Councillor asked to leave debate over park events

A Maidstone councillor was advised to leave a debate about events in Mote Park because he lives there.

Cllr Mike Revell (Con) is a member of the borough’s heritage, culture and leisure committee, but when the committee came to discuss future events there and noise levels, the council’s legal officers told him he should leave.

Cllr Revell, of Garden Walk, complained he had received the advice by telephone only that afternoon. He said: “I think this has been handled very badly.

“I asked the reason and I was told I might be speaking because of the value of my home, because I might be against the Ramblin Man concert because I might think it could decrease the value of my home. That could apply to anybody who lived within hearing distance of the Ramblin Man concert.”

Cllr Revell said officers had assumed he would be against the concert, but in fact he had attended the last event and had enjoyed it, saying: “It’s of an age of music that I grew up with.”

Cllr Revell said: “Yes, I did have concerns about the noise, but I never at any time thought I was arguing about the value of my home.“

The council’s legal officer Sarah Swain said she discussed the matter with Estelle Culligan and Donna Price, respectively the interim head and deputy heads of legal, and the consensus was Cllr Revell “may have a ‘significant interest” requiring him to leave.

She said officers could only advise, and not compel Cllr Revell, who said he was also due to speak on behalf of Bearsted residents on the issue.

Cllr Dave Naghi (Lib Dem) who also lives near Mote Park but was not given similar advice, said: “I think this is the most unusual decision I’ve ever heard. All Cllr Revell has asked is whether the noise level was correctly monitored? That’s a concern for most of Maidstone.”

Cllr Clive English (Lib Dem) who has a reputation of being an authority on procedural matters, said: “The test is whether a councillor has a greater interest than the community they represent or live in – a greater interest.

“It is the councillor’s decision whether to accept the legal advice, personally I’d stay.”

Cllr Revell decided to accept the advice and leave, but said he didn’t agree with it.