Maidstone Borough Council

Update
Borough

East, May 2016

IN THIS ISSUE:
 Proms in the Park
 Fun Dog Show
 Mote Park Photo Competition
 Civic Parade
 Maidstone Mela
 and more!

www.maidstone.gov.uk

Maidstone Borough Council

Maidstones Civic and

Freedom Parade
Maidstone residents will have the chance to welcome the
boroughs new Mayor, Councillor Derek Butler, and show
their support for the county towns troops at Maidstones
Civic Day in the town centre on Saturday 21 May. The Civic
and Freedom Parade will step off from Week Street at
11:40am with 36 Engineer Regiment exercising their
rights as Honorary Freemen of the Borough to march
through the town with bayonets fixed and colours flying.
The parade will then turn into the High Street where the
salute will be taken by the Mayor outside the Town Hall at
11:45am. Union Jack flags will be handed out to the public
to wave along the route of the parade. Once the parade
has passed the Town Hall, the Mayor and Mayoress will
lead the mayoral procession in a horse and carriage to All

Saints Church for a civic service at 12noon.

Roads closures will be in place between 10.30am and
12.30pm using rolling closures where possible and roads
will be reopened once the procession has passed.
Residents, visitors and motorists passing through the
town centre will be delayed on the morning and we
apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. It is
hoped that delays are kept to a minimum but please try
and plan your journey outside of these times if possible.
Road closures will be listed on www.maidstone.gov.uk

Maidstone Mela to
move to town centre
Maidstones popular Mela will be moving
from Mote Park to the town centre this year,
with a new format which will help it reach
out to new and wider audiences.
The Mela was introduced in 2002 to
contribute to building a better understanding
between local communities and celebrate
the diversity of Maidstones residents.
Featuring music, dance and food from
around the globe, it quickly became a
successful, well-respected and culturally
diverse celebration.

But with the towns changing population

and the need to make the Mela financially
self-sustaining its now planned to take
the event to the masses. The Maidstone
Street Mela will be a celebration of culturally
diverse arts, with street performances and
interactive arts workshops taking place on
Sunday September 11.
We will be consulting with the local
communities who have been engaged
through the Maidstone Mela Advisory Group.
We also aim to meet with those communities
that never have been, or are no longer,
engaged and ask them for their input. We
will again be working closely with Cohesion
Plus Kent who have been involved with the
Mela since its inception. More details will be
published on www.maidstone.gov.uk and in
the next Borough Update.

2016 Mote
Park Photo
Competition

WINa 250

Love Mote Park?

Handy with a camera?

Gift Voucher

Then enter the 2016 Mote Park Photo

competition which runs every month from 1 March to 31 August 2016 and
you could win a 250 gift voucher for the Mall / Chequers shopping centre!
Send your photos via email to moteparkphotos@maidstone.gov.uk with your
name and contact telephone number by the last day of each month - entries
are limited to two photos per person per month and will be available to view
and vote for on the Mote Park Facebook page www.facebook.com/motepark. Every month, two winners (one chosen by
our guest judge and the other being the most liked photo on Facebook) will
go through to the Grand Final with the overall victor winning the gift
voucher.
All photos must be taken in Mote Park (we
must be able to verify this) and all photos
must be your own work. For more details
and T&Cs please visit the facebook page
or email moteparkphotos@
maidstone.gov.uk. By emailing your
photos, you give permission for Maidstone
Borough Council and The Mall Maidstone
Shopping Centre to reproduce your
images in publicity, promotional and
advertising material.
We would like to thank The Mall
Maidstone for once again sponsoring the
photo competition.
Top: 2015 Winning Image Stewart Nicolaou
Above: 2015 2nd place Image Denise Tate

Maidstone Borough Council

End of the Saturday

Freighter Service
Our Saturday
Freighter Service
which collects
household waste
from 99 pick-up
points around the
borough once every
ten weeks is to be discontinued. The last service will be
on Saturday 14 May.
The service was introduced in 1991 but since then more
environmentally-friendly ways to dispose of the
boroughs rubbish such as the kerbside recycling and
garden waste services have been introduced and the
number of people using it has fallen dramatically.

Thank you to our

volunteers

Posters are on display at each site confirming the last

collection date and giving alternative ways you can
dispose of items.
These include
Our Bulky Collection Service for larger items like TVs
and furniture. It's chargeable but households on low
incomes will be offered one subsidised collection a
year. Prices for other residents will be frozen for the
next 12 months.
Some charities will collect goods which they can then
sell to raise funds.
Items can be taken to the Tovil Recycling Centre.
You can find out more about these alternatives by
visiting www.maidstone.gov.uk.
Only 4% per cent of residents now use the service and
are effectively being subsidised by the vast majority of
people who dont. Ending the service will save 40,000 a
year.

A series of special clean

up events took place
across the borough at the
beginning of March in
conjunction with Keep
Britain Tidy, Clean for
the Queen and Love Kent,
Hate Litter. Over 300
volunteers from community
groups and local schools
showed their civic pride by
litter picking in areas including Tovil, Boughton Monchelsea,
Downswood, Hunton, Allington, Marden and Chart Sutton. A
huge thank you to everyone who gave up their time to show
that they Love Kent, Hate Litter and for helping to keep
Maidstone a beautiful place to live.

There were also other compelling reasons for ending the

service; the 300 tonnes of waste a year collected by the
freighter is mixed together and cannot be separated for
recycling so all of it has to go to landfill and although the
freighter was intended for domestic rubbish, it has often
been abused by commercial organisations seeking to cut
costs.
We appreciate that some people will be disappointed that
the freighter service is being discontinued but we hope
that they will understand that there are overwhelming
reasons for doing this.

Food Waste Challenge

Theres still time to sign up to The Big Maidstone Food Waste
Challenge to be in with a chance of winning a 30 gift voucher for
The Mall Chequers Shopping Centre or family swimming vouchers
for Maidstone Leisure Centre Maidstone. The scheme is designed
to cut down on the amount of food waste thrown straight into the
rubbish bin. Sign up for the challenge and promise your support at
www.maidstone.gov.uk/foodwastechallenge
or by sending your name, address and phone number by post to:
The Big Maidstone Food Waste Challenge, Maidstone Borough
Council, Bircholt Road, Parkwood, Maidstone ME15 9XY.

Maidstone Borough Council

tax bands
Council tax facts, 2016 -2017 Council
The total annual charge for Kent

Maidstone Borough Council is asking residents to pay an extra 2% for its

County Council, Maidstone Borough
services, such as planning, waste and recycling collections, and street
Council, Police and Crime
cleaning, for the year April 2016 to March 2017.
Commissioner for Kent, and Kent and
Band D is used as an example in this article.
Medway Fire and Rescue Authority
The cost of Maidstone Borough Councils services for the year will rise by
for every band for 2016/2017 is:
4.95 a year from 235.71 to 240.66 for Band D taxpayers.
E 1,953.55
A 1,065.57
Kent County Council has increased its council tax by 1.99% and the cost of
its services will rise from 1,089.99 to 1,111.77 for Band D taxpayers.
F 2,308.74
B 1,243.17
There is also an an additional 2% increase (21.78
G 2,663.93
C 1,420.76
charge for Band D taxpayers) for Kent County
Council Social Care, bringing the total amount
H 3,196.72
D 1,598.36
payable to KCC to 1,133.55. This charge for KCC
Social Care is new for 2016/17. KCC also provides
Excluding parish council precepts.
services such as education and transport.
The Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority has
increased its council tax by 1.9% and the cost of its
services will rise from 70.65 to 72 for Band D
taxpayers.
The bill for the Police and Crime Commissioner for
Kent will rise by 3.4% from 147.15 to 152.15 for
Band D taxpayers.
That means that the total bill for a band D taxpayer,
excluding parish council precepts, will rise by 3.6%
How every council tax pound is split
from 1,543.50 to 1,598.36.

Parish precepts
Council Tax bills for most rural areas include an additional parish council annual precept. These range from 24 for
Boughton Malherbe to 90.78 for Leeds for a Band D taxpayer.
More information can be found on www.maidstone.gov.uk/council/finance-and-performance

Single person
council tax
discount
review
We are currently undertaking
a review of single person
council tax discount awards.
Every resident who receives
the single persons discount
will be contacted by letter to
make sure that the
reductions are being correctly
claimed.
The letter will come from
Capita Local Government
Services, who we have asked
to carry out the review. If you
receive one of these letters, it
will explain what you need to
do. There will be a form,
which you must fill in and
return.
The single person discount
can be claimed when only one
adult lives in a property and is
worth at least 250 a year.
The checks form part of our
measures to prevent and
detect error and fraud to
protect the public purse.

Changes to Housing Benefit Rules

for Working Age claimants
The Government has made a number of
changes to Housing Benefit rules for
claimants who are of working age.
Backdating
From 1 April 2016 the maximum period for
which Housing Benefit claims may be
backdated has been reduced to one month.
Claimants still need to demonstrate good
cause or reason why they are requesting
backdating.
The backdating period for anyone who has
reached the qualifying age for state pension
credit will continue to be three months.
Backdating for Council Tax Support claims
remains at a maximum of 6 months
Family Premium
From 1 May 2016 the family premium is no
longer included for new Housing Benefit
claims or for any existing claimants who
have a child or become responsible for a
child (under 16) or young person (under 20).
If a current claimant stops having
responsibility for children or young people,
then they will not be able to regain the
family premium in the future.
Claimants who receive a passporting
benefit (Income Support, income-based

Jobseekers Allowance, income-related

Employment and Support Allowance or
guarantee element of Pension Credit) will
continue to be entitled to the family
premium if they cease to claim the
passporting benefit and are still entitled to
Housing Benefit only.
Claimants who are not on a passporting
benefit will retain the family premium if they
were entitled to it on 30 April 2016 until:
they make a new claim for Housing
Benefit; or
they no longer have responsibility for any
children or young people.
The Family Premium will remain in the
calculation of Council Tax Support claims
National Living Wage
The hourly minimum pay rate for those over
25 years of age increased on 1 April 2016.
This will affect the Housing Benefit and
Council Tax Support that you are receiving.
Please report changes to your earned
income to us promptly to prevent
overpayments.
You can tell us about these changes online
at: www.maidstone.gov.uk/benefitsproof or
www.maidstone.gov.uk/benefitchangeofcircs

Maidstone Borough Council

Pay your council

tax by Direct
Debit and you
could win
5,000!

One lucky Maidstone resident could scoop 5,000

after Maidstone Borough Council signed-up to a
national council tax campaign launched by Bacs
Payment Schemes Limited (Bacs), the not-for-profit
organisation behind Direct Debit in the UK.
To be in with a chance of winning the 5,000 prize,
Maidstone residents must register to pay their council
tax bill by Direct Debit, either by returning a
completed Direct Debit Instruction form by post or
signing-up to Direct Debit online at
www.maidstone.gov.uk/paydd.
Direct Debit is a simple, safe and secure way to pay
which is also more convenient for residents than
other payment methods. It is also a much cheaper way
for us to process payments and the money we save
can be used for the benefit of local residents.
Thanks to the prize on offer from Bacs, there is an
attractive incentive for residents to switch payment
methods and wed love to see someone from
Maidstone win the 5,000. Council tax bills have
recently been sent out and were encouraging as
many people as possible to look out for the prize draw
information included, switch to Direct Debit, and be in
with the chance of winning. Residents who already pay
this way will go into the draw automatically.
Direct debit is by far the most popular method of
payment with approx. 75% of all residents already
enjoying the benefit of knowing that their council tax
payments are taken care off,
with the direct debit
guarantee providing total
peace, safe in the knowledge
that they remain in control.

Maidstone Borough
Borough Council

HEALTH
HEAL
LTH STARTS
STA
ARTS

ATT HO
A
HOME
ME

Impr
Improving
oving housing
conditions
conditions

Bringing empty homes

back into use

Raising standar
standards
access
ds in Helping you
you to ac
cess
shared
shar
ed housing
residents
Helping
elp
residents
em
emain in their home
remain
epairs and
through
hrough rrepairs
lterations
alterations

local
services
loc
al servic
es

Helping yyou
ou to mak
make
e
heal
thy living choic
es
healthy
choices

Helping you
money
you save
save mone
y
on your
your energy
energy bills
bills

more information
information on these services
services
For more
For
please visit our website
www.maidstone.gov.uk/housing
www.maidstone.gov.uk/housing
or email
housingandhealth@maidstone.gov.uk
housingandhealth@maidstone.gov.uk

01622 602750
www.maidstone.gov.uk

Maidstone Borough Council

Explore Maidstones
rich history
A series of new information panels has been unveiled as part of
a Maidstone history trail in the town centre. The twelve panels
feature specially commissioned artwork and explain the towns
rich history to visitors and residents. The boards can be found
at locations including Week Street, Sessions House,
Archbishops Palace, and Fairmeadow. For more information
visit www.visitmaidstone.com and click on the Plan Your Trip
tab and select Maps and Publications.

Bearsted Fun Dog Show

Waggy tail? Check. Shiny coat? Check. All round
gorgeous dog? Check! Bring your canine friends and
have some fun at the Bearsted Fun Dog Show at the
Bearsted Woodland Trust (ME14 4NE) from 10.00am 4pm on Sunday 5 June. Entry to the event is free. Dogs
must be kept on leads
at all times.
Dog Show:
Enter your dog into fun
competition classes: 1
per dog, per class
entered and proceeds
will go to Battersea
Dogs and Cats Home.
No Kennel club rules
its just for fun!
Registration begins at
10:00am with the first
class commencing at
11:30am
Classes:
Most Handsome Fella
Loveliest Lady
Best Trick
Most Gorgeous Golden
Oldie
Cutest Puppy
Most Awesome Eyes
Most Fantastic Family
Scruffiest Mutt
Best Biscuit Catcher
Best Dressed
Reserve Best in Show
Best in Show

Proms in the Park

Theres a special treat in store over the late May bank
holiday weekend as Proms in the Park returns to
Whatman Park, Maidstone on Saturday 28 May. It will
feature an exciting schedule of events including a
performance by the Maidstone Wind Symphony who will
be celebrating the Queens 90th birthday with a host of
classic tracks from each decade of Her Majestys life.
Performances from the Hazlitt Youth Theatre and the
chance for children to try out some instruments will also
help ensure this is a wonderful day for all the family.
This years event will have an earlier start and finish time
meaning a warmer evening of entertainment, and no
fireworks display into the cooler night. Full details will be
posted on www.visitmaidstone.com and on twitter
@Maidstoneinfo

Plus
Free microchipping
Dog tags
Ice cream
Refreshments

Microchipping change in law

The law changed on the 6 April and it is now a legal requirement to have
your dog microchipped. Get advice on microchipping from your vet or
from organisations including the Dogs Trust and RSPCA.

Have-a-go agility
Raffle
BBQ
Face painting

Love dogs and want to know whats happening

locally? Follow our RK9 Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/responsiblek9s

News from the MUSEUM

Change to opening hours

Maidstone Museum is no longer open to the public on Mondays. This
is in order to best preserve the collections in the safest manner
possible and to ensure that the museum's 600,000 artefacts remain
free for all visitors to discover. Monday closures will also enable us to
maximise the revenue generated by the museum while limiting the
cost of operations during one of the quieter days of the week.
From 28 March to 31 October 2016 the Museum will be open on
Tuesday Saturday from 10am - 5pm and on Sundays from 12pm 4pm.

Keep in touch
The museum has recently undergone a
programme of improvement works. Keep
in touch and find news and information at
www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk, on
twitter @MaidstoneMuseum or by emailing
maidstoneinfo@maidstone.gov.uk

Forthcoming Events and Exhibitions

Kathy Keefe Originals (a Caf Gallery exhibition):
29 April - 22 May
Meet the Artist - Kathy Keefe: Saturday 30 April,
10am - 4pm
Time: Making Art Work (exhibition): 14 May - 25 June
Museum Late Romance: Thursday 26 May, 6pm - 9pm

Half Term DINO Week:

Tuesday 31 May Friday 3 June
(4 x 1hr sessions throughout the
day, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.00pm &
2.00pm)
A week of fun-filled, dinosaur-themed
activities to keep the kids entertained.
Suggested age 4-11 years. 3 per
child, 2 for 5, MMF concessions
available

Tuesday - make a dino headdress

Wednesday - make a dino body
costume
Thursday - make dino feet and
claws
Friday - make a volcano
Dino Day: Saturday 4 June
Meet Rex! Here for one day only, hes
big, hes fast and hes scary!! Rex is
free to see - check the museums
website for Rexs appearance times.
There will also be other activities
taking place through the day including
face painting (2), dino masks (1.50)
and dino dig and colouring sheets
(free)

Dad & Me - Get Ready for Fathers

Day!: Saturday 18 June (10.30am
12.30pm & 1.00pm 3.00pm)
Museum Late: Cheese & Beer:
Thursday 30 June, 6pm - 9pm
More information on all upcoming exhibitions and events can be found at www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk
Bookings via 01622 602838.

Maidstone Borough Council

Tackling homelessness and offering

people housing choices is a top priority
Maidstone Borough Council

John Littlemore, our Head of Housing and

Community Services, looks at how we will meet the
boroughs housing needs over the next five years.

Maidstone Housing Strategy 2016 - 2020

Our achievements since 2011

In the past five years weve been able
to make a real difference to peoples
lives. Successes include:
T Delivering 871 affordable homes, of
which 63 were on rural exception
sites for local needs housing.
T Securing grant funding of almost 7
million from the Homes and
Communities Agency (HCA).
T Bringing 12 long term empty
properties back into use as
affordable housing.
T Hosting Landlord forums and

offering a new HomeFinder Bond

scheme to help homeless people
gain access to privately rented
properties.
T Introducing a new allocations policy
with new eligibility criteria and
banding to offer a fairer distribution
of social housing properties.
T Buying and refurbishing Aylesbury
House and Magnolia House to
provide temporary accommodation
for 20 homeless households as a
better alternative to expensive bed
and breakfast accommodation.

The challenges we all face

An aging population

children aged under 16 live in poverty.

By 2031 a greater proportion of the

population will be aged 60 and over the oldest age group (85+) will increase
by 142%. Homes will need to be adapted
for peoples needs and disabilities, and
care provided. There is an estimated
total need for 3,620 specialist homes for
older people.

Homelessness
The number of homelessness decisions
made by the council each year has
increased by 655% from 80 to 604 since
2011. The cost of placing people in
temporary accommodation has risen
from 118,620 to 584,055.

The need for more homes

We need an additional 5,800 affordable
households from 2013 to 2031. Across
the Borough it is estimated that around
43% of households cant afford to
access the market housing.
Social depravation and inequality
The difference in life expectancy in the
most affluent wards compared to our
most deprived is 8.9 years. While
deprivation in the borough is lower than
the national average, 15% (4,300) of

Rent reduction forcing shift to shared

ownership
The Government is reducing rents in
social housing by 1% a year for four
years, cutting the income of registered
providers (housing associations). This
may lead them to a switch away from
affordable rent homes to building
shared ownership ones.
More 1 and 2 bed homes needed
More than 53% of applicants on the
housing register have a 1-bed need and
24% have a 2-bed need.

MA928

Poor housing or lack of a home has an impact on many

areas of peoples lives, including employment, crime,
education, homelessness and health.
Thats why our top priorities include tackling homelessness and making
sure the borough has enough homes and homes of the right type, quality
and tenure for future generations.
Weve recently updated our Housing Strategy, setting out how we will meet
residents housing needs over the next five years. It identifies the main
housing issues and key challenges that the council and our partners need
to address and how we will do this.
Here are the highlights - you can read the strategy in full on our website.

www.maidstone.gov.uk

Priority 1: Enable and support the

delivery of quality homes across the
housing market to develop sustainable
communities.

We plan to:
A. Enable the delivery of homes with the
mix, tenure and range of housing to
meet the need identified in the emerging
Local Plan.
B. Deliver a mix of homes of different
types, tenure and size, via direct
provision and in partnership with private
developers, housing associations and
other key partners.
C. Deliver new affordable homes that are
designed to a high standard, energy
efficient, accessible and respond to
peoples changing needs.
D. Seek innovative funding and delivery
options.
We will:
T Create a Local Housing Company to
build/acquire new affordable and private
homes.
T Ensure the emerging Local Plan
provides an appropriate policy
framework for affordable housing.
T Promote home ownership products
such as Help to Buy, Starter Homes, and
Shared Ownership.
T Look at demand for self and custom
build homes and identify land to meet
this demand.
T Respond to the changing social
housing market.
T Enable the creation of new affordable
housing, particularly 1 and 2 bedroom
homes.

Maidstone Borough Council

Eviction crisis had a happy ending

Security guard Davinson Nmadueke burst into tears when he received an
eviction notice for him and his 14-year-old son Ugo.
Mr Nmadueke had been a good tenant in his privately rented flat in
Maidstone but the landlord decided he wanted the flat back and successfully
applied to the court for an eviction order. Thats when he turned to the
council for help.
We were able to arrange temporary accommodation and guide Mr
Nmadueke through the process of applying for social housing. Now father
and son are happily living in an MHS Homes flat.
I cried when the letter from the court came, said Mr Nmadueke. I called the council and Holly helped me with what I
needed to do. She made me very relaxed. If it hadnt been for her I dont know what I would have done. I couldnt afford to
rent privately and Holly helped me. The council saved my life. I am really happy and Ugo is doing much better at school.
T Explore opportunities for funding
investment with a range of partners
including the Local Enterprise
Partnership, HCA and institutional
investors.
T Work with planning, the local and
Gypsy Traveller and travelling
communities to identify potential
housing sites.
T Deliver a quality housing scheme on
the Brunswick Street car park.
T Support Parish Councils in delivering
local needs housing.
T Promote the development of good
quality homes that are energy efficient,
meet space standards and embrace the
concept of Lifetime Homes.
Priority 2: Ensure that existing
housing in the Maidstone Borough is
safe, desirable and promotes good
health and well-being.

We plan to:
A. Raise housing quality and standards
across all tenures and improve the
condition of existing homes.
B. Improve health outcomes for
residents by reducing health inequality.
C. Promote ways for residents to tackle
fuel poverty, energy efficiency advice
and managing domestic bills.
D.Bring empty homes back into use.
We will:
T Improve accommodation within the
private rental sector by engaging with

landlords.
T Address the needs of the ageing
population, in particular the 85+ age
group, including support needs such as
adapting properties, provision of care in
the home, providing specialist
accommodation and care/nursing
homes.
T Review the Disabled Facilities Grant
to help disabled residents remain in
their home.
T Initiate projects such as the
Roseholme Healthy Homes Pilot, which
will improve the health and well-being
of residents.
T Work with NHS Health Trainers to
support residents to achieve healthier
lifestyle choices with issues such as
healthy eating, quitting smoking,
exercise and emotional well-being.
T Work with owners of long term empty
properties to bring them back in to use.
T Deliver the affordable warmth
strategy.
Priority 3: Prevent homelessness,
secure provision of appropriate
accommodation for homeless
households and supporting vulnerable
people

We plan to:
A. Prevent and relieve homelessness by
offering residents timely, expert advice.
B. Increase the availability of
accommodation for homeless
households.

Are you threatened with being homeless?

Our housing and support teams provide essential help to enable people to
achieve increased independence and health and well-being outcomes at
times of difficulty, and can prevent difficulties becoming a crisis.
If youre homeless or at risk of being homeless call 01622 602440 or come
into the Maidstone Gateway in King Street. Its important that you seek advice,
and you can see one of our housing advisors to discuss your housing options.
Our website www.maidstone.gov.uk gives advice if you are:
T Being evicted by your landlord
T Being harassed by your landlord
T Having problems paying your mortgage
The website also gives guidance on renting privately, social housing, shared
ownership and help to buy.

C. Support independent living and

reduce risk of repeat homelessness for
vulnerable residents by offering a
range of housing options, advice.
We will:
T Deliver our Homelessness Strategy
Action Plan
T Expand on the success of Aylesbury
House by investing in additional
temporary accommodation.
T Support private sector landlords and
tenants to maintain their tenancies by
offering pre-tenancy training.
T Provide information and advice that
will enable people to improve their own
housing and health circumstances,
prevent homelessness and make best
use of resources.
T Support residents to manage welfare
reform changes.
T Ensure homeless households have
access to volunteering, training and
employment opportunities.
T Secure shared housing for single
homeless people aged under-35.
T Work with supported housing
providers to understand and address
the potential impact of the Housing
Benefit cap on supported
accommodation tenants.
T Expand the HomeFinder bond
scheme.

New empty homes initiative

In the last two year, we have brought
175 empty homes back into use.
During the coming year we will be
expanding our work with the launch
of a new initiative to help families
who need housing by effectively
matching them with elderly people
whose homes are empty because
they need to go into care or nursing
homes. It means that people who go
into care will have a regular income
to help meet their care costs, which
would otherwise be offset against
the capital value of their home. This
preserves the value of the home for
whoever they bequeath it to and, in
the meantime, provides a home for
families which need one.

10

Maidstone Borough Council

News in brief
Ramblin Man Festival
The Ramblin Man Festival returns
to Mote Park on 23 and 24 July
with musical acts including Procol
Harum, Thin Lizzie and The
Zombies. Visit
www.ramblinmanfair.com for
more information.

Mote Park Website

You can keep up to date with the
work of the Mote Park Fellowship
volunteers by visiting their website
www.moteparkfellowship.org.uk
for news, events and details of
how to become a volunteer.
Forthcoming events in the park
include Bat evenings and History
of Mote Park walks.

Online permit renewals

Did you know that you can renew
your parking permit online at
www.maidstone.gov
.uk/permitrenewal? Its a quick
and straightforward process and
nearly 70% of permits are now
being renewed via the website.

Market News
You can now pay by debit or credit
card at the butcher and the fruit
and vegetable stalls at Maidstone
Market. The market is open every
Tuesday and Saturday from
7.30am 1.30pm at Barker Road,
Lockmeadow. Browse fresh local
produce including flowers, meat,
fish and bread as well as toys,
clothes & other stalls.

Promote your event

If youre running an event in the
borough you can promote if for
free on www.visitmaidstone.com.
Select the Whats On tab and
click on Add Your Event.

Our golden bins promotion has

Maidstone residents all atwitter!
As part of our Love Kent, Hate Litter
campaign, were challenging residents
to find one of the two Golden Bins
which have been placed at various
locations around the borough.
And, as an added incentive, residents
are in with the chance of a prize if they
tweet us a photo of themselves, a
friend or a family member placing litter

in a golden bin.
Here are just some of the photos that
have been tweeted to us so far. All the
photos will be entered into a draw to
win shopping vouchers for The Mall
shopping centre, as a thank you for
helping to keep the borough a beautiful
place to live in. Tweet to @maidstonebc.
The deadline is Friday 20 May.

MAKE IT MAIDSTONE
MAKE IT PROSPEROUS

The Maidstone Bridges

Gyratory Improvement
Scheme starts in June
The 5.74m scheme will see the
construction of two additional
northbound lanes on the eastern side of
the River Medway, with new junctions
controlled by traffic signals, reducing
travel times across the Gyratory system.
It is being funded through contributions
from Maidstone Borough Council and the
South East Local Enterprise Partnership.
The scheme also includes enhanced

pedestrian crossings, closure of

two subways, the fixing of a flood
door to Medway Street subway,
improvements to drainage and
aesthetics of the Broadway
subway, and new planting.
Day time working will be completed
under lane closures, with road closures
reserved for night time working as far as
possible. It is hoped that the scheme will

be completed by mid-November 2016.

To keep updated on progress and for
more information on planned road
closures visit www.kent.gov.uk/roadsand-travel/what-we-lookafter/roads/road-projects

How to Start a Business

workshops
In May, a series of new
modular workshops on
How to Start a
Business will be
launched at Maidstones
Business Terrace.
The Modules will form
one complete
introduction to business or a progressive journey. And
you can choose which modules to attend and when. The
complete set of workshops will be offered six times a year
and will cover a range of business skills:
Module One:

Work alongside some

of Kents most
innovative start-ups
The Business Terrace is certainly proving popular with the
countys emerging business talent. 10% of the finalists in the
KM Groups recent 30 Under 30 list, which celebrates the
most exciting young business people in Kent aged under 30,
are based here.
Each entrant was judged based on their achievements to
date, influence and potential to change the course of
commerce in the future, both nationally and in Kent.
Ben Towers set up his first business aged 11, creating
websites for friends and family, and today employs more than
15 people at his firm Towers Design, which has worked with
over 700 companies.
Ahmed Nuaman, of Firestarter Media and Scout Solutions,
is a web developer who has developed software which has
caught the eye of retailers including Topman and Specsavers.
Liz Wilmott co-founded website design and consultancy

Why start? What's involved?

How to generate ideas.

Module Two: Registering a business.

Business planning. Tax.
Module Three:

Marketing and Promotion of your

business. Sales.

Module Four: Presenting your idea. Verbal

Communication. Business Pitch.
Each module will be 1 hours duration. Course dates are
6, 13, 20 and 27 May.
For full details and to book please visit
www.businessinmaidstone.co.uk and click on Events or
email getstarted@maidstone.gov.uk
company Pentascape with her husband Chris. It specialises
in making user-friendly websites for start-ups.
Read all about them at www.KentBusiness.co.uk.
The Business Terrace hosted a reception to celebrate the
launch of the 30 Under 30 list.
With its business-lounge atmosphere and 100MB Wi-Fi
throughout, The Business Terrace provides a dynamic,
inspiring and highly supportive environment where you can
chat, connect and collaborate comfortably in a relaxed,
professional environment over a great cup of coffee.

12

Maidstone Borough Council

Working
for yo
u

Joanna Denny
Joanna is the Senior Benefits Officer for the shared service of
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils and was
named Maidstone councils Employee of the year in our
recent staff awards.

help improve their lives, it also used the financial

experience I had gained from the private sector. It
seemed the perfect match.
What does your job involve?
I provide support, training and guidance to the
assessment officers and oversee the department in
the absence of the Benefit Manager. Most recently I
have developed and implemented the online services
for the Benefits department. This means customers
are now able to provide their information using our
online services, saving them time and money by not
having to visit the Gateway, and giving them a more
accessible service. We have also increased the use of
email and electronic communication to provide a more
efficient service for the customer. You can access
these services at
www.maidstone.gov.uk/benefitchangeofcircs. I work
closely with the Housing Department to provide help,
support and housing to those in need and provide
financial assistance where appropriate.
What attracted you to the job?
I dont think anyone can say they sat in a school
classroom and dreamed of working in the Benefits
Department. I started my working life with the Inland
Revenue before moving to be a Tax Advisor in an
accountants. It was only after the move to the private
sector that I realised my heart was with helping
people and working in the public sector. Not only did
the job at MBC combine my desire to help people, and

What do you like most about your job?

I like the achievement when I can make a difference
and when you I can see that I am helping people to
improve their situation. I like developing new
processes and procedures to make the service more
accessible to the public such as the implementation of
the new online services. I like helping the members of
my team to make decisions and increase their
knowledge while working within the regulations of
benefits. I like interacting with other departments to
ensure a seamless and full service for the customer,
including process mapping and procedural changes
often the part the customer never gets to see so the
contact for the customer is minimal.
What does good customer service mean to you?
Doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right
reason. Customer Service is about providing the
correct service for the customer. Unfortunately we
sometimes have to deliver news that the customer
doesnt want to hear, but we are governed by
regulations that we must adhere to. Customer Service
is therefore about providing a service that is clear and
understandable to the customer, letting them
understand why a decision has been made or why we
require certain information whilst ensuring the
customer is receiving the correct information.

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:
communications@maidstone.gov.uk.

Whats On!

Your comments and suggestions

are always welcome. It is
typeset by AW design and printed
by Newbury News.
If you are visually impaired and
would like the newsletter text in
large print, please call us on
01622 602176, and we will be
happy to send you a copy.

Follow us on Twitter
@maidstonebc
Like us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/
maidstoneboroughcouncil
Watch us on YouTube
www.youtube.com/
user/maidstonecouncil

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