News
downsmail.co.uk Wagingwar on road damage
RESIDENTS are being urged to report road problems – especially pot- holes – to the highways authority via Kent County Council’swebsite. Linton parish councillor Ron Lea-
gas,whois hoping to win the vacant Maidstone Council seat in Coxheath and Hunton at the May 5 elections, found one of residents’ chief com- plaintswas the state of the roads. Mr Leagas was particularly wor-
ried about adeep hole onWest Street near theVillage Hall in Hunton (pic- tured), which could easily cause a burst tyre. He reported it to KCC and found
it had already been reported several times and was scheduled for repair in the next fewweeks. Mr Leagas said: “The KCC web-
site is an excellent and simpleway of reporting problems on the roads, es- pecially potholes.” Residents are asked to report pot-
Two-car crash AWOMANwas flown to hospital in London by air ambulance after a two-car crash which closed the road in Nettlestead. Firefighters had to cut the woman
free following the accident in Maid- stone Road. The road had to be closed between
its junctions with Hampstead Lane and Bow Hill. Emergency crews stabilised the
vehicles before using a hydraulic ram, cutters and spreaders to create space for paramedics to get to the woman who sustained serious in- juries in the accident. Firefighters helped free her from
the wreckage and assisted the air ambulance crew at the scene before being flown to London.
Family support FAMILIES with children under five are invited to join activities at Head- corn Children’s Centre. The centre, which works with
health visitors to support families, is at the village hall in Church Lane, Headcorn and is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8.30am to 4.30pm and on Thursdays from 1.30- 4.30pm. For more information call 01622 892189 or email headcornchil-
drenscentre@kent.gov.uk.
Road accident THREEpeoplewere trapped in their vehicles following a two-car crash in Warmlake Road, Chart Sutton. Firefighters using hydraulic rescue equipment worked closely with paramedics from South East Coast Ambulance Service's Hazardous Area ResponseTeam, to create space so the casualties could be treated. Spinal longboardswere used to re-
move and transport the casualties to awaiting ambulance for further care.
28 Maidstone South April 2016
holes and other faults on line at
www.kent.gov.uk/highways, where details can be uploaded and loca- tions pinpointed on an interactive map. The site also lets residents report broken signs, overgrown trees, street light faults and traffic signal faults. Aspokesman for KCC said: “Pro-
viding this information has helped speed up the rate of repairs. “We work hard to maintain our
roads to help prevent problems and potholes in the future and typically spend around £15-20million each year on resurfacing our roads. “We schedule in planned work
each year, usually during warmer months and select the right method at the right time to get best value for
money.” KCC promises to put right most problems within 28 days, but the website also allows you to check the progress of a complaint. The site also lets you view all planned roadworks in a particular location on an interactive map and explains the process for claiming compensation for damage to your vehicle. There is also a free mobile phone
app called Fix My Street, which al- lows you to take a photo of the prob- lem which is then sent directly to KCC(or whichever local authority is responsible for highways in that par- ticular area). In the event of an emergency, res- idents should call 03000 41 81 81.
Gallery born out of flood disaster
MORE than 50 people packed into postmaster Tim Chapman’s home for the launch of the Yalding Riverside Pop Up Gallery. Visitors browsed a stunning collection of photographs and paintings by this month’s artists in residence – David Jenner (pictured) and Cheryl Johnson – while enjoying canapes made by Valerie Lovett. Tim and his wife June added a
third storey to their riverside home following the floods of 2013, which devastated many properties in Yalding. They now live on the two upper
floors of the property on the banks of the Beult, leaving the ground floor virtually empty. Both June and her daughter Mel
are talented artists and members of the Yalding Art Group and rather than see the space go to waste, they decided to open it as a popup gallery, for local artists to showcase
their work. Visitors at the launch were
captivated by David Jenner’s limited edition night and day pictures, captured painstakingly over 10or 11 hours. David took up to 1,000 photographs for each work and put them together over 100 hours, to createmoody views of
London, Venice, Southwold – and Yalding. The award-winning photographer
lives in East Peckham and has his studio in Nettlestead. As well as working in graphic design and printing, he tries to create one night and day scene each year. Cheryl Johnson, from Kingswood,
has been passionate about horses from the age of 10 and now creates equine-themed oil and mixed media paintings, both traditional and abstract. Both David and Cheryl’s work is
on display until April 27, during the gallery’s opening hours from 2-5pm on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Next month’s exhibitors are Ann
Telfer, founder of the Yalding Art Group, who has previously exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Mall Galleries and the RoyalWatercolour Society, and photographers Conrad Feaver and Valerie Lovett.
NHS director to fight suspension
AFORMERmagistrate sacked over comments he made on same-sex adoption has now been suspended from his role with the local NHS trust.
Richard Page (69), from Head-
corn,was struck off the bench after saying it was better for a man and woman to adopt a child, rather than a same-sex couple. The devout Christian has now
been suspended as a non-executive director of the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT). Mr Page worked in mental health for 20 years and served as a magis-
trate in Maidstone and Sevenoaks for more than 15, until being sacked by Lord Chancellor Michael Gove last month. The Judicial Conduct Investiga-
tions Office removed Mr Page from office after finding his views preju- dicial, but the father of three plans to take the case to an employment tribunal. Mr Page, who lives in Grigg
Lane, has said it is impossible to be a Christian and maintain a role in public life nowadays. He said: "It would appear no
longer possible to be a Christian, to state what the Bible actually says
and what the Church has believed for 2,000 years, and maintain a role in public life in today's Britain. "My seat on the NHS Trust came
as a result of my long service in mental health and total commit- ment to the NHS – none of that has changed." KMPT chairman Andrew Ling
wrote to the NHS Trust Develop- ment Authority (TDA) requesting the suspension, claiming Mr Page's comments and continuance as a trust member would have a major impact on staff and patients, partic- ularly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered staff.
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