Four editions delivered to over 88,000 homes every month downsmail.co.uk MaidstoneMaidstone SouthSouth EditionEdition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE Maidstone Town | Maidstone East | Maidstone South | Malling January 2016 No. 225 News Drinking ban plans to Recycling success THE amount of household waste recycled is now almost 50%, moving the borough up 16 ‘clean up town centre’ places to 62nd nationally. 6 A NEW order making it illegal to drink in the street, beg or sleep rough Passengers wanted could be introduced to “clean up” Maidstone town centre. TRAVELLERS are being encour- aged to car-share to cut Maidstone Council says the Pub- crime and ASB data provided by the help and support in my book.” congestion in Maidstone. 8 lic Spaces Protection Order, which police and would extend from the He said the council had failed could be introduced as early as May, town centre along the river to homeless people in Maidstone, would help to cut crime and anti- Ringlestone, out to the Vinters Park where there are now seven times Tax office to shut social behaviour (ASB) in urban estate, to Rock Road towards Penen- more than in 2010, adding: “The HM Revenue and Customs is clos- Maidstone, where levels of ASB are den Heath, across to Mote Park, and council needs to focus its energy on ing its Maidstone office, the fifth highest in the county. Waterloo Street and Campbell Road. providing shelter and support for which employs 200. 10 The order would include further Maidstone Green Party cam- homeless people.” measures to deter unauthorised col- paigner Stuart Jeffery said the plan A map of the proposed control lecting of money on the street, the to use the order to “criminalise the area can be viewed at www.maid- Congestion hope use of “legal highs” and rough sleep- homeless” was appalling. stone.gov.uk/consultations, where TWO sites off the M20 have ing on the street. Drinking alcohol in He said: “Homeless people need you can also have your say. been put forward to ease public spaces, not including licensed support to get off the streets, support The consultation runs until Janu- Operation Stack chaos. 11 premises, would also be prohibited that will often include help with ary 25, after which the results will be where it affects the quality of life for other issues rather than just finding considered by Maidstone Council’s visitors and residents. a place to live. Criminalising them communities, housing and environ- New blood needed The proposed order is based on through a PSPO is the opposite of ment committee. VOLUNTEERS are required for the local Neighbourhood £785 a day for Watch group. 24 town planner Comment 22-2346-47 MAIDSTONE Council’s town cen- tre troubleshooter Paul Spooner is Obituaries 28 costing taxpayers £785 a day. By the time his six-month con- Crime Reports 30 tract as interim director of regener- TURKEYS and peacocks were ation ends on February 23, 2016, stolen in Hunton; a table was more than £80,000 of public money damaged at a Yalding school. will have been spent on Mr Spooner, according to the council’s Parish Councils 38-39 response to a Downs Mail Freedom Praise for hospital staff of Information request. A ROAD closure was to take place Mr Spooner, who replaced Zena in Chart Sutton; a £6,000 loan HOSPITAL staff at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells have been praised for was agreed for speed reductions “going the extra mile”. Cooke in August, works four days a week, so his services are costing in East Farleigh; a wasps’ nest Staff Star awards were presented to almost 30 team members following was removed from the village a poll of patients, visitors and colleagues. the annual equivalent of £163,280 – exceeding that of chief executive hall in East Sutton; flood Prizes were presented by the trust’s chief executive Glenn Douglas, defences were wanted in chairman Tony Jones and actress Cheryl Fergison, who played Heather Alison Broom, who earns up to £115,000 a year. Headcorn; young people were Trott in EastEnders. using catapults in Marden. Winners included the League of Friends (pictured), who received a Town planner Mr Spooner has special recognition award. worked on projects in Manchester, Birmingham and Portsmouth. In 2013 he was Croydon Council’s in- Road doubt terim executive director of plan- IT could be at least 15 years be- ning and environment, costing the fore Maidstone gets its long- equivalent of £242,666 a year in awaited south-east link road. wages and agency costs. Maidstone Council’s draft in- In Maidstone, Mr Spooner re- tegrated transport strategy says BEST WISHES FOR 2016 ceives £590 a day with the remain- the Leeds-Langley bypass may ing £195 going to an agency, who only be deliverable after 2031. will have pocketed more Full story – page three than £20,000 by the time he 17 HAMILTON KITCHENS Discover our stunning range of contemporary & traditional designs ❚ Quality ❚ Design ❚ Imagination Free no obligation consultation & design. All building works undertaken. www.hamiltonkitchens.co.uk 01622 844897 Visit our showroom at Warmlake Business Estate, Maidstone Road, Sutton Valence, Kent ME17 3LQ 2 Maidstone South January 2016 downsmail.co.uk News Village bypass ‘15 years away’ THE long-awaited Leeds-Langley Kent County Council leader Paul bypass, linking the A20 and A274 Carter told a recent meeting of the south of Maidstone, might not be town’s Joint Transportation Board built until after 2031. that he was hoping to find new ways Although councillors have of funding the relief road, expected pledged to seek funding for a relief to cost more than £50m. road to take traffic away from the The idea is to press ahead with a Haulage firm’s boost to team two villages and ease congestion on feasibility study to “develop the jus- AN AYLESFORD haulage company has given a group of Maidstone Sutton Road and Willington Street, tification for a relief road to allow youngsters a leg up on the ladder to sporting success. it could be another 15 years before testing with other strategic transport Castledene Transport, based at Millhall in Aylesford, gave £1,000 to the wheels are set in motion. options, develop a preferred route the Maidstone United Rangers U7s, allowing them to buy not only Maidstone Council’s draft inte- and identify sources of funding to home and away strips, but also footballs, tracksuits, cones, a first- aid grated transport strategy suggests it promote development of the road at kit and all the other bits and pieces they needed to get the team up could be feasible to build such a re- the earliest opportunity”. and running. Until then, the nine youngsters aged five to seven had lief road in south-east Maidstone – But Maidstone Council leader been playing in borrowed strip. but only after 2031. Fran Wilson said traffic modelling The team were formed for the start of the season in September and A report to the town’s policy and would need to be carried out, as well the boys play in the Saturday U7s Maidstone Invicta League. resources committee said: “Kent as research into the environmental County Council will establish the impact, and a full cost analysis. justification for and delivery of such The report says: “The borough Pub evacuated in fire drama a project. It is considered, that al- council will work with KCC to iden- FIRE crews attended a blaze at the Walnut Tree pub, in Yalding Hill, though further assessment is re- tify the potential, as well as possible after a coffee machine caught fire and triggered the smoke alarms. quired, delivery of such a project timescales for such a scheme at the The ground floor of the 15th-century pub was smoke-logged and may be feasible post-2031.” first review of the Maidstone Bor- flames attacked the old oak timbers. Firefighters used breathing ap- The council is in the final stages of ough Local Plan in 2022.” paratus and two hose reel jets to put out the fire which broke out in putting together its local plan for de- Leeds Parish Council has the bar behind the pub’s restaurant and dining room. velopment up until 2031 – of which launched an e-petition saying: “Kent Customers were evacuated as smoke poured into the bar area and the relief road is not a part. The first County Council must give priority diners planning their Christmas party had to be turned away. Land- review of the plan will not take place to the relief road and work with lord Barry Jenner, who lives on the premises, was forced to close the until 2022, when it might be consid- local partners to find the funding pub for 48 hours. ered for inclusion. necessary to build it.” COUNTY COBBLER Hair and Beauty SHOE REPAIRS LADIES MENS FEBRUARY OFFER Heels from £6.95 Heels from £12.95 Stick on Sole Stick on Sole from 1st - 29th + Heel from + Heel £14.95 £21.95 1/2 price foils Prices starting from £20.50 KEYS Yale type £5 Excludes cut and finish* Mortice £6 Most chipped car keys cut Watch Book your appointment now and replacement fobs batteries Engraving & straps 01622 817800 service replaced www.hairtraditionalmaidstone.co.uk 16 Week Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1RN 1 Bow Road, Wateringbury, Maidstone, Kent ME18 5DD hairtraditionalmaidstone 01622 674855 *T&C’s apply Maidstone South January 2016 3 News downsmail.co.uk Plan to boost traffic flow in town THE latest details of roadworks to ished by next Christmas and will High Street unaffected where pos- would be used on the M20 and “improve the Maidstone experi- reduce queues across the whole sible, to limit disruption.