downsmail.co.uk


News Stones’managerquits club


BARELY two days after angry fans turned onMaidstoneUnited’smanagerHarryWheeler, he has left the club “bymutual consent”.


The man brought in to replace


supporters’ favourite Jay Saun- ders,whowas fired after an indif- ferent start to the season, lasted barely fourmonths. During the heavy defeat on Box-


ing Day to Dover Athletic, fans chanted: “Sacked in the morning, you’re getting sacked in themorn- ing…” and “We’re ***t and we knowwe are…” The club found itself in the bot-


tom two places in the National League, five points from relega- tion safety. MrWheeler (pictured) was for-


merlymanager of Billericay Town andwas a non-league player. Chief executive Bill Williams


said: “Following discussions be- tween the directors and Harry, it


found in home ALMOST 400 cannabis plants seized from a property in Maid- stone are to be destroyed. At about 1.50pm on Wednes-


day, December 19, officers went to Holtye Crescent after concerns reported fromlocal residents. A search warrant was executed


under the Misuse of Drugs Act and itwas found that a number of rooms had been set up for the cul- tivation of cannabis, with auto- mated lighting and ventilation. A total of 392 plants were re-


moved fromthe property, thema- jority of which were mature in appearance. An investigation is ongoing and at this stage no ar- rests have beenmade.


was decided that, given our league position at this stage of the season, both parties should go


their separate ways. We thank Harry for the time and effort he put in and wish him well for the future. Let me be candid, this is not a situation any of us wanted to find ourselves in and I share the disappointment and responsi- bility for it. However, we now need everyone to pull together, in what are testing times for our club, aswe do our damnedest to stay in this league.” MrWheeler’s assistant and team


captain Tristan Lewis and Simon Walton were given temporary charge of club affairs for three matches. They recorded victories against


Boreham Wood and Hartlepool United, but lost at home to Dover Athletic, who have also struggled


this season. TheWhites responded to the dire run of form by luring Dover favourite and former player managerAndyHassenthaler away fromEastleigh.Their fortuneswere restored almost as soon as the ex- Gillinghammanager arrived at the Crabble. As Downs Mail went to press,


the Stones’ board decided to retain the caretakerbossesuntil the endof Janaury. In a statement, Mr Williams said: “Tristan and Simon havedonewell since stepping...and we’ve asked them to continue in that caretaker capacity. “They have the backing of the


Board and I for one hope theywill build on these first few games and get usmoving up that league table.”


Cannabis farm Watchdog criticismof care firm


A GOVERNMENT watchdog has criticised a Maidstone care provider for taking on newclients when it was unable to meet the needs of existing customers. MearsCareLtd(Maidstone)was


said to have insufficient staff to support the 173pensioners andde- mentia sufferers on its books. And yet, said the Care Quality


Commission (CQC), the company continued to chase newbusiness. In a report, the watchdog’s in-


spectors said the shortage of staff meant “people received support which was later than their pre- ferred time or, sometimes, did not receive support at all”. They said management – de- scribed as not always being open


and transparentwith commission- ers on the matter – “continued to take on additional clients even though people were complaining that therewere not enough staff to meet the needs of those already using the service”. Mears Care Ltd (Maidstone),


which runs an in-home care busi- ness from its base in Hermitage Lane, came under scrutiny when inspectors carried out an an- nounced two-day visit inOctober. The subsequent CQC report


flagged up a series of concerns. In particular, it said: “People did not always receive theirmedicines in a safeway.Audits on people’smed- ical records were not being com- pleted, andthe registeredmanager


was not following upwhere errors were identified, or taking sufficient steps to learn frommistakes.” TheCQCdidrecognise that staff


were proactive inmaking referrals to health professionals to ensure people received “joined-up care”. Andit foundclients felt that staff


“treated them in a compassionate manner, andweremindful of their dignity”. But inspectors concludedthat, in


terms ofproviding a safe, effective, caring and responsive service, the company “requires improvement”. It added that the service was not well led, branding it “inadequate”. MearsCareLtd(Maidstone)was


not available for comment at the time of going to press.


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