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6 January 2025 by Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Greens are to protest against the “Death of Local Democracy” outside County Hall in Maidstone on Thursday 9th Jan between 9am and 10am, just before Kent County Councillors decide whether to approve the current leader’s intention/wish to cancel the May local elections. Greens from across Kent will be joining this protest. The current KCC […]
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16 December 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
The Green Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, Cllr Stuart Jeffery, has blasted the devolution proposals as centralisation of power and damaging to democracy but he has vowed to work with other councils and parties across Kent to make sure the changes work best for Kent residents. Cllr Stuart Jeffery (Green Leader of Maidstone Borough Council): […]
24 June 2024 / 30 June 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
14 June 2024 / 30 June 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Greens have welcomed Maidstone first Pride event in the town. Pride celebrates LGBTQIA+ people, welcomes diversity and protests against inequality. Local Greens joined the march through the town and joined the main event in Lockmeadow. Cllr Stuart Jeffery said, “We are all really grateful for the organisers and all who took part in Maidstone’s […]
8 April 2024 / 8 April 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Greens have accused the Conservatives of being “missing in action” over massive failure in bin collections following the change of provider from Biffa to SUEZ. The Greens have singled out Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Conservative Cllr Patrik Garten, as being absent from communications to residents. Nearly a third of bin collections were missed […]
21 March 2024 / 21 March 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Greens and the independents in our group led the fight against the Conservatives’ Local Plan at the extraordinary Council meeting in Maidstone last night. The Greens proposed deferring the decision until after the election so that the councillors who will be responsible for its implementation would get to vote on it but the amendment […]
5 March 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
In their submission to KCC’s Minerals and Waste consultation, Maidstone Greens have expressed further concerns about KCC’s failure to understand the climate emergency. The Greens have called the draft plan a charter for environmental destruction. The draft KCC strategy supports exploration for fossil fuels in Kent and has implicit support for the destruction of the […]
1 February 2024 / 1 February 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Local Greens have reacted with amazement at the shortfall of infrastructure funding for Maidstone’s Local Plan. New documents provide an estimate of around £400m for just half of the necessary new infrastructure required for the planned addition 20,000 homes yet the funding for schools, roads and community centres that is available is just £26m. When […]
26 January 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Local Greens have expressed disappointment at Maidstone Borough Council’s cabinet for deciding that there is no need for a task force to tackle the problems in our local rivers, particularly pollution and biodiversity. The plan, conceived six months ago, reached its final decision point at the Cabinet meeting in Maidstone last night where it was […]
22 January 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Greens have launched their campaign to stop the closure of the seven branch libraries in the Borough. County Hall’s Conservative chiefs let it slip last week that they wanted rid of branch libraries and would be reviewing them for savings over the coming year. Cllr Mick Summersgill, Green Party campaigner for Marden and Yalding: […]
12 January 2024 by Stuart Jeffery
Kent County Council (KCC) have proposed to stop passing part of the savings that they make as a result of Maidstone’s high recycling rate to Maidstone Borough Council. KCC saves millions each year because of the recycling by Maidstone residents and KCC has, until now, shared those savings with us. On Thursday their Environment committee […]
1 December 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Local Green campaigner, Mick Summersgill, has reacted angrily to news from KCC that the Marden’s Children’s Centre is set to close despite the increasing number of families in the village. Many residents signed Mick’s petition as he fought the closure and now there is deep concern in the village about the impact of losing the […]
30 November 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Greens in Maidstone were celebrating after victory at the full Council meeting in Maidstone last night as their motion against the quarrying of Oaken Wood was supported by a majority of councillors. Oaken Wood is a huge and nationally recognised ancient woodland on the outskirts of the town. The motion was brought to the full Council after […]
7 November 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Green Party campaigners have welcomed the decision by KCC to keep Tovil Tip open. Local Green Claire Kehily had amassed over 4000 signatures on her petition on the back of public anger at the initial move by KCC to close it. Local Green campaigner Claire Kehily said: “There has been a huge amount of pressure on KCC […]
22 September 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Two councillors in Maidstone have called for the suspension of Maidstone Borough Council’s new policy to charge residents for replacement bins introduced by its Conservative led administration. The two councillors state that the policy has not been discussed by councillors despite it having a significant impact on residents. The policy was introduced as a savings […]
8 September 2023 / 8 September 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
After a protest outside the Town Hall organised by Green campaigner Rachel Rodwell, speeches from residents and visiting councillors and a long debate by the Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Policy Advisory Committee on Wednesday 6th September the right decision was made to recommend that Cllr Cooper, the Conservative Cabinet member for Planning and Infrastructure […]
7 September 2023 / 7 September 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Local Greens are delighted that Maidstone Borough Council’s Infrastructure committee recommend that the Hermitage Quarry expansion be opposed. The decision was made at a council committee meeting last night (6th Sept). The committee will now recommend to the cabinet member that the quarry expansion should be strongly opposed. The meeting was preceded by a large […]
10 August 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Green Party campaigners have expressed shock after learning that almost all of the rock from Gallagher’s quarry is used for schemes such as road construction. They say that this is in direct contrast to narrative of a need for heritage restoration. They have reiterated their calls for the new quarry which will destroy 50ha of […]
1 August 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Local Greens have welcomed comments from leaders at Maidstone Borough Council have agreed to revise their local transport strategy and commence liaison meetings with local bus companies. The announcements were made at the Executive Committee on 28th July and follow repeated calls by Greens. Green Councillor, Stuart Jeffery, said, “I have been calling for a new […]
20 July 2023 / 20 July 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Local Greens are delighted that Maidstone Borough Council acknowledged that the River Medway has rights and that they need to consider these rights when they make decisions. The motion to the full Council meeting was proposed by the Greens who were pleased with the outcome despite some amendments being made. Cllr Stuart Jeffery, Green Party: […]
5 June 2023 / 5 June 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Following the sad news of the death of Cllr Dan Daley, Maidstone Green Party have announced that Cllr Stuart Jeffery will be the Green Party’s candidate for the Maidstone Central division on Kent County Council. The election is on 6th July. Cllr Stuart Jeffery said, “I am delighted to have been chosen to contest this […]
22 May 2023 / 22 May 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
A petition to save the Tovil recycling centre started by Green Party campaigner for Coxheath, Claire Kehily, has attracted over 700 signatures in its first two days showing the strength of feeling that the centre must not close. Data show that Maidstone already has a high level of fly tipping and the Greens are concerned […]
11 May 2023 / 11 May 2023 by Stuart Jeffery
Green Councillor, Stuart Jeffery, has accused KCC of putting savings before safety after the lack of subway lights in Maidstone hit their six month anniversary. Cllr Stuart Jeffery, Green Party: “While we can all see the dire state that KCC are in, made blindingly obvious by the state of our roads, I am really quite […]
Last week’s elections were tremendous. Green Councillors Derek Eagle (Sutton Valence and Langley) and Stephen Thompson (Detling and Thurnham) joined me on Maidstone Borough Council and we will be working with three like minded independent councillors too. We had very near misses in Marden and Yalding where Mick Summersgill’s 35% was just 5% behind the […]
