- 7 months ago
Catch up on all the latest news from across the county with Bartholomew Hall.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:26I'm Bartholomew Hall, here are your top stories on Wednesday the 4th of June.
00:31Loving and kind, tributes pour in for Kent Boy as two accused of murder.
00:37Police say the collision which took place here on North Barn Road on Sunday night involved two grey Ford Rangers.
00:43Catapulting chaos, St Clements Lake silenced by series of attacks on wildlife forcing residents to call for a complete ban.
00:51It's everywhere, my colleagues all across London, all across Kent, you know.
00:55It's a weekly occurrence.
00:57And a trip back in time, trackside.
01:00Brands Hatch celebrates 75 years since tyres first hit the tarmac.
01:05Completely different cars for me, they slide all over the place and a huge amount of power so it's just something interesting to drive.
01:12In court today, accused of the murder of a four-year-old boy.
01:28It follows a crash on Sunday night in South Fleet between two vehicles.
01:32Family and friends of Peter Mahon have paid tribute to the young boy online.
01:36Meanwhile, his father, who was also in the car at the time, is still fighting for his life in hospital this evening.
01:42The kindest little boy and loving child.
01:45The words from the family of four-year-old Peter Mahon, whose death after a car crash in this South Fleet country lane has turned into a murder investigation.
01:54Emergency services were called to the scene on Sunday the 1st of June, shortly after 9.30pm, to reports that two cars had collided.
02:02New Barn Road was closed by police well into the next day as the investigation began.
02:08Peter was rushed to hospital along with his one-year-old baby sister and their dad, Lovell.
02:13The 24-year-old remains in critical condition while his daughter was discharged with minor injuries.
02:18Two men have since appeared in court charged with murder and grievous bodily harm.
02:2353-year-old Patrick Mahon, pictured here, and 27-year-old Owen Mahon, spoke only to confirm their names at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court.
02:32The father and son, who are related to Peter, are also accused of two counts of attempting to wound his baby sister and their mother, Hayley, who was also in the car at the time.
02:43Both were remanded in custody and their cases have been passed to Maidstone Crown Court,
02:47where they're expected to appear later this week.
02:51And here this morning, flowers laid in memory of four-year-old Peter.
02:55Police say the collision which took place here on North Barn Road on Sunday night involved two grey Ford Rangers.
03:02And they continue to ask anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
03:07So as flowers lay and messages of sorrow continue to pour in,
03:11a family waits as Mr Mahon continues to fight for his life this evening.
03:16Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Dartford.
03:22Residents in Greenhive are calling for a ban on catapults after a series of fatal attacks on migratory birds at St. Clement's Lakes.
03:30Some say they're now too scared to leave their homes, claiming they too have been targeted after confronting the offenders.
03:37Kristen Hawthorne went to the lake to speak to some frustrated residents.
03:40The fact that I was part of the rescue effort to try and get that goose out,
03:45just the suffering of that animal is only one that, you know, it'll stay in your mind for a long time.
03:51A place that was once filled with birdsong is now silent.
03:56A number of birds have been killed in a series of catapult attacks at St. Clement's Lakes in Greenhive,
04:01prompting concern among residents.
04:04I feel very unsafe.
04:06I have a kid.
04:07I wouldn't let her go play outside.
04:09And I myself feel unsafe.
04:12I've been told, you know, when these things happen, think twice before you intervene.
04:15Because the incident that happened on Sunday,
04:18one of the kids actually aimed at the residence with the slingshot,
04:22threatening her and she had kids in her car.
04:25I don't understand why we as residents have to always intervene and try and stop this madness.
04:31It's not our job.
04:33So it's time that these law enforcement agencies really step up and actually intervene and do something.
04:38Killing these birds is a crime.
04:40They're breaking the law.
04:41So what is happening?
04:42Nothing is happening.
04:43Carly, who is a resident in the area and a bird ranger for the British Trust,
04:46is calling for better protection of the wildlife
04:48and has made a petition to make catapults illegal or create strict laws around carrying them.
04:53I am.
04:55I'm calling for a ban on catapults because they're just basically a weapon
04:59and you can buy them on Amazon just for a few pounds.
05:02And I think children, you know, holding these weapons, you know, it's just trouble.
05:06You know, Kent basically has the highest number of catapult incidents animal cruelty.
05:12I really feel like, you know, it's time to ban, you know, the sale of catapults because it's out of control.
05:18Due to the continuous catapult attacks on the birds in this lake,
05:22it has now been completely decimated.
05:25Carly says that the lake should be filled with migratory birds, both nesting and breeding,
05:29but now there's about two of them.
05:31To Carly's surprise, the police turned up when I was there and spoke to her about the attacks.
05:36I got her reaction afterwards.
05:38I'm taken aback.
05:40In all of these weeks, I have not seen the police at one time.
05:44Suddenly I'm here recording and the police turn up.
05:47I can say they were very polite, but again, you know, they do push the ball in the court of the catapults
05:55not being named as an illegal weapon, so there's not much they can do.
06:00So again, it confirms to me that I need to push the government for a complete ban on catapults,
06:05you know, to help stop these illegal wildlife crimes taking place.
06:09In a statement, Kemp Police said that they're aware of the concerns raised on 1st June 2025
06:14about the behaviour of a group of people at the lake.
06:17They added that enhanced patrols are operating in the area over the summer months
06:21and residents are encouraged to report antisocial behaviour to their local officer.
06:25In a written answer, Dame Diana Johnson said,
06:27We're clear that catapults should not be used for illegal purposes,
06:31whether against wildlife, people or property.
06:34Police have powers to act when they're used in antisocial behaviour or as weapons.
06:38And legislation continues to be reviewed in the interest of public safety.
06:42So as plans for enforcement seem to come into play,
06:45it's now a waiting game to see if the changes will make a lasting difference.
06:49Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Greenhouse.
06:52Well, Kristen joins us here in the studio now.
06:57A surprise visit by the police there whilst you were filming.
07:00What were they saying when they turned up?
07:02So when they turned up, they were very, first of all, shocked really to see us there,
07:07see us scouting the area, seeing what was happening.
07:10Carly, who I was with when they turned up,
07:12she was basically explaining everything to them,
07:14saying that she hasn't heard back from them
07:16and she was telling the names of the people
07:19and then they says they didn't know.
07:20They also said because it's not public land,
07:24that's something that stands in their way.
07:26Because catapults aren't deemed illegal,
07:28that's another thing that stood in their way of sort of getting something out there.
07:32So there was lots of things, really,
07:34but Carly seemed pleased to see their presence,
07:36so hopefully something changes for the better.
07:38Yeah, and it's not just catapults that the residents are concerned with either, is it?
07:42No, no.
07:43So catapults is one thing.
07:45Last year, there was eight or nine geese killed from a man driving down the road,
07:52just hitting them, hitting a group of geese.
07:53So there was eight or nine of those killed, lots of different things.
07:58I mean, there was one of Carly's colleagues was stoned because he tried to intervene.
08:03And so there's lots of things, really.
08:06I mean, it's just seeming like attacks are running rampant there.
08:10Absolutely.
08:11And, of course, what a lovely area it is as well.
08:13Exactly.
08:14You'd expect migratory birds to be there,
08:16and it just looked empty in your report.
08:18I mean, what's the general feeling from the community,
08:20from the people you spoke to?
08:21Yes.
08:22So, of course, I spoke to some people that didn't want to be on camera.
08:25Some people I spoke to said nothing about it.
08:29They didn't know anything about it,
08:30which maybe you could tie into wanting to stay anonymous.
08:34Another person said that they thought it was disgusting that this was happening.
08:38So it does seem to be a community feel.
08:41And there's even a WhatsApp group chat of more than 300 people
08:44that all post the incidents of what's happening.
08:47So it does seem like a sort of community-wide thing here,
08:50even over in Blue Water as well.
08:51Yeah, and, I mean, you mentioned some of the issues that people have there
08:55around actually making a change.
08:57Catapults, there is an issue with the legality of what they're classed as
09:02in terms of weapons, right?
09:03Yes, exactly.
09:05So this is why Carly started a petition.
09:07She's made two petitions, one to ban catapults.
09:10And if this one doesn't work, she's made another one
09:12that will ban the sale of catapults to people under the age of 18.
09:16Both of these, if not just one of them, has more than 20 signatures already,
09:22which means that it's just waiting to be processed
09:24on the official government website.
09:27And as well, we've mentioned the chance encounter with the police there.
09:32Is this a regular thing, police going to their area?
09:35I know they're calling for them to be there a lot more.
09:37But, you know, it was actually a surprise, wasn't it?
09:40It was.
09:41Carly there at the end, she was saying that she was so shocked
09:45that they turned up.
09:46Of course, she was pleased that they turned up.
09:48She said they were very polite.
09:50But this is the whole thing.
09:52The community and the people that I was speaking to say
09:54that they basically feel abandoned by law enforcement
09:57and by all these different things
09:58because nothing is being done seemingly
10:00and all these birds are dying.
10:01So it's definitely something that surprised Carly.
10:05But in the statement that the police gave me,
10:07they did say that there'd be enhancing patrols during the summer.
10:10So hopefully they'll be there a lot more often.
10:12Yeah, and it's a story that's been covered by Kent Online
10:15quite a lot over the past year.
10:17There's a report that those watching can go and read as well.
10:20The sick world of TikTok animal abusers
10:23using catapults to kill wildlife in Kent.
10:26That was posted last May,
10:27but seemingly still an issue here in the county.
10:31Kristen, thank you very much for bringing us those details.
10:35Now, before we go to our first break this evening,
10:38let's take a look at what the weather's looking like
10:39over the coming days.
10:46Well, tonight will be cloudy
10:47with temperatures around 12 and 13 degrees,
10:50wind speeds of 9 miles per hour.
10:52Tomorrow morning brings with it heavy rain
10:54with temperatures of 14 degrees,
10:56winds picking up a little bit as well.
10:59As we go into the afternoon,
11:00more rain to be expected
11:02as the wind picks up to 16, 17 miles per hour.
11:05Temperatures staying around the mid-teens.
11:07And now for your outlook,
11:08sun and showers expected on Friday and Saturday.
11:11Partly cloudy weather on Sunday
11:13with highs of 19 at the end of the week,
11:15of the weekend.
11:23Looking like some of that sunny weather
11:24that we're all enjoying
11:25seems to be leaving us migrating away.
11:28We're going to go to a quick break now,
11:31but when we come back,
11:32we'll be hearing the latest health headlines
11:34with our expert, Dr. Julian Spinks.
11:37Spinks, as some social media trends
11:38are suggesting ways we can tackle migraines,
11:41we'll be finding out if there's any science
11:42behind easing the pain
11:43with fizzy drinks and salty chips.
11:46All that and more coming up after this break.
15:19Officers found what they described
15:21as an imminent risk to public health
15:23at Pad Thai Live in the Royal Star Arcade
15:26in Maidstone.
15:27Aside from the infestation,
15:28the notice also said the property
15:30had poor structural repairs and cleaning,
15:33posing a serious risk of contamination.
15:35The closure follows a string of similar issues
15:37at other Maidstone venues,
15:39with seven businesses given one-star scores,
15:41thanks to reports of mouldy food
15:43and rodent infestations.
15:44Now, from pharmacists' concerns about drug shortages
15:50to unconventional ways of easing migraines.
15:53There's lots of health headlines to unpack this week
15:55and to make sense of it all,
15:56I'm joined by KMTV's health expert,
15:58Dr. Julian Sphinx.
16:07But first of all, Julian, thank you for being here.
16:09We have to touch on the recent vape ban.
16:12It's been a few days now.
16:13Will there be some vape users
16:15who will be kind of getting the effects
16:17if they've maybe given it up in the past few days
16:20because of the disposable vape ban?
16:21And what would sort of three days
16:23out of not having nicotine do to your body?
16:25Unfortunately, if you've been taking significant nicotine
16:28from vapes and you stop suddenly,
16:30you're going to get nicotine withdrawal
16:32in a similar way to the way smokers get it.
16:35So you'll get sleeplessness,
16:36you might have rapid heartbeat,
16:38you just feel terrible cravings and so on.
16:42If people want to swap over to refillable vapes,
16:46then the good thing would be to go
16:47for lower and lower doses of nicotine.
16:50The problem lies with sort of children and teenagers
16:53who may have taken it up
16:54because I don't think anyone's going to sell them
16:56a reusable vape.
16:57And so they do risk the possibility
16:59of getting withdrawal.
17:01Hopefully people will not actually start it
17:02in the first place.
17:03No, absolutely.
17:04And it was not only the impact on our health as well,
17:08but the environment was a big consideration
17:10with the disposable vape ban that came in on Sunday.
17:15How will this impact sort of when we look at the future
17:18of how we deal with young people's health?
17:21I mean, banning is something that we talk about a lot
17:23and we talk about fast food as well.
17:25Is this maybe the start of a trend to come?
17:28There's always a balance.
17:29I'd much prefer to persuade than to enforce,
17:32but at the same time, particularly with children,
17:35they are going to be going outside the law.
17:38So you want to make it as difficult as possible
17:39for them to do that.
17:40And hopefully you then prevent them going
17:43into a lifelong addiction to nicotine,
17:46likewise with food and so on.
17:47I'd much rather educate from a very early age
17:50about healthy eating,
17:51getting them eating a variety of foods and vegetables.
17:54Well, speaking of healthy eating,
17:55our next story,
17:56it's a new hack that's gone viral online.
17:58So you're here to maybe confirm or dispel the myths.
18:02People are calling it the muck migraine meal.
18:04A full-fat cola and a portion of salty fries
18:08can help dispel a migraine.
18:12How much truth is there in this?
18:14I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a way of doing it,
18:16but there is a degree of truth in it.
18:19One of the big things is the caffeine that's in the coke.
18:21If you have a large cola somewhere like McDonald's,
18:25you've got about 80 milligrams of caffeine.
18:26That's quite a lot.
18:28Caffeine actually counteracts the dilatation,
18:31the swelling of the blood vessels,
18:33and that can turn migraines off
18:35because in migraines,
18:36you've got a different pattern
18:37from normal tension headache.
18:39If you're looking at the fries and so on,
18:40some of the salt in there can act as an electrolyte.
18:43The carbohydrates as well
18:46because often when people have a migraine,
18:47they're not eating because they feel sick.
18:49So putting that food back in can make a difference.
18:51So there's a background,
18:52but I have to say that sort of a full-fat coke
18:54and a chips isn't necessarily the best way to do it.
18:57No, what is the usual advice
18:59when it comes to migraines?
19:00Because these are a lot more serious
19:02than a regular headache.
19:04Some people can get away with getting painkillers
19:06which have caffeine in them
19:07that are available from pharmacists.
19:09I think if it's more severe than that,
19:10then it's time to go to your GP
19:11because we have specific anti-migraine drugs
19:14we can use that will reduce nausea
19:16and may switch off the bargain
19:17in a much more effective way.
19:20And, I mean,
19:21why do you think that we have these sort of trends
19:23that pop up here in Enema?
19:24Obviously, there's the pull of fast food
19:26that people like to have,
19:27but there can be dangers sometimes as well
19:30with what you read online.
19:32Yes, I think there's a lot of what we would call
19:34a trial of N1,
19:35where there's one person tries it and it works
19:37and they then go out to social media
19:39and say, this is great,
19:40this is the best thing.
19:42Unfortunately, a lot of the time
19:43nobody's done the decent research to make sure
19:45because there's always a risk
19:46of a placebo effect with it.
19:49But there's often a kernel of truth
19:50in all of these things.
19:51It's just, really,
19:52there's the bad side of it,
19:54eating lots of fries and fat and so on
19:56and lots of sugar in full-fat coke
19:59is not a good idea.
20:00Well, something to keep an eye on then.
20:02I want to move on to another story now.
20:04Pharmacists are facing serious medicine shortages
20:07that could affect cancer patients.
20:09What do we know?
20:11There are so many shortages of medicines at the moment.
20:14I had a look on the website
20:15that I can look at as a GP
20:16and there's over 100.
20:18Most of those are not to do with cancer.
20:20In this case, the big problem is
20:21is a drug which is
20:23a pancreatic enzyme replacement treatment.
20:26The pancreas does two things.
20:27It produces insulin,
20:28so to do with diabetes,
20:30but it also produces digestive juices
20:32called pancrease.
20:34And if you've had surgery,
20:35you may not produce enough of it,
20:36so you need this artificial form.
20:38It's not available at the moment
20:40and people are having great difficulty
20:42getting any form of it
20:43and that can mean they can't eat very well
20:45and if you're already recovering from cancer
20:47and you can't eat,
20:48that is really not good news.
20:50We have not been told
20:52when it's going to come back in at the moment
20:53and there isn't really a way around it
20:56because the alternative things are not there.
20:58And what will this mean for patients
20:59in the meantime then?
21:01It may mean they can't eat as well.
21:03They may get more things like diarrhoea
21:04and upset stomachs and so on.
21:07And if they are trying to maintain their nutrition,
21:11because nutrition is really important
21:12when it comes to cancer,
21:14this is a really big problem.
21:16And, I mean, as a GP,
21:18you've got those sort of systems in place
21:20that you can check with medicine.
21:22What sort of position does it leave you in
21:24when you know the treatment that you can give somebody
21:27but you just don't have it available there?
21:30Almost every day I get an email saying
21:32this following drug is going to be short.
21:34Now, sometimes you can just go for a different strength tablet
21:37and that's pretty easy.
21:39Sometimes you can go for an equivalent drug.
21:41So it's not the same drug,
21:42but it's equivalent.
21:44Unfortunately, there are smaller numbers
21:45where there really is no other alternative.
21:48And that means if it is short, we are stuck.
21:51We can't treat people effectively.
21:53And it's a major problem.
21:55I'm involved with the European Medicines Agency
21:57and they have a whole task force
21:59trying to source medicines for Europe.
22:01We have a similar thing in the UK.
22:03When it comes to hearing that medicine is shortened,
22:08patients might get a bit worried,
22:10but the message would still be, I assume,
22:12to still go to your GP,
22:13to still making sure that you are asking
22:15if there are any alternatives available.
22:16It's both the GP and the pharmacists
22:18can work together to see what is available.
22:21Because even when there's a shortage,
22:23sometimes you'll find a pharmacy that's got it.
22:25And so people sort of rigging around pharmacies
22:27to say, have you got this drug in?
22:28And then getting the prescription sent to them by the GP
22:32can actually be helpful.
22:34But sometimes it's just totally unavailable.
22:37Well, Julian, thank you very much for joining us today.
22:38It's been great to dive into some of those health headlines.
22:41We'll see you again soon.
22:42Thank you very much.
22:42Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date
22:46with all your latest stories across Kent
22:48by logging on to our website.
22:50That's kmcv.co.uk.
22:52There you'll find all of our reports,
22:53including this one, about a Kent pub revived
22:55after being forced to shut its doors during the pandemic.
23:00After the COVID-19 pandemic,
23:01the George pub in Bethesden
23:03had the task of repairing and restoring
23:05their grade-listed building for use.
23:07And only several years on from reopening their doors,
23:09they've managed to win the Campaign for Real Ale's Best Pub
23:12in Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh.
23:15Pub regulars came down ahead of their beer festival
23:17to celebrate the achievement.
23:19Oh, it feels fantastic.
23:20The vibe here is wonderful.
23:21I come to the George quite a lot.
23:22It's an amazing community-run pub.
23:25The village have bought the pub.
23:27There are so many shareholders of the pub
23:28who live here in the village,
23:29and everybody in Bethesden really supports
23:31what the George is doing and has been trying to do.
23:35The food here is fantastic.
23:36The drinks here are fantastic.
23:37So this recognition from camera
23:38is just the icing on the cake.
23:40Now the pub's success is made all the better
23:42by the fact it's community-owned,
23:44meaning a committee of local residents
23:46are in charge of the pub, rather than a company,
23:48which they say provides a local touch.
23:51The pub wouldn't be here
23:52if the community weren't being here regularly,
23:56keeping it afloat.
23:57What we as an organisation have tried to do
24:01is to work with clubs and organisations
24:08within the village,
24:09and we're trying to develop that all of the time.
24:13Now although the village will be celebrating
24:15the George's success,
24:17plenty of other pubs do struggle,
24:19with the total going down year on year.
24:21So what's the solution?
24:22Could it be that being a community-owned pub
24:24actually helps,
24:25or is there a dark future that lies ahead of us
24:28where we just don't have somewhere
24:29to enjoy our pints anymore?
24:32If community ownership is the solution,
24:34then there's a long way to go.
24:35According to Statista,
24:37there are more than 45,000 pubs across the UK,
24:40but it's only a small minority of them
24:41where local people own it as part of a committee.
24:45According to the Campaign for Real Ale,
24:46there's only 217 of them in the whole country,
24:49meaning less than half a percent of pubs
24:51are community-owned.
24:52And with the amount of pubs on the decline,
24:55officials say current government measures
24:57don't do much to help.
24:58Beer is one part of it as far as tax is concerned,
25:01but there's so many other considerations to make.
25:03You have business rates,
25:04you have other taxes,
25:05you have utilities,
25:08so gas, electric, all of those things,
25:10wages,
25:11there's so many parts that make making a pub viable.
25:15So you need to look at a lot more things
25:17than just taking a penny off of the pint of beer.
25:19Well, since they've won pub of the year
25:21in Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh,
25:23the George will go up against other winners
25:25to see if they can take the title for East Kent as well.
25:29Oh, very, very excited.
25:31We've got to win it.
25:33Finn McDermott for KMTV in Bethesden.
25:36Now over to Sheraton in Folkestone.
25:43The person has been taken to hospital
25:45following a two-vehicle crash.
25:48The crash happened at the junction of Cherry Garden Avenue
25:50and Sheraton Road near Folkestone West Train Station.
25:53Police, ambulance and three fire engines
25:55were in attendance at the intersection,
25:57but injuries are not thought to be serious.
26:00Due to being identified as a crash cluster site
26:02by highway bosses eight months ago,
26:04the junction is set to be redesigned.
26:08All right, time for a break now,
26:09but coming up on Kent tonight,
26:11look back at our top story this evening
26:12as two people have been charged with murder
26:15after a four-year-old boy lost his life
26:17in a car crash in South Fleet.
26:19Plus more on the catapult campaign
26:20as residents in Green High
26:22are desperately pushing after multiple children
26:24were caught on camera firing at birds.
26:27We'll have plenty more on this
26:28coming up after the break.
31:08Here's the belli.
31:10He's right back.
31:14at the time, is still fighting for his life in hospital this evening.
31:18The kindest little boy and loving child. The words from the family of four-year-old Peter
31:23Mahon, whose death after a car crash in this Southfleet country lane has turned into a
31:28murder investigation. Emergency services were called to the scene on Sunday 1st June,
31:34shortly after 9.30pm, to reports that two cars had collided. New Barn Road was closed
31:39by police well into the next day as the investigation began. Peter was rushed to hospital
31:45along with his one-year-old baby sister and their dad, Lovell. The 24-year-old remains
31:50in critical condition while his daughter was discharged with minor injuries.
31:54Two men have since appeared in court charged with murder and grievous bodily harm. 53-year-old
32:00Patrick Mahon, pictured here, and 27-year-old Owen Mahon spoke only to confirm their names
32:06at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court. The father and son, who are related to Peter, are also
32:10accused of two counts of attempting to wound his baby sister and their mother, Hayley, who
32:16was also in the car at the time. Both were remanded in custody and their cases have been
32:21passed to Maidstone Crown Court, where they're expected to appear later this week.
32:27And here this morning, flowers laid in memory of four-year-old Peter. Police say the collision
32:32which took place here on North Barn Road on Sunday night involved two grey Ford Rangers
32:37and they continue to ask anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
32:43So as flowers lay and messages of sorrow continue to pour in, a family waits as Mr. Mahon continues
32:49to fight for his life this evening. Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Dartford.
32:54A war of words has erupted in Kent's local politics as the leader of Medway Council has
33:03slammed the efficiency plans being drawn up at Kent County Council. Reform UK has set up
33:09a new Department of Government efficiency in the vein of Elon Musk's doge. But the debate
33:14has raged about the manner in which they've gone about it. Our local democracy reporter,
33:19Olly Leder, has been breaking down the drama.
33:21Well, Olly, take us through what happened. When did this fiery war of words actually begin?
33:27You don't normally see fireworks like this at Medway Council, Bartholomew.
33:32During a Cabinet meeting for the town's authority on June 3rd, Councillor Vince Maple, the leader
33:38of Medway Council, criticised Reform UK's decision to bring in a Department of Government
33:45Efficiency, the Elon Musk-style doge unit designed to cut costs at Kent County Council. And we
33:54can actually hear a clip from him and his deputy, Theresa Murray, because they're not mincing
34:01their words at all.
34:03Just down the road, a sort of Kevin and Perry tribute act has landed. There's a gentleman
34:12with a baseball cap and a mobile phone wondering about the place at KCC, who is apparently going
34:19to sort out their finances. All he needs to do is have a look at the website.
34:24I send my sympathy to Kent County Council staff. They've been treated appallingly in the last
34:3048 hours, sending out a letter, two of whom who signed that letter have nothing to do with
34:36Kent County Council. Disgraceful. Keir Starmer and Ellie Reeves are never going to write to
34:41Medway Council. Let me tell you that now. Because it's not their job, frankly. And the language
34:47in that letter is a disgrace. It's a disgrace to local government.
34:50Well, it's certainly a different way of doing politics, isn't it? But what's wrong with a
34:55baseball cap and a mobile phone in one hand? Surely this is the new era of doing...
34:58Well, I think that's a pretty interesting point to make, because it is modelled on Elon Musk's
35:03tech bro-style doge unit. And Nathan Fried, he's had his fingers on open source intelligence
35:11and crypto. That's who they're referring to. He's the data analyst that's part of the team
35:17spearheading government efficiency. But the concerns are really about what it means for
35:24staff, what the language means. Because it was quite strong language, this letter, co-signed
35:30by Zia Youssef, the party chairman, and Nigel Farage, who we all know as the leader of Reform
35:36UK. Not elected here in Kent. That's part of the concern. Because for all intents and purposes,
35:43what are these outsiders doing tampering with Kent County Council finances? But they all co-signed
35:50this letter alongside Lyndon Kemkaren, the leader of the party. They weren't minting words with
35:57officers. They were very strong in what they wanted, and they made it very clear that they
36:02were going to get it one way or another. If we heard there from Vince Maple, that's not how he thinks
36:10you should speak to officers and council staff. And they say, because this was all to do with a
36:17financial report at Cabinet, that all you need to do is look at the website. The books are already
36:23open. A viewer at home could look at Kent County Council's books. They say the audits haven't
36:27necessarily been done up to that standard to find those efficiencies. But from Theresa Murray,
36:33what she's saying there, is that you can already see where the money's coming from and where it's
36:38going. And you mentioned jobs there. Of course, Elon Musk, when he came into the US government,
36:43we saw some federal jobs being lost. Is that a reality at KCC? It's one of the county's biggest
36:48employers. Well, Bartholomew, if I knew that, I would probably be part of the Doge unit myself.
36:53It's that thing where we never really know where what's going to happen in politics. We don't really
37:00know what's going to happen because we don't really know how Doge is going to work. Is it going to be
37:04transparent? Are they going to be cutting certain departments? Are they going to be changing the
37:09budgets? How much influence will Doge actually have when it comes to those crucial votes on money?
37:16That happens at a council level, not at an extra council level. And obviously, jobs, they're decided
37:22by HR departments, officers within councils. A councillor cannot simply go, I'm going to go fire you.
37:29I'm going to hire you. This all goes through a whole corporate structure. That's how all governments
37:35work. There's an entire team behind every elected official. And that's kind of the key thing to
37:41consider here. Obviously, reform have made eyes towards net zero. They say that it's not something
37:47they really support, that it's not going to be value for money. They're not going to keep it around.
37:52So perhaps there will be some officers who are a bit nervous about what this means. We heard from the
37:58unison secretary the other day saying, for the branch at KCC, saying they weren't certain. That's
38:04the key issue here, is the uncertainty. But we can't put any bets on what's going to happen to
38:11jobs. Not at this early stage just yet. Our local democracy reporter, Oli Leder,
38:16joining me in the studio earlier there. Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all
38:21your latest stories across the county by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk. When you get there,
38:26you can find all of our reports, including this one, about a new and accessible summer activity
38:31for children in Medway. And with that racket, summer on the Strand was officially underway.
38:45As Medway councillors and community figures opened a brand new set of refurbished tennis courts.
38:53The Strand has always been a great place for families, for people, and I absolutely loved it
38:57when I came here as a kid. But what I did see over years was decline. So when I was growing up,
39:02there were new facilities. But after that, the investment stopped, it stalled. And actually,
39:06what we now see is that opportunity again for the next generation.
39:09Where I've stood right now is one of the old tennis courts along the Strand. And as you can see,
39:18it's a little run down. But this is where regeneration work is really starting in earnest.
39:25You can see it right there on the brand new courts as a result of local tennis association investment.
39:33So I grew up in Gravesend on playing on park courts. You know, it's accessible. It gives them the journey
39:40to start their tennis.
39:42Health and well-being is really important for young children now. Parents are looking for things to do
39:47that don't cost too much money.
39:49But it's not just the £170,000 refurbishment on display. With a new outdoor water play area causing
40:00quite a splash. Especially given it hasn't cost the taxpayer a single penny. With money being raised
40:09from housing developers in the local area. This Section 106 money isn't without controversy, however.
40:18The local Democracy Reporting Service previously revealed how Medway Council had nearly £20 million
40:27in similar unused contributions meant for education, health and leisure projects like this one.
40:37We will spend Section 106 money responsibly and as quickly as possible. There are sometimes
40:43circumstances where to get access to that funding, a developer needs to sell a certain amount of
40:48houses. So it's never a kind of one size fits all. Medway Council are planning further regeneration work
40:56in the area. But for those hitting the courts already, it seems to be pretty aced so far.
41:03Ollie Lieder in Gillingham.
41:07Looks like people are enjoying themselves there. Now time for a break, but coming up we'll be
41:11taking you trackside for a trip back in time as Kent's famous track Brands Hatch has been
41:15celebrating 75 years since the first ever race was held there. And we continue rewinding the tapes too,
41:22because we'll be taking a look at what's to come on another episode of the Kent Chronicles. Don't
41:27forget this evening you can always catch up with us on our social media as well. Just search KMTV Kent
41:33over on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for all the latest stories here on KMTV. And if you have a story
41:40you think we should be covering, then you can get in touch by those channels as well. We'll be back after this
41:46very short break.
42:16you
42:46you
43:16you
43:46you
44:16you
44:46hello and welcome back to kent tonight live on KMTV. Residents in Greenhive are calling for a ban on catapults.
45:08after a series of fatal attacks on migratory birds at St. Clements lakes. Some say they're now scared to leave their homes claiming that they too have been targeted after confronting the offenders. Well, Kristen Hawthorne went to the lakes to speak with some frustrated residents. But while reporting, something unexpected happened. Take a look.
45:32The fact that I was part of the rescue effort to try and get that goes out just the suffering of that animal is only one that you know it'll stay in your mind for a long time.
45:44A place that was once filled with birdsong is now silent. A number of birds have been killed in a series of catapult attacks at St. Clements lakes in Greenhive, prompting concern among residents.
45:56I feel very unsafe. I feel very unsafe. I have I have a kid I wouldn't let her go play outside. And I myself feel unsafe. I've been told, you know, when these things happen, think twice before you intervene.
46:08Because on the incident that happened on Sunday, one of the kids actually aimed at the residents with the slingshot threatening her and she had kids in her car.
46:18I don't understand why we as residents have to always intervene and try and stop this madness.
46:24It's not our job. So it's it's time that these law enforcement agencies really step up and actually intervene and do something.
46:31Killing these birds is a crime. They're breaking the law. So what is happening? Nothing is happening.
46:35Carly, who is a resident in the area and a bird ranger for the British Trust, is calling for better protection of the wildlife and has made a petition to make catapults illegal or create strict laws around carrying them.
46:46I am. I'm calling for a ban on catapults because they're just basically a weapon and you can buy them on Amazon just for a few pounds.
46:54And I think children, you know, holding these weapons, you know, it's just trouble. You know, Kent basically has the highest number of catapult incidents animal cruelty.
47:05And I really feel like, you know, it's time to ban, you know, the sale of catapults because it's out of control.
47:11Due to the continuous catapult attacks on the birds in this lake, it has now been completely decimated.
47:17Carly says that the lake should be filled with migratory birds, both nesting and breeding, but now there's about two of them.
47:24To Carly's surprise, the police turned up when I was there and spoke to her about the attacks. I got her reaction afterwards.
47:31I'm taken aback in all of these weeks. I have not seen the police a one time. Suddenly I'm here recording and the police turn up.
47:40I can say they were very polite. But again, you know, they do push the ball in the court of the catapults not being named as an illegal weapon.
47:51So there's not much they can do. So again, it confirms to me that I need to push the government for a complete ban on catapults, you know, to help stop these illegal wildlife crimes taking place.
48:02In a statement, Kent police said that they're aware of the concerns raised on the 1st of June 2025 about the behaviour of a group of people at the lake.
48:09They added that enhanced patrols are operating in the area over the summer months and residents are encouraged to report antisocial behaviour to their local officer.
48:17In a written answer, Dame Diana Johnson said,
48:20We're clear that catapults should not be used for illegal purposes, whether against wildlife, people or property.
48:26Police have powers to act when they're used in antisocial behaviour or as weapons.
48:31And legislation continues to be reviewed in the interest of public safety.
48:35So as plans for enforcement seem to come into play, it's now a waiting game to see if the changes will make a lasting difference.
48:41Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Greenhouse.
48:47Finally, this evening, we're heading trackside to Brands Hatch as we take a trip back in time to the golden era of motor racing.
48:55Well, this weekend saw the Masters Historic Racing Series take to the circuit to showcase a variety of sports cars, touring cars and F1 cars too.
49:04Well, F1 races rather, as the track celebrates 75 years since the first motor race was held there.
49:11Well, Tim Forster went down to the circuit to find out more.
49:14Arriving at Brands Hatch circuit this weekend, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd just stepped out of a time machine,
49:23as the Masters Historic Racing Series arrived at the Kent-based track.
49:27The panic is packed with a range of motor racing machines from the sports golden era, many of which would race at the circuit in period.
49:34Many of the drivers here today race in modern series, so how do these older cars compare?
49:39It's a different technique, I'm used to driving GT4 cars more nowadays, this is a bit different, but I prefer this, honestly, if I could choose between the two.
49:49Completely different cars for me, they slide all over the place and a huge amount of power so it's just something interesting to drive.
49:57Founded in 2004 by Ron Maiden, the Masters Historic Racing Series is built and designed to ensure that cars like this McLaren M1B behind me
50:05can continue racing at speed for enthusiastic spectators.
50:09Some of these cars have especially close connections to the track.
50:13It was in 1982 that this McLaren MP41B won the British Grand Prix at the hands of Nicky Lauda.
50:21However, with the risk of damaging these cars, some may argue that these rare races should be preserved and kept on display.
50:28But many of the drivers here would disagree.
50:30I think those guys who say these cars need to be in museums are the equivalent of the boy who taught us my football
50:36and you can't play with it or see it and take it home, you know, definitely not, this is what they're made for.
50:41And there's nothing cooler than seeing, you know, 20 of these cars sliding around corners and it's such a more manual experience.
50:49You know, you have to look after the car, its H pattern as well, you have to make sure you're heel and toe on the downshift, stuff like that.
50:55There really is a lot to do in it, so it's great fun.
50:582025 marks 75 years since the first official motor race was held at Brands Hatch, with a 500cc series holding their inaugural event in April 1950.
51:09Famous names including Stirling Moss made up the grid.
51:13From 1964 to 1986, the circuits share the privilege of hosting the British Grand Prix, seeing victories from such drivers as Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart.
51:22We visit quite a number of circuits around the UK and Europe and actually it's one of the few that is unchanged.
51:27And I think, you know, when you bring cars from the 50s, 60s and 70s, that it's great for them to be on a circuit that is as it was.
51:34And they appreciate that and it's great to see the Formula One cars racing around here on a circuit that they raced on at the same time.
51:40And I think the drivers feel that as well, you know, I think they're bringing their cars home in a way.
51:43But the historic series still has an eye on the future, with sustainability being a key focus.
51:49For example, all of the cars run on sustainable Aramco fuel.
51:54With plenty of enthusiasm for the future of the Masters Historic, these cars are far from becoming mere museum pieces.
52:00Tim Fawcett at Brands Hatch for KMTV.
52:03It's gorgeous there and it looked gorgeous on the weather as well.
52:08So let's see what it's going to be like over the coming days.
52:10All right, tonight will be cloudy, though, with temperatures around 12 and 13 degrees.
52:19Wind speeds of nine miles per hour.
52:21Tomorrow morning brings with it heavy rain with temperatures of 14 degrees.
52:25Wind speeds picking up a little bit as well as we go into the afternoon.
52:29More rain to be expected as the wind continues to rise up to 16, 17 miles per hour.
52:34Temperatures staying around the mid-teens, though.
52:36And as your outlook, here it is as we go towards the weekend and the start of next week.
52:41It's going to be rainy until Sunday with highs of 19 degrees.
52:44Finally from us this evening, straight after Kent tonight, we have a brand new episode of Kent Chronicles.
52:57It's the show that rewinds the tapes and takes us back in time across the county's rich history,
53:02from the famous figures to the moments that shaped our coach culture.
53:06Well, the show's producer and presenter, Finn McDermott, joins me now with an idea of what's to come on tonight's episode.
53:12Finn, spill the beans. What have we got coming?
53:14Well, it's a really interesting episode, Bartholomew.
53:16A 45-year-old cold case into the death of a woman from Sheppie in Italy has been reopened.
53:22And I'll give you some background on her story. It's quite a complicated one.
53:25Her name's Jeanette Bishop. She was born in Sheppie in 1940, raised alone by her mother,
53:30as her father had been killed trying to defuse a 100-kilogram bomb in East Church,
53:34tragically only nine months after Jeanette was born.
53:37That's her on the right there with her mother.
53:39She attended school in Sittingbourne and went on to dance and perform in the West End during the swinging 60s.
53:43That's her father. Actually, that photo was taken 20 minutes before her father's death.
53:48She ended up becoming a model for Vogue and appeared in TV adverts.
53:52And you can see there, on a visit to America, she met Evelyn de Rothschild,
53:55one of the world's most eligible bachelors at the time, and they secretly became married in 1966.
54:00They divorced only four years later. She would marry later on, changing her surname to May.
54:06But, crucially, her passport still had the name Rothschild,
54:09leading some to believe that there could have been an element of kidnap involved in her death.
54:13Now, she was last seen in rural Sarnano, which is a small village in Italy,
54:17and she ended up driving her car up into the mountains with a friend and failed to return to her hotel.
54:23It took three weeks for Italian police to find just their car, and their bodies were ten miles away.
54:29Now, we spoke to Josephine McKenna, who's an Australian journalist living in Italy.
54:33She wrote a book on what's happened and also about the mysterious circumstances of Jeanette's death.
54:38Fascinating stuff. What do people believe actually happened?
54:43Well, the most common answer is that it was simply accidental.
54:46But questions have been raised about the case, like why were the bodies so far away?
54:50Why was the car in working order, locked and parked alongside the road?
54:54There was also a nearby abandoned farmhouse that had some evidence of people living there,
54:58and a bartender at the hotel said he saw a mystery man waiting for them in the car.
55:02The police report suggested hypothermia, but in the last few months, like I say,
55:07the case has reopened on new information, and the Italian authorities aren't saying what this new information is.
55:13Well, Finn, it looks like an exciting one tonight on the programme.
55:17Some interesting stories. I don't know how you do.
55:19You always seem to find another part of history that we haven't explored yet, which is always fun.
55:23Anything else coming in the programme?
55:25Yeah. Today actually marks the 500th anniversary of the Bayham Abbey uprising.
55:29It's a story of courage which saw over 100 men from certain villages in Kent and Sussex,
55:34armed with makeshift weapons, storming the abbey in protest at its closure by Cardinal Wolsey.
55:39And now Heritage England are trying to find the living descendants of some of these men.
55:43So keep in mind in this episode, we're going to go through all the names.
55:46So if any of them ring a bell, you could be related to a particularly rebellious individual,
55:50and it's very interesting to find out.
55:52So we'll be speaking to a historian about that, and we'll also take a look at Canterbury Cathedral
55:56on the anniversary of the Archbishop Thomas Beckett becoming an Archbishop.
56:01Of course, huge story there with Thomas Beckett, and it's how Kent got its coat of arms as well,
56:06with the red-beeled chaff being on there too.
56:08So lots to look forward to on Kent Chronicles this evening, straight after Kent tonight.
56:12And of course, all episodes can be streamed from our website as well, kmtv.co.uk.
56:16Bin, thank you very much.
56:18All right.
56:19Well, you've been watching Kent tonight live on KMTV.
56:21There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening, including starting, of course,
56:25with Kent Chronicles after the break.
56:27Don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest news across the county
56:30by logging onto our website, kmtv.co.uk.
56:32You can also keep us on your social timelines too, by liking us on Facebook and following
56:37us on TikTok.
56:38We'll be back with plenty more tomorrow.
56:39See you then.
56:40Bye-bye.
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