by Angela Cole
Chief reporter
acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

A £4 million revamp of Maidstone High Street will go ahead, it has been confirmed.
After a review of whether the ambitious redesign of the town was affordable, Maidstone council has voted to push ahead with two thirds of the project rather than scrap it completely.
It means that granite paving, seating areas and new lighting will be installed from King Street to the bottom of Pudding Lane, including Bank Street.
Work is expected to start by the end of the year.
A second phase, covering the lower High Street, will be completed later.
By splitting the prized project into phases, the council says it will only need to borrow £350,000 towards the £4m cost of the project by 2014/15.
Cabinet member for regeneration Cllr Malcolm Greer (Con), said: “I do believe that if Maidstone is going to drag itself forward economically, one of the priorities is the regeneration. As far as I’m concerned, we have got to show the world we are open for business.”
He told the meeting if the revamp was scrapped it would have a negative impact on the town.
“It has been one of our flagship projects over the last three years. Maidstone is up for the task. I know it is difficult but when things are tough, the tough get going. If we don’t do it now, will we ever deliver?”
Council leader Cllr Chris Garland (Con) said: “We have grasped the nettle and we have dealt with it. I believe if we don’t do the High Street now, it will never happen.
“The museum, Mote Park and regeneration of the High Street, the capital programme has delivered and will deliver the benefits for the people of Maidstone.”
The council’s cabinet was presented with three options, but voted against scrapping the scheme or pushing ahead with the whole scheme, which would have meant borrowing £1.6m.
The cabinet also revealed it is hoping to boost council funds by taking control of collecting business rates.
Cllr Garland and Cllr Fran Wilson, the leader of the Lib Dems, have written to Bob Neill MP to put Maidstone forward as a pilot council for collecting local rates itself.
It is hoped that would lead to the council keeping all the rates money raised in Maidstone. Currently, money raised by the tax is pooled by the government and shared out nationally according to need.