News


downsmail.co.uk MBCslammed inwaste poll


THE borough council has been rubbished in its attempts to keep the area’s streets clean, clear litter and tackle flytippers. A survey conducted by Downs


Mail showed79%ofmore than 300 respondents thinkMaidstone Bor- ough Council does not do a good job. Only 12% said the authority did


do agoodjob, and9%wereunsure. We asked: “In your opinion,


does Maidstone Borough Council do a good job in keeping your streets clean, free of litter anddeal- ingwith flytippers?” The council launched its own


survey last month to gauge reac- tion on how it can “maintain a clean and tidy borough” which “meets the expectations” of resi- dents. BoroughcouncillorGill Fort (pic-


tured), who represents the flytip- pinghotspot ofBurberryLanenear Kingswood, said CCTV cameras are nownecessary in herward. She added: “The only way to


combat the scourge of flytipping andillegalwastedumping is to rig-


Art for kids


FOUR to 15-year-olds are being urged to get creative for a special competition at the Headcorn Art GroupAnnual Exhibition. Would-be Van Goghs, Consta-


bles and Lowrys have until the event on September 14 to pro- duce a painting or drawing fea- turing animals. Theymust submit theirwork at


theMethodistHall between 10am and 4pm. Winners will be an- nounced on theHeadcornVillage Facebook page. All work should include the artist’s name, age and contact details. Awardswill be presented in the village hall on September 26.


Canoemedal


WEST Farleigh’s SamWilson has scooped bronze in the World Freestyle Canoe Championships. The 22-year-old paddler took


third spot after reaching the finals in Sort near the Spanish Pyrenees in July. A specialist in squirt kayaks –


highly-manoeuvrable snub-nosed craft – Samstarted canoeing in the Scouts, doing most of his early training at Yalding. Today he works and trains at


Lee ValleyWhiteWater Centre His parents, Megan and Chris, live in St Helens Lane.


8 Bowlers starting young


BUDDINGbowls players have been treated to a test drive at Hunton. Fifteen pupils from Hunton and


Linton Pre-School, which takes youngsters fromtwo years old, vis- itedHunton Bowls Club for a game


on the green. Itwas followed by awell-earned


drink and biscuits before the pupils returned to class at the village hall, ready to start primary school this month.


orously enforce the rules, bring prosecutions and be seen to be doing so. “We have got to hit these people


hardin theplace it hurts themost – the pocket. “Otherwise there is nodeterrent.


The borough council could and should be doing better than it is. It is such a dispiriting sight to see great piles of rubble or garden waste, days after the previous lot has been carted away.” Maidstone Borough Council an-


nounced a van was impounded and its owner fined £300 for not having awaste licence in Burberry Lane on July 24. But less than aweek later, crimi-


nals struck again – this time leav- ing builder’s rubble sacks filled with unwanted vegetation and a pile of oldwheels. MBC said the apprehension of a


vehicle and the fine was part of a co-ordinated operation with Kent Police to fight flytipping, but later admitted it was the result of “a chance encounter”. Cllr Fort,whowelcomedthe first


ever successfulMBC fixed penalty notice in Burberry Lane, added: “This has been a blackspot for years and the council seems pow- erless to do anything about it. “If the one ticket they haveman-


aged was by a chance encounter, perhaps they should swing by more often and they might get somemore chance encounters.”


On the trail


of scarecrows IT WILL be a tough weekend for black, raucous birds around Mar- den later thismonth. An army of scarecrows is in the


making,with villagers planning to deploy themacross the parish. The traditional homemade bird


deterrents will take up position in homes, gardens and Southons Field on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29. Marden in Bloom, have urged


villagers to make their own, and are creating a scarecrow trail. The publicwill be able to vote for their favourite scarecrow at the trail’s end in Southons Field. The map will be available in


mid-September from the library, Crowhurst and Tompsett, and West End Stores.


Appeal after chainsaws stolen


POLICE are investigating a bur- glarywhere two chainsawswere stolen in Staplehurst. The break-in took place in


Chickenden Lane between 5pm on Tuesday, August 20 and 7.30am on Wednesday, August 21.


A Kent Police spokesman Maidstone Weald September 2019


said: "Officers are investigating a reported burglary at premises on Chickenden Lane, Staple- hurst. “Kent Police was called re-


garding the theft of two orange and white chainsaws from a container.” Anyone with information is


asked to call the appeal line on 01622 604100, quoting reference 21-0248. Alternatively call the inde-


pendent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Aleternatively, complete the


online formatwww.crimestop- pers-uk.org.


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