search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
Maidstone East Edition Maidstone Weald Edition


October 2017 May 2018


Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper


FREE No. 246


Council ‘blocked relief road funds’


Panto ahoy!


THELibDem-ledadministration atMaidstoneBoroughCouncil is accused of blocking funding for preparatorywork on theLeeds-Langley relief road.


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 One critic claims funds should


have been released via house- builders’ infrastructure contribu- tions (section 106 money) from the borough councilmonths ago.


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.


Kent County Council spent


months persuadingMaidstone Bor- ough Council (MBC) that its chal- lenges to the legality ofusing section 106 cashwere groundless.


Conservative KCC member Gary


Cooke claimsMBC is “reluctant” to make the relief road a reality. Cllr Cooke said: “I do not believe


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.


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


core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month


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


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


“WE don’t know what more can be done.” The chairman of Yalding Parish Council, Geraldine Brown (pictured)


admits that, short of building a wall around Anchor Sluice, they are powerless to stop youngsters swimming in the water. The warn- ing comes after a young girl almost drowned at the site.


Warnings after sluice drama 3


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


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


that members of the ruling party at MBChave ever demonstrated a real or credible desire for a relief road.” He said the administration is “in-


extricably”wedded to the notion of “modal shift” and would have pre- ferred to allocate the sums for that. Modal shift is MBC’s answer to


the traffic explosion expected from the borough’s scheme for 17,600 newhomes bypersuadingpeople to take the bus, cycle orwalk. We understand that £200,000 – in-


cluding a small sum from MBC – has now been released, with KCC keen to start as soon as possible. Experts will study increased traf-


fic flows, impact assessments and some ground surveys to devise the best set of route options for the link between theA20 andA274. Cllr Cooke, who called a public


meeting last November to show support for a relief road, added: “We have got to get this right so that we can persuade central government to fund the relief road.” Jenny Sutton, founder of the pro-


News


FREE No. 253


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.


MP’s Local Plan bid Potting problems


Park & ride anger THEREhas been anger and disbelief at plans to change the way people pay for park and ride services. 4-5


3


Plans for Dr Nigel 6 Grave thefts woe


THE owner of a successful pub and restaurant has been left with a parking headache.


4


THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12


THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.


Jason Donovan date11 Tip’s traffic troubles18


A FAMILY are devastated after poppies left on a grave were stolen by thieves.


QUEUES into Tovil tip have been described as the “worst in 30 years”.


READ our special report into the state of the Maid- stone pub industry.


Obituaries Obituaries Monks


VILLAGERS in BoughtonMonchelsea ASHwere given approval


Parish Councils 34-37 Parish Councils 34-35


32


relief road groupWILLact, said: “I welcome any development that comes from both authorities to de- liver the relief road that is so badly needed.” MBC was approached for a state-


01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT


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.


ment but failed to respond. Leeds and Langley residents have


only two tickets inthepast12months against illegal lorries but refused to say why the weight restrictions are not regularly enforced.


8 Home Alarms supplied and fitted visit www.amiga.co.uk or call 08000 199622


Hollingbourne village fete stall- holder co-ordinator Jean Duffy has resigned; yellow lines are needed for Buffkyn Way, Otham, to allow busesing through Imperial Park; rub- bishwil binsl place them and several other Maidstone wards into a new con- the picnic area and rear exit.


Kingswoodar to be moved over to stituency.


Crime Reports 35


noteda large increase in bannedlor- ries using the B2163. Kent Police admits it has issued


Crime Reports 37


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.


TWO cars had their windscreens smashed on the same night in Langley; a man set fire to a Honda Accord parked in Linton which was destroyed in the blaze; a garden statue was taken from Marden and electricity cables were taken from a farm generator in East Sutton.


Comment 46-47 Comment 46-47


urban Meadow-style bins; a play area in East Farleigh was to be repaired; refuse collections in Headcorn were being affected by inconsiderate parking and objections were urged in Yald- to the boundary review, which in the sports field in


dieback has been discovered in in


Detling; to replace 12 Pubs - a special report


18-19 32


downsmail.co.uk


Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48