Councillors are demanding to know how cash given by McDonald’s to improve traffic in Maidstone has been spent.

The restaurant and drive-thru in Hart Street, which opened in 2015, was bound by a section 106 planning agreement to provide funds to help with road improvements.

But as Maidstone Borough Council met to discuss its planned £900,000 expansion of Lockmeadow in neighbouring Barker Road, economic regeneration and leisure (ERL) committee members raised concerns about congestion in the area.

The strategic planning and infrastructure (SPI) committee was asked to review the “slowness and reluctance in dealing with the Section 106 monies associated with McDonald’s".

Such funding is provided by developers, to cover infrastructure for the community, such as new roads or a new primary school, in the area where their development is being built.

Maidstone council says around £55,900 was paid to KCC by the developer before the restaurant was built - to go towards highway safety and improvements near the eatery.

Kent County Council (KCC) says some of the food giant’s contributions were spent on the town’s gyratory system and is now “supporting investigation and implementation of more specific improvements to Hart Street and Barker Road.”

That includes a possible one-way system amid fears traffic will get worse with visitors to the planned food hall.

KCC added that a Hart Street/Barker Road working group has been set up and includes local councillors, and representatives from the various businesses in the area.

During the meeting visiting member Cllr Paul Harper (Lab), said: “The big concern raised was around the section 106 monies which had been allocated from sites such as McDonald’s and so on with the proviso that they be used to improve traffic movement and traffic flow in that area.

"No work has been done in terms of making any improvements to Hart Street or Barker Road. It would appear the S106 hasn’t been applied or, if it has it has, not been used in terms of improving traffic in the area."

When speaking to KentOnline later about the money being spent on the gyratory, he said: “The gyratory is on the other side of the river and a different issue to McDonald’s. You might as well have spent it on Mars.”

“You could say they are both in the town centre but that’s really where it stops.”

Cllr Val Springett (Con), during the meeting, said: “I have seen the queuing around that area, something needs to be done and if there’s money sitting in a pot not being used I think we do need to chase it up.”

Cllr Brian Clark added: “Clearly we need to know where we are with this.”

Members agreed on a report being produced on how s106 funds are being spent around Lockmeadow.

An Maidstone Borough Council spokesman said: "Maidstone Borough Council can confirm £55,892.63 was paid to KCC by the developer of McDonald’s in Hart Street in October 2014; this was prior to the commencement of the development.

"The council understands that the payment was towards highway safety and capacity studies along with improvements in the vicinity of the application site as an obligation required under the S106 in 2013."

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