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downsmail.co.uk


Cllr Annabelle Blackmore


CllrMartin Cox


Cllr Fay Gooch


Cllr Gordon Newton


Cllr Paul Harper Legal action on ‘relief road cash’


MAIDSTONE Borough Council (MBC) is set to spend tens of thousands of tax-payers’money on a judicial reviewinto the release of fundswhich could be set aside for a relief road,we can reveal. Liberal Democrat-led MBC’s ac-


tion is being taken directly against Kent County Council (KCC) over the allocation of housing developer contributions (S106money). KCC, a Conservative authority,


wants the cash to carry out surveys for aLeeds-Langley relief roador as- sociated projects. We understand MBC’s legal ad-


visers are concerned that S106 cash has already been allocated to trans- port elements in individual housing schemes agreed within the Local Plan. MBC hopes that S106-funded


junction improvements as well as controversial “modal shift” – the au- thority’s encouragement ofwalking, cycling and taking buses –willmit- igate against the expected traffic ex-


plosion associated with 17,600 new homes agreed in the plan. The cost of the review to the tax-


payer could be as much as £20,000, DownsMail has been told. It is not known if £200,000 already


released byMBC to start relief road surveys is affectedby the judicial re- view. MBC’sUrgencyCommittee – con-


vened for the first time since 2015 – was called together on June 1 for a confidential meeting about the re- view. Itwas attended by LibDemcoun-


cil leader Martin Cox, Annabelle Blackmore (Con), Fay Gooch (Ind), Gordon Newton (Independent Maidstone) and Paul Harper (Lab), who recommended the judicial re- viewon legal advice.


Bus changes forced by town roadworks


ROADWORKS in Maidstone have led to alternative services by Nu- Venture fromJune 18. Timetable changes will affect the


town centre and certain villages. The route taken by its 79A and


79Cwill bewithdrawnduring road- works that are expected to take five months. They will be replaced by Nu-Venture busesNand S. Bus N will serve the north of the


A20 fromMaidstone towncentre via LondonRoad,HildenboroughCres- cent, Newbury Avenue, Tintern Road and Grace Avenue, back to London Road and the town centre. Bus Swill serve south of theA20,


from the town centre via London Road, Poplar Grove, Palace Wood and Howard Drive, terminating in the Maxwell Drive area where ex- tensive roadworks are planned. Buses then return viaHowardDrive


14 Maidstone Weald July 2018


and Poplar Grove to London Road and the town centre. Route 6A is re-numbered to 506


from June 18, with an additional journey at 14.48 on Mondays from Barming toMaidstone. Also from June 18 the new 56X


will run between KingsHill, via the M20, to andfromMaidstone schools on the London Road. However, Nu Venture will per-


manently withdraw its Number 65 SuttonValence service, due to a lack of use by local schools. Its 28 service is also to be re-ex-


tended at Marden to serve Albion Road/Plain Road. Alternative routes for Nu-Ven-


ture’s 22, 25 and26 routeswill be in- troduced fromJuly 3 because of the closure ofHuntonHill. Arriva also has announced big changes fromJuly 8.


OneMBC insider accused the Lib


Dems of “playing politics”with the Tories at KCC, while another de- scribed the county authority of being “the aggressor using bully- boy tactics” to get funds forprojects, such as the Leeds-Langley relief road. One said: “It’s funny howthe Lib


Demswaiteduntil theyhadgot back into power in May before deciding they wanted a review, having al- ready reluctantly agreed to release the S106 funds.” MBC’s Tory leader John Perry –


whowas unable to attend the June 1 meeting – said: “We as an authority are trying to develop the relation- shipwith KCC. I have obvious con- cerns about this.” MP Helen Whately, who helped


setupa groupto endyears of squab- bling between MBC and KCC over the relief road, said: “Itdoesn’t seem like a very positiveway of overcom- ing a disagreement between these two authorities, or a positiveway to get a relief road. “I am disappointed to see MBC


taking legal action against KCC.” Leeds Parish Council chairman


JohnGovett said: “Onewould hope that KCC does not have to stop the studies being carried out while the review is being carried out or will they have to stop? “I hope to goodness they are al-


lowed to crack on.” MBC confirmed a judicial review,


but refused to comment further. KCCleaderPaulCarterdidnot re- turn our calls.


Jailed for throwing drugs over jailwall


TWO men will join their “co-con- spirators” in jail after being found guilty of planning to throw drugs andmobilephones over thewall to inmates atMaidstone Prison. Maidstone Crown Court heard


howplain-clothespatrols followed Simeon Theodule and Bernard Omolafe after they were seen act- ing suspiciously in County Road on June 15 last year. Both were arrested after officers


seized packages outside HMP Maidstone, later found to contain the drug Spice, cannabis, mobile phones, leads, chargers and head- phones. Another phone was also found by prison staff. Judge Julian Smith heard items


were in cardboard packaging cov- ered in Theodule’s fingerprints. While being arrested his phone continued to receive calls from an


inmate telling himhewas heading to the prison yard, in anticipation of drugs being thrown over. Theodule (27), from Dagenham


pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to convey drugs and prohibited items into a prison. He also admittedtwo charges concern- ing the supply of cannabis andcon- veying a phone into a prison. Omolafe (32), from Thames-


mead, denied two counts of con- spiracy to convey drugs and prohibited items into a prison, but was found guilty. Sentencing Theodule to two


years and two months and Omo- lafe to a year and 10 months on May 25, Judge Smith said: “Con- trolled substances in this environ- ment are especially serious. There is no option but an immediate cus- todial sentence.”


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