News Care provider


must improve A MAIDSTONE care provider looking aftermore than 150 people has beentoldto improve its service. Following an inspection by the


Care Quality Commission, Mears Care Ltd received a second “re- quires improvement” grading. The inspector visiting the domi-


ciliary care agency in Hermitage Lane heard users and their rela- tives had seen an improvement since the last inspection. But the CQC noted that the management team, had not fully updated care records. There were also concerns about


fire safety at an extra care housing scheme, andtherewas a lack of ev- idence to showhowdecisions had beenmade on users’ behalf. At the agency’s last inspection in


December 2018, management was described as “inadequate”. This time it was found that several changes had beenmade. The inspector concludedthat the


service required improvement in all areas, although the caring na- ture of staffwas good. The CQCwill continue tomoni- tor the service.


downsmail.co.uk


LibDemcouncil boss underfireover ‘secrecy’


MASSIVE housing developments are being mooted for the Maid- stone area in a drive to find places to build thousandsmore homes. Amid outcry over LiberalDemo-


crat-ledMaidstone Borough Coun- cil’s decision to hold a secret meeting to discuss the “call for sites”,which ended onMay 24,we havediscoveredtwoschemeswhich are high on the agenda. One is a plan for 5,000 houses at


LenhamHeath.Another is for 1,100 units intheStPeterStreetandRiver- side area ofMaidstone. Businessman Rob Schroeder has


highlighted a 900 home eco-village inKingswoodandtwosmallerplots at Chartway Street and Langley Heath. A 2,000-home scheme in Marden is “not finding the same amountof favour”,accordingtoone source.MBCis committedto 17,600 houses intheLocalPlanandanother 8,000inthe reviewforwhichthe call for siteswasmade.


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Follow us on Facebook Search Early Learning Steps Otham Maidstone 12 12 Maidstone July 2019 Maidstone July 2019 WhenDownsMailpublishedde-


tails of the LenhamHeath proposal online, an MBC official requested we take it down because of com- mercial sensitivities.Wedeclinedfor public interest reasons. AnMBC draft statement seen by


Downs Mail appeared to confirm the Lenhamsite, saying: “This ‘call for sites’exerciseincludesaprospec- tus for ‘garden communities’. We can confirm MBC itself intends to put forward a proposal.”


After revelations in Downs Mail


aboutLenham,MBC’s leadlegalad- viser,PatriciaNarebor,announceda “leak investigation” to establish the source of details froma policy and resources meeting on May 22 at which the schemewas discussed in secret.MBC’s Lib Dem, CllrMartin Cox(pictured),calledfor themeeting to be closed but was opposed by Tory Cllr Jonathan Purle,who said: “Residents in my part of town are concernedaboutplans for1,100flats being crammed into our (Bridge) ward.” CllrCoxsaidit isnecessaryfor the


council toact ina"business-likefash- ion" in a call for sitesprocess. The proper time to make details


public andtodiscuss thedetails of it would be at the consultation stage, he said. Downs Mail has previously re-


vealed the council has drawn up a listofparksandopenspaces itowns which could be sold for housing.


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