Get rid of Carter and his cronies
Yet again I have to write complaining about KCC after your article regarding councillors’ allowances in last week’s Messenger.
If previous actions concerning the leader of the council, Paul Carter, and his administration over the last few weeks were not enough, we now find out he tried to influence a panel regarding councillors’ expenses and when that didn’t work the conservatives voted against the panel’s recommendation and thus gave themselves a hefty allowance increase.
It seems to me all these elected members are interested in is feathering their own nests at the expense of the electorate.
How much longer have the people of Kent got to put up with Paul Carter and his cronies treating KCC as their own private company and start doing something that will benefit thousands of residents, such as the Maidstone Relief Road, to the east of the town?
These people were elected to represent their constituents not themselves.
The sooner the people of Kent get rid of this useless bunch who waste public money the better off we will all be and then perhaps we will see some real progress made to improve things here. Cllr John Barned Ward member for Shepway South and group leader of Ukip, Maidstone Borough Council the South East Local Enterprise Partnership specifically to deliver junction improvements “across the borough”.
Surely then it would be better spent by diverting some of it to improving other junctions – for example, where there is no passing lane for traffic heading towards Langley when vehicles are waiting to turn right into Wallis Avenue at the industrial estate end?
Any problems at the Willington Street junction could be solved by slightly extending the turning lane, moving some bus stops and adjusting the sequence of traffic lights, thereby protecting the green hedgerows and trees.
Why do they not seek the views of the people who actually live here and are familiar with this junction on a daily basis, and who can offer informed suggestions for sensible, significantly scaled down, better and more cost-effective improvements?
If this ill thought-out scheme goes ahead, there will be no relief for Willington Street or Wallis Avenue. There will be more traffic noise, bottlenecks further along the road and higher levels of pollution – especially once all the trees have been destroyed by what the council refers to as “vegetation clearance”, as though they’ll be strimming a few weeds beside the pavement instead of destroying beautiful mature cherry, oak and other trees.
It’s interesting to note Maidstone council’s corporate priority No.1 is “keeping Maidstone borough an attractive place for all, encouraging good health and wellbeing, respecting the character and heritage of our borough and providing a clean and safe environment”.
You won’t meet anything in that priority by destroying so many beautiful and necessary trees for no reason, on the southern approach to our County Town – a county which some of us will remember was once known as the Garden of England. Linda Weeks Bell Meadow, Maidstone 10Mbps connection, putting broadband on a similar footing to basic services like water and electricity.
I’m also meeting the chief executive of EE to discuss improving mobile phone signal in the area. Sometimes a letter from an MP can help solve a connection problem for an individual home or business, so if your broadband is slow or your mobile signal is bad, get in touch and I will do what I can to help.