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Medway merger on cards? MailMarks


IF our borough of Maidstone, faced with


devolution challenges, decided it must be part of a local authority merger which direction would you choose? Your options could be:  SOUTH/WEST – with TunbridgeWells, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling.  NORTH – with Medway, Swale, Grave- sham, Dartford.  EAST – with Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet, Shepway, Dover. Sadly, this is no hypothetical question.Gov- ernment is set on a nationwide devolution programme and supports in many ways (in- cluding increasing financial support and local powers) Local Enterprise Partnerships based on “functional economic areas”. Maidstone, with its population of about 160,000, is likely to be too small, and opinions grow that we will have to seek neighbouring partners. Talk across Kent is well-advanced. Many Kent district councils are already suf-


fering seriously from major reductions in gov- ernment grants. Maidstone is among them, and as our coun-


Pupils often leftwaiting


IWAS most interested to read the article in January's edition of the Malling Downs Mail regarding Arriva buses and find it incredible that its spokesman suggests that the non- arrival of a bus service is an unusual occurrence. I have been complaining to Arriva since September 2015 about the poor performance of the 577 and the 77 services fromWest Malling to Tonbridge, which regularly either run late or do not turn up at all and often without any explanation on thewebsite. The usual excuses are heavy traffic, roadworks or breakdowns or, one memorable time, the bus ran out of petrol! When the bus breaks down it is extremely


rare for Arriva to send a replacement – usually the children have to simplywait for the next service to come along, which sometimes can be over an hour later. Complaining appears to have no beneficial


effect, as it seems that Arriva have no contractual responsibility to perform to a beer standard as they get reimbursed the full fare of all schoolchildren, whether they operate a good, bad or indifferent service. Their customer service is just as bad. I think you would find that if you spoke to


any parent whose child uses Arriva services travelling in any direction, then their thoughts would be the same as mine. Clare Innes, via email


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


cil faces the challenges of the grant soon dis- appearing altogether – at a time when it can- not increase its share of the council tax above 2% – the cuts are becoming very painful and affecting our standard of life. Things will get worse. Government says: “It is for places to deter-


mine how best to grow their local economies and government to devolve freedoms and flexibilities.” That is what Kent is trying to do now. Our historical towns are reluctant to give up their independence and old enmities and jealousies with neighbours come to the fore. But most accept that the status quo is not


really available – and their taxpayers and towns are likely to lose out seriously if they


History could inspire pride


IT IS possible that the defacing of the memorial to Captain Louis Nolan – who died in the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade – in Maidstonewas perpetrated by feral youngsters ignorant of the life and times of this brave soldier or of the other Maidstone notables who influenced our country by their talents, intellect and character. William Hazli andWilliam Alexander


come to mind. If such local historywas taught in schools it would surely go a long way to providing that sense of pride which is the antidote to yobbery and social disaffection and would be a contrast to the steady diet of football “celebrity” and sexual pap fed to them by the media. Anne Clarke, Maidstone Edward Thompson, Bearsted


Ultimate charity marathon


MYSON Fabrice Klein is 32 years old, formerly from Snodland, where he lived until moving to Bolton to go to university. He aended More Park Primary School, West Malling and Simon Stock Secondary School, Maidstone. He has always been a very athletic person, playing many sports both at school and club levels. He studied sports science at university and also has levels 1 and 2


dig in their heels. Sadly, there has been little love lost over the


years between Tonbridge and Malling and Maidstone and this could be a barrier in Maidstone looking west and south. Tonbridge worries about Maidstone’s


claims on Aylesford, Ditton, Larkfield, Her- mitage Lane and Coldharbour etc. They are so obviously linked to Maidstone


– and Tonbridge development right on our boundary is not going down at allwell, espe- cially off Hermitage Lane. The choice facing towns is trying to form fully-governing unitary authorities or linking in other approvedways while retaining some powers and identity.





Time to cherish THE current Graham Clarke exhibition


(until March 17) at Maidstone Museum is not to be missed. His work always leaves me feeling happy! What an imagination and sense of humour. It is a time to cherish the talent of our local artist.


Premier Training. He took up running following the premature birth of his first nephew, Joshua and after running a few low-key short distance runs, ran the London Marathon for Bliss (premature&sick babies charity). He is a now a sub-three hour marathon runner, a half and full Ironman, a Centurian(100 miles in under 24 hours) and, two years ago, he completed the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert (six marathons in five days). He has raised £3,000 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of my father, who died from a heart aack, and another £3,000 for Mind following the death of my brother. Following the death last year of one of my friends, who had suffered a severe stroke, he has again decided to run for the Stroke Association Charity. As you will see mfrom his fundraising


page, he intends to run the 100km (63-mile) Canalathon ultramarathon from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester and back again. He will then take a seven day break before


seven marathons in seven days, finishing with the Brighton marathon on Sunday, April 9 – a total of 250 miles over twoweeks He is currently employed by Serco, as a transition and transformation manager, based in Bolton, Lancashire. Anyone who would like to sponsor him can do so online - go to virginmoneygiving.com and search for Fabrice Klein Kim Klein, via email


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