News


downsmail.co.uk Farmers’Brexit fear forharvest


FRUIT farmers are becoming increasinglyworried about their harvest rotting on the trees this year because of continued uncertainty over Brexit. Whilst plans are in place to set


up registration schemes for for- eign permanent staffers to carry on in their UK roles beyond de- parture, the industry is becoming concerned how it will cope in 2019. Foreign workers have been ar-


riving in Kent in their thousands for years, but with freedom of movement to the UK about to end, growers are unsure howthey will be able to recruit this season. Broadwater Farmin EastMalling employs around 70 seasonal staff to pick its 9,000 bins of apples, mostly, Bramley, Braeburn and Gala. Aspokeswoman said: “There is


a lot of uncertainty and Brexit is a factor but there are also other pressures, such as the value of the euro which are putting workers off.” The 300 acre farm,which is also


known asHoward Chapman Ltd, attracts its foreign workers from all over theworld, includingAus- tralia, South Africa and New


No-showcosts PATIENTS not turning up for ap- pointments cost the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust around £4min 2018. Data from NHS England


showed thatmore than 33,000 pa- tients failed to show, at a cost to the taxpayer of about £120 each. A spokesman for the British


Medical Association said: “We should not stigmatise patients whomay not be able to attend for legitimate reasons.Given the cur- rent unprecedented pressure, pa- tients shouldmake every possible effort to rearrange their appoint- ments so that another person is able to receive treatment in their place.”


Road offences A DRIVER holding only a provi- sional licencewas stopped on the M20 for careless driving. Police spotted the Ford Focus


near Forstal Road, Aylesford, at about 12.50pmon January 8. The driver also turned out to


have no insurance and the MOT had expired inAugust 2018. The vehicle was seized and the


driver has been reported to the traffic summons unit.


4 Malling February 2019


most people are trying to fill that blank.” A spokeswoman for Bardsley


Farm, of Chart Sutton, which grows apples, pears and apricots, said the business needs about 200 seasonal workers. Asked about recruiting for this year’s harvest, she said: “The truth is that we re- ally don’t know– there is somuch uncertainty. “You would assume that there


might be some sort ofwaiver sys- temthis year because theywould- n’t want to let fruit rot on the trees. “Apart from the permanent


Zealand. It principally uses its website to hire its foreign pickers but will probably avoid using agencies this summer to avoid higher charges. The spokeswoman added: “We


should be fine this year, but with Brexit, nobody knows. It’s all a bit of a nightmare, if I am honest.” Canterbury-based AG Recruit- mentmanaging director Douglas Amesz, who acts as an agent for


farms looking for foreign labour, said: “It is not possible to stop freedomofmovement overnight. “The economic harm would be


catastrophic. If there is no deal, I feel very strongly that the Gov- ernment would have to continue with the status quo for the rest of 2019. You couldn’t just shut the door. “If there is no deal, there cannot be an implementation pe- riod. We just don’t know and


overseas staff, we need about 200 seasonal workers and pickers across the business. We use an agency to get themin, but we are by no means the only farm around here.”At Chegworth Val- ley inWater Lane,Chegworth, the farms needs about 100workers. However, permanent staff nor-


mally bring in up to 50 friends and familymembers for the pick- ing season.


Teenagers held after van chase


TWO teenagers remain in cus- tody after a van failed to stop when requested to do so by Kent Police. At around 9.50pm on Mon-


day, January 14, a van travel- ling on theA228 in Cuxtonwas reported to have failed to stop by officers. A pursuit took place and at 10.12pm, the vehicle is reported


to have stopped on a flyover on theA2, near Gravesend. The occupant is then re-


ported to have decamped from the vehicle and he was ar- rested on suspicion of an as- sault, which took place in Medway on January 11. The 17-year-old, from West


Malling, remains in custody as enquiries continue.


A second vehicle, a Vauxhall


Astra, is reported to have been travelling in convoy with the van before stopping in Thong Lane, Shorne. An 18-year-old man from


West Malling was also ar- rested on suspicion of driving while disqualified and he re- mains in custody as enquiries continue.


Boozy lunch led to driving ban


A £30,000 a year steel worker ap- peared in court after being ar- rested for drink-driving following a boozy lunch. Andrej Perju (24), of Ashford,


had been out drinkingwith a col- league before being pulled over by police. Julie Farvarce, prosecuting, told


Maidstone Magistrates’ Court that the blue Renault Lagunawas stopped by police on Coldhar- bour Lane at about 3:10pmonDe- cember 16. Perju failed a roadside breath


test and was taken to the police station. James Warren, defending, told


the court: “Mr Perju had con- sumed some alcohol at lunchtime but still felt as though he was fit to drive.” Perjuwas following a colleague


when both cars were pulled over by police at traffic lights near the A20 London Road. MrWarren told the court Perju


had been in this country for two years and worked as a steel fixer, working all over the south coast


and earning up to £600 aweek. Chairman of the bench Nigel


Cox, said: “We are really not im- pressedwith you. This disqualifi- cation means you must not even attempt to sit behind a wheel until you re-apply for your li- cence in 12months’ time.” When asked howa disqualifica-


tionwould affect Perju’swork, he replied his boss would be escort- ing himtowork everymorning. Perju admitted to the offence


and was disqualified from driv- ing for 12months and fined £525.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48