Dartford Borough Council News

Dartford’s younger residents are invited to come along to a special free family event in Central Park to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Children and their families are invited to attend the fun-filled Great Big Jubilee Kids’ Day Out on Sunday 27 May from 1pm to 4pm.

Amongst the activities and attractions on offer will be a range of sports and games to try, crafts with a Jubilee theme, a Punch & Judy show, face-painting, the vintage fire engine and lots more.

Registered five to eleven year-olds will receive a special t-shirt and goodie bag so call 01322 343244 now to register your child for the Great Big Jubilee Kids’ Day Out.

Councillor Jeremy Kite, Leader of the Council, said, “We hope you can join us for this brilliant day out in Central Park. There’ll be lots going on for the whole family to enjoy.”

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Councillor Mrs Ann Allen was elected as Mayor of Dartford for 2012/13 at a formal ceremony at Dartford’s Civic Centre on Wednesday 9 May.

Councillor Allen was also Mayor in 1993/4 and is looking forward to the year ahead, “I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the role of Mayor for the second time, meeting lots of people and supporting as many local groups and events as I can.”

The Mayor has appointed Miss Kim Cooper to be her Escort. Miss Cooper has worked tirelessly alongside Councillor Allen to support her work with local voluntary groups. Councillor Mrs Patsy Thurlow has been appointed Deputy Mayor. She will be escorted by Mr Denzil Reynolds.

The Mayor has chosen three charities to support during the coming year:
- Alzheimers & Dementia Support Services
- The New Yorkers Club
- The Mayor’s Fund for Young People

First elected to Dartford Borough Council in 1987, Councillor Allen served as a member for Wilmington West ward. Following changes to the Borough ward boundaries in 2002, she was elected to represent Joydens Wood ward – the area she still represents.

As well as serving on Dartford Borough Council, Councillor Allen has been a member of Wilmington Parish Council since 1981 and was elected onto Kent County Council as the Conservative Member for Dartford South West in 1997.

Councillor Allen has three children and has also been a foster carer. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her eight grandchildren.

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With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee just around the corner, plans are in place to help Dartford’s residents celebrate in style.

From organise-your-own street parties to a fantastic family fun-filled event in Central Park, we’ve got it covered.

If you’re planning a street party for the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, check out www.dartford.gov.uk/jubilee or the new ‘Street Parties’ leaflet for advice, ideas and the chance to win a £50 supermarket voucher to help with the catering. If you are planning a party but haven’t yet registered it with Kent County Council, make sure you do so before Friday 18 May.

Now is also the time to book your child a place at the Great Big Jubilee Kids’ Day Out. Taking place in Central Park on Sunday 27 May from 1pm til 4pm, this promises to be a fun-filled, family day out. There’ll be lots of activities going on around the park aimed at five to eleven year-olds. Registered children (aged 5-11) will receive a free t-shirt and goodie bag (while stocks last). Call 01322 343244 to book your child’s place.

Sunday 27 May will also see the start of the third summer season of free concerts at the Sir Henry Wellcome Bandstand in Central Park. The concerts take place every Sunday throughout the summer (except 15 July) up to Sunday 26 August, from 2pm to 4pm. This first concert will be performed by Dartford Concert Band. For full details of the bandstand programme, visit www.dartford.gov.uk/centralpark/bandstandprogramme.

Presented by Hazlitt Arts Centre and the Changeling Theatre, watch Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ performed in the open air in Central Park on Friday 29 June at 7.30pm. Tickets are free to Dartford residents but must be booked in advance by calling 01322 343244.

Councillor Jeremy Kite, Leader of the Council, said, “With lots of great Jubilee events taking place in Dartford this summer, there really is something for everyone. We hope you can join us to celebrate this momentous occasion.”

For further details of these and other Jubilee events going on around the Borough, visit www.dartford.gov.uk/jubilee.

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Former Dartford Borough Councillor Ivor Jones DL has been awarded an honorary Aldermanship at a special meeting of the Council on Monday 23 April 2012.

During the ceremony, many Councillors spoke in praise of Ivor and his achievements during his long period of service to the Council. Councillor John Muckle (Lab) said, “We had a great working relationship and still have a great friendship. I’d like to congratulate and thank him for his service to the District, Borough and County Councils. It’s a great honour for us to award Ivor this aldermanship.”

Leader of the Council, Jeremy Kite, added, “Communities need people like Ivor. He has given immense public service to the Borough of Dartford and he is an inspiration to us all.”

Ivor Jones DL held a position in Local Government for more than 50 years. He was elected to Stone Parish Council in 1955, and held a position there until his retirement in 2011.

Following the local government reorganisation in 1973, he was elected to the new Dartford District Council for the Stone South Ward and held the position of Leader of the District Council from 1974 to 1982.

In 1995, he was reappointed as the Leader of the Borough Council – a position he held until 1998. Ivor remained an elected member of Dartford Borough Council until he retired in 2007.

During his term as Leader of the Council, construction began on Europe’s largest shopping centre – Bluewater. Ivor’s retirement as Leader came as the construction was nearing its end. As a special arrangement after all his involvement in the project and as a thank-you from the new Leader, Ivor was allowed to hold the position of Mayor of Dartford for an extended term between 1998 and 2000. This enabled him to attend Bluewater’s opening ceremony. He was also appointed as Deputy Mayor for 2002-2003.

He was elected as the Kent County Council Member for Dartford South West in 1993 until 1997 and 2001 until 2009.

In May 2001, Ivor was also appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, a position from which he has now retired.

Ivor was born on Christmas Day 1927, and is married to Dulcie and together they have two daughters, Rachel and Ceinwen, and several grandchildren.

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Over 1,250 young people from 27 schools in Gravesham and Dartford will be taking part in community celebrations through Gravesend and Dartford town centres on April 23 to celebrate Saint George’s Day. The festivities have been organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus supported by Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council in what will be some of the biggest celebrations taking place in England.

Work has been taking place in local schools over the last eight weeks to prepare special visual arts and craft displays which will be used during the parade which will be led by the Premier Brass Band, Big Fish Marching Band and the Cultural Beats Project and which will also involve other local music and dance projects. The focal point of the two parades will be a model of Saint George which has been made by local children.

The aim of the events is to celebrate the patron Saint of England and bring together the diverse communities in Gravesham and Dartford to celebrate this important day.

The celebrations in Gravesham will take place between 10am and 11.30am and in Dartford between 1pm and 2.30pm.

Gurvinder Sandher, the Director of Kent Equality Cohesion Council (KECC) who has been working on the celebrations for the past few months commented, “I am really pleased that we have had such a positive response from local schools and community partners. I believe that Saint George’s Day is an excellent way of bringing communities together and celebrating what it means to be English today in a culturally diverse society. I hope that the local communities in Gravesham and Dartford will come out and support the celebrations and wave the flag of Saint George.”

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Notes to Editors:
For further information see www.kentecc.org.uk/index-3.html or call Gurvinder Sandher on 01474 369329

Dartford residents are invited to join the Mayor of Dartford Councillor Eddy Lampkin at his Civic Service to mark the end of his term of office.

The service will take place on Sunday 22 April 2012 at 3.30pm at Wilmington Christian Fellowship, Broad Lane, Wilmington.

Councillor Lampkin said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my year as Mayor for Dartford and am quite sad to see it draw to a close. I’ve met so many people from Dartford’s communities in the past year and it’s been great to see the fantastic work they do to make the Borough a better place.”

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A childhood friend of the Mayor of Dartford is putting his best foot forward this weekend to raise funds for the Mayor’s Charity Appeal.

Mayor of Dartford Councillor Eddy Lampkin and Graeme Maidment met when they were just eleven years old and have been good friends ever since.

Graeme is running the London Marathon on Sunday 22 April, with the money he raises being split equally between the Mayor’s four chosen charities – Arrow Riding School, DGSM yourChoice, chYps and Cherished Memories.

It’s the first time that Graeme has run the London Marathon and he’s hoping to complete it within four hours and 30 minutes.

Councillor Lampkin said, “It’s great that Graeme has chosen to support my Charity Appeal. The money he raises will greatly benefit the four charities and I wish him the best of luck in his Marathon challenge. I’m gutted that I can’t be there to cheer him on but I know his family will be there to offer him encouragement.”

To sponsor Graeme, please send a cheque made payable to ‘The Mayor’s Charity Appeal’ to The Mayor’s Parlour, Dartford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DR.

You can also donate to chYps at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GraemeMaidment

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