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Co-operation on relief road


PROGRESS on making a Leeds- Langley relief road a reality took a step forward at a recent meeting of the influential Maidstone Joint Transportation Board (JTB). Members of the JTB passed a res- olution, tabled by Kent county councillor and relief road cam- paigner Gary Cooke, to send the matter to the KCC cabinet to be of- ficially recognised by its cabinet. It follows a letter sent by KCC


highways cabinet member Cllr Michael Payne to the leader of Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) suggesting closer working towards funding possibilities for the bypass. With an estimated cost of £80- 90m, funding it through housing levies would require many thou- sands of houses, but might prove faster. If part-paid by Government, it might take considerably longer. Cllr Cooke (pictured) said: “I


welcome this development and salute the councillors who voted in favour of my motion.” Those in favour included Cllr Martin Cox, the Lib Dem MBC leader, who said he needs to know “where (the road) is going to be, what it’s going to do, what it costs and what it will deliver”. Some JTB members abstained,


awaiting the KCC report into the cost/benefit ratio of a bypass. Philip Coyne, in charge of the Local Plan Review at MBC, said meetings continue with developers and landowners and said the letter


from Cllr Payne to Cllr Cox was “very helpful but not as concrete as a firm resolution”. Such a commitment between au- thorities might persuade potential applicants to spend money looking into the viability of developing the Leeds-Langley corridor, he said. Currently the B2163 carries a large volume of traffic through Leeds and Langley between the A20 and A274 in both directions. l For the motion: Cllr Gary Cooke (Con), Cllr Paul Cooper (Con), Cllr Martin Cox (LD), Cllr Mike Cum- ing (Con), Cllr Clive English (LD), Cllr Bob Hinder (Con) and Cllr Ashleigh Kimmance (LD). Against the motion: Eric Hotson (Con).


Abstained: Cllr Rob Bird (LD), Cllr Pam Brindle (Con), Cllr Ian Chit- tenden (LD), Cllr Brian Clark (LD) and Cllr Dan Daley (LD).


Have a say on budget


KENT County Council (KCC) is urging residents to have their say on the 2021-22 budget con- sultation. The consultation is open until


November 24 for people to offer suggestions where savings might be made in the wake of a funding shortfall, as a result of Covid-19. Peter Oakford, KCC deputy leader, claims the county is fac- ing its biggest financial chal- lenge in 10 years. He added: “We are facing a combination of more growth in spending than in previous years, largely arising from the pandemic, and a po- tential reduction in how much


income we receive from council tax and business rates. “Unlike last autumn’s consul- tation, where we focused on spending priority areas, this year we face a year of spending reductions if additional funding from government is not forth- coming.” Cllr Shellina Prendergast, rep- resenting Maidstone Rural East, has warned of a £100million budget gap next year.


While KCC is lobbying for


government funding she stressed that community input was vital to the consultation. Go to www.kent.gov.uk/bud- get for more details.


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