News Charity quiz


ROTARIANS have beenusingmind power to tackle a killerdisease in the ThirdWorld. Members, friends and supporters


ofMalling Rotary Club racked their brains at a quiz on Saturday, Octo- ber 20, to raise £400 for theEndPolio NowCampaign. TheRotarians agreedto topupthe


cash with £600 of their own funds, at the event atGrange Park School. ClubpresidentAlisonMajuqwana


chose the cause, saying Rotarians andorganisations aroundtheworld had reduced polio cases by 99.9per cent since 1988. “Until we can get rid of the last


few cases, we cannot be sure that this terrible disease won’t spread again,” she said.


FarmNativity


DISCOVER the Nativity story sur- rounded by colourful characters, animals and friends at Kent Life. The living Farm Nativity, pro-


duced in conjunction with Maid- stone Family Church on Sunday, December 9, takes visitors on a journey through the park at San- dling to witness scenes from the Christmas story. Therewill also be a chance to join


in traditional Christmas carolling. Children are encouraged to dress


up and be part of theNativity. The event is at 3pm. Tickets are £6.95 for adults, £5.95


for concessions and children over two. To book call 01622 763936 or visitwww.kentlife.org.uk.


River alert


EMERGENCY services descended on Snodland in response to amed- ical incident after a 999 call about a man thought to be in trouble. Police and South East CoastAm-


bulance Service were called out at around 12.25pm on Wednesday, October 17, came to the rescue amid concerns for a man's welfare on the banks of the RiverMedway. A police spokesman said: “Offi-


cers and the South East CoastAm- bulance Service attended and a manwas taken to a local hospital.” Reports online had suggested the man had become stuck in themud.


Snowman fun


WATCH a screening of The Snow- man, accompanied by livemusic at Maidstone’sMote Hall. The concert, which will include


other festive favourites, runs from 2-3pmand is suitable for all ages. Tickets for the event atMaidstone


Leisure Centre on Sunday, Decem- ber 16, are £5, free for under fours. Visit www.maidstonewindsym- phony.org or call 01732 366500.


16 Malling November 2018


downsmail.co.uk


Thameslink services confirmed for town


THE government has confirmed its pledge to introduce the much- anticipated Thameslink rail service connectingMaidstone and the capital. The service is expected to arrive


in the county town next year. Campaigners of all political


colours vented their frustration last year when it was announced the route, which will see com- muters from Maidstone East able to catch regular trains to London, had been pushed back by 12 months until December 2019. The servicewould see trains also


stopping atWestMalling, Borough Green, Wrotham and Otford, be- fore travelling to popular city sta- tions London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras. Worries have long been brewing


in Maidstone, after the Depart- ment for Transport asked bidders for the next south eastern rail fran- chise what they would do, were the Thameslink service “delayed indefinitely”, leaving many critics wondering whether it would ever happen at all.


Concerns were only heightened


when Kent County Council re- ceived a broad response from rail minister Jo Johnson last week. It led Rob Bird, leader of the Lib- eralDemocrat opposition on KCC,


to express to councillors that it could mean another 12 months of delays. Rail bosses insisted on a slower


pace of timetable changes, follow- ing the chaotic introduction of new rail timetables earlier this year. Within hours of making that


statement, Cllr Bird received an- other letter from transport secre- tary Chris Grayling, confirming that: “From December 2019, new Thameslink services between Maidstone East and Cambridge will also provide an extra two trains per hour in each direction all day.” Mr Grayling (pictured) said on a


visit toMaidstone earlier this year: “I’mgenuinely sorry to those peo- ple who wanted it right now. It’s coming, but what comes has to work, and to me the most impor- tant thing is to have this intro- duced in a way that works.”


Call for your input on Local Plan


EAST Malling Conservation Group says it will arm the Government planning inspector tasked with ap- proving the area’s Local Planwith a dossier of detail necessary to make a sound judgement on future devel- opment. The group claims it has used its


knowledge of the area tomake spe- cific amendments that will provide the inspector “with insight into the community, its geography and his- tory” to lessen the impact of devel- opment schemes on the area. EMCG member, borough and


parish councillor Roger Roud (pic- tured) said: “The Local Plan is a hugely important document, but the inspector needs to hear from the people who live here, and un- derstand the area and all its partic- ular features, like areas that flood, conservation areas and historic fea- tures that need to be protected. “We live here, and he needs to be


in possession of the full facts and the knowledge we have of the area as residents.” The conservation group was due


to hold a public meeting at The Malling School on November 1, at which it called on villagers to write to the inspector and sign a petition


supporting its calls for:  Kings Hill North - 900-home development: The road link to Malling train station cutting through the New Barns Conserva- tion Area to be abandoned. The EMCG says the road should join the A228 without touching the conservation area.  The “Kings Hill remainder” –


65 houses on the EastMalling and Wateringbury border: The EMCG says the access road through Teston should not be allowed.  The EMCG wants the inspector to direct that the local planning authority acknowledges its ap- proved Village Design Statement.  Parkside: It calls for fewer houses and a new access.


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