Candidates line up for May elections
Whatever the outcome of the local elections in May, there’s one councillor who won’t be returning to Maidstone Town Hall.
Cllr James Willis, who has represented Heath Ward since 2014, is not seeking re-election after moving out of the area.
Cllr Willis (Lib Dem) had a strong interest in transport issues and sat on the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board, the Maidstone Cycling Forum, the Medway Valley Line Steering Group, the Quality Bus Partnership and the South East Rail Passenger Group.
He was an avid campaigner for better rail connections to Maidstone and for the plight of Hermitage Lane residents who had seen a large increase in congestion on their road following housing expansion there.
He said: “I’m sorry to be leaving Heath Ward, but I’m glad my party has found a strong local campaigner in Ashleigh Kimmance to fight my seat for the Lib Dems.”
Mr Kimmance, 52, has been a taxi driver for 30 years. He lives in Springwood Road, just off Hermitage Lane, and became interested in politics because of the congestion experienced by residents in the area.
On polling day, he will be battling with Alan Chell (Con), who represented South Ward from 2000 until 2007, and also with Ben Crozier for Labour and Geoff Wilkinson for the Green Party.
The deadline for nominations is 4pm this coming Friday, so it is still possible that yet more candidates may step into the ring. Representatives from the Kent Association of Local Councils, which represents 96% of all town and parish councils in the county, travelled to London to lobby MPs over Kent’s roads.
The association is fed up with the problems caused by HGVs travelling along the county’s narrow country lanes, forcing other motorists into hedgerows, causing congestion and de-grading the road surface.
The delegation included John Wilson, who is both chairman of East Farleigh Parish Council and the chairman of the KALC transport advisory committee, as well as KALC chief executive Terry Martin, KALC chairman Sarah Barker, and vice president Richard Parry.
They were able to collar Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant and Faversham and Mid Kent MP Helen Whately MP during a lobby day at Portcullis House in Westminster. They also set out the case for imposing limited routes for HGVs to use to Sir Roger Gale MP for North Thanet and to Gordon Henderson MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
Cllr Wilson told the MPs: “Our objective should be to concentrate goods vehicle mileage on the most suitable roads and to minimise the worst environmental and social effects of lorry movements, while recognising the need for effective and efficient transport links.”
Cllr Wilson said: “The impact of HGVs on the quality of life of our communities has now reached the stage of being unacceptable.”
KALC suggested Kent might follow the example of Leicestershire County Council where a ‘Lorry Control Plan’, with weight restrictions and extensive signage had been introduced over 90% of the county to great effect.