downsmail.co.uk Maidstone South Edition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE June 2017 No. 242 N Rustie to be panto’s News Litter firm trouble Fairy Godmother A LITTER enforcement firm em- RUSTIE Lee, the TV cook and star of the Bafta- ployed by the council has been nominated "Real Marigold Hotel", will play the suspended over claims it of- Fairy Godmother at this year's panto at the fers staff fine bonuses. 3 Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone. Cinderella runs from December 1 to 31. Rustie, famous for her infectious laugh, has Arriva face numbers been on our screens for decades and is still a reg- DATA shows Invicta grammar ular on ITV's This Morning. She has also ap- pupils are turning up late peared in West End shows such as South Pacific. after timetable changes. 4 A spokesman for the Hazlitt Theatre said: “Rustie is very much one of the nation’s favourites. We believe that she will prove to be a Princess Royal visit big draw in our production of Cinderella .” PRINCESS Anne dropped in on More Hazlitt panto news on page 8 Maidstone’s Save the Children shop. 16 Loulous Ofsted praise A CHILDCARE facility in Maidstone Teens charged with has been rated as “out- standing” by Ofsted . 26 killing man in park DETECTIVES investigating the violent death of a homeless Romanian man in Tovil have charged two teenagers with murder. Alex McDonald (18), of Regency dress, was arrested on May 16 on Place, Maidstone, and Jimmy Buck- suspicion of murder and was still in ley (19), of Capell Close, Coxheath, custody as Downs Mail went to are both charged with the murder press. Obituaries 36 of Razvan Sirbu (pictured), be- It is understood Mr Sirbu had tween May 6 and 7. been sleeping rough behind Crime Reports 37 Mr Sirbu (21), of no fixed ad- houses on Tovil Hill, but had more dress, was found dead in Crisbrook recently acquired a tent. A CAR was broken into at Gabriels Meadow in the Loose Valley Con- News of his death stunned the Hill and a bank card stolen; servation Area at 7.15am on Sun- local community and floral tributes youths were seen trying to gain day, May 7, 2017. were laid close to where he died. access to a van at Glebe Lane; a black bicycle was stolen from The According to police, a post Mr Sirbu’s family described him Broadway; a house was broken mortem examination revealed Mr as “a son who was always willing into and jewellery taken by bur- Sirbu had died from “blunt force to help those in need”. glars in Park Avenue. trauma” to the head and body. Mr Sirbu’s mother said in a state- McDonald and Buckley have were also arrested in connection ment: “My only son, Razvan, was Parish Councils 37 been remanded in custody and ap- with the incident have been bailed full of mercy and empathy; he peared before Medway Magistrates pending further enquiries until would always want to help others FLEUR Willson has been on May 16. June 8. in need. co-opted onto the parish council Two boys, aged 14 and 15, who An 18-year-old, of no fixed ad- “Razvan was very shy and very in Barming; the smoking of good. He was very well-behaved cannabis at King George V play- and listened to people intently. ing field in Loose has been re- “He had a lot of love from me ported but not caught on CCTV; and my wider family. Razvan was the parish clerk at Barming has my only child, so he was spoilt by received one report of rubbish the whole family. He was also the being dumped at one of the new YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT only grandson to my parents.” bus shelters. [email protected] Anyone with information can call 01622 690290 Kent Police on 01622 604100 quot- Comment 46-47 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent ing crime reference YY/011763/17. webexpand.co.uk 01622 880840 web design •• google promotion ecommerce 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 June 2017 downsmail.co.uk News Homes plan at Lier force suspended traffic hotspot RESIDENTS have been sent leaflets revealing an 840-homes plan near gridlocked Hermitage Lane. after BBC’s Panorama Developer Gladman has delivered 470 pamphlets to homes and busi- nesses outlining a public consulta- MAIDSTONE council has sus- he often pretended to call the police tion into their proposal. pended litter wardens from duty in order to make people hand over They promise a new school, doc- for a second time after a Panorama their personal details. Once he had tor’s surgery and improved traffic. investigation revealed they were these, he could issue a ticket. Gladman Developments Ltd in- being paid bonuses based on the Kingdom has about 28 contracts tends on submitting an outline ap- number of tickets they handed out. with local authorities and, last year, plication to Tonbridge and Malling The council said it was aware that saw its profits jump by 30% to £9m. Borough Council in 2017. employees of Kingdom Security, the The company said it was important The site is a 33.69 hectare field to company it employs to run its litter that members of the public knew east of Hermitage Lane in Ayles- warden service, could receive a “dis- what could happen if they are con- ford. The south east boundary is cretionary competence allowance”. victed at court, but any decision to near Barming station and a large However, the borough insisted prosecute would be made by the depot to the south, with London that this was linked to overall per- local authority. Road and Hermitage Lane border- formance and not merely the num- Kingdom officers returned to ing the north and west. Residential ber of tickets issued. Viewers saw how one operative duty in Maidstone last October hav- areas in Aylesford and Allington lie The latest suspension follows the explained staff topped up their £9.47 ing been suspended by the council to the west and south east. BBC TV airing of Inside the Litter per hour pay with a ticket bonus. after one fined a woman for feeding A new link road from the Poppy Police, which showed an officer The first four fines went to King- the ducks in Tovil. Fields roundabout to Hermitage from Kingdom Services claiming dom and then a bonus of up to £6 Jennifer Shepherd, Maidstone Lane will alleviate traffic congestion that his bonus one month was each thereafter. council’s head of environment and between the Coldharbour Round- nearly £1,000. Kingdom – which splits the fine public realm, said: “In light of the about and A20/Hermitage Lane Other officers were filmed hand- revenues 50-50 with Maidstone Bor- Panorama investigation, we have junction. ing out fines for dropped orange ough Council – claims the scheme is made the joint decision with King- The Poppy Fields roundabout will peel and poured-away coffee. to reward competency and cus- dom to remove the officers from also be improved to significantly in- Panorama sent an undercover re- tomer service. duty today (May 16). crease current capacity. porter to work with Kingdom’s en- The undercover reporter was told “We are speaking with Kingdom Congestion at the A20/Hermitage forcement team in Bexley, where by a trainer: “Obviously, we are to review how we can continue to Lane junction will be reduced by one officer boasted he earned £987 here to make money, I’m not going provide the best service to residents land being safeguarded for Kent in bonuses while working in Ash- to not say that to people.” and when officers will be rein- County Council’s highway im- ford. 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