Maidstone East Edition Maidstone East Edition October 2017 July 2019 Panto ahoy! Royal honours
THREE people fromthe area have had their service to the community recognised by the Queen in her Birthday Honours List. Among themis JimFindlay, fromHolling-
bourne, who has received an OBE. Mr Findlay, of PilgrimsWay, receives his
award for his church and community work, after moving to the village 34 years ago.
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
Probe into violence atmental hospital
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.
Cygnet Hospital near M20 J7, which opened last October, has prompted a multi-agency probe over concerns about incidents on themale psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) inApril. A report from the NHS West
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
“Safeguarding alerts” at the
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
Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said a “voluntary cessation of admissions had been requested”during the inquiry. The hospital overlooks the site
proposed for two schools at Popes Fieldwhich has been approved by Maidstone Borough Council. The CCG report states: “The
(Cygnet) service opened on Octo- ber 8. In April, a disproportionate
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
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
nearby, more than a year after it was dumped and set on fire. The church car park has also seen
number of safeguardingalertswere raised for themale PICU ward for patient-on-patient assaults. “The concerns have now esca-
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-
latedto amulti-agency (inquiry)… led by (the) local authority.” It addsCygnetwill be “required
to submit an action plan to address the findings” of the investigation. A spokesman for Cygnet re-
fused to say how many or detail the nature of the assaults as these “are currently being reviewed case by case andwe are unable to share this information as it is ongoing”. The spokesman added: “Cygnet
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
has been part of a safeguarding strategymeeting.We do not know the outcome of thismeeting.”
4 A PRIVATE hospital for mentally ill criminals inMaidstone is under in-
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
vestigationafter a “disproportionate”numberofpatientonpatient assaults. Despite the CCG report detail-
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
ing a “voluntary cessation of ad- missions” request, Cygnet said: “Cygnethaveatnopoint ceasedad- missions – they have continued to admit service users throughout this period using the same referral and admissions procedures used on a dailybasis,whichis basedonanas- sessment of theward.” Downs Mail revealed last April
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.
Cllr Fort, who also serves as a
that someof thepatients tobetreated at the 65-bed facility would have a “forensic history” which the NHS defines as linked to criminal behav- iouror referral fromthecriminal jus- tice system. Local Boxley parish councillor
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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.
WendyHindersaid:“Iamabsolutely
speechless.Thisbearsoutwhat Iand many residents have been saying – that these schools should not be going onto this site. Remember, it
wouldonlytakeoneincident.Maybe people will stop and listen to what wehave beensaying.” MBC councillor Denis Spooner
said: “If this is true, it is really rather worrying. I would want to know more details.”
visit
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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. 267
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.
3
Artist at academy MP’s Local Plan bid
Homes plan latest Plans for Dr Nigel
Jason Donovan date Plays and picnics
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
AN am-dramgroup is staging its annual ‘Plays and Picnics’ event in Leeds at theOld Vicarage.
18 More sites, anyone?
A LOCALMP has called on residents to suggest alternative sites for the new schools to be sited atM20 J7.
Obituaries Obituaries Monks
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Parish Councils 34-35 ASH dieback has been discovered in
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 ar; fire extinguishers were taken from a building site in Crime Reports 35
Leeds ea and rear exit.
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.
Lenham; a pub in Bearsted was burgled and an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen; there was an attempt to drain fuel from the tanks of two trucks parked on an industrial estate in Boxley; a lawn mower has been stolen from the cricket ground at Detling; a pharmacy was burgled in Downswood.
Comment 46-47 Comment 46-47
A LEAKING drain in Boughton Malherbe was reported to the county council; a new judge is needed for the hanging basket contest held in Harrietsham; the new play area is open at the playing fields in Leeds; a defibrillator and storage box were installed on the wall outside Hollingbourne school.
Crime Reports 35 A SKIP was stolen in Penf ld Hill,
Parish Councils 34-35 32
10
LEEDS artist Antonia Enthoven has had work accepted to be exhibited at the Royal Academy.
4 3
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
READ the very latest on plans to bring up to 5,000 houses to Lenham.
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