NewsNews


Call to speed up traveller eviction


A MAIDSTONE councillor has called for the law on illegal trav- eller encampments tobe tightened. Cllr Jonathan Purle says tougher


laws are needed to prevent travel- ling families setting up camp with- out landowners’ permission. It follows another illegal encamp-


ment atMaidstone’sMote Park. The situation, involving 14 cara-


FUNDING has been secured for two new schools in Maidstone, including a Bearsted primary,MP HelenWhately has announced. Government has approved the


h ols so near a menta hospital has caused serious worries among flrequent and police areptloaonslowetro asct, adding: “This keeps happening, llike some sort of annual event.


campments are becoming far too pitch up agatin illegally, the police-n Rogue trader suspect arrested Iefvthey domove down the rfoad and


vans, began on Monday, August 6, at about 10.40pm. Maidstone Borough Council, which owns the land, acted swiftly, according to Cllr Purle, to obtain a court order to evict them, but this was did not resolve thematter.


ocal people, and helved while other ooked for.


up camp wi hout the landowner’s permission, which would allow the posed little risk.


tHealthcare, convinced interested ing its options. A spokesman said: “I’ll beworking hard to get these through


“W need the lawto be tightened omake it illegal for travellers to set parties


that


The hospital’s owners, Cygnet park and the council was consider- to derail things.


police to st p in and arrest them.” The Tory councillor for Bridge


would be safe and that the patients not confirmed, is to instruct a bailiff tprocess as smoothly as possible


the KMC campus “The most likely option, although scho ls


the More recent delays in securing ment.”


o forcibly remove the encamp- and get themopen.”


planning


a special needs secondary, will be sited on the KentMedical Campus (KMC) site near theM20 junction 7, next to a private hospital for men- tally-ill criminals and patientswith personality disorders. The proposed siting of the scCouncillor Purle says illegal en-


sites were


been destroyed and a collection of dogs, vehicles and quad bikes have also assembled. The council also reporteda further two caravans arrived on site on Monday night (August 13).


ys to the plans o ge


behaviour builds up in these illegal encampments. The police need to act“tIo stop this and enforce the law. erything – getting


getting all he organisations


e need to be able to arrest them.” ver worries about the location – omething s simple as connecting


volved to work together, getting oAs DownsMailwent to press the tsravellers had not moved from the the schools to the drains threatened


desperately need a new primary school and a special needs school to open as soon as possible – or there’s a real risk some could have to travel miles across the county every day. “There have been so many de- laCllrPurle said: “Alot of anti-stocial sc ools open. Problems with the drainagewere the fina hurdle. t was so frustrating that after unding,


hese


CRC’s assistant chief officer for in- terventions, who is also a psy- chotherapist. Until now, therapeutic treatment


POLICE have arrested a rogue trader suspected of defrauding aMaid- stone pensioner. On Saturday, August 11, Kent Police were called after a man in his


60s said he had paid a large amount of cash for building work at his home. But he had nowbeen asked towithdrawmoremoney fromhis account. Plain clothes officers went to the house where they later arrested a


models have existed for those con- victed of domestic abuse, but this is the first time a programme has actively targeted at lowering the risks posed by stalkers. It comes at a timewhen the num-


48-year-oldman fromCanterbury on suspicion of fraud. He was sub- sequently bailed to return to the police station on Tuesday,August 14.


ber of stalking cases has trebled across the country since 2014. Po- lice dealtwith 340 cases inKent last year.


extra capital investment needed for the project to move ahead, follow- ing lobbying from the member for Faversham&Mid Kent (pictured). The schools, one ofwhichwill be


Wardadded: “Whathappensnowis that the council visits the site, tries to find out the identities of the people who have set up the camps and has to go throughthe slowprocess to get rid of them. It delays things.” Neighbours report gateways have


the sitewere caused by drainage is- sues. Mrs Whately said the next step


was to secure a building contractor and put in a planning application. She said: “Children inMaidstone


Funding approved for schools near hospital


downsmail.co.uk Course aims


to cut stalking STALKERS in Maidstone could be among the first to receive specialist help as part of aUKfirst to stop re- offending. Two officers from the probation


A show of 30s classics


service in the county town will re- ceive the specialist training, trialled in America, to deliver the course under clinical supervision. There are currently more than


300 known stalkers in Kent. Kent, Surrey and Sussex Com-


THE Pasadena RoofOrchestrawill be performing at theHazlitt Theatre on September 8. The orchestra, formed over 50 years ago, specialises in classics fromthe


20s and 30s. They will perform songs including Puttin’ on the Ritz, Sweet Georgia


Brown, The Lullaby of Broadway. The Hazlitt is offering £5 off tickets with the code PASAROOF5, which can be used online or over the phone when calling the Hazlitt box office.


munity Rehabilitation Company (KSS CRC) will deliver the course, designed to tackle the chain of events, triggers and behaviours that heighten the chances of re-of- fending among convicted stalkers. Progresswill be overseen byKSS


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