News News


LOCAL sheep farmers have asked dog owners to keep their pets on the leash as the county prepares for the lambing season. In recent years, there have been


many examples of pregnant sheep dying – sometimes savagely at- tacked by domestic pets – but local farmers say the problemisworsen- ing. Chart Sutton sheep farmer of 30


years Caroline Worley, who has more than 700 animals, said: “It’s not just at lambing time, it’s hap- pening all the time. “There are a lot of irresponsible


Anotherincursion at Larkfield park


TRAVELLERS have moved back onto a popular park in Larkfield for the second time in six months. The families - in five caravans -


dog owners out there who don’t see anything wrong with letting their animals run free when there are sheep around.” The farmer owns 180 acres of land but also grazes the large


Rooftop bar for town’s revellers APOPULAR town centre bar plans to open a rooftop terrace in time for summer. The Brenchley, in the High Street, Maidstone, expects to unveil its


plans for a bar and covered seating area toMaidstone's night-time rev- ellers around Easter. The exact date is not yet been revealed but it will be known as Harry's Bar and is currently still being built. The building was formerly a bank and sits in the High Street almost opposite the town hall.


pulled on to Gighill Green in Lunsford Lane on Sunday October ,, releasing dogs on the popular public open space and setting up washing lines within hours. It is un- derstood the fami- lies in- volv ed have been offering tree felling services to residents in the area. Parish council chairman David Thornewell says more has to be done to stop the travelling com- munity running circles around the police and local councils. He says the job ofmoving on trav-


ellers for a second time will run into thousands of pounds The last inci- dent, in early summer, costing the parish council £1,200, with the trav-


downsmail.co.uk Lambing plea to dog owners downsmail.co.uk


worth, made local headlines some years ago when he shot a dog off the lead on his land where his sheepwere grazing. He said: “I didn’t want to kill


ellers simply moving on to take up temporary residence elsewhere in the area. He said: “They just seem to be


Sheep near East Sutton, above, and Colin Tearle, right, who defends farmers’ right to shoot dogs


swathe of parkland around Leeds Castle. She added: “I would just like to


get themessage out there thatmost of the sheep you’ll see in the fields are carrying lambs at the moment. So please, please keep your dogs on a lead.”


doing the rounds. These incidents have affectedWest Malling, forcing the closure of the village hall, and Leybourne, and now they are back in Larkfield. The police told resi- dents that this was a civil trespass when they reported it and that they couldn’t do anything and obviously the council offices were closed be- cause it was the weekend. These travellers know and play the sys- tem.” The council’s legal team served an eviction notice but it took aweek to enforce. Cllr Thornewell held talks with Laddingford Engineering in an effort to increase security further on the public land, near the M20. Valdemar Kalinin (pictured), of


the National Gypsy-Traveller-Roma Council said recently that local councils must provide designated traveller sites or “tolerated zone” which gypsy convoys can move onto. He said: “It comes down to racial prejudice against this com- munity.”


common


It is not un- in


sheep-worrying incidents for preg- nant ewes to give birth to stillborn young, sometimes causing the mothers to die in the process. FellowKent farmer Colin Tearle,


someone’s pet and thewomanwas very upset when she found out what I’d done. But I would do it again. “It is the lives of the sheep and


their lambs as well as my liveli- hood I have to think about. “Part of the problem is that peo-


ple come to live in the country from the towns and they just see the fields as a big park.” NFU Mutual insurers said there


‘Spooktacular’ at the farm who has grazed flocks near Cheg-


Communities in need of support VOLUNTEER Support Wardens are being sought across the Maid- stone area as part of a recruitment drive by Kent County Council. The role, which is described as “challenging, but rewarding”, is


MAKE the most of the October half-term holiday at Kent Life Heritage Farm Park’s Halloween Spooktacular in Maidstone. Brave kids are invited to the vintage village to knock on doors and


discover who – or what – is lurking behind them from October 21-31. The award-winning attraction at Sandling, near Maidstone, has a few


being advertised as suitable for those interested in meeting people, learning new skills and keen to provide support in their community. The county council isworking in associationwith the KentAssoci-


other tricks up its sleeve to turn its usual exhibits into frightening farmhouses and horrifying homes. Youngsters can try pumpkin carving, dressing up and the Ugly Bug Ball. On October 25, there will be more spooky goings-on with Kent Life


After Dark, This event includes a spine-chilling tour suitable for under-eights from


ation of Local Councils.For details call 03000 413455 or visit www.kent.gov.uk, community wardens.


5-6pm and, for older visitors, from 7-8pm. If you would like to know more about any of the above, call 01622 763936.


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has been a 67% rise in insurance claims for sheep worrying cases in the past two years. It is estimated the problem is costing farmers £1.6meach year.


downsmail.co.uk


Suspension for LibDemWebb


COXHEATH and Hunton bor- ough councillor Richard Webb has been suspended from his party after an allegation of assault. The Liberal Democrat group an-


nounced they were suspending postman Cllr Webb, pictured, “while the police investigate an in- cident inwhich hewas involved”. DownsMail broke the story of the


allegations on December 14 last year,which relates to an alleged in- cident the previ- ousmonth. A statement


from the Lib Dems said: “Cllr Richard Webb has been tem- porarily


sus-


pended as a member of the


Liberal Democrats while the police investigate an incident in which he was (allegedly) involved”. Cllr FranWilson, Liberal democ-


rat leader of Maidstone Borough Council, said: “Richard is a hard working councillor. He is commit-


ted to continuing to support the res- idents he represents in Coxheath and Hunton ward. I hope thismat- ter can be speedily resolved and his fullmembership restored.” Cllr Webb denied any wrong-


doing when interviewed by Daily DownsMail.The accusations,which are not connected to his work as a borough councillor or theLibDems, relate to an incident inCoxheath vil- lage hall onNovember 8.Police said investigationswere “on-going”. CllrWebb was contacted but de-


clined to comment. Alison Broom, chief executive of


Maidstone council, said: “Cllr Webb's suspension fromthe Liberal Democrat party changes the politi- calmake-up of the council”. Adecision as to howplaces on the


committees will be re-allocated to ensure that political balance is maintainedwill be reachedwas due to be made at full council meeting onWednesday, February 28. The Lib Dems, will be defending


eight seats in May's local council- elections.


News


Solutions offered for village health centre


ADESPERATE shortage ofmed- ical services in the growing vil- lage of Coxheath has prompted two possible solutions. A plan for a new medical cen-


tre in Heath Road, just outside the village in Linton, has been submitted to Maidstone Bor- oughCouncil alongside the offer of land for a surgery on the new Clock House FarmEstate. Coxheath’s current GP surger-


ies in Stockett Lane and Heath Road currently treat 14,000 pa- tients, but both have issues re- garding taking onmore patients into the future. According to Coxheath bor-


ough councillor BrianMortimer, pictured, DHA Planning has set out details for a medical centre, including rooms forminor oper- ations, a pharmacy and a car park, on land owned by Firmins, which has permission for a fruit packaging factory in Redwall Lane and 13 houses in Vicarage Field, Linton Hill. The land at ClockHouse Farm Estate has been earmarked for


the provision of a health cen- tre, while it is u n d e r s t o o d this latest offer would


also


fund the devel- opment. Cllr Mor- timer said: “I


understand that in relation to this newest proposal – which came out of the blue – the appli- cant is in talkswith both our ex- isting surgeries.” He added: “What is clear is


that there is a need for better in- frastructure in terms of medical provision as Coxheath grows. I also understand that if the land at Clock House Farm Estate is not used for a health centre it will not be developed and will remain as public open space. “I will be keeping a close


watch on how both these pro- posals develop.” It is understood that Linton


Parish Council has opposed the plan.


FORTHCOMING EVENTS AT YOUR LOCAL THEATRE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE LATEST FROM THE HAZLITT THEATRE WWW.HAZLITTTHEATRE.COM 01622 758611


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