Maidstone East Edition Malling Edition
October 2017 March 2018
Carnival at risk, but the showwill go on
Panto ahoy!
SNODLAND Carnival will go ahead this summer, but shows no sign of having a futurewithoutmore community support.
THE cast of Cinderella, which is to be staged at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maid- stone, took to the River Medway to launch this year's panto. On board The Kentish Lady were national treasure Rustie Lee (Fairy Godmother), former EastEnder Ste- fan Booth (Prince Charming), Eliza- beth Bright (Cinderella), Craig Anderson (Buttons) and, pictured, Stephen Richards and Adam Bor- zone (Ugly Sisters) . They were greeted by pupils from
which has been a feature of the vil- lage diary for more than 30 years, has only been averted this time thanks to the village Scout and Guide groups, its pre-schools, GP surgery and the local opticians agreeing to take part. But participation in the event,
resurrected by Snodland Town Council in 1987, has dwindled to dangerously low levels in recent years, after once attracting up to 40 floats. The town council’s chief execu-
tive, Karen Sowten, says she un- derstands the time involved in producing floats, and health and safety restrictions, but believes the future of the eventwill only remain certain if it evolves. Just six floats have so far booked
their places in the parade. Mrs Sowten said: “The ripples of
Burberry Lane, near Leeds and Broomfield, has been targeted by waste dumpers for years, but in re- cent months, the problem has be- come more acute. Constructionwaste, rubble, hard
concern that circulatedwhen itwas suggested that the council might cancel the carnival still failed to promptmore support. “The town council pays hun-
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
dreds of pounds for the twomarch- ing bands that lead and follow up the parade, but with so few floats there comes a pointwhere the cost cannot be justified – and the bands are so close together they can’t be heard in their own right.
we are having toilets, sinks and construction waste dumped in the village, specifically in Burberry Lane, where we are now thinking of installing cameras on private land, to oversee the problem area.” A recent event in Burberry Lane
saw a caravan burned out while a torched car remains on a footpath
South Borough Primary School and members of the media. The panto runs from December 1-31. For tick- ets go to
www.hazlitttheatre.co.uk.
The cancellation of the parade,
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
nearby, more than a year after it was dumped and set on fire. The church car park has also seen
many instances of illegal dumping. But it is a problem in many rural
areas including Langley, Otham and Kingswood. Water Lane in Bearsted and Pilgrims Way have also been targeted recently. Last year, Maidstone Borough Council cleared 911 cases of fly-tip- ping and this year more than 163 have been recorded since April. The approaching darker evenings will prompt a rise in illegal tipping. Cllr Fort welcomed a joint initia-
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
unlicensed waste carriers, but be- lieves the cost to small firms of dis- posing of construction waste at a transfer station is proving a deter- rent that is costing councils more. Cllr Fort made her remarks as
Carnival capers at last summer’s colourful parade “People can’t just complain on
Facebook – they need to help.” Mrs Sowten has just returned
from a break in Lanzarote, where she says its carnival parade there lastedmore than four hours. She added: “It could be that the
event becomes purely a walking costume parade. We know that
one of the borough’s closest trans- fer stations at North Farm, Tun- bridge Wells, announced it will be closed for 10weeks. She added: “If you go along the
line of increasing fines, they have to be enforced. A reduction in the charge or offering it free may have the desired similar effect.” Athree-monthly litter pick on the mile-long stretch of road through Leeds village produces an average 32 black sacks of rubbish.
Cllr Fort, who also serves as a
people want to see it each year be- cause they line the streets towatch, butwe still need help this yearwith stewards for the road closures, more stalls and more participants in the parade.” The event, which this year takes
Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
FREE No. 246
News
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Kate, 107, diesNews
KATE Hart, a resident at an old people’s home in Bearsted, has died aged 107, her son David has disclosed.
HELEN Whately asked the government to halt the borough’s housing scheme.
Couple’s car crime3
MP’s Local Plan bid Water plans for site4
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
A YOUNG family faces the arrival of a baby without their car - after a hit and run driver wrote it off outside their home. 3
Plans for Dr Nigel 4 Sand quarry protests Jason Donovan date8 Gym heroes’ award18
A CONSULTATION has opened on a £61m plan to install two water plants in Aylesford.
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
NEIGHBOURS have joined forces with Ryarsh residents over plans for a sand quarry.
GYM staff who saved the life of a member have been given a special award.
Not getting it sorted
SNODLAND residents were left fu- rious at a 90-minute queue to collect parcels.
Obituaries 20
Crime Reports 32 Parish Councils 34-35
Parish Councils 30-32 32
ASH dieback has been discovered in Monks Meadow in Detling; Hollingbourne village fete stall- holder co-ordinator Jean Duffy has resigned; yellow lines are needed for Buffkyn Way, Otham, to allow buses through Imperial Park; rub- bish bins in the sports field in Kingswoodare to be moved over to the picnic area and rear exit.
Obituaries
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maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent
parish councillor, says teaching children about social responsibility and the issue of litter in schools will help take the issue off the streets. She believes with every household receiving a weekly refuse collection service, there is no excuse for litter being thrown from vehicles or dumped in the road.
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the theme of Charles Dickens, will leave from the Holmesdale School at 1.30pm on Saturday, July 7. A fun daywill follow, at the commu- nity centre, fromaround 2pm. Money raised by Snodland’s
biggest community event goes to charity, with this year’s beneficiar- ies still to be chosen.Anyone inter- ested in offering their help, booking a place in the parade or a stall
is urged to email en-
quiries@snodlandcouncil.co.uk
CATALYTIC converters were stolen from two Honda Accords, one in Ditton and one in East Malling; three BMWs parked in Kings Hill were damaged; a shop window in Snodland was smashed.
34
Comment 42-43 Crime Reports 35
VEHICLES have been driven over farmland in Lenham, causing damge to crops; an attempted break-in was reported in Detling; a vehicle was vandalised in Bearsted Rd, Weavering; pumpkins were stolen from an allotment in Lenham.
Inside this edition: Comment 46-47
RESIDENTS are hoping to turn part of an orchard into a village green, and a petition about West Malling GP surgery was handed over. The 4-page supplement in- side by Malling Action Partnership supports people and events.
10
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Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
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