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Maidstone East Edition Maidstone North Edition


October 2017 September 2019 Panto ahoy!


Community under canvas ‘needs help’


A COMMUNITY under canvas brings the extent of the homeless crisis to Maidstone’s door, says Fant councillor Paul Harper.


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


Dozens of assaults


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.


CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping


at mental hospital POLICE investigated dozens of assaults at the private hospital in Maidstone which treats mentally ill criminals, Downs Mail has dis- covered. Data obtained through a Free-


CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.


dom of Information request shows a worrying level of vio- lence inside the Cygnet Hospital Maidstone in the month of April. Our revelations come 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


same time that a Care Quality Commission inspection graded the hospital’s safety record as re- quiring improvement. It reported evidence of five


core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month


“serious incidents” and an es- cape since it opened last Octo- ber. The inspection was carried out in March before the escala- tion in violence. Concerns are now growing


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


about the primary and special needs schools being built directly next to the facility. Months of protests by local councillors, resi- dents and the clergy came to nothing.


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saw a caravan burned out while a torched car remains on a footpath


building push must include more homes for council tenants. Fellow Labour ward councillors


nearby, more than a year after it was dumped and set on fire. The church car park has also seen


Keith Adkinson and Margaret Rose described the conditions as “desperate”. Cllr Rose, who works forMaid-


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-


stone Mediation, said: “Unfortu- nately, unless you have an extremelyclose linktoMaidstone it is unlikely youwill get any help.” She says Maidstone’s house


buildingprogrammemust address the needs of the vulnerable. CllrHarper added: “The true ex-


tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on


tent of homelessness is hidden by thosewho rely onfamilymembers, sofa surf or live out of their car. Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) may not have a statutory right to house these individuals fromPoland, but we have amoral


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


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


duty.”MBC says it has found ac- commodation for three individu- als, who used their EU Treaty Rights to access benefits. Those re- maining are using its day centre to wash.Aspokesman added: “MBC staff are visiting themdaily – pro- viding bin sacks andwater.Unfor- tunately, until the remaining four have the necessary paperwork they are unable to claim housing benefits, so accommodation op- tions are very limited.We continue to liaisewith the immigration serv- ice to try to resolve the situation.” The spokesman said MBC is


01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT


maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent


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.


tackling the number sleeping rough in Maidstone, helped by a Government grant which has funded five outreach officers. In the last 12months, the council


says the number sleeping on the streets of Maidstone has fallen by 80%. A count in September 2018 found 48, with the most recent, in July, showing five.


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site that has been home to seven people from Eastern Europe since July.The tents are among brambles between the railway line and the river near Bower Lane. Cllr Harper (pictured) said:


“These are dreadful conditions for anyone to live in.We are supposed to be the sixth-richest nation in the world and yet we have people sleeping rough like this.” He says the national house-


Downs Mail visited the sodden


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. 269


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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Pageantworld help MP’s Local Plan bid


Dancer stole coffee Plans for Dr Nigel


A BEAUTY queen has told how the pageant world helped her overcome personal prob- lems and gain confidence.


4 3


A FORMER dancer’s life spiralled downwards after the death of his gran.


THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12


THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.


ONLY a quarter of the homes due to be built in the borough have been deliv- ered,we disclose.


Mote Park forMela


OPPOSITIONTories have called for theMelamulti-cultural festival to be allowed to return toMote Park.


Obituaries


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Obituariesinto the road because of parking32 in Burial Ground Road, Tovil; a referendum on the Neighbour-


ASH dieback has been discovered in place in the first week of August;


Monks Meadow Hollingbourne in rise in illegal dumping. Detling


the introduction of tivillagep fees has holderled to fears in Tovil there will be a resigned; yellow lines are needed for Buffkyn Way, Otham, to allow buses through Imperial Park; rub- bish bins in the sports field in


ete stall- co-ordinator Jean Duffy has


Crime Reports 37 Kingswoodare to be moved over to


the picnic area and rear exit. 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 GROUP of youngsters threw stones at a house in Allington; lead was stolen from the roof of a building in Fant; a driver parked in Postley Road found his car wind- screen smashed; rubbish was dumped into the garden of a property in Willington Street; a dumper truck was stolen from a building site in Park Wood; the windscreen of a bus was smashed by a missile in ParkWood.


Comment 46-47 Comment 46-47


Parish Councils 37 PEDESTRIANS are being forced


Parish Councils 34-35 hood Plan in Loosewas to take


5


Homebuilding‘chaos’ Jason Donovan date


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