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So much for Tory democracy MailMarks


MAIDSTONE, angry about severe impact on quality of life of building many thousands of houses and major population growth, needs to be very concerned about new Government proposals to take away our few democratic protections. These include:


l End of Maidstone Borough Council by amalgamating local councils in to large unitary authorities. l Reducing planning protections for local people and their councils. l New huge increase in housing numbers by Government diktat. These proposals, from a Conservative Government, will impact so many political constituencies across the South East where there is a sea of blue. Did any of us vote for all this? I do not remember anything in the Tory manifesto.


When unitary authorities were last on the Government agenda, Maidstone Council applied solo in the hope of taking highways, education, health and other powers away from KCC. It talked with our neighbours in an attempt to swell our population (since grown to 170,000-plus) to persuade Government. But Medway was already doing its own thing, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge feared Maidstone domination and Ashford was growing fast and had its own hopes. Will any now voluntarily join Maidstone? I have heard talk of Swale (Sheppey, Faversham, Sittingbourne) or Dartford and Gravesend. Geographically, they are not meaningful partners. With locally-elected councillors in control of Maidstone Borough Council. residents have much democratic power to inuence them, and between us we all work to try to create the borough we


Unite against this disaster


THERE can be few people who thought things could not get any worse for the borough with the prospect of 28,000 plus homes coming down the track at us. Now we have discovered that they just have – a possible 6,000 units extra on top. These are the best “guesstimates” by Maidstone Borough Council officers and others independently engaged to make sense of the Government’s White Paper on suggested planning reforms.


Prime Minister Boris Johnson is a man in a great hurry and his chief adviser is so lacking in patience that these changes are likely to happen sooner rather than later, despite all the protestations to the contrary from professional bodies who make it their business to know what they are doing.


This is a very dangerous time. I have to agree with Cllr David Burton when he


growth, renewal or protection. In growth zones “substantial”


DENNIS FOWLE President dennisfowle28@gmail.com


want. Our voices are heard (note: rejection of Otham’s 421 houses proposal).


I suspect Government would now like really large authorities – maybe Kent County Council is a more attractive option for cabinet members frustrated by the likes of Maidstone and Sevenoaks.


A County Councils Network dossier says there is a compelling nancial case for combining Kent’s 13 local councils into one. I have not met anyone who believes that, but there are murmurings of an enlarged Medway unitary authority and separate unitaries for West Kent and East Kent (total – three). Long ago, I became disenchanted with the distance of KCC from its many towns and their problems. Challenges are too often met with a dictatorial response – and that continues now (see below). Historically, KCC is guilty of Maidstone’s awful highways nightmares. I have growing concerns about our local health now that West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group has been merged with other local CCGs to form Kent and Medway CCG. It’s early days, and the new CCG is unlucky to face huge Covid-19 problems. But my evidence grows that it too is worryingly distanced from towns it serves. The Government also wants more housing to revive the economy and, in an attempt to speed plans, local councils designate all land in to three categories:


says that we have to make a stand and act quickly. This was echoed in our pages a few weeks ago by our borough council colleague Denis Spooner, who, as a former town planner, knows a thing or two about the subject. They are absolutely spot on. From conversations I have had, there is a general feeling that we have to come together as one to meet this new challenge head on. It matters not that the Liberal Democrats, Labour and assorted independents are “in charge” of this council, but that we are all now confronted with exactly the same issue. What control we thought we once had is now to be taken away.


I will, of course, continue to strenuously


ght the Lenham Heath proposal which is promoted and run by Maidstone Borough Council itself as its “master developer”. The future has been made so uncertain by this latest development. So we are not


development of housing, hospitals, offices and shops would be automatically permitted (See our online August Mail Marks: “Hell to pay”). Maidstone feels it is being downtrodden. Local democracy is so vital. Government must listen.


r


Not listening SO how well do Kent County


Council officers listen to the boroughs they serve? From the latest evidence from Maidstone on highways matters, not well at all.


The proposed King Street cycle path debacle is a prime example (see page 4). Two top Maidstone councillors saw the design removing the current taxi rank and warned. The taxi drivers were not consulted at all. And impact on the public would have been immense in many ways. I cannot believe I live in a country where this goes on.


KCC did go out to public consultation on six road schemes (including Wheatsheaf junction and Coldharbour roundabout) and met massive resistance. Local views were at least ve of the schemes would not work, probably make matters worse, cause disruption and waste money. It seems funding is currently available and the officer told Maidstone Joint Transportation Board that with some amendments he would be putting them before KCC highways chairman. Maidstone residents who went to some lengths to explain objections were astonished.


Voters show minimum interest in KCC elections; much more in local council elections. We know what is important to us.


so much looking for leadership any more as togetherness and comradeship. Cllr Eddie Powell, borough councillor, Shepway South


Woodcut clarication


WE WRITE on behalf of Maidstone Investment Holding Ltd regarding the planning permission for the development of a high-quality mixed-use business park on land at Woodcut Farm. I am aware Downs Mail has recently spoken with Nick Berry, of Clearbell, on this issue. As a point of clarication, the owner of the farm site is Maidstone Investment Holding Ltd, a company owned by a UK fund, Clearbell Property Partners III LP, which is managed by the Clearbell Capital group. Clearbell Developments Ltd, a subsidiary of Clearbell Capital, is


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