Maidstone East Edition Maidstone South Edition
October 2017 August 2019 Panto ahoy!
Call to clamp down on ParkWood lier
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
A RESIDENTS’ association has called on a housing provider and the borough council to step up action against litter louts and flytippers. Afed-up campaigner says Park
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.
Wood has become “an island of litter surrounded by a sea of traf- fic”. Sue Pritchard (pictured with a
discarded Chinese takeaway) lives in an area where there is a mix of private owners and tenan- cies provided by social housing group Golding Homes. The secretary of the ParkWood
Residents’Association said illegal dumping is a regular occurrence with no reason to deter the cul- prits. The removal of a bin near a bus
stop in Wallis Avenue has led to further problems, especially with fast food wrappers and drinks cans. Sue said: “It is not that nothing
gets done by the council. We re- port it and they come and clear it up, but within a day or two an- other load has been dumped. “It is almost as if the council is
doing them a favour, but not seeking to deter their actions. The place looks scruffy because the lit- tering is not policed properly.” The former Swadelands School
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
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
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
teacher added: “We, the commit- tee members of Park Wood Resi-
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-
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
dents’ Association, would like to meetwith all bodies concerned to see how we can work together to stop the problem. “Park Wood residents need to
have pride inwhere they live, and this won't happen while we live on an island of litter surrounded by a sea of traffic.” A spokesman for Golding
Homes said: “We always aim to listen to our residents’ concerns and have in the past held events to help educate local people on re-
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
cycling properly. We will be dis- cussing this matter with the local authority to see howwe canwork with residents to help.” Maidstone Borough Council
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
said: “The waste crime team has been working well in identifying those responsible for flytipping waste and littering in the Park Wood area.Where there has been evidence or those caught littering, the appropriate enforcement ac- tion has been taken. “This has included use of covert
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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.
CCTVin flytipping hotspots,wit- ness reports, evidence within the waste and regular patrols by litter enforcement officers.” Asked for a breakdown of re-
cent enforcement action in Park Wood,MBC said: “We are unable to provide exact waste crime fig- ures for one specific area inMaid- stone at this time.”
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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.
3
Council ‘mole’ latest MP’s Local Plan bid
Backwith a splash Plans for Dr Nigel
A TORY councillor has refused to co-operate with a borough council leak inquiry as it is “a waste ofmoney”.
4
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
THEMaidstone River Festival is back and hoping to recap- ture past fun and frolics.
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
THEWheatsheaf pub has been bought by the county council as part of road changes to ease current congestion.
18 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.
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 thropugh a bedroom window of a residential property in Queen Anne Road.
Comment 46-47 Comment 38-39
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3 4
Wheatsheaf pub sold Jason Donovan date
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