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downsmail.co.uk Cash for dismissed mill workers
ALMOST 100 workers who worked at Aylesford Newsprint have been awarded a share of £750,000 for being dismissed without consultation.
However, because the Larkfield-
based company went into adminis- tration early last year, the workers may get less than half that figure. The workers,whoare members of
the country’s largest union Unite, are classed as unsecured creditors and will only receive £321,000 – al- though it could be boosted by the sale of the company’s land, expected to raise several million pounds. An employment tribunal decided
that the workers should receive a “protective” award because the company dismissed 20 or more em- ployees without proper consultation
Academy’s head named
FUTURE Schools Trust has an- nounced the appointment of Is- abelle Linney-Drouet as principal of Cornwallis Academy. Mrs Linney-Drouet joined the school in Lin- ton in Septem- ber last year on an interim basis but has now accepted a permanent contract. Sir Nick
Williams, chief executive of
Future Schools Trust, said: “The governing body agreed it has been extremely impressed by Isabelle’s leadership since she joined in an acting capacity and is delighted to appoint her to the post. “In the six months Isabelle has
been at Cornwallis, she has already made a number of important changes to the running of the school andwe look forward to see- ing her lead the academy towards even greater success.” Mrs Linney-Drouet was previ-
ously vice-principal at Highworth Grammar School, Ashford, where she was responsible for raising the achievement of pupils to outstand- ing levels. She officially relinquished this
post at Easter. Mrs Linney-Drouet said: “I am delighted to accept the permanent role of principal at Cornwallis Academy. “I look forward to continuing the
invaluable relationships with stu- dents, parents and staff, to ensure we achieve only the best possible outcomes.”
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22 Maidstone Town April 2016
with their representative, in this case, Unite. In an insolvency situation, em-
ployees can claim up to eightweeks’ pay arrears capped at the statutory maximum (in this case £464 per week) from the Government’s re- dundancy fund. Unite regional officer Tim Elliott
said: “The total value of the protec- tive award to our members is about £750,000.However, as the company is insolvent it is unlikelywe will re- cover the full amount. The £321,000 will be paid to our members from the government’s redundancy fund.
“The sale of the company’s land
will raise several million pounds so it is possible that our members may also recover additional cash on top of that paid by the fund, but it won’t be the full amount. “While we know that our mem-
bers won’t get the full amount they deserve and are owed, Unite’s legal services team battled to get them the maximum amount possible under current legislation.” Eighty workers who were dis- missed on February 24, 2015, should each have received eight weeks’ pay. They are expected to receive
about £3,700 each – a total of £296,000. Eighteen workerswere dismissed
on April 30 last year. As the 90-day protected period started on Febru- ary 24, theywere entitled to 25 days pay. These members should each re- ceive three weeks pay from the re- dundancy fund, which will amount to about £1,300 per person – £25,000 in total. Aylesford Newsprint fell victim of
the dramatic downward trend in newspaper sales and when it went into administration more than 230 jobswere lost.
Neighbourhoodwatch chair quits
THE chairman of Maidstone and District NeighbourhoodWatch has resigned. JimWilson (right),whohas been a member of the association for six years and its chairman for the past two and a half, has resigned as chair- man but is remaining a member of the committee. Members have elected Linda Sinclair, from Barm- ing, who was the association secre- tary for nine years, as his successor. The association is still struggling
to attract members to the committee, despite a plea at the lastAGMin No-
vember.Although one new member came forward, another one resigned after being involved for 22 years Mr Wilson said: “We really need
some younger blood.We are all get- ting older but not being replaced – and young people nowadays are so very, very busy. The scheme
has been run- ning in Maid- stone since the 1980s, providing crime and safety awareness and advice through- out the borough. There are cur-
rently 485 coordinatorswhodissem- inate information to 14,000 households. The committee has a secretary and treasurer but needs six people in-
Was town ready forWitches? By Dennis Fowle
EASTWICKwas not ready for the raunchy antics of the Devil and three witches.Was Maidstone? Answers will vary widely. Maidstone Amateur Operatic Society, with a proud tradition of bringing popular musicals and light opera to the town, bravely staged the 2000 American show, TheWitches of Eastwick, which tells of the impact of the rampant Devil arriving in a small town and especially on three attractive but frustrated ladies. Their an- tics and language left a little to the imagination. It gave a large cast a chance to enjoy a very lively show and the
dance and choral scenes were colourful highlights. The lasting memory, though, is confident performances and voices of the three witches (Lili Westlake, Kathryn Norman and Christina Whitehead) and the power of Ben Smyth as a very unlikeable Devil. The mix of contrived American accents and some strident music
did not always make listening and understanding easy. The society is promising us Sweet Charity on April 3-8, 2017.
Drink-driver banned by court THOMAS Frankham (49) was banned from driving for 18 months and fined £120 at Mid Kent Magistrates’ Court after he admitted drink driv- ing.
Frankham, of Highcroft Green, Park Wood drove a Mercedes E350 in Albion Place, Maidstone, and gave a breath test of 65mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. He must also pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
cluding a database manager, prod- ucts manager (dealing with pur- chasing and selling) and website manager, all of whom are prepared to give up two hours for meetings once a month. MrWilson, fromPenenden Heath,
said: “Linda is the ideal candidate to fill the position of chairman and she brings with her a unique historical knowledge of the association. She has many contacts with the co-ordi- nators and police representatives.” In a letter to members, he said: “I
thank and acknowledge the support you have given me during my tenure as chairman and sincerely hope that some of you will consider becoming committee members.”
Charity jump
A RETIRED builder from Shepway is to undertake a 111m bungee jump for charity.
Ray Taylor (75) will jump from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for the Heart of Kent Hospice, which cared for his wife Mary dur- ing the last weeks of her life. The couple would have cele- brated 50 years of
marriage in November. Ray is halfway to his £10,000 tar- get for the Aylesford hospice. He said: “I want to give something back to those who cared so wonderfully for my wife.”
The pensioner, from Shropshire
Terrace, thanked his friend Michael Lawrence, from Bearsted, for his support and Leroy Tomlin, from Maidstone, who will fly with him to Zimbabwe on September 5. Ray will pay for the trip himself to ensure every penny raised goes to the hospice. To sponsor him go to
www.virginmoneygiving.com/Ray- Taylor.
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