‘Respect public’s expectation’

In its edition of July 5 the KM was kind enough to print my letter concerning the waste of tax payers’ money in a dispute between Maidstone Borough and Kent County Council.

The same edition included an article, attributed to the Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, Martin Cox, which sought to justify the decision to refer that dispute to the courts.

In that justification I found one remark particularly noteworthy - “it is important that the public’s expectation is respected”.

I am not aware that “the public’s expectation” was ever tested over the decision to challenge Kent County Council.

Indeed, if the reports are to be believed, neither was the expectation of the Maidstone Borough Councillors since the decision was taken in an emergency meeting made up only of party leaders and from which the councillors were excluded.

Nevertheless, I too think that it is very important that “the public’s expectation is respected”. How about measuring expectations on car parking charges, or how about the charges made for the Park and Ride service, or perhaps better still, measuring the public’s views on our own councillors’ allowances.

Patrick Thomas

Abingdon Road, Barming