downsmail.co.uk


Axed taxi scheme hits ‘most disadvantaged’


THE axing of a £50,000 scheme which helped hundreds ofMaid- stone’s most vulnerable people has come under fire. As of April 1, Maidstone Bor-


ough Council has stopped giving funding to Age UK Maidstone, which administered the Disability Travel Voucher (DTV) scheme. The scheme was aimed at resi-


dentswho are too ill or disabled to make essential journeys on public transport. MBCblames central government


cuts and firstmade the decision to axe theDTV inMarch 2017. Independent borough council-


lor, Eddie Powell, said: “TheMBC leadership managed to find £50,000 to attempt a doomedHigh Court judicial review against an- other local authority, yet takes away funds from the very people who are the fabric of our society.” An 88-year-old Loose woman,


who has arthritis and is partially sighted, asked her son to reapply


for her vouchers, only to discover the scheme had ended. Thewoman,who askednot to be


named, told Downs Mail: “I am fortunate in having the means to make other arrangements, but I feel formany,many otherswhodo not and saw this excellent scheme as a lifeline.Nowit has been taken away. It is a great, great pity.”


Easy Access Bathrooms


“Safe bathrooms at sensible prices”


MBC contracted the service out


to Age UK Maidstone, which printed off the vouchers and ad- ministered the scheme before billing the council. Successful ap- plicants received £70 in vouchers, valid for a year, to usewith partic- ipating taxi and community trans- port organisations. Chairman ofAgeUKMaidstone


BryanVizzard(pictured) said: “We did urge the borough council to think again andmade the case for keeping the scheme, but the deci- sion had already been made at committee level. “My feeling is that the scheme


probably needed some sort of re- view, butwe are seeing the loss of a valuable service to themost disad- vantagedmembers of society.” MBC said it had taken the deci-


sion to remove the grants after con- sidering the scheme andbudgets at two committees – Policy and Re- sources, and Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation.


News


£300k boost to helipad


MAIDSTONE Hospital is to open a 24-hour helipad after a pledge of £300k froma fundraising charity. Medics currently use a tempo-


rary site behind the oncology unit, but it is often waterlogged. The newhelipad, says the hospital,will bring a round-the-clock safe land- ing site back toMaidstone. The cash, to be paid in two


£150,000 tranches, comes from HELP (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) Appeal – the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads Leigh Curtis, executive director


at the air ambulance, said: “Having access to hospitals likeMaidstone, is vitally important, as it gives us the ability to reduce journey time, giving patients access to critical care quicker.” Robert Bertram, from the HELP


Appeal, said: “Seriously illpatients need hospital care in a matter of minutes to increase their chances of survival. Building a helipad with zero risk of becomingwaterlogged will ensure this happens.” The helipad is expected to be ready for use by the spring of 2020.


Anti-slip shower trays Anti-slip flooring Raised-height toilets Bidet shower toilets Shower seats Grab and support rails Wall Panelling or tiling Thermostatic showers


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www.batheinsafety.co.uk 01622 962108 01622 737559 | 07967 628797 Email: timesavers@btconnect.com www.timesaverscarpetcleaners.co.uk Maidstone East May 2019 13


Zero VAT on mobility bathrooms


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