News


downsmail.co.uk Relief road scheme to gopublic


A PUBLIC consultation on options for a Leeds-Langley relief road will be held before the end of the year.


A Kent County Council-led scheme will come up with a series of proposals to first be considered by affected parish councils. Cllr Gary Cooke, who is leading


the campaign to secure a new road, said the scheme would cost "north of £50m". He said: "I will continue to bash


myhead against a brickwall because a relief road is the most important thing we can do in terms of deliv- ery."


KCC's head of transportation, Tim


Read, said the authority must work hard in the next two years to make the case that a relief road will bring "significant benefits" to Willington Street, Wheatsheaf and theA274 Sut- ton Road, to justify it being built. KCChas set a timescale of deliver-


ing a proposal by 2019 so that it can be included in a reviewed LocalPlan in 2021, after which funds could be sought. Mr Read refused to discuss routes


for fear it will cause housing blight. But topographical and other sur-


veys are to be carried out in the com- ing months to assess the suitability of each route.


Dentists told


to ‘clean up‘ A DENTAL surgery in Maid- stone has been ordered to make improvements after an inspection by the Care Quality Commission. Areport on the College Den-


tal Surgeries criticised the practice for having “only one mop and bucket to clean the floors, including the toilets and the treatment rooms”, an- other surgery for being “clut- tered” and said not enough was being done to reduce un- necessary exposure to radia- tion from X-rays. There was also criticism that


three staff members at the prac- tice, run by Nicholas Spilker, had not been thoroughly inves- tigated to ensure theywere safe to work with vulnerable adults and children. In spite of the need to im-


prove, with requirement no- tices issued over concerns about safety and leadership at the College Road practice, sur- gery and staff were praised in all other areas for their care of patients, and the responsive- ness and effectiveness of care. Downs Mail approached the practice for a comment but re- ceived no reply.


14 Maidstone Weald March 2017


Mr Read addressing the meeting with Cllr Gary Cooke andMPHelen Whately By going alone, Cllr Cooke and


KCC have effectively side-stepped Maidstone Borough Council and the cross-party Joint Transportation Board. The JTB has been mulling over three options for a relief road for months. Speaking at a public meeting at St Nicholas Church in Otham, Cllr Cooke said he was acting "without necessarily the support from other authorities", a clear reference to ten-


price tag. MBC transport chief David Bur-


ton, who represents Marden and Yalding and also attended the meet- ing, said he "completely" supports a Leeds-Langley relief road and saw last night's announcement as "good news and more good news". Headded:"KCCis the one and the


only highways authority and no one else can do it. If there is a tangible plan in place, we can raise money through development or via various government pots. It sounds like by the end of the year we might have some tangibles." Current strict rules mean that


sions between KCC and MBC over the effects of its house-building pro- gramme on local roads. MP Helen Whately said she was


urging the local planning inspector to "think again" about Maidstone's housing policy. Chairman of LeedsParish Council


John Govett said a £2,000 levy per new home proposed by Maidstone Borough Council would help to raise a significant proportion of the road's


levies can only be charged on devel- opments for specific projects, but once Maidstone's Local Plan is adopted, it can move to a more flex- ible arrangement which will make raising funds easier. Ukip borough councillor John Barned, also at the meeting, said: "Gary is not saying anything new. It is just a stunt because the county council elections are coming up in May. Why didn't he bring this for- ward years ago? He's been a county councillor for eight years."


Children’s author visits pupils Power cut help


MUCH-loved children’s author Lotte Moore will visit pupils at Sutton Valence Primary School to celebrateWorld Book Day. The 81-year-old author, who grewup in


Kent and whose parentswere friends with Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill, was expected to have lots to tell pupils. Her latest book, Lotte’s War, reached number one in the Amazon charts over Christmas and is proving a hit with teach- ers, children and parents. Tola Okogwu will also speak at Kingswood and Ulcombe primary schools. The Kent author and blogger is behind the highly successful Daddy Do My Hair? chil- dren’s picture book series.


HOMEOWNERSare reminded of a new register that helps vulnerable people during a power cut. The Priority Services Register is


run by UK Power Networks for those who rely on power for med- ical needs, have young children or are recovering from an operation. Those signing up receive a free


pack containing a wall torch, glow stick and a storage bottle where people can keep vital personal and medical information in the event of an emergency. Apply at www.ukpowernet- works.co.uk/priority, call 0800 169 9970, or email psr@ukpowernet- works.co.uk


David is new chairman ofNHSTrust


MAIDSTONE and TunbridgeWells NHS Trust has welcomed David Highton into the chair. Mr Highton is a ministerial ad- viser in Qatar. Be- fore that, David worked in the in- dependent health sector, and was an NHS chief execu- tive from 1991 to 2003, including at the Chelsea and


Westminster Hospital NHS Trust and the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.


Chartered accountantMrHighton


has worked in publishing, property services, the brewing industry, an in- dustrial starches business, and in the City before joining the NHS as a fi- nance director in 1990. He takes up the post in May, suc- ceeding Anthony Jones, who retires as chairman on February 28, after serving two full terms of office. In the meantime, Kevin Tallett, non-executive director and vice- chairman, will act in a caretaker ca- pacity. Mr Highton said: “I am proud and privileged to be appointed as


chairman of the trust. I look forward to working with colleagues across all our hospitals and sites, and building strong and productive relationships with all stakeholders and partners.” Mr Highton, who is married with


a grown-up family, has links with Kent, having spent his childhood himself in Meopham and Sitting- bourne. He lives in Whitstable. Non-executive appointments to


NHSTrustsmadebyNHSImprove- ment are subject to the Governance Code for Public Appointments. Mr Highton will be paid £40,000


per annum.


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