Let&#39;s Talk Maidstone is the consultation and engagement hub for Maidstone Borough. Council.&nbsp; Here you can find and take part in consultations that interest you.Share your ideas and influence the services we provide and proposals about your local community.We will also keep you up to date with how your feedback has led to action from the council.

Welcome to Let's Talk Maidstone

Cllr David Burton, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council: &ldquo;The implementation of Operation Brock causes significant disruption to residents and businesses of Maidstone. We know that it is needed as part of the current plan to manage the volume of both freight and tourist traffic using the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel when queues build up. This can occur for a variety of reasons. The number of occasions when Op Brock is in place and the impact for our community, businesses and people travelling to and around the borough are unacceptable. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. We need your help to build the case for change. So we want to hear from you about the impacts that you experience when Op Brock is in place &ndash; for your personal lives and working lives &ndash; so that we can build a picture of environmental, social and economic impacts. Operation Brock is not a long term or permanent solution for the border control issues. We cannot tolerate this becoming the &ldquo;new normal&rdquo;. So we also need to look at alterative solutions. We would also like to hear your views on this. My personal view is that there needs to be sufficient off road lorry parking in the vicinity of the ports and this would help manage some occasions with high freight and tourist traffic queues. I know that others suggest a scheme to hold vehicles further up country and I will not rule this out although there would be operational challenges to how this would work and be enforced. Technology has enabled us to work productively throughout the pandemic in many walks of life &ndash; technology could also offers solutions to these challenges.We want Maidstone to be a Borough that works for everyone, with residents and local businesses at the heart of our decision making and would really like to hear from you about how this disruption has impacted on your lives and ideas for alternative ways forward.&rdquo;How can you get involved?1. <a href="https://letstalkmaidstone.uk.engagementhq.com/the-m20-operation-brock/stories">Experiences</a> - Share your experiences of Operation Brock. We want to know more how Operation Brock impacts on you, your life, your local area or your business. Tell us about your experiences (below). We encourage you to comment on the posts left by other residents whose experiences you may share.2. <a href="https://letstalkmaidstone.uk.engagementhq.com/the-m20-operation-brock/brainstormers/tell-us-your-solutions-for-the-m20-and-operation-brock">Ideas</a> - Tell us your ideas about what can be done to improve the effect Operation Brock has on you, your life, your local area or your business when it is in operation.3. <a href="https://letstalkmaidstone.uk.engagementhq.com/the-m20-operation-brock/quick_polls/quickpolloperation-brock">Impact</a> - Take part in our quick poll (on the right) to tell us what level of impact Operation Brock has had on you.4. <a href="https://letstalkmaidstone.uk.engagementhq.com/the-m20-operation-brock/maps/mapping-impacts-2">Location</a> - Use our map to show us where in the borough you&#39;ve experienced issues due to Operation Brock. What NextWe will be gathering this information up until 2 October 2022, this timeframe may be extended based on the response or to gather further information and feedback.

How does Operation Brock impact you?

Maidstone Borough Council is working with Maidstone-born sculptor Jack Durling, to create a special artwork for the new Visitor Centre in Mote Park, and we need your help! We&rsquo;re inviting residents, old and new, to share their memories and experiences of Mote Park, whether it&rsquo;s childhood memories of learning to ride a bike or riding on the model railway, or a more recent experience such as attending your first music festival or just chilling with friends. We want to hear what makes Mote Park special to you.How to get involvedSurvey - Complete our short survey to tell us why Mote Park is special to you. Survey takes around 5 minutes to complete.Survey closes 18 September 2022

Mote Park Art

We want to hear from residents of Marden on what they like and dislike most about the area. The survey results will be used by the Safer Maidstone Partnership to identify any issues we've not picked up on through crime reports and data already and will help identify any community initiatives and strengths we can help develop and resource as necessary to build resilience. How to get involvedSurvey - Take part in our short survey. Survey takes around 4-7 minutes to complete.Map - Pop a pin on the map and comment to tell where the issues are in Marden.Consultation closes: 13 November 2022. 

Marden Taskforce

Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council are working together on putting a free Community Wi-Fi facility in place in Mangravet. The intention is for the Community Wi-Fi to be accessible to all within this neighbourhood, provided that this installation is feasible. We would very much appreciate your thoughts on this project. The information provided by you in this survey will be used for research purposes. It will not be used in a manner that would allow identification of individual responses. Please do not share any personal information. If you do not wish to participate in this survey, please close your browser.

Mangravet - Free community Wi-Fi

<h1>Help shape the future Maidstone</h1>This is an opportunity for you to tell us about your experiences as a resident of Maidstone. From housing to health and well-being, waste and recycling to the cost-of-living crisis, your viewpoint is extremely valuable and will help inform the decisions we make as a Council.Complete the survey below and enter into our prize draw!You can also tell us what you think by answering our big questions.<h3 style="margin-left: 20px;">I love where I live because&hellip;</h3><h3 style="margin-left: 20px;">I want Maidstone Town Centre to be&hellip;</h3><h3 style="margin-left: 20px;">My biggest worry at the moment is...</h3>And you can use our map tool to tell us where you would change!Our Officers will also be at events across the borough in July and August, please come along and talk to them about Maidstone and your experience of living here. Full details of the events be found on the right.

Resident Survey 2022

A free event for everyone, run and self-funded by local volunteers.
The River Festival started 40 years ago and people of all ages in Maidstone have great affection for what was the county town’s biggest annual event.

Maidstone River Festival

Let&#39;s Talk Maidstone is an easy and secure way to get involved in public consultation and engagement activities on a wide range of topics across Maidstone Borough. By registering, you will be among the first to hear about opportunities to have your say on the areas that interest you.

Stay informed

Each local authority is required to carry out reviews of the Polling Districts and Polling Places in its area. The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 requires the Council to conduct a review of the Borough&rsquo;s polling districts and polling places every five years. The Council is also required to keep polling arrangements under review. A full review must be conducted between 1 October 2023 and 28 February 2025.The review has been timed to take place as soon as possible within the given period as there are a combination of significant boundary changes across Maidstone Borough:<ul><li>Parliamentary Constituencies &ndash; these have been changed from 2 parliamentary constituencies to 3 parliamentary constituencies across Maidstone Borough as a result of the Boundary Commission for England&rsquo;s review (<a href="https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">see here for further information</a>)</li><li>Maidstone Borough Council Ward Boundaries (and some parish wards) &ndash; these have changed from 26 wards to 22 wards as a result of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England&rsquo;s review (<a href="https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/maidstone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">see here for further information</a>) </li><li>Parish Boundaries have changed as a result of Maidstone Borough Council&rsquo;s Community Governance Review (<a href="https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/council-and-democracy/primary-areas/your-councillors?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGbWVldGluZ3MubWFpZHN0b25lLmdvdi51ayUyRm1nQWkuYXNweCUzRklEJTNENDk4MzImYWxsPTE%3D#mgDocuments" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">see here for further information</a>) </li></ul>The new 2023/24 electoral register will be published on 1 December 2023 ahead of any UK Parliamentary Election that may be called, and the scheduled whole Maidstone Borough Council and Parish Council elections scheduled for May 2024. What the Review CoversThe review covers the boundaries of polling districts and the locations of designated polling places. A Council&rsquo;s area is divided into polling districts, one or more polling districts can make up a ward. A polling district is a geographical area created by the sub-division of a UK Parliamentary constituency for the purposes of a UK Parliamentary election. To determine polling districts a parish must not be in a polling district which has a part of either a different parish within it, or any un-parished part of the local authority area within it, unless special circumstances apply. In practice separate polling districts are used for groups of electors with eligibility for different elections (for example voting in the same ward, but different parish). Relevant elections to consider when grouping electors are:<ul><li> UK Parliamentary Constituency</li><li>County Division</li><li>Borough Ward</li><li>Parish and Parish Ward</li></ul> A polling place is the building or area in which polling stations will be selected by the (Acting) Returning Officer. A polling place within a polling district must be designated so that polling stations are within easy reach of all electors from across the polling district(s). The suitability of a polling place is assessed for its ability to hold one or more polling stations including accessibility, facilities for voters and, in particular, for those with a disability. A polling station is the room or area within the polling place where voting takes place. Unlike polling districts and polling places which are fixed by the local authority (and part of this review), polling stations are chosen by the (Acting) Returning Officer for the election (and not part of this review).Please Note - Community Governance Review OutcomeThe Community Governance Review outcome has not yet been implemented as permission for a number of changes is required from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. That permission is expected to be given during the review. Therefore, the proposals, particularly for polling districts, assume that consent will be given. In the event that consent is not given some polling districts will need to be split into smaller polling districts out of necessity.How to get involvedAmongst those being consulted are the (Acting) Returning Officer, Parish Councillors, Ward Councillors, County Councillors, Local political associations, Local Members of Parliament, The Police &amp; Crime Commissioner for Kent, and Disability Groups, but everyone can comment on their area or make suggestions. The review commences on 10 October 2023 and the official Notice has been published. This Notice is displayed at the following locations, and it is also available on the Council&rsquo;s website:- <table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 49.9482%;">Maidstone House King Street Maidstone, Kent ME15 6JQ</td><td style="width: 49.9482%;">Maidstone Town Hall Middle Row, High Street Maidstone, Kent ME14 1TF</td></tr></tbody></table> Scroll down to view the proposals by ward and give your feedback.Surveys take 4 -8 minutes to complete.Surveys close: 7 November 2023.What happens nextAll submissions must be made by 7 November 2023. The (Acting) Returning Officer&rsquo;s comments will be published and available to view, alongside relevant maps, at Maidstone House as well as on the Council&rsquo;s website. At the end of this consultation, on 7 November 2023, all comments received will be considered alongside the draft proposals and a final report prepared and put before Extraordinary Council on 29 November 2023. The final proposals, if approved, will be available to view on the Council&rsquo;s website, at Maidstone House and at the Town Hall, Maidstone. Please note part of the Parliamentary Constituencies that fall within the local authority administrative area of Ashford Borough Council, and Swale Borough Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council are not detailed on this Council&rsquo;s website. Please contact the relevant council directly.

Polling Districts Review 2023

Lets Talk Maidstone

Elector of Palace Wood Ward

Resident of Maidstone Borough