News


Fears rubbishmountain is to reach newheights


A LEADING light within waste management at Kent County Council warns a population ex- plosion, as new homes are built across Maidstone, will see the area’s rubbish mountain grow as never before. Geoff Cloke issued his warning


as local tips struggle to keep up with public demand. The facility at Tovil - a favoured dump forMaid- stone’s recyclers - is nowat “burst- ing point”, he said. While the predicted increase in


traffic is already being felt as the first of 17,660 homes are built in the Maidstone borough, issues like rubbish disposal are among a growing number of utility issues coming to the fore. In 2016, Maidstone’s population


was put at 166,360 – up 14%on the previous decade. Once government’s recent impo-


sition of another 7,000 plus homes is added onto those in the Local Plan, Maidstone’s population will almost certainly break the 200,000 barrier for the first time. Mr Cloke is the county council’s


contracts and compliance officer for waste management at Tovil tip inMaidstone. He said: “The number of new


homes in Maidstone over the next 14 years is being mirrored by bor- oughs across Kent. “Soon we will have another


TOP-flight apprentice Louis Broad (pictured) was in no danger of being fired when he went before his boss. The 20-year-old former student


at Valley Park school inMaidstone, took an apprenticeship with Kent County Council (KCC), and is about to finish his course eight months early. Louis, who works as a busi-


quarter of amillion people living in Kent and that means much more rubbish.” But


the 62-year-old former


banker and policeman of 30 years, from Maidstone, believes that while the 720,000 tonnes of rubbish produced annually in Kent has the potential to soar, the public is bet- ter placed to respond to the rise in rubbish than ever before. But, he believes the case formore


incinerators, like that at Allington, is nowgrowing. The energy-from-waste plant


utilises all of the county’s “black bag” domestic waste, producing enough electricity to keep the lights on acrossMaidstone for a year, day and night. At the tip in Tovil, domestic


ness support assistant – dealing with tasks including processing staff benefits and members’ grants – achieved his Level 3 inOp- erational Delivery (Advanced) in little over a year. As a reward, he joined KCC chair-


man David Brazier at a lunch with five colleagues from the Engage- ment, Organisation, Design and


waste is separated and items in- cluding glass, wood, metal and plastics are sent for recycling. However, in Maidstone, the


amount of “black bag”, or unsepa- rated domestic refuse, is creeping back up and finding its way to the tip – more than anywhere else in the county. Mr Cloke said: “When Tovil tip


opened in the 1980s everything went to landfill. “Now, our range of recycling op-


tions mean we are one of the first councils in the country sending less than 2%ofwaste to landfill. “But the huge growth in popula-


tionmeans Tovil is nowat bursting point, with the site designed for about half the number now using it.”


You’re hired! Louis shines in apprentice tasks


Development team, who he works with, for their contribution to ex- cellent service. Louis, who studied IT, literature


and history, said: “When I left school, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted but an apprenticeship al- lows you to gain experience in the world of work. You can find out how a business functions and deal with high-profile things if you show you’re competent, and earn while you learn.” He says the skills he has learned


will benefit him now and in future roles, as well as in his outside ac- tivities which include organising gigs for his band Fortune Favours. Meanwhile, KCC bosses have


been so impressed with him, they have offered hima full-time job. Louis added: “The apprentice-


ship has benefitedmy confidence. “It’s important for people to do


what’s right for them, but I would definitely encourage people to consider an apprenticeship.”


32 Maidstone February 2018


downsmail.co.uk


Car robbery at Christmas


POLICE have appealed for wit- nesses after a woman had her car stolen on Christmas Day. A woman in her 60s was in her


car in FullingpitsAvenue at around 7.30pm when she was approached by amanwho threatened herwith a long object. He told her he “needed her car”,


a red 54 plate Ford Focus, and she got out of the vehicle, at which point he got in and sped off to- wards the town centre. The car was later found aban-


doned in Mangravet Avenue, where it had crashed into some railings. DCRayDusanjh said: “Although


the victimwas unharmed, thiswas a distressing incident for her and we are keen to catch the offender.” The offender is described as


white, possiblywith long hair,was wearing a white top and a woolly hatwhich covered his ears.


Digging charge THE right to charge utility compa- nies for digging up the road in Kent has been extended. It follows a trial of the Lane


Rental scheme in the county,which has seen disruption to drivers caused by roadworks halved. The Department for Transport is


now considering rolling out the scheme to other areas in England. The scheme provides Kent


County Council (KCC) with an ability to charge utility companies up to £2,500 a day for carrying out work on busy routes at peak times, encouraging firms to consider qui- eter roads and to avoid peak times. The scheme was due to end on


March 2019. MatthewBalfour,whowas at the


time KCC’s cabinet member for highways, said: “The scheme has incentivised a change in howwork is carried out on the busiest parts of Kent’s road network so that dis- ruption isminimised.”


Reading appeal IF you fancy volunteering as a one- to-one reader with primary school children, literacy group Beanstalk wants to hear fromyou. Beanstalk has launched a recruit-


ment campaign. It ismaking “a sig- nificant difference to the future prospects of young children and their enjoyment of reading”. Volunteers are provided with


training in return for 30-minute sessions with a child twice a week during term time, for at least one academic year. Call 0845 4500307 or email info@beanstalkcharity.org.uk.


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