News 78% of pupils


hiing targets MORE than three-quarters of pri- mary school children in the Maid- stone area are meeting key government targets in reading, English and maths. The annual standard assessment


test results (SATs) reveal that 78% of children in the borough achieved the targets in all three subjects, up 8% on last year. The Government expects all pri-


mary schools to make sure at least 65% of pupils attain level four. In Maidstone, 87% of children


made the grade in reading and writing. The figure was 83% for maths. At Mereworth Primary School


100% of pupils attained level four in all three areas, with 73% of them reaching level five in reading. At St John’s School, Grove Green,


97% attained level four across the board and 75% of pupils were at level five in reading. Several schools notched up more than 90% across the three core subjects, in- cluding Kingswood Primary School, Oaks Academy in Man- gravet, Palace Wood at Allington, Loose and Roseacre, Bearsted. KCC’s cabinet member for educa-


tion, Roger Gough said: “These are extremely good figures, especially as Key Stage 2 is an area where we have been relatively weak. There are clear signs that we are moving in the right direction, thanks to the hard work of heads, teachers and the children themselves.We accept that there are still schools where further improvements are needed andwe are working hard to ensure that this happens.”


Higher fines


for dog mess MAIDSTONE Council is to impose the toughest fines the law will allow on irresponsible dog owners and litter bugs from April 1. Councillors have approved a £5


rise in fixed penalty fines for those 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 permit- ted under the Clean Neighbour- hood and Environment Act 2005 – will reduce litter and fouling in the borough’s parks and open spaces. A report 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 further deter offenders.” Private company Kingdom has


held the contract to enforce litter controls in the borough since 2011 and has issued nearly 19,000 fixed penalty fines.


22 Malling January 2016


downsmail.co.uk


Rugby club features 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.


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 Opera boost for hospice


A FESTIVAL concert featuring one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular comic operas raised £11,000 for the 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.


awardedWard & Partners’ fundraiser of the year award after cycling 30 miles around Leybourne Lakes to raise money for the charity. He has now set him- self a challenge


for 2016, to raise £5,000 for Ellenor Lions Hospices, starting with the dinner and dance at The Bridge- wood Manor Hotel inWalderslade at 7pm on Friday, February 5. For further details and to buy


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


Get fit with swimming tracker


SWIMMERSbored with counting lengths can take advantage of a new tracker system launched by tmactive, which operates leisure centres on behalf of Tonbridge and Malling Council. The technology, known as Swimtag, has been installed at Tonbridge Swimming Pool to allow gymand spa members to get more from their sessions in the pool. It is the only place in Kent to offer the swimming aid.


Suitable for every level of swim-


mer it records all their swims, al- lowing them to monitor their progress, set challenges and take part in online competitions. Specific targets can be set, based


on calories, distance, speed or lengths, allowing a swimmer to work to their personal targets, whether it beweight loss, stamina or swimming progression. To benefit from the training aid, all you need to do is swipe your


membership card at reception, pick up a wristband and hit the pool. After your swim, return the wristband to the docking station and your data is analysed and up- loaded automatically. You can access your personal profile on your smart phone or computer and share the results with your friends via Twitter and Facebook. For more details, visit ton- bridgepool.co.uk.


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