Maidstone East Edition Malling Edition
October 2017 February 2019
Panto ahoy! Store support
SNODLAND Co-op used World Cancer Day on February 4 to an- nounce it would be backing a Kent charity that supports young pa- tients and their families. Staff at the store, in Holborough
Road, have named YouCan as a beneficiary of its Community Fund 2019. Pictured front to back are the
charity’s Sue Walker, the Co-op’s Sue Childs and Amit Singh, and Liam Joyce of You Can.
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
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. See Town Talk, page 6
Yobs running riot at station, say rail users
COMMUTERS say they feel “powerless” after running a gauntlet of
abusive youths and enduring vandalism at Snodland railway station. about something to do with these kids causing trouble. One day, somebody is going to get hurt.” Snodland town councillor Paul
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
that, despite complaints, they fear the authorities are unable to take effective action. British Transport Police say they
have no records of vandalism in the area but Kent Police acknowl- edge there has been “a lot of anti- social behaviour” recently. One commuter said: “I have seen
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
Residents have told Downs Mail
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
the bus shelter glass smashed on a number of mornings as I’ve ar- rived at the station in the last month. “I got off the train at 6.30pm and
had to walk through a fog of pot- smoking kids on bikes. I have seen
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
them on numerous occasions doing wheelies in the road. “They attempt to intimidate peo-
nearby, more than a year after it was dumped and set on fire. The church car park has also seen
ple leaving the station car park and I’ve been back-chatted by one of the kids only recently.” Resident Lee Penfold Johnson
added: “I walk past Snodland train station every morning, and the bus shelter across the road has been vandalised about three times. “Nobody wants to do anything
about it, even though there’s CCTV. “I have lived in Snodland my en-
tire life, a Snodland boy through and through, and every day I read
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-
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.
Hickmott said: “We’ve raised a lot of vandalism issues with the police community support officer, but unless there is any real criminal damage it’s difficult to convict these people. It is very unfortunate. “The key message here is for
people to report these crimes straight away, so that there’s a higher police presence.” Snodland PCSO, Ross McMillan,
01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT
maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent
The Hop Pole Nettlestead Green
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.
told Downs Mail: “There have been a number of reported inci- dents about the station, particu- larly by residents who live nearby, with complaints of a group of youths being a nuisance. “In the last couple of weeks
alone, I know the shelter has been damaged, and a bus had non-per- manent damage done to it. “There’s been a lot of antisocial
behaviour in the area recently.” Police take action, page 5
Home Alarms supplied and fitted visit
www.amiga.co.uk or call 08000 199622
Tuesday - Sunday. A La Carte Menu also available
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
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.
Image centre praised MP’s Local Plan bid
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A KINGS Hill medical facility has been given “outstanding” recognition from a hospi- tal regulator.
Dambusters’ pub goes Plans for Dr Nigel
Local plan submitted Jason Donovan date
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
Obituaries
DRAFT plans for the borough’s housing, schools and transport needs are placed before Government.
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A PUB frequented by war heroes faces the bulldozers in West Malling to make way for new housing.
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
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1818 28
Parish Councils30-31
A WORKING group was launched in Leybourne to explore camera security systems; new councillor, Andrew Kennedy, joined Ayles- ford parish council; public consul- tation
Obituaries
roundabout alterations was post- poned.
on Wateringbury 32
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.
Cllr Fort, who also serves as a Town Talk Crime Reports 31
AYLESFORD community centre was the target of an attempted break-in; a black and pink Boss mountain bike was stolen in Kings Hill; a house window was smashed in East Malling; 300 litres of diesel and four batteries were stolen in Offham.
Crime Reports 35
CELEBRATE a Snodland jew- eller’s 125th anniversary and meet the new head teacher at The Holmesdale School in Town Talk, in this month’s edition of Downs Mail. The bi-monthly in- dependent magazine is dedi- cated to Snodland and Halling residents.
Mother's Day Bookings now being taken Carvery served 6 days a week
Comment 40-41
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 01622 816916 Maidstone Rd, Nettlestead Green, ME18 5HH 3
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