News | Election 2019
downsmail.co.uk Call for a four-yearly poll
ELECTIONS toMaidstone Borough Council should be held every four years to savemore than £300,000 of tax-payers’money, it has been claimed. Currently, MBC’s 55 members
are voted into office in three sepa- rate tranches, with one year left fallowto allowfor county council members to be elected. Most authorities in Kent hold a
complete slate of ward election every four years. Tory opposition group leader
John Perry claims Maidstone’s system is inefficient, costly and can result in power yo-yoing be- tween political groupings or coali- tions. The council is led by a coalition
led by the LiberalDemocrats in al- liance with others, although the Tories are numerically superior. Over a four-year term, the coun-
cil could save £320,000, said Cllr Perry. He said that he had obtained
that figure froman official source from within Maidstone Borough Council.
Climate call
‘grudging’ MAIDSTONE Greens have wel- comed the borough council’s agreement to consider a “climate emergency” declaration request. Stuart Jeffery, of Maidstone
Green Party, said: “It is hearten- ing that MBC has agreed to con- sider declaring a climate emergency, in response to our re- quest at a recent councilmeeting, but it is a real shame that they agreed grudgingly. “The climate breakdown has
already started. The best time to act was 30 years ago, the second best time to act is now. Let us hope the council acts soon.”
Party growing THE newly-formed Social Demo- cratic Party has not ruled out standing candidates inMay’s bor- ough council election. Approached by Downs Mail,
leader William Clouston claimed the party strength is “strong and growing rapidly” and has not dis- counted targeting seats in Kent. The SDP, which claims to be a reincarnation of
the Labour
breakaway movement in the 1980s, describes itself as a “red and blue, centrist political party” with a pro nation-state, Euroscep- tic outlook.
10 Maidstone East April 2019
Cllrs John Perry andMichelle Hastie He said: “A third of a million
pounds is a lot of money these days.With services stretched and it is simply not cost-effective to have this patchwork of mini elec- tions. “Local elections should be about
the council run for the next four years – things like the dog poo everywhere, cleaner streets, a re- lief road, endless housing devel- opments or never-ending traffic jams inMaidstone.” Liberal Democrat councillor
local voters saying howtheywant Michelle Hastie – who represents
northward – said the present sys- tem favoured bringing smaller parties and independents into de- cision-making. She added: “Of course, the To-
ries would be saying this because it is the system that best would best suit them.” Labour’s group leaderMalcolm
McKay said: “We are quite happy with the current arrangement – it aids democracy. “It may seem like an inconven-
ience to have an election three years out of four. But that’s democracy and I am perfectly content with what we have at the moment.” Cllr McKay denied his group
was in an agreement or coalition with the Liberal Democrats. MBC said the present system
can be changed if two thirds of members are in favour at a vote at an extraordinary councilmeeting.
MP sets out Brexit case
MAIDSTONE MP Helen Grant faced constituents for a Brexit briefingwith days to go before the planned withdrawal fromthe Eu- ropeanUnion. About 20 local people turned
out to hear Mrs Grant set out the various scenarios faced by the United Kingdom. She warned that a prolonged
Lib Dem Cllr Richard Webb and Tory challenger Simon Webb, right Webbs head to head
COXHEATH and Hunton will be the battle of the Webbs in the May local elections. Lib Dem Richard Webb, a popular
and respected councillor, will face a challenge from Tory Simon Webb, of Hunton. The ward is a top priority for the
Tories, as Cllr Webb has a majority of just 54. His situation is made more perilous by 765 votes (19%) for Ukip which could leach away to Simon Webb, an executive head of five primary schools, or the Labour Party should the right wing party fail to stand a candidate. Asked what he would campaign
on, Simon (64) said: “Coxheath is seeing a transformation because of
the amount of housing but no co- ordinated transport or traffic plan. “I’ll be asking why the promised
roundabout at Murdoch Chase has never gone in. On a wider level, I would scrap yearly elections which are a phenomenal waste of public money and make the polls once every four years. “I would ask how much tax pay-
ers are paying for the pointless judi- cial review undertaken by MBC against Kent County Council.” Cllr Webb, a postman, said: “I
don’t know if Ukip will be standing but I am hopeful that I can get in again. You have to keep yourself ac- tive and help the people who ask for your help. Yes, I am fairly positive.”
impasse increased the likelihood of a general election being called. During a Q&A, audience mem-
ber Stephen Poole accused PM TheresaMay of stubborn reckless- ness in her negotiations and said she should have resigned. Former parish councillor Colin
Parr, who transferred some of the manufacturing side of his business to India after the referendum, said: “I amsittinghere as a businessman – I still want to trade with Europe and they still want to trade with me.What is stopping us? Politics.”
THE Maidstone and the Weald Conservative Association has seen a 25% increase in members in the past year caused by, say senior members, the desire to vote for a Prime Minister and MP Helen Grant’s local popularity.
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