Community strategy

Maidstone 2020 - 'The strategy for the community'

Maidstone Borough Council and Maidstone Borough's Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) have been working over the last year to develop a new Sustainable Community Strategy for Maidstone Borough 2009-20, building on “Maidstone Matters”, the first community strategy for the borough of Maidstone (adopted 2003).

We have listened to your ideas and used them to develop the following, Vision, Objectives and key Actions. Click on the link above for a full copy of 'Maidstone 2020'. A summary called Maidstone 2020, recently published in the Downs Mail which is sent to every household in the borough, is also available.

Our vision

We want Maidstone Borough to be a vibrant, prosperous 21^st century urban and rural community at the heart of Kent, where its distinctive character is enhanced to create a safe, healthy, excellent environment with high quality education and employment where all people can realise their aspirations.

Our objectives to achieve the Vision are to:

Develop a vibrant economy, create prosperity and opportunities for all.
To develop an efficient, sustainable, integrated transport system.
Build stronger and safer communities.
Create healthier communities and support older people to lead more active and independent lives.
Make Maidstone Borough a place where people of all ages - children, young people and families - can achieve their aspirations.
Develop Maidstone Borough’s urban and rural communities as models for 21^st Century quality and sustainable living.
Build a thriving sporting, creative and cultural life for all.
Retain and enhance Maidstone Borough’s distinctive history, landscape and character.

Our cross cutting objectives are:

Tackle health, education and employment inequalities in areas of disadvantage.
Establish Maidstone Borough’s reputation as a place for environmental excellence and action on climate change.
Public agencies and their partners to undertake a programme of continuous community engagement and work with communities to resolve their issues at the community level.

We realise that this visionand objectives are particularly challenging in the current economic climate. However, we feel that at this time, as well as dealing with immmediate problems, we should look forward to a brighter future, recognising that we may need to adjust our plans in the future depending on resources.

Our key actions are:

Increase youth facilities and services
Tackle anti-social behaviour
Regenerate the town centre and make more of the river
Pursue the construction of more affordable homes to meet local need and bring empty homes back into use
Develop stronger licensing powers to tackle alcohol abuse and related crime
Develop transport and parking strategies to reduce congestion
Support with schools and the county council measures to improve GCSE results in schools and preparing people for work
Attract and retain higher paying employers in the Borough
Work with schools to maximise the use of their facilities for sporting activities for all ages
Create a task force to tackle health, education and employment inequalities in areas of disadvantage
Further develop with the health service a community health programme to tackle obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse and improve sexual and mental health
Campaign with the county council to reduce the high levels of deaths and injuries on the roads
Develop and implement carbon reduction and climate change adaptation plans ie against flooding