News Tory resigns -


poll is called THE chairman of Langley Parish Council is theConservative candi- date to replace Michael Hemsley onMaidstone Borough Council. Mr Hemsley stepped down


from his role last month, trigger- ing a by-election in the northward on the borough council. Hewas the only Tory councillor


in the ward, having won his seat by just 25 votes in 2015. The other two seats went to the Liberal De- mocrats. Four candidates will be in the


running for the by-election onNo- vember 30. Cheryl Taylor-Maggio, chair-


man of Langley Parish Council, will be looking to cling on to the seat for the Tories. Rob Field will be standing for


the Lib Dems, who will be look- ing to increase their grasp on the council they control. Maureen Cleatorwill be looking to become the third Labour councillor on the borough council, while Derek Eagle is the Green Party candi- date. Mrs Taylor-Maggio has achieved recent prominence by publicly voicing concerns for Lan- gley –which is in the south of the borough and where she lives – should a relief road be built to link theA274 andA20.


downsmail.co.uk


Toddlers’ play area is earmarked for closure


RESIDENTSsay itwouldbe “ludi- crous” to lose a play area aimed at toddlers on aWeavering estate. The play park on Franklin Drive,


whichhas swings, a roundabout and a small car, is one of 20 earmarked for closure by Maidstone Borough Council. However, the proposal for a blan-


ket closure of all the sites was re- jected by councillors, who will instead review each site to deter- mine its “strategic importance”. One key element of that is to en-


sure that all houses are within a 12- minutewalk of a play area – but that means those with another close by are at risk. Malcolm Barber, who lives in


Franklin Drive, is adamant that re- gardless of how close it may be to other sites, the local play area is vital to his community. “This is such an important facil-


ity,”he said. “Youcanseehowmuch itmeans to people around here. It’s our pride and joy really. “Iusedto bringmy grandchildren


here, andthey’re in their 20s now.To lose this now would be ludicrous –


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CllrWendy Hinder with local resident MalcolmBar- ber at the Franklin Drive play park


this is theperfect spot for aplay area. “You read about obesity and


everything else andthen they’re tak- ing play areas away. You can’t have it bothways.We’ve got to safeguard our little play areas for the future.” Borough CouncillorWendy Hin-


der, who also sits on Boxley Parish Council, is determined to save the play area. “The little ones really love it,” she


said. “I was appalled that they’d worked out the strategic play areas to be within a 12-minute walk.Mal- colm(Barber) said therewas noway he could walk to the next nearest play areawithin 12minutes.Alot of


parents in that estate will take their children out after tea before they go to bed,which is a brilliant idea. “I feel very strongly about it – and


the one in Shepherds Gate Drive. The one in Shepherds Gate Drive is not too far from Weavering Street, but these ones are for toddlers. I’ve been past there at 9.30amand itwas overrun with parents who’d obvi- ously taken older children to school andwere stopping on theway back. An MBC spokesman said the


council would again be looking at the play areas theymaintain – some 73 across the borough – beforemak- ing decisions on theway forward.


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