News
downsmail.co.uk Alternative site sought for school
THE government agency in charge of funding a new primary school has dropped the Kent Medical Campus (KMC) site at junction seven of theM20 as a suitable loca- tion,DownsMail has learnt. The Education, Skills and Fund-
ing Agency (ESFA) has now placed the search for a newsite in the hands of specialist schools planning firm, LocatED. The decision came as this news-
paper published details about the kind of mental health facility to be placed near Bearsted. We revealed mentally-ill criminals and women with borderline personality disor- derswill be treated there.
Campaigners hopedtheKMCsite
would house a primary and special needs school serving Bearsted and other areas nearby. We understand that the ESFA de-
cision to pull out of the site has prompteda behindthe scenes blame game overwho knewwhat. An application to secure theESFA
funding was already being ad- vanced when it became clear about the hospital's intended use. SeniorMaidstone BoroughCoun-
cil officialWilliamCornall has indi- cated that it would not have been MBC who advised the ESFA of the hospital's proposed remit. Mr Cornall has told colleagues
thatprivatehealthcompanyCygnet, which will run the mental hospital, published a 44-page document in December 2015 outlining its in- tended use. The privately-run facil- ity will be funded entirely by commissions fromtheNHS. But one insider said: “Surely,with
theMP HelenWhately pushing re- ally hard for the schools to be sited at KMC, someone should have thought to do a bit of checking. It’s all out there in the public domain.” Adozen sites have been identified
for a new primary school in Maid- stonebutweunderstandthose inand aroundJ7wouldbeunlikelytofit the bill over pedestrian access issues.
The ideal site would be self-con-
tained and around three acres. Mary Richards of the Bearsted &
Thurnham Society, said: “I am not aware of any alternative sites being found anywhere around here. “It’s a mess. I can’t think of any
otherway to describe it.” BoroughcouncillorDenis Spooner
said: “We desperately need that school. All I know is that the ESFA has started looking elsewhere.” Mrs Whately claimed the KMC
site would be the answer to the chronic shortage of primary places in Bearsted and hoped the schools would have been open by Septem- ber 2017.
Club is hoping funds will come rolling in
MAIDSTONE Roller Hockey Club has launched an ambitious plan to raise £4mto build a newvenue. The 70 member-strong club currently use the
YMCA surface in Melrose Close, but as they have grown, they have also had to useMote Park. This means members are separated, and with
many places not keen to let the club in due to fears of damage to their floors, it is nowhoped they can get their own venue. “It’san ambitious targetandit’s very earlydays, but we’re hoping we can do something,” parent
and club committeemember PennyWilliams said. “Roller hockey is a great sport and youngsters
seem to love it.We’ve had some challenged chil- dren who have tried other sports and not got on with them, but roller hockey has brought themout of their shell.” The club has a number of playerswho represent
England and are hoping someonewill partnerwith themto achieve their dreamof a newvenue. Fundraising details at: https://www.gofundme. com/help-me-build-a-rink-hockey-arena
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Maidstone June 2018
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