Maidstone East Edition Maidstone Weald Edition
October 2017 February 2019 Panto ahoy!
GPs struggle to cope as patient list grows
A MAJOR medical practice is considering the closure of its patient list
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
ing Loose residents, has struggled to replace a doctor who retired years ago. Now it takes a month to secure a routine appointment, and can be harder still to get an urgent slot to see a GP. In a letter to local
borough councillors affected by the proposed list closure, Dr Stephen Meech expressed his concern about the “quality of care we are providing”. Dr Meech wrote: “Following the retirement of Dr Wilford two years
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
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
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
Lesson in loving chocolate
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
PUPILS at Loose Primary School got to gripswith science by usingwater, eggs and chocolate to investigate the results of temperature change. The youngsters inMoonstone Classwere asked to seewhat happened
when their ingredientswere exposed to heat and cold. This photograph shows themtackling the impacts of warmth on chocolate. After extensive observation and copious note-taking, the school in Loose Road concluded: “We found out that they do love chocolate!”
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-
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
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
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
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
to new patients amid growing concerns about care quality. ago, we have been unable to re- place him as a full time GP, and the remaining doctors are strug-
gling...This means doctors are at- tempting to care for 2,767 patients per full-time equivalent GP, there is a wait of four weeks for a routine appointment, and many patients complain that it is difficult to ob- tain an urgent appointment. “We stopped actively taking on
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.
The Mote Medical Practice, serv-
patients (open but full with a main- tained list) two years ago to protect patient safety, but West Kent Clini- cal Commissioning Group contin- ues to allocate patients to us, and our patient numbers are increasing. “We are concerned about the
quality of care we are providing and, until we can find a replace- ment for Dr Wilford, are consider- ing formally closing our list to new registrations. The first step is to seek your opinions.” Borough councillor Malcolm
McKay said: “We need more, not fewer facilities, given the amount of new housing in the area. My first re- action is to ask if they cannot hire another locum. I worry that when a consultation like this starts, it is sim- ply the thin end of the wedge.” West Kent CCG said: “We have
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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.
a comment.
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received an application from Mote Medical Practice to close its patient list and we have been in touch with them to let them know what the next steps are. The CCG, together with our partners, is working hard to help improve recruitment and re- tention and to provide more joined- up services, which will make better use of the resources that we have.” The practice was approached for
Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
FREE No. 246
News
downsmail.co.uk
Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
Kate, 107, dies News
FREE No. 262
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.
3 MP’s Local Plan bid
Head backs teachers A SUTTON Valence head urges parents to back teachers on pupil discipline.
Car wrecks gardens Plans for Dr Nigel
5 4
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
Farmers’ staff fears Jason Donovan date
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
RESIDENTS call for urgent road safety measures after car ploughs through gardens in Headcorn.
10
WEALD fruit farms fear future EUstaff shortages as the Government struggles with Brexit negotiations.12
18 Pie-flingers compete
DATE is announced for the return of Coxheath’s custard pie tournament. 21
Obituaries Obituaries 24 Parish Councils 34-35
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.
THE phone box in Nettlesteadwill be removed by BT before March; parish councillors in Staplehurst have debated road names for the Hen and Duckhurst Farm develop- ment, including those in memory of WWI heroes; parish council toilets in Marden have closed until a new cleaning contract has been agreed; Linton Parish Council reports 44 bags of rubbish were collected as part of the latest litter pick.
Parish Councils26-29 32
Crime Reports 29 Crime Reports 35
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 38-39
A TRACTOR and trailer were stolen from a yard in Hunton; four chain- saws were taken from a shed in Langley; welding equipment, two drills and a disc cutter were snatched from a container in Yalding; a van had its tyres slashed and windows broken in Headcorn; jewellery was stolen during a bur- glary in East Sutton.
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