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Little ones deserve better MailMarks


THE plight of four-and five-year-olds


faced with a 6am start to an 11-hour day to aend allocated Langley Park School has touched many hearts. Most expected to aend East Borough School, which is within easywalking distance of their homes. There are several very lile ones, including some from Vinters and Detling, who need to catch a bus to Maidstone at about 6.30am to pick up the Tenterden bus arriving at Langley at 7.41. An accompanying parent faces a nightmare there-and-back journey twice a day. And the fare will be £800 a year for both parent and infant. These are the early victims of Maidstone’s massive population growth, and with the borough’s Local Plan figure now set at an evidence-based 18,000-plus new houses to meet Government demands,we face infrastructure challenges of nightmare proportions not only on schools but on hospitals, GPs, other NHS services, social care and on our roads. It would be more comforting if Maidstone Council and Kent County Councilwere united in planning to meet these challenges, but they are set to be at each other’s throats when a Government inspector will consider many objections at a Local Plan public inquiry and decide if KCC has a case for a considerably smaller


Mind the teaching gap


WHILST I recognise the need for more housing to meet the needs of our expanding population, I fear for the health of our schools. More children means more schools are needed – but they have to be schools fit for purpose.Not every town is lucky enough to have a Valley Invicta Academies Trust overseeing the management of both primary and secondary schools. But there is a national shortage of good teachers joining the profession these days – and that is where it might come unstuck. P Corry, via email.


Brexit not the world’s end


IN LIGHT of the Brexit vote, it is perhaps a good time for the country to pause and re- flect what it iswe have now go. For those of us old enough to remember


times before entering the European Union – or Common Market as it was once known – it is hardly a leap in the dark as far as our country is concerned. What was once a post-war trade agreement


to ensure the countries of Europe stayed friends through mutual inter-dependence is now a huge behemoth of vested interests and political chicanery.


Contact our team ...


Simon Finlay Editor simon.finlay@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231


34 Malling July 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


housing target. In the light of immense Government pressures it will not be an easy case to win. This friction is evident in the North Maidstone schools places horror story. KCC has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places and operates five- year rolling plans, updated annually, for relatively small areas. It says it identified pressure in Maidstone north, largely driven by new housing and inward migration, andwas grateful to East Borough Primary School for agreeing an additional reception-year class for 30 pupils. KCC points out the new Jubilee Primary


(Free) Schoolwas proposed to open for 60 pupils a year within Maidstone north. But the government funding agency determined it would be sited in Gatland Lane, serving MaidstoneWest planning group. Then Maidstone Council imposed a planning condition limiting intake to 30 pupils a year, reducing Maidstone’s primary school capacity at a time of very significant demand.


It is probably a world we can do without.


There will be some turbulent times as a new Prime Minister is found but, after that, the de- parture can be managed in a calm and sensible way. Far from a time for crowing in victory, surely


it is a time for us all to be moderate, tolerant and astute. Europe and all its parts should remain a


friend and ally. R Shanks, via email


Parking charge backfires


REFERENCE the parking charges inWest Malling. I no longer visitWest Malling and the simple reason is the parking charges. I don’t like being charged to park my car. I understand that it is something that


seems to happen everywhere eventually, but it doesn’t make it all right. One ofWest Malling’s great charmswas


the ability to find a space in easywalking distance of the shops, have a browse (in my case, the charity shops’ excellent second- hand books), have a cup of coffee or a spot of lunch, hit Tesco for a few bits and pieces, use the cashpoint, browse some more and pick up a few things such as a birthday present before heading home. I amretired, I amon a fixed income and I


KCC says it is now looking at a permanent expansion of East Borough School to meet future demand. And sustained demand in Maidstone north has led to discussions with the Education Funding Agency over establishing a new free school in Maidstone north to provide long-term capacity. On the broader front KCC says it has


seen significant demand for school places arising from new housing developments in Maidstone. “In the absence of the borough council formally adopting a revised Local Plan it is difficult to plan for additional school places that may be required. Planning applications for development are likely to continue to be submied ahead of the Local Plan adoption, presenting further challenges to efficient provision planning. “It is imperative the borough council continues ongoing discussions with KCC in relation to education provision to ensure appropriate provision is accounted for over the short, medium and long terms and proposals where adequate provision cannot be provided are resisted.” So there is a big story behind these lile


ones’ horrendous school day. It stretches from the EU debate on immigration to the relationship between Maidstone and Kent councils and Government’s requirements in Maidstone’s Local Plan. The toddlers deserve beer from us.


cannot easily afford the charges. But I am not prepared to be charged for something that was once free. The last time I passed throughWest Malling, I counted 50-odd free spaces. It is small wonder that you reported recently of the horrendous difficulties the traders now find themselves facing. The imposition of parking charges these


days tends to be for a revenue stream rather than the prevention of anything negative, such as anti-social parking or whatever. I genuinely feel for the traders, especially


the independents, as they must be having a hard time of it. They’ll certainly feel the strain in the run -up to Christmas. Tonbridge and Malling Council should


take a long, hard look at themselves and conclude that the year-long review period is far too long and one must hope that they see sense before any real damage is done to the businesses of a lovely, lile town. The parish council is fighting the proposals and that is good. Tonbridge and Malling Council appears to have backed itself into a corner now with no easyway to save face. So thank you, our local media, for keeping this issue alive and in the forefront of people’s minds. J Burns, Ashford, vial email.


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