News
Playschemes at risk due to cuts
CHILDREN’s playschemes in Tonbridge and Malling could be axed as the borough council looks for savings of £60,000 in the activi- ties it runs for youngsters during the school holidays. Cutbacks were proposed by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee following a review of the authority’s three main holiday pro- grammes – Activate, Y2 Crew and the Summer Playscheme. Last summer, Activate provided
about 200 youngsters with activi- ties, and there were 1,416 atten- dances at the borough’s 12 Summer Playscheme centres. The council currently operates
both schemes but would withdraw from directly providing them, sav- ing £15,000 from the Activate budget and £47,000 from the playschemes, which cost £120,000. Other groups or companies would be sought to take over the running of the schemes, with the council providing £3,000 to support Acti- vate and £18,000 for the Summer Playscheme. Concessions could be kept for less fortunate families to use the priva-
tised schemes and the council could continue to provide play sessions in East Malling, Snodland and Trench ward, Tonbridge in 2016 if no one comes forward to run them. The council would maintain its support of £1,700 a year for the Y2 Crew programme, subject to other partners continuing financial con- tributions. The project provides ac- tivities for young people with more challenging behaviours. The council needs to make sav-
ings of £1.4million in its 2016/17 budget with additional potential cuts of £700,000 now having to be identified. Higher admission charges for
each child were considered but it was felt that the activities would be too expensive. Cllr Allan Sullivan, chairman of
the overview and scrutiny commit- tee, said the council faced difficult decisions through no fault of its own and could leave no stone un- turned when it came to making sav- ings. The proposalswere due to go be-
fore the council’s cabinet after the Downs Mailwent to press.
downsmail.co.uk Pupils’ boost for wildlife
PUPILS from Kings Hill helped to create wildlife havens in the nature conservation area on the development. The youngsters, who attend the new Valley Invicta Primary School, heaped woodland debris into mounds for hedghogs to hibernate in and made stone-lined hollows where lizards and slow worms can find insects as food and bask on warmer days. They also
had an
opportunity to explore the WorldWar II pillbox in the conservation area which provides a home for animals and insects. Susan
Davies, Kings Hill estatemanager, said: “Many of the children are fairly new to Kings Hill and so it was lovely to be able to show them parts of the development theymay not have seen before and for them to learn more about the habitats on their doorstep. They worked really hard and the habitats they have created will be so important for the wildlife. They enjoyed seeing the fruits of their labour and I hope they will continue to visit the site to see how things are going.” Headteacher Sarah Bone said: “Our aim is to enrich the curriculum
by learning outside the classroom. It has been a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn more about nature and appreciate the environment they live in as well as seeing how they can help animals and insects.”
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For children and adults Start April 2016 3-5 / 5-8 / 9-11 / GCSE / Adults
Kings Hill - Maidstone - Sandling - Detling
10
Malling February 2016
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