Maidstone East Edition Maidstone Weald Edition October 2017 November 2018 Panto ahoy!


Tip costs ‘will lead tomore fly-tipping’


A PLAN to charge homeowners to use their local tip will cause more illegal fly-tipping and penalise the law-abiding, it has beenwarned. The charges of £4 and £6 per


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


CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping


black sack for certain items is pro- posed by the county council as a money-saving exercise and tomeet an increase in demand. While some borough councillors


agree KCC has to meet its increas- ing disposal challenges,Maidstone BoroughCouncil (MBC)will be left to deal with fly-tipping. Tovil tip is the only one serving the resi- dents ofMaidstone borough. The charges for domestic users


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


would relate to soil, rubble, hard core, plasterboard and variousDIY products, including ceramic baths, breeze blocks, bricks, concrete and flagstones,with a limit of five bags a day. Alternatively, residents could hire skips or contractors li- censed to legally dispose ofwaste. Borough councillor for Leeds,


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


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


Gill Fort (pictured), has been cam- paigning for years to stop illegal fly-tipping in herward, not least in Burberry Lane. MBC was part of a wider initiative to crack down on il- legal dumpers but residents say the problemhas gotworse, not better. Cllr Fort, who has called for


CCTV to be installed in hotspots, added: “Fly-tipping is simply not enforced. The problems in my ward have actually gotworse in re- centmonths, not better. “The latest instance in Burberry


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


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-


same thing from colleagues in other parts, especially the Weald. Charging peoplemay only encour- agemore illegal tipping.” Regional Director Robin Ed-


Lane is a disgrace, but I hear the ures, therewere nearly 80,000 inci-


tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on


wards, of CLA South East, which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses across Kent, said: “Much good work is being done in Kent bringing offenders to justice, and there have been several recent cases of offenders being prosecuted. But we would not want to see these proposed charges result in an increase in fly-tipping cases in the Garden of England.” According to government fig-


dents of fly-tipping in the South East during 2016-17 and around one million nationally. In the last year, it is estimated that fly-tipping cost local authorities across the country nearly £58million to clear. Borough councillor Martin


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


Round,whoseward is inHeadcorn, says fly-tipping in the village and in Ulcombe is now a weekly occur- rence. He said: “As always, 90% of the community are law-abiding and would accept the charge. It is the minority, who are unconcerned about disposing of rubbish ille- gally,whowill ignore it.” He believes larger fines,more en- forcement staff and education ini-


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


tiatives would be more helpful. Cllr Round says a closer working relationship between the borough and county councils could make this easier. Staplehurst borough councillor


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Louise Brice said: “I’ve consistently called for better enforcement. You could be catching people every day because the problem is now so widespread.”


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


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.


Home Alarms supplied and fitted


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.


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Kate, 107, dies News


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News


Blessed are the ales A VICAR has blessed beers at the Musket Brewery in Linton, near Maidstone, at the opening of a new tap room. 3 4


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.


Planning rules defied Plans for Dr Nigel


LEEDS Castle has launched its 900th anniversary cele- brations which take place in 2019.


Bishop is to retire


SPECIAL report on how the council struggles to enforce plan- ning laws in rural areas .


Castle’s special launch Jason Donovan date


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


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


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THE Bishop of Dover, whose Dio- cese covers Maidstone, is to retire next year.


20 Editor passes away


OBITUARY to former Downs Mail editor Alan Bennett who has died aged 63.


Obituaries Obituaries


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THE parish clerk has reported van- dalism to the under-fives play area in Marden; there is a vacancy on the parish council in Headcorn; the Cynthia Webb memorial seat in Coxheathis to be re-oiled; pet own- ers not picking up dog mess contin- ues to be a problem in public areas in Chart Sutton.


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


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SOMEONE tried to break into a barn in East Farleigh; eggs were thrown at a vehicle on a driveway in Coxheath; a farm gate was stolen from a field in Headcorn; a Kia Picanto and valuables inside were stolen from the driveway of a property in Yalding; damage was caused to a fence in Headcorn; there were signs of an attempted car break-in in Staplehurst.


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


Crime Reports 37 Crime Reports 35


ASH dieback has been discovered in Monks Meadow in Detling; Hollingbourne village fete stall- holder co-ordinator Jean Duffy has resigned; yellow lines are needed for Buffkyn Way, Otham, to allow buses through Imperial Park; rub- bish bins in the sports field in Kingswoodare to be moved over to the picnic area and rear exit.


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.


Comment 46-47 Comment 46-47


MP’s Local Plan bid 3


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