The battle against pollution in the heart of Kent's County Town has taken a major boost after a decision was made to instal charging points for electric vehicles.

A huge increase in the number of people driving cars and bikes running on electricity in the past year has encouraged Maidstone Borough Council to provide 16 charging bays in town centre car parks.

As part of MBC's to be a Business Rates Retention Pilot for 2019/20, which offers 75% business rates retention, it will be installing the points in off-street car parks.

The announcement reflects the need for more charging areas as revealed in the latest Department for Transport report, which showed that the number of motorists using plug-in vehicles in Maidstone has increased by 45%, rising from 222 to 322, between October 2017 and September 2018.

Councillor David Burton, MBC's chair of strategic planning, sustainability and transportation committee, said: "Improving air quality is one of the biggest challenges that we face here is Maidstone and across the whole of the UK.

"To be able to announce 16 new charging bays in and around the town is really great news.

"Anything to encourage the use of electric vehicles directly helps improve the air that we breathe in our streets, outside our schools and homes.

“A small but significant step in the right direction that I hope will be followed by many more supported by our leading planning guidance to get charging facilities as part of all new developments.”

The project is part of a Business Rates Retention Pilot and has been announced at the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee meeting held on Wednesday3.

The meeting's agenda also included the Business Rates Retail Discount scheme for occupied retail properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000 in each of the years 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000 that are fully or partly being used as shops, restaurants, cafes and bars.

Also discussed during the meeting was the Council Tax Long Term Empty Property Premium which outlined the decision by Maidstone Borough Council to charge 50% Council Tax premium on properties that have been unoccupied for more than two years.

New regulations have now been introduced to allow authorities to vary the percentage of Council Tax premium that is charged over the next three years.