downsmail.co.uk


only a charge on the developer, per property, of c £2,700 extra for every house in the 18,600 plan (givenmost newhomeswill exceed c £200,000 that’s a small impact on their profits) and if thatwas achieved alone youwould then have the £50mneeded. “So,we requireMBC to focus too on


supporting infrastructure too not just the homes themselves, and as such to help access themonies for KCC to build the Leeds-Langley relief road to keep the local economy flowing andmaintain the integrity of local communities and rural villages. “MBCin our viewfailed in their Local Plan


ofOct 2017 to build into it fromthe start, adequate road infrastructure to support the growth in housing over time (despiteKCC supporting the relief road as a priority), and MBCdid so in our viewtomeet the needs of the “diktat” for approaching 18,000 new homes in our area (with potentially another 7,000 in the pipeline). “The funding for a relief road could part


have been (and still could be) achieved by using Section 106 levy fundingmore strategically and inventively byMBC, along with othermeasures to get funding of £70m. Some property developers have even shown theirwillingness to part pay for the road. “However,MBCfail to recognise the


current scale of the traffic problems (even before they support the building of an extra c 18,000 homes) in their plan and sought to thwart the proof of their error by using £70,000 of publicmonies to stop the measurement byKCCof traffic volumes in SouthMaidstone, that could prove the case eitherway,with 18,000 newhomesmodelled into the equation too. “If ever therewas a case for a newunitary


authority inKent, this is one example. “Asmuch as it saddens us in the LPCto


say,we the local communities are caught in the politics ofKCCandMBCandwe feel those elected Tier 1 and Tier 2 councillors should rise above thismindset and look to find a pragmaticway forward between the twoCouncils. Rather the traffic volume reviewof SouthMaidstone area byKCC might be used to build the empirical case for a relief road (or not, as the casemay be). “We can only assumeMBCwas spending


thismoney to try long termnot to see S106 monies diverted to their pet projects of eg more bus lanes (ironically causingmore car congestion and air pollution) and extra cycle


SECURITY fencingwas damaged at a field boundary inAshford Road, Bearsted.A large sectionwas removed to gain access to the field. Aba�erywas removed froma vehicle in


Dunn Street, Bredhurst. Alawnmowerwas stolen froma home in


Rosemary Road, Bearsted. AnAuger Torque X250 drillwas stolen


froma vineyard in The Street, Boxley. Number plateswere taken froma vehicle


in Lidsing Road, Bredhurst. AVauxhall Insignia parked the Tesco car


park inGrovewoodDriveNorth, Boxley, was keyed along one side.Awomanwas seen damaging the car before leaving in a Vauxhall Vectra. Adelivered parcelwas stolen from


outside a home in CamomileDrive, Boxley.


path options, neither thatwill have any effect on theHGVs driving fromLondon or Dover to theWeald of Kent or the heart of Maidstone, let alone those people living in Maidstone's newhomeswanting towork in local towns like, Canterbury,Ashford, Medway etc. “I can’t think of toomany people in these


newhomes likely to cycle those distances and the buses don’t run anymore and given MBC don’t fund buses, theymay end up with bus lanes and no buses running! “This underlines the lack of sincere


approach byMBC in our LPC viewin its development of its Local Plan published in Oct 2017 to search for a fact-based viewand to respect the viewof the highways authority in our area, i.e. KCC. RatherMBC has in our viewpursued one of ideology and Politics. “LPCwill continue its support for a South


Maidstone Relief Road, for the enhancement of business productivity, jobs, clean air in our local villages/towns and rural communities in SouthMaidstone area. This is somethingMBC should be doing too, not just LPC and KCC, particularly given the Relief Road has the support of two local Members of Parliament!”


Lenham


Rogue traders The communitywarden highlighted the activities of rogue traders and requested that residents note the time and date of any suspicious activity and report it on 101 or Crimestoppers 0800 555111. Boundary fence Cllrs T&J Sams reported ongoingmaintenance issues concerning the boundary fence between The Lenham School and the Cherry Close estate. Flooding Therewere concerns about flooding inOldAshford Road,madeworse by the lack of drain clearing.Discussions were taking placewith KCCHighways. Parking Parking onOldAshford Road, near the Square, continued to cause problems. Members suggested awaiting the transportation survey results. Inconsiderate parking on FavershamRoadwas blocking sightlines for residents leavingAtwater Court. SpeedingAquotewould be submi�ed to theHarrietshamand Lenhamcouncils to decide on the viability of the continued use


of the Speedwatch equipment. Planters Investigationswere being undertaken about the placement of planters at the entrances to Pla�sHeath. Defibrillator The possibility of a defibrillator being installed at St Edmund’s centrewas considered. Street lightsAresident reported five street lamps notworking in Cherry Close. The identification numberswere given to the clerk for reporting to KCCHighways. Vacancy Following the resignation ofMr Smith-Essex, a vacancy for co-option to the council had been advertised on the notice boards andwebsite. The councilwish to thank Mr Smith-Essex for hisworkwith communications,website, Facebook and design of the LPClogo, and his generous donation of LPCmeeting banners.A parishioner expressed an interest in becoming amember of the council and spoke about his experience. Glebe Pond CllrCocke� gave a brief history of the pond and reported on themeeting with PenendenHeathDevelopers, atwhich the scope of proposed improvements to the pondwere discussed. Itwas suggested that if the LPCagreed, the land transferwould be made directly to LenhamMeadows Trust. Issues such asmaintenance schedules and costswould be negotiated by the LMT solicitor.Cllr Ballard submi�ed by email, his agreement of the land transfer to Lenham Meadows Trust and asked that if the transfer was agreed, it should include the condition of LPChaving the option of providing a parking lay-by on the north side of the pond next toOldAshford Road. Following discussions itwas agreed not to include the condition in the transfer. Itwas resolved to transfer theGlebe pond area to the LMT. The pondwould be fenced off during the improvementworks. CarwashCllrWalmsley reportedthatmore informationwasneededabout the removal of usedwater fromtheproposedcarwashsite in OldAshfordRoad, as recentflooding issues highlightedthe concerns for future contaminationof thenearby river. CCTVCllrCulver reported theCCTVatHam Lanewould need a�ention following storm damage. Treework Responsibility for an overhanging bough between the school and Maidstone Roadwill be confirmed.Work could then be undertaken to remove it.


NeighbourhoodWatch


Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police The driver’swindowwas smashed on a


grey Ford Focus parked on the drive of a home inAshford Road, Thurnham. Ametal gate and some fencingwas stolen


fromfields in LenhamHeath Road, Lenham. Avehiclewas taken froma property in


ScraggedOak Road,Detling. Avehiclewas driven on to the front


garden of a property in TheOld Bailey, Harrietsham, damaging the garden. Outbuildingswere set alight at a property


in LenhamHeath Road, Lenham. The glass in a patio doorwas smashed at a


home in IvensWay,Harrietsham. Aparked vehiclewas damaged in


RaynersHill, Lenham,when another vehicle hit it. The number plateswere stolen froma VW


Golf inGravelly Bo�omRoad, Broomfield andKingswood. Cash, jewellery and other itemswere


stolen froma property inOldAshford Road, Lenham. Ayouth said to be in his late teenswith


short brown hair, grabbed a bag fromthe back of a van inAshfordDrive, Broomfield andKingswood, and ran off.


Maidstone East August 2018 35


Parish Councils


Crime reports


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