Four editions delivered to over 88,000 homes every month downsmail.co.uk MaidstoneMaidstone TownTown EditionEdition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE Maidstone Town | Maidstone East | Maidstone South | Malling November 2015 No. 223 News Bed-blocking crisis County departure KCC is planning to remove its services from Maidstone Gate- way in King Street to save as care targets missed money. 4 BED-blocking in local hospitals has reached an “unprecedented level”, with Donations suffer KCC flouting care transfer targets by more than nine times. CHARITIES are missing out due In July 2015 there were 1,529 in- and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. gent Care Network – has been inef- to a loss of business car stances – more than double the total The trust board was told that un- fective.” parks to housing. 6 a year earlier – where patients were less the issues were resolved the hos- During July in the Maidstone and stuck in beds in West Kent hospitals pitals would struggle to cope with Tunbridge Wells hospitals there (covering Maidstone, Tonbridge, demand, even when a new ward were 250 patients waiting for trans- Objection promise Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells) opens at Tunbridge Wells Hospital. fer. The situation improved slightly A KCC vow could be tested by a without a suitable place of transfer. The problem is compromising in August, but there were still care proposal to build 250 24 Of these, 687 were due to a lack of standard four-hour A&E waiting transfer delays for 181 inpatients homes near Sutton Road. social care capacity – massively time targets, as well as care for pa- (7.1%) in the two hospitals. This ac- breaching the target of 77 – leading tients undergoing booked opera- counted for 1,400 lost bed days. to a threat from NHS bosses to sub- tions. Extra beds and temporary staff After a meeting of the trust, KCC Transport closure mit invoices to social services and have been deployed. and Greg Clark, MP for Tunbridge THE park and ride facility at Sit- KCC. A report to the Maidstone and Wells and local government secre- tingbourne Road will “The lack of engagement from Tunbridge Wells Trust board said: tary, the trust backed down on its close next year. 30 senior officials within social services “The local committee established to threat to invoice the county is regrettable,” said the Maidstone manage emergency care – the Ur- council. 12 Money worries FINANCIAL issues dominated en- Facts of life quiries to Maidstone Cit- Call to protect cherry trees izens Advice Bureau. 34 in your area AUTUMN leaves and their Comment 26-2746-47 glorious red tinge create a CHILDREN born in one part of charm that makes this urban Maidstone can expect to live Obituaries 32-33 season the most special more than 13 fewer years than else- for many. where in the borough. But residents in The typical life expectancy of a Parish Councils 42 Salisbury Road, Maidstone child born in Bridge ward, which AN allotment holder was allowed – including Pat Walsh, covers the London Road corridor to use his airgun to deal with nui- pictured – are berating the between The Broadway and Alling- sance woodpigeons in Barming; loss of some autumn ton, is 76.45 years – below the UK loud music was reported in the colour after two of their average of 81. By contrast, a child Loose valley. beloved cherry trees were born in the Detling and Thurnham cut down by KCC. ward, east of town, has an ex- Crime Reports 43 They fear that more of pectancy of 89.52 years. The areas with the next lowest A NEWLY-DELIVERED tumble Salisbury Road’s trees, dryer was stolen in London Road. which produce a stunning life expectancy are the two wards spring blossom, could be abutting Bridge to the west: Fant for the chop unless the (78.84) and Heath (79.85). Loose road is designated a (79.29) was the only other of Maid- conservation area. stone’s 26 wards to have a life ex- Full story – page three. pectancy below 80 years. The town wards with the highest life expectancy rates are Barming (86.16), Allington (85.42) and East (83.4). Park attraction In the Maidstone borough life ex- pectancy is 81.73 – identical to that THE new Cobtree Visitor Centre of Kent as a whole. and Cafe has opened to visitors. YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT The figures were released as part For more information see the [email protected] of Kent Public Health Observa- Maidstone Council-sponsored 01622 690290 tory’s Health and Social 12-page Borough Update in the 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent Care Maps. 16 centre pages. Frank’s Restaurant & Mussel Bar Steak Every Night! PROBABLY THE BEST ON YOUR DOORSTEP! EVERY NIGHT IS MUSSEL NIGHT! 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Email:[email protected] SUPPORT & ADVICE ACCOMMODATION FAMILY WORK HEALTH & WELLBEING TRAINING & EDUCATION 2 Maidstone Town November 2015 downsmail.co.uk News Care service must improve Call to protect road’s A MAIDSTONE service providing care for people in their own home- shas been told by a Government in- spector it needs to improve. cherry trees from axe Homecare Unique Ltd, at Brennan Mews, Buckland Road, received a RESIDENTS in Salisbury Road, Chittenden has funded the replace- routine inspection from the Care Maidstone want their street made ment of about 40 trees and is com- Quality Commission. The inspector part of a conservation area after mitted to replacing five more trees rated the service as good in terms of two cherry trees were chopped in Holland Road, Curzon Road, how caring and responsive it was to down without warning. Crayford Close and Sittingbourne people’s needs, but said safety, its ef- Homeowner Pat Walsh was hor- Road before April next year. fectiveness and management rified when she woke one morning Although he suspects he has no needed further attention. to find KCC workmen taking down funds left in his devolved budget, The inspector noted that enough one of the trees outside her home – Residents of Salisbury Road enjoy he has offered to make re-planting while a dead one remained stand- in Salisbury Road a priority in the staff were employed to meet the views of cherry blossom in spring needs placed on the service, adding: ing at the far end of the street. next financial year. “People’s health was monitored and Pat and her husband Liam have “These types of defect are usually Mr and Mrs Walsh believed the health care professionals were in- lived in Salisbury Road for the past an indication that there is a problem tree outside their home was not dis- volved to make sure they remained 13 years and she said: “The tree was between the roots and the stem of eased, but Cllr Chittenden said he as healthy as possible. People also one of the reasons we bought the the tree, or root death. was satisfied, having seen photos told us staff stayed for the length of house. It was home to a whole host “The trees in Salisbury Road are and spoken to the arboriculturist, time allocated and were caring.” of birds – sparrows, starlings and neither covered by a tree preserva- that it was affected by die-back. Users received their medicines crows. We’ve even had a baby jay tion order, nor were they situated in Mrs Walsh said: “We try to do our safely and staff did everything they and a crested tit – birds which are a conservation area, so we will not bit for the environment – surely we could to protect residents’ privacy. on the RSPB’s conservation lists.” be planting any replacement trees.” should be preserving trees, not However, the inspector noted the KCC say the trees were inspected KCC’s remit for tree work only chopping them down?” provider’s safeguarding policy did and found to be diseased. They covers safety issues and removal of Erica Longdon, who now faces a not have up-to-date guidance on re- only inform residents if more than dead and dying trees which could stark-looking stump instead of a porting abuse; safe recruitment pro- three trees are due to be felled. put the public at risk. mature tree, said: “The cherry trees cedures had not always been A spokesman said: “The tree out- Residents hope they and neigh- are a feature of this area and one of followed and staff were not aware of side No 52 had a large dead section bours in Curzon Road and St the reasons people choose to live their responsibilities in relation to over the carriageway and severe Luke’s Road can create a conserva- here.