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downsmail.co.uk Emily’s bale forWestminster


A FORMER Invicta Grammar School pupil has been chosen to represent the Liberal Democrats at the next general election in theMaidstone and theWeald constituency. Oxford graduate Emily Fermor


(23), of Coxheath, will take on Helen Grant, the sitting Conserva- tive MP. Miss Fermorwas elected by a sin-


gle vote in May’s borough council elections to the Coxheath and Huntonward, beating the Tories. She was part of Lib Dem parlia- mentary candidate Jasper Gerard’s general election team in 2015. Mr Gerard, who was heavily beaten by Mrs Grant despite hav- ing run awell-organised campaign, welcomed her appointment. Miss Fermor, who works as a consultant for a London public re- lations firm, said: “I am proud of our county town and believe we need a local person representing us with energy, enthusiasm and a commitment to the local area – something we have not had for a number of years. “I have lived in Maidstone all of


my life and have a knowledge and understanding of our town and vil-


Chairman dies


THE chairman of Coxheath and Loose Active Retirement Associa- tion, Alan Turner, has died. Mr Turner had lived in Coxheath


for more than 25 years. A spokesman for CALARA said:


“Alan worked tirelessly for CALARA for the whole of its 17 year existence. “Hewas also the chairman of the management committee for the Coxheath Residents’ Village Hall and will be sadly missed.”


Karaoke night UNLEASH your inner singer at Hunton Village Club karaoke night. All are welcome rfom 8pm on Saturday, October 8. Entrance is free and there is no pressure to sing although there are more than 5,500 songs to choose from.


MARDEN councillor David Bur- ton says the borough council must re-examine its parks policy, which is poised to close the village’s pop- ular play area for youngsters. The community maintains the


2014 review of Maidstone’s play parks was wrong to declare The Cockpit play area “non-strategi- cally important” because of its proximity to the playing field. Villagers say the two are used


by totally different age groups. The playing field is popular with teenagers and the borough coun- cil-funded Cockpit is preferred by younger children.


4 Maidstone South October 2016


represent the people of Maid- stone.” Miss Fermor said the Lib Dems


are now on standby for a general election next spring. Mr Gerard, who is now em-


ployed as a campaigner for the party’s HQ, said: “Emily was part of my team in 2015 and was ab- solutely brilliant. She worked in- credibly hard and is very popular. She’ll make a fantastic candidate.” Mrs Grant swept into the seat in


Emily Fermor, centre, on the campaign trail


lages that can’t be taught. I relish the opportunity to prove myself in the coming years. “Nationally, the country is in cri-


sis. Both the Conservatives and Labour are focused entirely on in- fighting while the economy wors- ens, threatening jobs, public services and our efforts to build the houses Britain so badly needs.”


Miss Fermor, who lives with her parents in Heath Road, attended a state primary school in Boughton Monchelsea before attending In- victa. She studied history at Mag- dalen College, Oxford. She added: “I am incredibly


proud to have been selected to stand as the candidate in my home town. It would be a huge honour to


2015 with a majority of more than 10,000 and few will give Miss Fer- mor much chance of winning the seat. She was approached for a comment. Mr Gerard worked the patch full


time for more than three years, and made significent gains through local campaigning. However, a change in the na-


tional mood towards the end of the Tory campaign convinced voters to turn away from the Lib Dems, who suffered a catastrophic collapse.


Castle is setting for flower festival


ENOUGH flowers to fill eight vans were exhibited throughout the rooms of Leeds Castle at its breath- taking five-day Festival of Flowers. Providing the perfect backdrop for


the 20,000 stems of flowers and foliage, brought together in elaborate floral displays by 28 designers, there was plenty for visitors to feast their eyes on. The event, opened by TV garden personality Joe Swift,was expected to have been seen by 13,500 visitors. Visitors included TV presenter Jan Leeming and Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant. Taking this year’s trophy for the


best floral display was the castle’s head florist Louise Roots, with her design A Royal Banquet.


International floral designer


Dennis Kneepkens is pictured here putting the finishing touches to his


courtyard displayWhimsical Woodland at the Festival of Flowers: A Queen’s Castle.


Councillor joins fight for play area Fostering plea MP Helen Grant, Marden Chil-


dren’s Centre, the parish council and Cllr Burton have all been lob- bying the council to reconsider its threat to withdraw funding. Cllr Burton said: “Unfortu- nately, the council strategy sets an arbitrary closure on play parks if another exists a 12-minute walk away, but this fails to recognise the distinct age groups that use each of these amenities. “It also fails to recognise that parents favour The Cockpit be- cause their children are within sight and don’t need to cross the road to get to the playing field.


“Since 2014, the funding avail-


able has changed, as has Govern- ment guidance on open spaces and the policy needs to be revis- ited.


“The council’s arbitrary 12- minute rule is failing to look at the other key issues of social dy- namics, age groups, safety and community need.” Jason Taylor, the council’s


parks and leisure manager, said: “With reference to the Cockpit play areawe are working with all interested parties to see if a mu- tually agreeable solution can be found.”


MORE foster homes are urgently needed in the Maidstone area ac- cording to Kent County Council (KCC) which saysdemandfor carers is reaching “crisis point”. Maidstone has been identified as a priority are by the county council which needs to find 200 places. In Kent this year, 1,593 children en-


tered care compared to 899 in 2013/4. KCC needs homes for teenagers, children with disabilities and sibling groups as well as unaccompanied young asylum seekers. To find out more visit www.kent- fostering.co.uk or phone 03000 420002 to speak to an advisor.


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