Borough of Maidstone (original) (raw)

Non-metropolitan district in England

Borough of Maidstone
Non-metropolitan district
Jubilee Square, MaidstoneJubilee Square, Maidstone
Coat of arms of Borough of MaidstoneCoat of arms
Maidstone shown within KentMaidstone shown within Kent
Coordinates: 51°16′24″N 0°31′20″E / 51.27333°N 0.52222°E / 51.27333; 0.52222
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 WhatelyHelen 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)[2]
• Ethnic groups List 89.8% White 4.7% Asian 2.3% Mixed 2.1% Black 1.2% other
Religion (2021)[2]
• Religion List 49.3% Christianity 40.1% no religion 5.7% not stated 1.9% Islam 1.4% Hinduism 0.8% Buddhism 0.6% other 0.2% Sikhism 0.1% Judaism
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]

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.

Maidstone Borough Council
Logo
Type
Type Non-metropolitan district
History
Founded 1 April 1974
Leadership
Mayor John Perry, Conservative Party since 18 May 2024[4]
Leader Stuart Jeffery, Green Party since 18 May 2024
Chief Executive Alison Broom since June 2010[5]
Structure
Seats 49 councillors
Political groups Administration (26) Liberal Democrat (12) Green (10) Independent (4) Other parties (23) Conservative (13) Labour (6) Fant & Oakwood Ind. (2) Independent (2)
Length of term 4 years
Elections
Voting system First past the post
Last election 2 May 2024
Next election 4 May 2028
Meeting place
Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone
Website
www.maidstone.gov.uk

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]

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
Conservative
No overall control
Conservative
No overall control
Conservative
No overall control

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

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was as follows:[14][15]

Party Councillors
Conservative
Liberal Democrats
Green
Labour
Independent
Fant and Oakwood Independents
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.

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]

Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone: Council's offices.

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]

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_]

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.

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.

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.

The area is served by the regional news programmes:

Radio stations that broadcast to the area are:

The area is served by the local newspaper, Kent Messenger. [20]

[21]

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Maidstone Local Authority (E07000110)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  3. ^ The County of Kent (Electoral Changes) Order 2004 Archived 10 November 2004 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Maidstone has a new Mayor". Maidstone Borough Council. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ^ "New chief executive announced". Kent Online. 30 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Maidstone Borough Council website". Archived from the original on 18 March 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  7. ^ "Your councillors". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "Vote 2012". BBC News. 8 May 2012. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Council minutes". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  11. ^ "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
  12. ^ 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...
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "Your Councillors". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "Your councillors by party". Maidstone Borough Council. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Maidstone". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  18. ^ "The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/652, retrieved 7 July 2024
  19. ^ "Find and contact us". Maidstone Borough Council. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Kent Messenger". British Papers. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Past Mayors". Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  22. ^ "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.
  23. ^ "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.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ "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.
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 19 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 18 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  30. ^ "Agenda and minutes - Council". Maidstone Borough Council. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.