Town's Footpaths Are 'Like a Wall of Death'
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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 October 2016 No. 234 News Town’s footpaths are Homes repairs anger TENANTS in a housing block are angry about the lack of mainte- nance carried out by land- ‘like a wall of death’ lords Golding Homes. 3 Invicta pupil on mend THE “poor condition” of pavements in Maidstone is condemning the dis- AN Invicta Grammar pupil who abled to a life behind closed doors, says a wheelchair user from the town. collapsed in a 10K race is now recovering. 3 Alan Prince (79) and his wife Josie for fear of what might happen.” say the perilous surfaces around Alan, wheelchair-bound since their home in Farleigh Lane are an 2010 following a brain bleed, now Rio-style carnival obstacle course of hazards. spends hours sitting at the end of A RIO-style carnival was staged They say they have to negotiate their drive to snatch a conversation to celebrate the success- uneven paving, grit, cambers, street with passers by. They claim Maid- ful Paralympics. 5 signs, limited dropped kerbs, drain stone’s poor pavements have worn covers and “pavement parkers”. out three wheelchairs in five years. They call the path outside their Josie added: “If the wheelchair Music fest ‘too loud’ home “The Rockies” and the other goes down a hole it will only go so THE Ramblin’ Man noise levels side of the road “The Wall of Death”. far before it tips and I can’t call on a breached licence guidlines The couple, who don’t have a car, huge amount of strength, particu- five times, we have learnt. 8 moved to Maidstone from London larly as I get older.” seven years ago to make life easier, Josie simply asks: “Please can the trading, as they put it, “the streets of council do more for the disabled and MP’s lorry battle London for pavements full of pot- let us get out. In winter you don’t ex- MP Helen Whately has called for- holes”. pect to get out so much, but on these mgovernment action on Josie (77), who has painful summer days, Alan sits on the drive illegal lorry parking. 16 spondylitis of the spine, is finding it for hours and that’s not healthy.” hard to push her husband even a Maidstone, its county town?” A Kent County Council short distance. They say a trip to get a rare treat of spokesman said the town centre New school head As a result they avoid Maidstone jellied eels from a stall a few hun- streets are inspected each month RICHARD Owen is the ne head of and travel to Tonbridge instead. dred yards away is like “dicing with with defects noted and pavement Maplesden Noakes Josie said: “The pavements there death”. Josie said: “The Tonbridge condition is a “high priority”. School in Maidstone. …are like walking on air by com- Road by Lloyds chemist gets so nar- Anyone with problems can con- 32 parison. Why is the county council row that I have to walk with Alan in tact KCC on its website at not doing more for the disabled in the road. I just don’t look behind me kent.gov.uk. Stones’s cancer cash MAIDSTONE United fans have raised money for the Council reveals £4.2m budget shortfall Bobby Moore charity. 46 CUTS of £4.2million are feared and “tough choices” are in- said: “The council’s income is Will the Mela move? in Maidstone residents’ services evitable. being cut by an increasing ORGANISERS of the Street Mela as the borough council looks to Local MP Helen Whately said amount over the next four hopeto return to Mote plug a massive hole in its budget. she is concerned by MBC’s an- years…the shortfall will mean Park next year. 47 Maidstone Borough Council nouncement, adding: “I’d hope services need to be cut or pro- (MBC) claims rate-payers will be the council can resolve its finan- vided in different ways.” Obituaries 34 fully involved in finding ways to cial troubles without cuts to MBC blames cuts in funding plug the shortfall in the light of frontline services. Are there effi- since 2010 and an austerity pro- changes to government funding, ciencies behind the scenes?” gramme which will acceler- Comment 36-37 but MBC has admitted that cuts A statement from the council ate in the next five years. 4 Crime Reports 47 Victory for Ukip A GPS system was stolen from a vehicle in Park Wood; tyres were UKIP’S John Barned (73) has won lets down on a Ford Focus in the Maidstone council Shepway Courtenay Road; an orange bi- south by-election, beating the Con- cyle was taken from an address servatives by more than 22%. in Surrey Road; bank card, ID YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT The seat was left free by the death and money were stolen from a [email protected] of Ukip Cllr Dave Sergeant in 01622 690290 store in Fremlin Walk. 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent May. 6 01622 880840 OUR REPUTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF windows : doors : conservatories Sorry no buy one get one free. No 70% off list price Just the keenest prices around www.southernglassmaidstone.co.uk NEW SHOWROOM NOW OPEN Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 1pm 1a Brunswick Street East Maidstone ME15 7UX 01622 686732 WE DO NOT employ pushy salesmen on commission. WE DO employ our own fitters. WE DO insure all our guarantees for peace of mind. WE DO give prices over the phone. 2 Maidstone Town October 2016 downsmail.co.uk News Runner Sam Residents’ fury as flats recovering AN INVICTA Grammar School pupil whose body shut repairs are left undone down 200 yards from the finish line in a 10k race is out of in- TENANTS at Broadway Heights tensive care and back home. in Maidstone are concerned about Sam Bartholomew (18) was maintenance of the flats by land- rushed to lords Golding Homes, says hospital Labour councillor Paul Harper. after falling Cllr Harper says they have raised ill during issues about the basement, the run in drainage on the patio and electric- Gravesend ity meter cupboards at the block of on August 5. flats behind McDonalds on the His par- Tonbridge Road, but are not satis- ents were fied with the action taken. watching Cllr Harper, who represents Fant the race and Ward, said: “The meter cupboards saw Sam gave a thumbs up as are in the main entrance corridor he entered the final stretch of and have big doors with a sign on, the race, but then collapsed . which says they must be kept They realised the serious- locked, but the doors will not close ness of Sam’s condition as he and were open to anyone to inter- was rushed to Darent Valley fere with.” Cllr Paul Harper shows off the meter cupboard, which should be secured Hospital, Dartford, where his There are 58 flats in the block wildly beating heart and er- next to Maidstone West rail station. services at Golding Homes, added: dinating a programme of improve- ratic body temperature forced A spokesman for Golding Homes “We have experienced a number of ment work over the coming weeks. doctors to put him into a coma. said they appreciated work had repair problems at Broadway This includes communal patio Dad Terry, of West Malling, been delayed because of sub-con- Heights. drainage, upgrading the lighting to said: “We are pleased to say tracting issues. “Due to the complexity of some the communal areas with new LED Sam is out of intensive care It now plans to cover the cup- of these issues, progress has been fittings, as well as repairs to en- and progressing well at home.” boards in the main entrance with slower than we would have trance doors, glazing panels and Invicta sixth-former Sam mesh so that the meters are pro- wanted, and I recognise this has works to service areas in the base- suffered multiple organ failure tected but can still be read. been frustrating for our residents. ment, which we are trying to com- possibly due to dehydration. 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Maidstone Borough Council some of the tough choices that will The statement added: “Council- (MBC) claims rate-payers will be have to be made.” lors and senior staff have been ‘Some services will fully involved in finding ways to MBC blames cuts in funding looking at ways to try to close the find the shortfall in the light of since 2010 and an austerity pro- remaining £1.3million gap.