of objectionwas recently stated by a government inspector as one of the reasons for allowing housing off Cripple Street (overlooking the Loose Valley), despite this area of south Maidstone suffering from appalling traffic congestion. If Cllr Carter really thinks that housing


development in Maidstone should slow down, he should exercise proper control over his own officers and also push for the construction of the long-awaited Leeds- Langley bypass. Malcolm Luxton, Chestnut Street, Borden


Parking at park a done deal Dear Sir –A documentwas placed in my


Comment


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