Maidstone East Edition Maidstone North Edition
October 2017 August 2019 Panto ahoy!
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
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.
Head Chris Laker, executive head Jenny Young and some of the pupils at Barming Primary School celebrating their Ofsted success
Primary school leaps to good Ofsted rating
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
AS educational transformations go, a Maidstone primary is quite remark- able – from special measures to an Ofsted “good” rating in one bound.
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
garded as a rarity and almost un- heard of. But that has been the turn-
around in every nook and cranny of Barming Primary School over the past two and half years, since head teacher Chris Laker arrived from his previous post in East Sussex. A staff reorganisation, the ap-
pointment of a school improve- ment director and support from the executive head Jenny Young were key reasons Ofsted high- lighted for the success. Inspectors rated the school as
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
In school circles, that is re-
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
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-
good in the areas ofmanagement, teaching/learning, personal de- velopment, pupil outcomes and early years’ provision. It is unusual for a school in spe- cialmeasures to leapfrog the “re- quires improvement” grade to b awarded a “good” by Ofsted. Mr Laker said: “When I came
for my interview here, I used the analogy of a damp patch in a room. “You have two choices. You can
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
get a pot of paint and hide the problemonly for it to re-emerge a fewmonths later or youfix itprop- erly. That’swhatwe’ve done.”
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
He started the turnaround
when the 406-pupil school be- came part of the Orchard Acad- emy Trust in July 2016. A previous inspection had rated the school as “inadequate”. Mr Laker thanked the staff, the
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
senior leadership team, governors, Mrs Young, the children and the support fromparents,butheadded: “We know we do not always get everything right. However, we are humanandrealistic andif amistake ismadewe holdour handsup.” Mrs Young said: “It has been a
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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.
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long,hardroadandtherehavebeen some tears along the way. But you owe it to the children to get it right. “Thishasabsolutelybeenworthit,
I have nodoubt of that.” Kent education expert Peter Read
said:“This isaveryimpressiveturn- around and I am delighted for all concerned. The school had suffered from poor leadership that led to it being placed in special measures. Welldone, them.”
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. 268
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.
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Council ‘mole’ latest MP’s Local Plan bid
Backwith a splash
THEMaidstone River Festival is back and hoping to recap- ture past fun and frolics.
Plans for Dr Nigel
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
Jason Donovan date
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
Heartless scammers
HEARTLESS criminals are prey- ing on society’smost vulnerable using evermore imagi- native tactics.
Obituaries Obituaries
14 26
Parish Councils 34-35
ASH dieback has been discovered in Monks 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 area and rear exit.
MEMBERS in Barmingwere re- minded that the parish field should be rested for the summer; four older Loose people were to be invited to afternoon tea with the Mayor of Maidstone; a debril- lator at The Bull pub in Barming was broken; a weight restriction on a bridge in Loosemight affect the collection of refuse.
Parish Councils 29 32
Crime Reports 29 Crime Reports 35
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.
Comment 46-47 Comment 38-39
A RESTAURANT in Fant had its window smashed; five people were spotted trying to break into a building in Lower Stone Street; a commercial premises in Park Wood was broken into; a mountain bike secured outside a bank building in Week Street was stolen; a rock was thrown through a bedroom window of a residential property in Queen Anne Road.
THEWheatsheaf pub has been bought by the county council as part of road changes to ease current congestion.
18 4 Wheatsheaf pub sold 8
A TORY councillor has refused to co-operate with a borough council leak inquiry as it is “a waste ofmoney”.
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