Borough of Maidstone
Borough of Maidstone | |
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![]() Jubilee Square, Maidstone | |
![]() Maidstone shown within Kent | |
Coordinates: 51°16′24″N 0°31′20″E / 51.27333°N 0.52222°E | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | South East England |
Non-metropolitan county | Kent |
Status | Non-metropolitan district |
Admin HQ | Maidstone |
Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
Government | |
• Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
• Body | Maidstone Borough Council |
• Leadership | Committees[1] (No overall control) |
• MPs | Helen Whately Helen Grant |
Area | |
• Total | 151.9 sq mi (393.3 km2) |
• Rank | 87th (of 296) |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 180,428 |
• Rank | 117th (of 296) |
• Density | 1,200/sq mi (460/km2) |
Ethnicity (2021) | |
• Ethnic groups | |
Religion (2021) | |
• Religion | List
|
Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
ONS code | 29UH (ONS) E07000110 (GSS) |
OS grid reference | TQ7588156056 |
The Borough of Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone, the county town of Kent.
The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the municipal borough of Maidstone with the rural districts of Maidstone and Hollingbourne, under the Local Government Act 1972.[3]
Position
[edit]The borough covers an area generally to the east and south of the town of Maidstone: as far north as the M2 motorway; east down the M20 to Lenham; south to a line including Staplehurst and Headcorn; and west towards Tonbridge. Generally speaking, it lies between the North Downs and the Weald, and covers the central part of the county. The M20 motorway crosses it from west to east, as does High Speed 1.
Geologically, the Greensand Ridge lies to the south of the town. The very fine sand provides a good source for glass-making. The clay vale beyond, through which flow the three rivers which meet at Yalding (the Medway, the Beult and the Teise), and the chalk North Downs all provide raw materials for paper- and cement-making; which are also local industries.
Governance
[edit]Maidstone Borough Council | |
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Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 1974 |
Leadership | |
Alison Broom since June 2010[5] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 49 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 4 years |
Elections | |
First past the post | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 4 May 2028 |
Meeting place | |
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Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone | |
Website | |
www |
Maidstone Borough[6] represents the second tier of local government, being one of the local government districts of Kent. The Borough Council consists of 49 councillors, representing voters from 22 wards. Twelve of those wards are within the urban area of Maidstone: they are Allington; Bridge; Downswood & Otham; Fant; Heath; Grove Green and Vinters Park; High Street; North ward; Park Wood; Penden Heath; Shepway North; Shepway South; and South ward. The remaining 14 wards cover rural districts.[7]
Political control
[edit]The council has been under no overall control since 2023. Following the 2024 election, a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, Greens and four of the independent councillors formed to run the council, led by Green councillor Stuart Jeffery.[8]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been held by the following parties:[9]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
No overall control | 1974–1976 | |
Conservative | 1976–1983 | |
No overall control | 1983–2008 | |
Conservative | 2008–2014 | |
No overall control | 2014–2021 | |
Conservative | 2021–2023 | |
No overall control | 2023–present |
Leadership
[edit]The role of Mayor of Maidstone is largely ceremonial, usually being held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1987 have been:[10]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paula Yates[11] | Liberal Democrats | 1987 | 1992 | |
Dan Daley[12] | Liberal Democrats | 1992 | 1999 | |
? | ? | 1999 | 2001 | |
Mick Stevens[13] | Liberal Democrats | 2001 | 2006 | |
Eric Hotson | Conservative | 2006 | 2007 | |
Fran Wilson | Liberal Democrats | 2007 | 2008 | |
Christopher Garland | Conservative | 2008 | 7 Jun 2014 | |
Annabelle Blackmore | Conservative | 7 Jun 2014 | 23 May 2015 | |
Fran Wilson | Liberal Democrats | 23 May 2015 | 19 May 2018 | |
Martin Cox | Liberal Democrats | 19 May 2018 | 22 May 2021 | |
David Burton | Conservative | 22 May 2021 | 7 May 2024 | |
Stuart Jeffrey | Green | 18 May 2024 |
Composition
[edit]Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was as follows:[14][15]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Conservative | 13 | |
Liberal Democrats | 12 | |
Green | 10 | |
Labour | 6 | |
Independent | 6 | |
Fant and Oakwood Independents | 2 | |
Total | 49 |
Four of the independent councillors sit with the Greens as the 'Green and Independent Alliance', which forms the council's administration with the Liberal Democrats. The other two independents sit with local party the Fant & Oakwood Independents as the 'Independent and Fant & Oakwood Independents Group'.[16][17] The next election is due in May 2028.
Elections
[edit]Since the last boundary changes in 2024, 49 councillors have been elected from 26 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[18]
Premises
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Maidstone_Gateway%2C_King_Street%2C_Maidstone_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4404945.jpg/220px-Maidstone_Gateway%2C_King_Street%2C_Maidstone_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4404945.jpg)
Council meetings are held at Maidstone Town Hall in the High Street. The council has its main offices at Maidstone House (formerly called Maidstone Gateway) on King Street in the centre of Maidstone.[19]
Parishes
[edit]The third tier of local government is the civil parish; in Maidstone some of the parishes have neither a parish council nor a parish meeting, as indicated (1):[clarification needed]
- Barming
- Bearsted
- Bicknor (1)
- Boughton Malherbe
- Boughton Monchelsea
- Boxley
- Bredhurst
- Broomfield and Kingswood
- Chart Sutton
- Collier Street
- Coxheath
- Detling
- Downswood
- East Farleigh
- East Sutton
- Frinsted (1)
- Harrietsham
- Headcorn
- Hollingbourne
- Hucking (1)
- Hunton
- Langley
- Leeds
- Lenham
- Linton
- Loose
- Marden
- Nettlestead
- Otham
- Otterden (1)
- Staplehurst
- Stockbury
- Sutton Valence
- Teston
- Thurnham
- Tovil
- Ulcombe
- West Farleigh
- Wichling (1)
- Wormshill (1)
- Yalding
Transport
[edit]Water
[edit]The River Medway was the earliest form of transport through the area. It was navigable for cargo-carrying craft as far upstream as Tonbridge, and it was only in the 19th century that the railways brought any change. More recently, various works have been carried out to control the frequent flooding in the clay vale upstream of Maidstone.
Roads
[edit]Maidstone, as its importance warranted, has been the hub of roads for many centuries. It lies very close to the Pilgrims' Way; and two Roman roads met south of the town: one from Rochester to Hastings the other branching off to the East Kent coast and Dover.
In the 18th century came the turnpiked roads. One of the earliest in the county – that to Rochester and Chatham – was opened in 1728.
In modern times, two motorways – the M2 and the M20 – pass to the far north of the borough and just north of the town centre of Maidstone respectively.
Railways
[edit]The earliest line through Kent was built by the South Eastern Railway. It was not, however, built to pass through Maidstone: instead, a station was built at Paddock Wood railway station, then named Maidstone Road, some six miles away. It was only in the period between 1844 (when that main line was connected by a branch line to Maidstone) and 1884 that Maidstone became a hub once more, although with local trains only, to Strood, Ashford and via Swanley Junction to London.
Media
[edit]Television
[edit]The area is served by the regional news programmes:
Radio
[edit]Radio stations that broadcast to the area are:
- BBC Radio Kent
- Heart South
- Gold Radio
- KMFM Maidstone, a community based station.
Newspapers
[edit]The area is served by the local newspaper, Kent Messenger. [20]
Mayors
[edit]- 1974–75 Martin Corps
- 1975–76 Horace Ashton
- 1976–77 Emil Marchesi
- 1977–78 Veronica Roscow
- 1978–79 John Wood
- 1979–80 Dick Woods
- 1980–81 Ernest Flood
- 1981–82 Clifford Playford
- 1982–83 Gordon Bonner
- 1983–84 Charles McKenna
- 1984–85 Michael Nightingale
- 1985–86 Rosemary Graham
- 1986–87 Sarah Haskett
- 1987–88 Douglas Milner
- 1988–89 Jeremy Hindle
- 1989–90 John Banks
- 1990–91 Mary Black
- 1991–92 Daphne J Parvin
- 1992–93 Madeline Blackham
- 1993–94 Paul Oldham
- 1994–95 Fred Winckless
- 1995–96 Ron Sterry
- 1996–97 Malcolm Robertson
- 1997–98 Jenefer Gibson
- 1998–99 Robert Judd
- 1999–00 Frances Brown
- 2000–01 Dan Daley
- 2001–02 Paulina Stockell
- 2002–03 Patricia Marshall
- 2003–04 Morel D'Souza
- 2004–05 Peter Hooper[22]
- 2005–06 John Horne[23]
- 2006–07 Mike FitzGerald[24]
- 2007–08 Richard Ash[25]
- 2008–09 Denise Joy[26]
- 2009–10 Peter Parvin[27]
- 2010–11 Eric Hotson[28]
- 2011–12 Brian Mortimer[29]
- 2012–13 Rodd Nelson-Gracie[30]
- 2013–14 Clive English
- 2014–15 Richard Thick
- 2015–16 Daniel Moriarty
- 2016–17 Derek Butler
- 2017–18 Malcolm Greer
- 2018–19 David Naghi
- 2019–21 Marion Ring
- 2021–22 Fay Gooch
- 2022–23 Derek Mortimer
- 2023–24 Gordon Newton
- 2024– John Perry
References
[edit]- ^ "Agenda and minutes. Council Wednesday 10th December, 2014". Maidstone Borough Council. 10 December 2014. Item 102. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Maidstone Local Authority (E07000110)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ The County of Kent (Electoral Changes) Order 2004 Archived 10 November 2004 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Maidstone has a new Mayor". Maidstone Borough Council. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "New chief executive announced". Kent Online. 30 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Maidstone Borough Council website". Archived from the original on 18 March 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ "Your councillors". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ Smith, Alan (22 May 2024). "New eight-member cabinet for Maidstone council announced by Green party leader Stuart Jeffery". Kent Online. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Vote 2012". BBC News. 8 May 2012. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Council minutes". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ "Working groups on public services and liberal democracy launched". Local Government Chronicle. 21 September 2001. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
Paula Yates... Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, 1987–92
- ^ Smith, Alan (2 January 2020). "The worthy hangovers of Millennium celebrations". Kent Messenger. Maidstone. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
...Dan Daley was leader of Maidstone Council from 1992 to 1999...
- ^ "Farewell to respected council man". Kent Messenger. Maidstone. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
Mr Stevens was a former leader of Maidstone's Liberal Democrats and was leader of the borough council for five years from 2001.
- ^ "Your Councillors". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Smith, Alan (5 July 2023). "Two Labour councillors on Maidstone council have quit the party after being suspended without being told why". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Your councillors by party". Maidstone Borough Council. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Maidstone". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/652, retrieved 7 July 2024
- ^ "Find and contact us". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Kent Messenger". British Papers. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ "Past Mayors". Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Maidstone Borough Council" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 23 June 2004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Maidstone Borough Council" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 18 May 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Maidstone Borough Council" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 17 May 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Maidstone Borough Council" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 16 May 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Maidstone Borough Council" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 14 May 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 19 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 18 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.