Maidstone Borough Council

Update
Borough
East, April 2013

Celebrate Mote Park

Your photo could

WIN A

250
giftcard to spend at

www.maidstone.gov.uk

Maidstone Borough Council

Free bulky rubbish service

Most weekends Maidstone council refuse lorries collect bulky household rubbish from locations in your area. Take your refuse to the Saturday Freighter Service at the times shown:

New commercial waste collection

Maidstone Borough Commercial Waste Solutions is the councils first major new commercial enterprise, with the council looking to offset reductions in central government funding by covering costs through commercial initiatives. The service will support local businesses with a high quality service, tailored to individual needs. It includes a free paper and cardboard collection, flexible collection times, no hidden charges and no lengthy contracts.

Saturday 6 April

07:45 - 08:30 Otham 08:45 - 09:45 Bearsted Village Green

Saturday 13 April

07:45 - 08:15 Walderslade. Impton Lane/ Spendlow Drive 08:25 - 09:00 Walderslade. Impton Lane/Olivine Road 09:15 - 10:00 Bredhurst. Hurstwood Road 10:15 - 11:00 Stockbury Village Hall 12:00 - 12:45 Detling Village Hall 14:50 - 15:45 Sandling. Tyland Barn

Saturday 20 April

12:00 - 12:55 Vinters Park. Marston Road 13:05 - 14:05 Vinters Park. Hampton Road

Saturday 4 May
12:15 - 13:00 13:10 - 14:00 14:10 - 15:10 15:10 - 15:45

Grove Green. Grovewood Drive South Grove Green. Grovewood Drive North Madginford. Merton Road Bearsted. Ashford Road/Rosemary Road

If you run a business in the borough and would like to find out more, please call 01622 602666, email commercialwastesolutions@maidstone.gov.uk or search for commercial waste at www.maidstone.gov.uk.

Saturday 11 May

09:05 - 09:50 Senacre. Woolley Road 09:45 - 10:20 Senacre. Betsham Road

Saturday 1 June
07:45 - 08:30 08:40 - 09:20 09:30 - 10:10 10:20 - 11:00 12:00 - 12:40 12:50 - 13:30 13:40 - 14:20 14:30 - 15:10 15:15 - 15:45 07:45 - 08:30 08:45 - 09:15 09:25 - 09:55 15:15 - 15:45

Frinsted Church Wormshill. The Street Harrietsham. Church Lane Harrietsham Primary School Lenham. Douglas Road Lenham. Ham Lane/Cherry Orchard Lenham. Honeywood Road Platts Heath. Green Lane Grafty Green. Church Lane Hollingbourne. Troys Mead Lenham. Lenham Heath Road Ulcombe. Lodge Gardens Leeds. Brogden Crescent

Recycle for Maidstone App

Download the free Recycle for Maidstone app from the App Store or Google Play store for up-to-date information on your waste & recycling services, or to report problems from fly-tipping to abandoned cars. Available on iPhone and Android devices.

Saturday 8 June

Saturday 15 June

07:45 - 08:30 Otham 08:45 - 09:45 Bearsted Village Green We cannot accept garden waste, very large bulky items and electrical or hazardous items. You can dispose of these items through our paid for bulky collection service or at the household waste recycling centre at Burial Ground Lane, Tovil, Maidstone. It is open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 4.30pm, and Sunday and Bank Holidays, 9am to 4pm. For more information about our bulky rubbish services, including paid for doorstep collections, visit maidstone.gov.uk or call the cleansing hotline on 01622 602162.

The countdown is on- less than six months to go until Maidstone residents will be able to recycle more! The new joint waste partnership with Biffa Municipal and Ashford and Swale borough councils, comes into effect in Maidstone in August, giving exciting opportunities to recycle more materials. Look out for information in July. In the meantime dont forget to keep on recycling all your tins, cans, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, yoghurt pots and tubs and food waste. It really makes a difference - Maidstone is on target to recycle 50% of our rubbish.

More recycling soon

Maidstone Borough Council

Council tax facts

How your council tax pounds are spent
Kent County Council 71p
Maidstone Borough Council is asking residents to pay about an extra 8p a week for its services, such as planning, waste and recycling collections, and street cleaning for the year April 2013 to March 2014. The borough council froze its council tax for each of the last two years but agreed an The total charge for Kent increase of 1.9% in order to County Council, Maidstone protect services in future Borough Council, Police financial years. The council and Crime Commissioner, decided not to accept a and Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Services for council tax freeze grant every band is: because it was equivalent to a A 998.21 1% increase for two years only. After two years the B 1,154.08 council would have to make C 1,318.95 bigger savings when the grant D 1,483.82 was withdrawn. The increase E 1,813.56 is within the governments F 2,143.30 threshold for council tax G 2,473.03 increases. H 2,967.64 As a result the full cost of the All figures exclude parish borough councils services for council precepts. the year will rise by 4.23 a year for a Band D taxpayer to 226.62.

Maidstone Borough Council 15p Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent 9p Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue 5p
Out of every council tax pound - 71p goes to Kent County Council, 15p goes to Maidstone Borough Council, 9p to Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, and 5p to Kent Fire and Rescue (excluding parish council precepts).
Kent County Council has frozen its council tax and the charge for its services will remain at 1,047.78. The Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority has frozen its council tax and the charge for its services will remain at 67.95. The bill for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent will rise by 2% from 138.68 to 141.47 for Band D taxpayers. That means that the total bill for a band D taxpayer, excluding parish council precepts, will rise by 0.48% from 1,476.80 to 1,483.82.

Council tax bands

Parish precepts
Council Tax bills for most rural areas include an additional parish council precept. These range from 23.56 for Boughton Malherbe to 73.02 for Leeds. Maidstone councils budget includes support for parishes of 110,631 in 2013-14 to compensate them for the loss of income due to council tax benefit changes which will reduce the amount they collect in tax from their residents.

Budget consultation
Consultation on this years budget asked people for their views on the cabinets proposals for savings, specifically whether the council should provide services directly itself or through voluntary, business and charity organisations, and whether the council should provide profitmaking commercial services and borrow money to cover the start up costs of them. Residents were asked how they wanted to contact the council. 476 people completed the councils consultation exercise by telephone, online and at the Maidstone Gateway. There were good levels of support for the cabinets proposals to provide more services through voluntary, business and charitable organisations (53% in favour), and to provide commercial profit making services such as a new commercial waste collection for shops and offices (60% in favour). There was less support for the councils proposals to borrow money to cover the start up costs of commercial profit making services (30% in favour) and the cabinet agreed to write to consultees and publish the safeguards the council has put in place for borrowing. The safeguards which have been agreed by the Cabinet, Audit Committee and the Full Council include: T All commercial activity will be considered on a scheme by scheme basis by councillors; T The return on investment must cover the full cost of borrowing; T Borrowing will be by the most economically advantageous and secure method; T Borrowing will be in accordance with statutory guidelines

Maidstone Borough Council

News in brief
Get composting Uprockin save the date!
More than a third of household waste can be composted. Visit www.getcomposting.com or call 0844 571 4444 for great value compost bins.

Weve got a new website. Tell us what you think!

Were launching a new website soon and we need your help with testing how it works and checking that it does what you want it to do. We want to make sure that our website is easy to use and provides all of the information our customers need. The new homepage features the main tasks that people come to our website for, so that you can do what you want to do quickly and easily, and all of the content has been rewritten to make sure its jargon free and understandable by all of our customers. You can try out the new website at http://www.beta.maidstone.gov.uk Take a look around the site and let us know how you find your experience, if theres anything we need to tweak, or if there are any problems you encounter along the way. You can use the Site Feedback form which youll see on the right hand side of each content page or you can email customerserviceswebteam@maidstone.gov.uk

Spring market

The Uprockin BMX and skateboarding competition will take place on Saturday 6 July, 12pm to 6pm, at the Skates and Bruises skate park in South Park, Armstrong Road, Maidstone. For more information call 01622 602222. A mini farm, creepy crawly roadshow and birds of prey are some of the attractions on offer at this years Spring Market, Barker Road, Maidstone, on Tuesday 9 April from 7:30am-1:30pm. Did you know that the council has its own Facebook and Twitter pages? Like us at facebook.com/maidstoneboroughc ouncil and follow us on Twitter @maidstonebc for news, photos and service updates. A new statue is soon to be unveiled outside Trinity Foyer in Maidstone commemorating Captain Nolan, a cavalry officer of the 15th Kings Royal Hussars and riding master at Maidstone Cavalry Depot from 1841 to 1854. He is famous for his role in the Charge of the Light Brigade. The U has launched in Maidstone, offering residents free training sessions in practical areas like first aid and defusing conflict. Visit www.the-u.org.uk/maidstone for more information.

Facebook and Twitter

Captain Nolan

If U need training

Planning advice service

Maidstone councils pre application advice service will help anyone thinking of applying for planning permission. Householders can find out the issues and sort out any problems before an application is submitted. Developers can obtain planning advice and make sure they have all the relevant studies and assessments before submitting schemes. Written advice starts at 36 for householders and 120 for developers. For more information visit the planning pages www.maidstone.gov.uk email preapps@maidstone.gov.uk or call 01622 602736.

The councils new garden bin subscription service has proved very popular. More than 2,500 residents have signed up in the past few months since the changes were introduced. Thank you to everyone who has joined the service. Dont forget if you still have some old compostable garden sacks you need to use them by 28 June 2013. The garden bin subscription service costs 30 per year for a standard size bin or 27 per year for a small bin. To order a bin phone 01622 602600.

Garden Waste

News from the MUSEUM

Civic Trust award

Maidstone Museums East Wing extension has received a prestigious commendation from the Civic Trust. The awards recognise the best in the built environment, looking for projects that are not simply architecturally advanced, exciting, innovative or striking, but also of benefit to their local community. The assessors said that the East Wing extension represents excellent value for money, transforming a local museum through new additions and alterations to the existing Grade II building, part of a phased redevelopment of the site acting as the catalyst for regeneration of this part of Maidstone. If you havent had a look round yet, why not take advantage of our summer opening hours? Were now open 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm-4pm on Sundays, with free entrance!

The best of Kent

The Kent County Photographic Association annual exhibition returns, bringing together the best new photographs from members of the regional Kent photographic associations. The prints are drawn from the pictorial, monochrome, pictorial colour, record, portrait and nature categories until 18 May

Confused Grasshopper By Matt Cole. From International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition 5, 2012

The best in the World

The most prestigious flower and garden photography competition and exhibition in the world will be at Maidstone Museum from 25 May to 14 July. The International Garden Photographer of the Year is run in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It is open to amateurs and professionals alike, attracting over 18,000 entries each year. This stunning exhibition will showcase specially selected photographs from winners and finalists.

Dewy Glanville Fritillary by John Bogle)

Events for adults

Talk -Better Plant and Garden Photography Saturday 25 May, 10:30am Adults 5 Concessions 3 Join renowned garden photographer and Director of the International Garden Photographer of the Year, Philip Smith, for a talk on Better Plant and Garden Photography. Booking required.

Tea, Talk & Walk - Come and Discover Maidstones Historic Past. Tuesdays, 11:30am Adults 5 Concessions 3 Meet at the museums Bentlif library for refreshment and an engaging talk, followed by a town walk led by a qualified guide. Talks cover everything from art and architecture to crime and punishment. Booking is advisable.

Events for families and children

Tiny Talk Time First Wednesday of the month, 10:30am 50p per child Storytelling and colouring activity for the under 5s in the museum cafe. 1 May - Stomp, Chomp, Big Roars, Here Come the Dinosaurs 5 June - Jack and the Flum Flum Tree 3 July - Mad about Minibeasts Wiggle & Jiggle Third Wednesday of the month, 10:30am 50p per child Play instruments and sing along to popular nursery rhymes - for the under 5s.

May Half-Term Activities

Bank holiday Monday 27 May, 12-4pm Activity Trails and Quizzes Activities at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm on the following days are suitable for children aged 4 and over. Drop-in or book on the day. All 2.50 per child except Roman Notebooks, 1 per child. Tuesday 28 May - Flower Garden Peg Frames Get sticky and have fun creating a flower garden picture frame. Wednesday 29 May - Ethnographic Cloth Printing Inspired by the Tapa cloths in the collection, create your own decorative wall hanging. Thursday 30 May - Bouncing Bug and Bird Mobiles Choose bugs and birds to make a decorative mobile for your room at home. Friday 31 May - Roman Notebooks Make your own notebook and decorate it with Roman motifs and symbols.

More information on all upcoming exhibition and events can be found at www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk. Bookings via 01622 602838.

Maidstone Borough Council

Dont abuse the booze

Baroness Helen Newlove has visited Maidstone to find out about the Dont Abuse the Booze project being delivered in the borough to tackle problem drinking. Baroness Newlove watched a Dont Abuse the Booze lesson at Maplesden Noakes School before visiting the Switch Youth Caf to meet youth workers. She also visited the Urban Blue Bus which provides assistance to visitors to the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. The project aims to ensure that all young people receive regular, effective alcohol education, and to keep people safe in Maidstone town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. It is one of ten across the country that has been funded by the Baroness Newlove Alcohol Fund and is delivered by Maidstone council with partners

Affordable lending and safe saving

including Kent County Council, the Safer Maidstone Partnership and the Kenward Trust.

Kent Savers is a credit union with an ethical approach to saving and borrowing money - member-owned and member-controlled. It provides financial services to its members, including affordable loans, ethical savings and services for those who might have difficulty accessing normal financial services. For more information, call 0333 321 9050 or visit www.kentsavers.co.uk

Progress to work
People looking to get back into work can get help, coaching and support by signing up to the Progress programme. Visit www.progressprogramme.com, call 0808 168 9230 or text PROGRESS to 60002 for more information.

Maidstones big parade

Maidstone people will have the chance to support the county towns troops, many of whom will have seen action in Afghanistan, at this years Civic and Freedom Parade on Sunday, 19 May. The parade will mark the start of the new Mayors year. Troops from 36 Engineer Regiment (Search), will exercise their right as Freemen of the Borough to march with bayonets fixed, colours flying and drums beating. The Band of the Corp of Royal Engineers will be playing in Jubilee Square from 10am prior to joining up with the 36 Engineers (Search) in front of County Hall. The troops will assemble in front of County Hall and then march along Week Street to meet with civilian contingents at the junction with Earl Street in time for the parade to step off at 11am. It will march along Week Street, High Street, where the Mayor will take the salute at 11.02am, and Mill Street before finishing at All Saints Church where there will be a civic service. Once the parade has passed the Town Hall, the Mayor will board Sir Tyrwhitt Drakes carriage and lead a procession of military and civic dignitaries and Maidstone Borough Councillors down the High Street, into Mill Street and on to All Saints Church The council will be handing out Union Jack flags for people to wave during the parade.
Image: The Royal Engineers will be marching through Maidstone on Sunday 19 May

Benefits changes advice

If you have been affected by the recent benefits changes, help and advice is available in Maidstone Gateway, where advisors from a range of organisations, including the council and the Citizens Advice Bureau, can let you know what support is available. You can also call the council on 01622 602557, or the Citizens Advice Bureau on 01622 752420. If you are affected by the changes to housing benefit and are in social housing, your landlord will be able to offer you advice in the first instance.

Maidstone Borough Council

Meeting the boroughs housing need

Maidstones growing population means that the borough will have to provide for up to 14,800 houses between 2011 and 2031. It is likely that we will need to find additional land for about 4,500 homes to meet a target of 14,800 dwellings. No decisions have been made. Everyone will have a chance to get involved. The council will want residents and others to get involved in the debate about where new growth should take place and the future shape of our borough.

Call for sites

To find out if the demand placed on our borough can be met the council was required to carry out a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment. At the same time the council looked for employment sites and gypsy and traveller sites. The first stage in the process was a public call for sites during December 2012 and January 2013. The council advertised that it was looking for sites through adverts on its website and in local papers. It contacted everyone on its planning database, including developers, agents, planning consultants and the public.

Equal consideration
160 housing sites and 15 mixed schemes of varying sizes were

suggested throughout the borough. The council must give equal consideration to every site or risk judicial review and financial penalties. Every site will be considered for sustainable location, policy constraints, physical and infrastructure constraints ecology, highways issues, access to services, flood risk, landscape, heritage impacts, and adjacent uses, etc. No decisions have been made about any sites. The council will consult on its preferred housing and employment sites and gypsy and traveller sites in the Autumn.

demonstrates a need for 14,800 dwellings between 2011 and 2031, which will increase the resident labour supply by 7,600 workers.

Population forecasts
The housing target is based on the latest demographic forecasts, updated by Kent County Council, taking account of Department for Communities and Local Government household projections released in November 2010. The 10-year historic trend for Maidstone

Public consultation
The public will have a minimum of 6 weeks to comment on the sites. The consultation will be advertised in local papers and the councils website. We will contact everyone who has responded to previous consultations on the local plan. Look out for more information in future issues of Borough Update.

Picture your love for Mote Park

Do you love Mote Park? Do you enjoy taking photos? If this sounds like you, then wed love to see your images! Enter the Mote Park Photography Contest 2013.

Your photo could

WIN A

250
giftcard to spend at

Mote Park events

All events are free unless stated. For chargeable events, please book through the Hazlitt Theatre on 01622 758611. For other bookable events please email moteparkevents@maidstone.gov.uk.
Monday 29 April, 9:30am-3:30pm Introduction to Birdwatching 28 Classroom and field activities. Saturday 4 May, 9:30am-12pm Mote Park Spring Wildlife Watch A seasonal wildlife walk around Mote Park. Friday 10 May, 9:30am-3:30pm Bird Song Study Day 28 Classroom and field activities. Saturday 11 May, 10:30am12:30pm Wild Foods Walk with Carol 2.50 Foraging for wild foods with our local bushcraft expert. Monday 27 May, 9:30am-12:30pm River Len Safari 6 Guided walk along the riverbank and guided row around the lake courtesy of the Mote Park water sports centre. Thursday 30 May, 7-9pm The Ecology of Mote Park Discover how every plant, tree and animal plays its part in the day to day life of Mote Park. Saturday 15 June, 12-4pm Teddy Bears Picnic Family fun for the little ones (free but some activities may be charged) No booking necessary. Thursday 20 June, 6.30pm-9pm The History of Mote Park Guided walk explores the hidden history of Mote Park.

The competition is free to enter, open to everyone*. Images can depict any aspect of life in Mote Park from scenic views, dramatic landscapes and striking wildlife to family days out, fun activities and everything in between. The competition will run on a monthly basis and entries will be available to view on the Mote Park Facebook page. Two heat winners each month will go on to compete in the Grand Final of the competition, with one photographer being named overall winner for 2013.

How to enter
Simply send your entries via email to moteparkphotos@maidstone.gov.uk with your name and contact telephone number; each months heat closes on the last day of the month, with the final deadline Saturday 31 August. Entries are limited to two photos per person per month and any photos received after the deadline will be entered into the following months competition. Entries will be available to view at www.facebook.com/ motepark. Submission is by email only any works uploaded directly on to the Facebook page will not be valid. Good luck!

Saturday 11 May, 2pm til late Bat Walk Leaders Training 40 - adults only. An introduction to bats and their Tuesday 9 July Lakeside theatre - Richard III conservation, followed by a bat 9.50 Adults, 6 concessions. walk.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/motepark or email alanfrith@maidstone.gov.uk.

Terms and Conditions

All images must be taken in Mote Park and must be your own work. By emailing your photos, you give permission for Maidstone Borough Council to reproduce your images in publicity and promotional material and to be displayed on the Mote Park Facebook page. Maidstone Borough Council will assume that any persons shown in photos have given their full permission for their image to be included in such material. Heat winners will be chosen by a peoples vote on the Mote Park Facebook page and by an invited Guest Judge or representative of Maidstone Borough Council. The decision of the judging panel is final and discussion will not be entered into. * The competition is not open to employees of Maidstone Borough Council

Join the fellowship

New volunteers are needed to join the Mote Park Fellowship. It is a group of volunteers who give up their time to help restore and enhance the park. Volunteers can work in the park to create wildlife habitats, deliver events or improve facilities. Theres no shortage of work for hands on volunteers in the park but we also need others with expertise to help set up a charitable trust to secure new funding for the park. If youre interested, come along to the open day at Maidstone Leisure Centre on 27 April. There will be a presentation at 10am followed by tea and cakes and then a guided walk around Mote Park finishing at 1:30pm. Visit www.facebook.com/motepark for more details, or email alanfrith@maidstone.gov.uk

ARTS CENTRE Easter Treats at the Hazlitt Arts Centre

Sing- a-long-a Joseph

Hazlitt Theatre - 4pm, Sunday 14 April Tickets 15, concessions 13, family of 4 (2 adults & 2 children) 50, family of 3 (must have at least 1 child) 37.50
A fully interactive screening of the 1999 film of the original stage version starring Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, Richard Attenborough and Joan Collins with on-screen subtitles. The evening begins with your host leading a vocal warm up, judging the fancy dress competition, teaching some groovy moves and showing you how to use your free goody bag. Burst into song and dance in the aisles at the most colourful event in years. It couldnt be easier or more fun! Fancy dress strongly encouraged and full audience participation essential.

Four Farces
Exchange Studio 8pm, Saturday 6 April Tickets 12, concessions 10
Resident Hazlitt company, European Arts Co. returns with a delicious evening of one-act Farces from the Victorian stage. Theres more than a hint of The Goons and Monty Python in these four plays entitled Wanted, A Young Lady, Box and Cox, An Unwarrantable Intrusion and Duel in the Dark. Involving duelling pistols, cross dressing, thwarted lovers, doublecrossing, romance and intoxication, these colourful comic capers promise a sublime evening of mayhem and merriment. 'European Arts Company really takes the audience by storm. A surreal performance, witty and hilarious, full of energy, talent and creativity.' - Culture Guide

The Nightingale Exchange Studio 2.30pm, Sunday 7 April Tickets 8, concessions 6. For ages 4+
Imagine you could have anything you wanted...the best that money can buy. Unfortunately for the little King, he already has that, and he still feels somethings missing. That is, until he is enchanted by the most beautiful sound in the world and finds friendship in the most unexpected place. A sweet, funny and beautiful show for families. Horse + Bamboo make theatre that is fantastically visual. This age old story from Hans Christian Andersen is told through a mesmerising blend of masks, puppetry, animation, vivid performance and original music.

Russian Cossacks Hazlitt Theatre 7.30pm, Thursday 18 April Tickets 18.50, concessions 16.50
The Cossacks fiery dances and songs are as true and honest as the souls of their country folk. Particular attention has been paid to the detail of the Cossacks wonderfully traditional and elaborate costumes. The highlight of this spectacular show is the Great Cossack Dance for which special sabres have been made of titanium, ensuring sparks really do fly. Come and witness the glowing vitality and immense warmth to live a Russian Cossack's life, if only for a night. For more information please visit www.BookBallet.co.uk

To book tickets go online at www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk or ring the Box Office 01622 758611

10

Maidstone Borough Council

illness is still surrounded by prejudice, and attitudes towards those suffering mental health problems means it is harder for them to make friends, work and live a normal life - many people say that the discrimination is a bigger burden than the illness itself.

Look after your mental health

We all have mental health, like we have physical health, and its important to take care of both to promote our overall wellbeing. One in four people will experience a mental health problem in any one year, so it is likely that one day you or someone close to you will experience poor mental health. Mental

Time to Change
Why not join the 34,500 people who have pledged to tackle stigma and raise awareness of mental health. It could be as simple as I pledge to talk about mental health or pledge to get your organisation involved in raising awareness of mental health. Visit www.time-to-change.org.uk

Follow our 5 steps to look after your mental health Connect: Keep learning:
Connect with the people around you. This can be at home, work, school or within a community setting. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

Be active:
Go for a run or a walk. Step outside. Play a game. Be in the garden. Exercising makes you feel good. Discover a physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Take on a different responsibility at work. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving- learning can make you more confident as well as being fun.

Give:
Do something nice for a friend or stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time.

Take notice:
Be curious. Savour the moment. Notice your surroundings. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Useful websites and Information www.mind.org.uk www.time-to-change.org.uk www.nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth www.tipsondealingwithdepression.org www.kent.gov.uk/community_and_living/volunteering.aspx Information about self-help support groups 0845 123 2320 Maidstone Mind: 01622 692383

Weight Management Programmes

Maidstone Borough Council runs a range of weight loss courses to help you to achieve your weight loss goals and improve your health.

Go For It
Free family and childrens weight management programme, to ensure a healthier lifestyle aimed at 5 17 year olds. Held at Zeroth Active Zone, Boughton Lane, Maidstone.

Weight For It
Free 10 week weight loss programme for adults - fun & friendly weekly weigh-in with diet and nutritional advice, delivered across the Maidstone borough. Book now to attend one of the following groups, starting week commencing 22 April. T Lenham Community Centre, Mondays, 10.30-11.30 T YMCA Loose, Mondays 14.00-15.00 T Fusion Healthy Living Centre, Thursdays 10.30-11.30

Weight For Life:

10 week holistic lifestyle programme, including nutrition advice and low cost exercise regime for just 1 per visit. Held at Zeroth Active Zone, Boughton Lane, Maidstone.

Adult Weight Management Programme:

A 12 week programme consisting of weekly diet and nutrition seminars, also take advantage of the low cost gym, swim and exercise classes for just 1 per visit. Held at Maidstone Leisure Centre, Mote Park, Maidstone.

For more information on any of the programmes email healthy.living@maidstone.gov.uk

MAKE IT MAIDSTONE
make it prosperous
Maidstone is the first choice location for business in Kent, with international as well as local influence. Maidstone is committed to helping its 7,000 businesses flourish and grow. It is a highly attractive proposition for investors with competitive housing costs, a ready supply of skilled people and availability of quality commercial properties all set within a regionally significant retail centre, rich in culture and heritage we have so much to be proud of.

Invest in success
Maidstone: Our Investment Success Story is a publication promoting the town and surrounding area as a place to invest and do business, as well as a popular place in which to live and work. If youd like a copy of the brochure, which looks at town centre regeneration, commercial success, sustainable growth, 21st century learning, the boroughs cultural offer and the changing landscape of the riverside area, visit www.locateinmaidstone.co.uk.

Sustainability
Maidstone has embraced sustainable development, from regenerated historic landmarks to energy efficient new homes. Our working target of 14,800 new homes by 2031 will apply the principles of sustainable development to preserve our environment whilst providing the housing, jobs and facilities that our growing population needs. Case Study: Old Ophthalmic Hospital The Old Hospital is a stunning conversion development involving the regeneration of the once beautiful but disused Grade II-listed hospital into highly desirable new homes.

How we can help

If you are looking to start up in business, searching for available commercial property, relocating or interested in apprenticeships or helping someone to gain work experience, please contact the Economic Development Services on 01622 602394 and we can help.

Regeneration
Maidstones 2.2 million re-modelling of its High Street is the product of an international design competition. The scheme enhances Maidstones attractiveness to investors, visitors and shoppers by creating a new public space to support the town centres role as a 21st century urban entertainment centre as envisaged by Mary Portas in her recent review of high streets. Image courtesy of Lee Elliott AlternativeLEE

Case Study: KIMS

The new Kent Institute of Medicine and Surgery will be a new state-of-the-art hospital campus open to both NHS and private patients. It will have highly specialised areas of expertise within cardiology and neurology.

Capital connections
Maidstone is in a great location and its excellent communications links are highly significant in helping to shape a businesss decision to locate in the area. High speed rail services mean that the journey to London now takes just 47 minutes, and the M20 provides direct access to the M25 and the Channel Tunnel.

COUNCIL CONTACTS

Corporate Property - 01622 602015 property@maidstone.gov.uk

Tourism/Visitor Economy Team - 01622 602748 tourism@maidstone.gov.uk Steve Goulette, Business Champion 01622 602134 stevegoulette@maidstone.gov.uk

Economic Development - 01622 602393 economicdevelopment@maidstone.gov.uk

Planning Applications Helpline - 01622 602736 planningdutydesk@maidstone.gov.uk

For business support and local business contacts: Maidstone Business Directory - 01622 602393 economicdevelopment@maidstone.gov.uk

12

Maidstone Borough Council

Mote Park has been transformed with a 2.6million package of improvements. Alan Frith is audience development officer and its his job to get more people into the park.
Some facts about Mote Park - Mote Park covers an area of 460 acres - Maidstone Borough Council paid 50,000 to purchase Mote Park from the 2nd Viscount Bearsted in 1929. - A survey in 2012 found six species of small mammals wood mice, yellow neck mice, bank voles, field voles, common shrew and pygmy shrew. - The park is home to 128 species of birds. - More than one million people visited the park in 2012. Volunteers Over the past two years volunteers have completed 4,500 hours Image courtesy of Greg Mantanle work, valued at 56,000. Last year the park staged 47 events for 14,000 people. The Mote Park restoration project was awarded 1.8 million from the The Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund under their Parks for People scheme. Improvements have included new paths, restoration of parkland, 100 new trees, car park improvements, new bridges, restoring the 1840s waterfall, visitor hubs at Willington Street and School Lane with car parks and play areas, and restoring the neoclassical Volunteers Pavilion dating from the 1800s.

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Alans job includes

- Co-ordinating the work of the volunteers who help with conservation work around the park. - Planning and staging events such as teddy bears picnics, tree planting parties, stargazing live, outdoor theatre, and kite festivals. What attracted you to the job? Alan has worked in the entertainment business as a former DJ and was a Head Park Ranger at Tower Hamlets, working across 72 sites. He says the opportunity to organise events coupled with the chance to work in Kents premier park was an irresistible combination. What do you like most about your job? I like working with the volunteers because they share my passion for the park and I like to think that the different events we put on encourage new people to fall in love with it. But the thing I like most is working close to wildlife and the work we do to protect it. What does good customer care mean to you? Its taking the time to understand peoples points of view and their needs, and then helping them.

Borough Update
This is your council newsletter, produced up to four times a year in the Downs Mail newspaper. It is written, edited and designed by the council's communications team, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6JQ. Email: pr@maidstone.gov.uk. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. It is typeset by AW design and printed by Newbury News.

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Whats On!

To find out whats on in Maidstone Borough visit www.visitmaidstone.com