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There is little wiggle room for your locally-elected administrator. The message needs to be taken to our MPs. And here my argument closes its circle – the Chesham and Amersham by-election is no surprise. Cllr Patrik Garten, Maidstone borough councillor for North Downs


New approach to housing


WHEN I was on the planning committee of a local parish council, we knew that all matters appertaining to planning should be overt and cogent (as council meetings were). It was emphasised in the planning directives that meetings should only be held sub rosa (in secret) if absolutely necessary (in my time we never did). The reasons, when they may be, are that legal information may be passed to third parties and if there had been any threat of violence or fear of disruption. If the meeting is to be held in camera, 28 days' notice must be given with conrmation ve days before the meeting.


In the recent by-election the Tories lost a whopping majority. The reason is seen by many as the result of the large amount of housing being foisted onto the inhabitants of Chesham and Amersham as result the new planning reforms. Presumably, the public were told of the


developments that were going to take place and given all correct information? If they were not, did that add to the outrage about the houses proposed there, as it did here when planning meetings here were kept secret from the public regarding the proposed development at Lenham of thousands of houses? There were also other ridiculous blocks


of ats considered to accompany the awful forever rusting white building by the bridge at the Broadway, which have been put aside.


It is generally accepted that housing is a priority in this country. It is a case of


how many are built in a particular area, their cost, the infrastructure that is needed to provide adequate services and that they will also be suitable for the local amenities.


To cram all those houses into Hermitage Road and effectively block ambulances seems to be beyond reason. I hope the Tories have a different approach.


There is massive building taking place around Kent, some of it incongruous and according to some reports shoddily built. As we have seen in the Chesham and Amersham by-election, it can cost seats. However, I am sure that the Tory led council will have a different approach to this contentious subject and not be as naive and disdainful of their townsfolk as the Liberal Democrats. Alan Wallace, via email


Awesome people power


WITH our green elds being sacriced to endless housing developments, the roads crumbling and services under pressure, I watched people power in action with the Chesham and Amersham by-election with awe.


Although the issue there was HS2, the people sent the message out. I do not like the Liberal Democrats, but they ght a good election. And I will vote for them or the Green Party if there is a proper stance on housing numbers.


Here in Kent, perhaps it is time for our Conservative MPs – all of them – to go to the Prime Minister and outline the risks of taking our votes for granted. N Johnson, via email


Support after loss of baby


ESTABLISHED in April 2014, registered charity Making Miracles raises funds to provide bereavement and trauma professional counselling services for anyone in the family affected by baby loss whether through miscarriage or at birth.


THIS is what Downs Mail readers said on our Facebook page about the level of crime in Week Street, Maidstone…


Mandy Dunn: Maidstone is as bad as Chatham. I know lots of people who won’t go there anymore, sadly.


Andrew Gilham: Instead of building a new roundabout on the Loose Road, invest the money into making Maidstone a safe place again, just like it was before we were sold out.


Maureen Bloom: Instead of talk- ing about it, do something. It doesn’t cost the earth to put cam- eras up.


Lynda Cook: And that’s why I never shop there anymore, safer to go to Bluewa- ter or Lakeside. Maidstone has become an unsafe town thanks to the influx of London- ers being housed here and other bad influ- ences. There is no excuse for non-working


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We are the only Kent-based charity which offers support to the whole family including siblings and grandparents. We also have a beautiful baby memorial garden near Rochester which any family who has suffered a loss can sit in peace and remember their lost baby. We offer a range of support resources which our families have said help them with their grief such as a book, co-written by our CEO, Kelly, with a local children’s author. This rhyming story uses the simplest of terms to help parents explain baby loss to a young child. We also have a keepsake bear with a zip compartment in his back to keep a special memory inside for anyone who has had a loss. We run a range of Knit and Natter Groups in local communities, including one in Detling Village Hall on the rst Thursday of every month from 10am to noon, and all new members are very welcome to join us. Bring along your knitting and we will provide the tea and biscuits.


Our volunteer knitters make some amazing baby cardigans, blankets and other knitted items which we sell on our community stalls along with other craft items to raise funds.


All our counselling services are free to


everyone who receives them and the funding from stalls and other events we hold pays for those services. Making Miracles is one of only two charities in the country mentioned in a report presented to the Government by the national Baby Loss Awareness Alliance for the quality of its support services. Whilst we take referrals from hospital and other medical professionals, we also take self-referrals, so if you know anyone who has suffered a loss and needs our support please email us at becci@makingmiracles.org.uk, or for more details about our work, visit our website at www.makingmiracles.org.uk. Sally Howells, chairman, Making Miracles, Detling


security cameras and blind spots.


Miki Henderson: There is a distinct lack of any police presence in the town centre, which can't help. Even on Friday and Satur- day nights.


Nicky Veitch: Businesses pay a lot of money, on top of rent and rates for security and it’s useless. Maidstone, as a county town, is a horrible place now and it will only get worse as more London councils transfer their problems out of the city.


Nikki Chawner: Maidstone is a 'no go' zone. It’s like the Bronx.


Kate Watkins: What is going on in Maidstone? This is daily now. The town


centre seems to have twinned itself with an inner London borough. Who are these peo- ple attacking each other daily?


Nicola Chapman: Beginning to hate Maid- stone.


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