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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Kristin Hawthorne.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
00:26I'm Kristin Hawthorne and here are your top stories on Tuesday the 21st of October.
00:32It's like a second home, students say closure of Woodstable SEND school could spell disaster
00:37for students.
00:38They just know me here, they know how to deal with me, how to handle me if I have issues
00:44and problems.
00:46Quit now, Kent's Labour MPs demand KCC reform leader stands down.
00:51I'm afraid to say what we see here is people behaving in a very, very unprofessional way
00:57and not grown up at all, who cannot leave decisions to be made by people who cannot conduct themselves
01:02properly.
01:03And a race against time, three mothers of children with rare genetic disorder have come together
01:08to raise awareness and money for a cure.
01:10We're so blessed that he's just such a happy boy that I don't ever look at him like and
01:18think oh god this is all going on.
01:21But first our top story this evening.
01:24A funding dispute between the school in Woodstable and Kent County Council means dozens of students
01:29and their families are unsure if they will be returning to class after the half term.
01:34The Farcademy provide SEND provision to dozens of young people including those who have dropped
01:39out of mainstream education.
01:41However, KCC say they received notification from the school of its desire to cease operations
01:47earlier this month, a decision which the Academy say was enforced because of local government
01:52funding cuts.
01:53The McDermid has more.
01:56For young people who struggle to attend mainstream schools in the Woodstable area, the Fastgate
02:00Academy provides a place where they can continue their learning in an alternative setting while
02:05making sure they get their qualifications.
02:07One of those students is Kira and she's studying maths, English and photography but before that
02:11she wasn't in mainstream education since primary school and was on authorised absences for
02:16four years and says she didn't have any help before coming to the Academy.
02:20The Farcademy has helped me a lot.
02:22There's a lot of people around here that just understand me and I've been able to make
02:27friends that have my interests.
02:31They just know me here, they know how to deal with me, how to handle me if I have issues
02:36and problems and they're very kind to it.
02:40They understand your mental health here don't they and they really help you with it.
02:45If you're having a bad day, they make it better.
02:48Kent County Council say they were informed on the 13th October 2025 by Fire Academy of its
02:54decision to cease operations on the 15th October.
02:57This unexpected action has left us no choice but to immediately begin arranging suitable
03:01alternative provision for the 23 young people currently funded by the council.
03:05The decision to close is part of a funding dispute between the council and the school,
03:09wherein a change of price from a previous year's discount due to the amount of students
03:12brought about the decision.
03:14So this year we've had to put them on our standard published fees which are on our website, so it's
03:21all very transparent and they agreed to that.
03:26So we haven't put up our fees at all, we're just back onto our standard fees which have
03:30been on our website for 10 years.
03:32I spoke to the council's cabinet member for Education and Skills about this dispute.
03:37There was an agreement in place for 2324 which was an agreed amount per pupil of £23,000.
03:45When the invoice was expected, which would have been just start of the new term, an invoice
03:53came in which was basically for £35,000 per pupil.
03:57The academy has different facilities like a skate park and skate shop that they can incorporate
04:02into a more practical teaching style.
04:04Now this place is for those who the school system might have failed.
04:07So in order to get them to fall in love with learning again, they can learn a variety of
04:10different subjects.
04:11Obviously they can still cover their maths and English qualifications, but if they've
04:14got an interest in graphic design, they can design their own skateboards and sell them
04:18here in the shop.
04:19Maybe behind the counter, someone working towards a business qualification is able to show off
04:24their design and marketing skills or learn how a product is really sold.
04:28The families of pupils at the school say they hope that Kent County Council and the Fire Academy
04:32can reach an agreement.
04:34Finn McDermid for KMTV in Whitstable.
04:36Well, in the last couple of hours, it's been revealed that the under pressure Reform UK
04:42leader of Kent County Council has called on her 49 remaining members to back her in writing.
04:49Councillor Lyndon Kim-Carran, on advice from the party's headquarters, sent out a message
04:53this morning calling on all fellow councillors to sign a statement of support amid talk of
04:58a no confidence vote.
04:59It comes after a video was leaked during the weekend showing the Kent councillor leader swearing
05:06about colleagues who did not agree with decisions she's made.
05:10Olly Leader's been following the story and joins me now.
05:13So can you tell me what's been the latest with Kent County Council?
05:17Look, all lies have been on KCC since the weekend.
05:20That Leet Guardian meeting of Lyndon Kim-Carran clashing with backbenchers using some quite
05:26fruity language.
05:27You can see on screen, if you go to the wide here, when you see the message she sent the
05:31councillors today asking them to sign a big statement backing her in writing.
05:38It comes after four councillors yesterday were suspended of the party said they brought it
05:43into disrepute. You can see on screen here the statement, what she was asking them to
05:49do at 8.57 this morning. And the statement is as follows. It's pretty clear what the sentiments
05:55are. It says that the undersigned have full confidence in councillor Kim-Carran, that she
06:01has the opposition on the run, that Reform UK members are flourishing in their roles under
06:06her leadership. And it goes on to say how shocked the top table were to find an enemy in our
06:11midst. Now, the opposition has naturally shot this down, as you would expect from the Liberal
06:16Democrats at KCC. The deputy leader describing this note as desperation and stating that she's
06:22being told by Reform HQ to get members to back her or sack her. Now, the local democracy reporting
06:28service has been told by a backbencher that the leadership is trying to gauge internal support
06:33if a vote of no confidence or a motion to dismiss, as it's called at KCC, comes from the opposition
06:39benches. This would be damaging to the leader if it did pass, because it could basically force
06:46her out. And though, given the party's numerical advantage, observers feel it would likely fail,
06:53though that is very much up in the air.
06:56And what have KCC and Reform UK told you?
07:00So we reached out to Reform UK. We approached them for comment.
07:03From our understanding from Reform HQ insiders, they're convinced the number of disaffected members
07:08remains quite small. But no public comment from the leadership. All very tight-lipped,
07:14though they say that it was the work of the whips and the deputy leader that helped bring the
07:19suspensions about yesterday. But nothing super public yet from the woman at the heart of all of this.
07:28And it's not the only update today, is it?
07:30Absolutely not. So we can change the still on screen now to one about MPs writing a letter.
07:37Seven Kent MPs, in fact. They all are calling on Lindencam Karen, pictured here, to resign.
07:45They say that she shouldn't be leading the council in the way that she has,
07:50that this isn't any way to manage a council. We actually spoke to three of them earlier.
07:57Yeah, this is what they had to say.
07:59We will hear from them slightly later in the show when you come back to talk to us then.
08:04Now, three mothers in Canterbury have joined forces to raise awareness of a rare genetic disorder
08:09called BPAN, which affects their children. The condition typically begins in early childhood,
08:14causing developmental delays and seizures. Over time, it can severely impact movement,
08:18speech and independence, often leading to premature death. They're aiming to raise more than
08:24£2 million to help fund research into a cure, but say awareness is the first crucial step.
08:30I went to meet the women and their children to hear their story.
08:33We don't ever really look at him on a daily basis and be like, oh, he's got BPAN,
08:39all this stuff's going on inside of him. We don't ever do that because he's so happy.
08:43For Emily, every day is a race against time. Her son, Bertie, has a rare genetic disorder,
08:49so rare that under 50 families in the UK are known to be affected. With no current cure,
08:56children with BPAN will have problems with movement, speech and delays. The disorder can
09:02also lead to symptoms similar to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, often causing premature death.
09:08But for boys, life expectancy can be even lower.
09:13I think we have got a very good advantage because our kids are still quite young.
09:19I know that the second degree normally happens around 16, 17, isn't it? And so, yeah, we have
09:27still got time, but it's just funding. That's why we just need the funding, do you know what I mean?
09:32Because time does go quick as well, do you know what I mean?
09:35Due to such low numbers of those that are affected, awareness is limited. But there is hope.
09:42Action for BPAN is a charity established by Kelly and Nicole, who've come down to Bertie School
09:48in Canterbury, hoping to shine a light on the disorder and raise money for a cure.
09:53In the next couple of years, we need to raise £2.3 million, which is an enormous amount.
09:58But, you know, in the last eight months so far, we've actually managed to raise £100,000
10:03since we've been going, which is incredible. But when you compare that to the £2.3 million
10:09that we've got to get to, you know, it doesn't feel so good. But we're all completely dedicated,
10:16you know, we spend as much time as we can around our family commitments, trying to make
10:20it happen. And the wider that the message gets out there, the more and more support
10:25we're getting from, you know, just people that want to help.
10:28Through a family friend, Emily has been able to set up a charity football match with Sturry
10:32FC, which is happening in November. This will add to the £100,000 that they already have,
10:38helping them reach their goal of £2.3 million, which will fund the next and hopefully final
10:43stage of the cure.
10:45I asked Nicole what the next steps would be if they got the money tomorrow.
10:48Little mice that have B-pan and they're actually giving them the gene therapy and curing them
10:54to collect all the data about how to transfer that then into a study for, a human study for
11:03the children. And that would be next steps is to get that going. And then obviously the
11:10kids can have a chance at, you know, that's going to be their greatest shot really. Gene
11:15therapy was, yeah, it'd be great. Although £2.3 million is a large goal to meet, the women
11:24here feel confident that they will reach the finish line, one fundraiser at a time.
11:29Yeah, it's just trying to reach out to everyone just to be like, please, please help save our
11:34kids. Do you know what I mean?
11:36Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV, Canterbury.
11:39Next, a new expedition at Canterbury Cathedral has stirred up controversy and divided opinion.
11:50Even as far as the, more after this break.
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12:12What might it be, does he do to go?
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15:27installation poses questions to God in an unusual fashion. Graffiti scattered
15:32around the cathedral's walls, something which US Vice President J.D. Vance has
15:36called ugly. Reporter Alfie Rowe went to Canterbury Cathedral to see how visitors
15:40are reacting. An historic place of worship marked in the most modern of
15:47ways. As the oldest Christian structure in England, Canterbury Cathedral has
15:53been through many transformations throughout the centuries. But never has it look quite
15:58like this. The exhibition is about the young, marginalised community of Canterbury Cathedral
16:05asking God a question. We held a number of workshops within the cathedral with marginalised
16:12people around the city who believe in God, but who believe that the cathedral, they don't
16:18feel comfortable coming into the cathedral, they don't feel it's a place for them. And
16:22this is giving them an opportunity to have their voice and we ask them, what would you
16:29ask God? And these are their questions to God.
16:33The huge inspiration for the exhibition is the presence of historical graffiti itself in
16:40the cathedral, stemming originally from mason's marks where stoned masons hundreds of years
16:45ago wanted to leave their personal mason's mark on the fabric to indicate that they were the
16:51person who did that work that contributed to the building of the cathedral. We have modern
16:56graffiti represented and we have collections of graffiti going back several centuries.
17:01But combining old and new in such a bold fashion was bound to prove divisive. Even the
17:07U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has weighed in, saying in a post on X that the exhibition makes a
17:12beautiful historic building really ugly and here in Canterbury the reaction has been equally
17:18strong.
17:18Honestly, I think it's atrocious. Looking at ways of bringing religion, history to the
17:27public, there's definitely more subtle ways of doing it.
17:31I like the colours, it blends in with the oldness of the church and yeah, I'm quite impressed
17:37with it actually.
17:38I think it's disgraceful really. Very disappointing that something like that is put into a historic
17:45building like this.
17:46I think that perhaps it's a way of getting through to younger people who perhaps don't always
17:51come into cathedrals and churches. So yes, I'm very impressed.
17:56For his part, the Dean of Canterbury agrees, saying this exhibition intentionally builds bridges
18:01between cultures, styles and genres and allows us to receive the gifts of younger people
18:06who have much to say.
18:08But whether considered works of art or glorified street tags, what is certain is that the Hear
18:13Us exhibition will continue to attract attention and encourage discussion.
18:18Alfie Rowe for KMTV in Canterbury.
18:23Now about 40,000 people in Rainham have been left without a pharmacy after its last community
18:28pharmacist closed.
18:30It's pharmacy in Rainham Shopping Centre stopped dispensing prescriptions in August, leaving
18:34residents in the town having to travel more than two miles away to the nearest pharmacy.
18:40We've been speaking to shoppers in the town.
18:44These people that took over from Boots or Lloyds or whichever one it was, have been a nightmare
18:50from the beginning, you know. So people like us, especially people that don't drive, are restricted,
18:59you know. And if you've got an ailment or something like that, you've got to try and rely on deliveries
19:05and things like that. And you rely on people, other people which you shouldn't have to do though, not when you've got a local chemist.
19:16We had three here and now we haven't got any. But I mean, as you can look around, there's so many older people here.
19:23How do they ever get their prescriptions? How do they get anything out of a pharmacy?
19:27So when I first arrived here, we moved in about three years ago, there was three pharmacies here.
19:33Now there's half of one. Yeah, I'm not going to smack talk the company itself. There's staff there that are probably worried about their jobs.
19:45But it's been up and down now for a long time and it's not good for them, it's not good for the community.
19:49Now it's time to take a quick look at the weather.
19:57Tonight, you can expect mostly cloudy skies across the county with temperatures dipping to 11 degrees in most areas.
20:03Highs of 12 in Dartford and Margate into tomorrow morning, then slight chill. Highs of 11 in Dover and lows of 9 in Ashford.
20:10And then into the afternoon, temperatures will rise a bit, peaking at 15 in Maidstone, where we'll see a few sunny spells breaking through the clouds with lows of 14 degrees.
20:18Tuesday, we've got rain. Yellow weather warning, it looks like, 12 degrees.
20:23And then on Friday and Saturday, 11 degrees, clear skies.
20:34Now, a Westmalling mum has beaten the likes of broadcasting legends, Louis Thoreau and Emily Maitlis, to win a prestigious national podcasting award.
20:44Rosie Moss is the host of Widowed AF, which explores grief and widowhood.
20:49After losing her husband in 2018 while in Faversham, Rosie wanted to share her journey and help people through their own pain, platforming voices along the way.
20:57The newly crowned British Podcast Award winner joins me now in the studio.
21:01Thanks so much for joining me, Rosie. And first of all, what was it like to win this award?
21:06I said at the time, I'm seldom lost for words. And I was lost for words. It was the most single, overwhelming, amazing, spectacular thing.
21:16I was just glad to be included, to be honest. I was, you know, just grateful to be shortlisted.
21:21And when they read Louis's name out third, I thought, well, you know, it was nice to be here, you know.
21:27And they had the newsagent second and, you know, clapping away.
21:31And my friend was filming me and she said, I don't know why I was still filming you because you obviously hadn't won.
21:36And then there's that moment where they call out Widowed AF and I kind of leap up out of my seat.
21:41And yeah, it was just incredible.
21:43Did you ever expect for it to happen when you started?
21:46No, no, God, no. Never in a million years. No.
21:49I can remember seeing the download figures go up to sort of 5,000 and thinking, oh, my goodness, you know, this is incredible.
21:555,000 people have listened. And it's, you know, we're looking at 150,000 downloads now. It's just, it's just insane.
22:01And I mean, it says here your podcast talks about grief and with honesty and even humor at times.
22:07How do you find that balance? I mean, sure, it can be quite difficult.
22:09Yeah, it can. And I think the name in itself kind of summarizes what it is that I do.
22:14And I think they say your vibe attracts your tribe. Right.
22:17So I think the people that would come and listen to my podcast would be people that would want a little bit of dark humor.
22:22Because actually, one of the things in widowhood is you get stripped of your identity.
22:26OK, you become very public property and you sort of lose sense of who you are.
22:30And actually, I still had a dark sense of humor. I was still a bit naughty and a bit fun.
22:35And I really felt like I wanted somewhere that widows or the widowed could come and be themselves, you know, express themselves.
22:42And is there a particular story or guess that really changed your view on grief and think, you know, that would really help other people?
22:49Yeah, I mean, I've spoken to an awful lot of people. And I would say that there are similarities throughout everybody's arc.
22:55The people that come to me have gone through, they've made a choice. And that choice is not simply to kind of exist, but it's to survive.
23:01And I think the stories that stand out for me, surprisingly, are that some of the really complex grief ones, because when somebody dies, for a lot of us, it'll be quite a pure form of grief.
23:11You'll be very, very sad. You might be angry, but these aren't unexpected emotions.
23:15Sometimes when somebody dies and there's a complication around it, it might be something you found out after they died.
23:20It might be because they'd had a really difficult time of it during their illness.
23:24It's the raw honesty of people coming and saying, actually, I really hated my dead husband, you know, and having the power and the place to say it without judgment,
23:33because actually, we've all felt that at some point in our widowed, well, not even widowed.
23:38But it's important that there's somewhere safe you can say that, where nobody's going to recoil and look at you like you're an absolute monster, because those feelings are all right.
23:45And when people tune in for the first time, what do you hope they take away from it?
23:50Is it those lessons that you've spoken to people about and that kind of overall theme, really?
23:55I think I would like to, because a lot of my listeners are not actually widowed, which I find really surprising.
24:00But what it does do is it gives you this insight into a world that most of us kind of hope we're never going to be part of.
24:06But a little kind of statistic I like to wheel out is if you're in a romantic relationship, the chances are one of you is going to be widowed at some point.
24:13So shying away from this inevitability doesn't do anybody any good.
24:17So actually, the listeners, they take away, they learn a lot about what strength really is.
24:22They learn a lot about how to support people who are going through it.
24:25And I think there's also an element of learning to understand what being widowed means.
24:29I mean, much like most people, I thought it was, you know, the black veil, grey hair, you know, mourning for forever.
24:36And actually, it doesn't always look like that.
24:38It can look like you've got your lipstick on and you're going out with your friends to a festival.
24:42Widowhood is a, it is unique to the individual, but it doesn't stop the individual being unique either.
24:48That's fantastic.
24:50It sounds like an amazing podcast and I'm very looking forward to watching it soon.
24:55But it's not the only thing you're doing.
24:56You're also writing a book as well.
24:57Tell us about that.
24:58Yeah, I actually have a book.
24:59It's finished.
25:00Yes, it is.
25:01And I had a publisher and they've just gone into liquidation.
25:03So if there's any publishers out there.
25:05So I am possibly going to go the self-publish route because I feel like I've written this book.
25:09It's there.
25:10It's edited.
25:11It's formatted.
25:12There's a cover.
25:13So I think February is probably when the book's going to be out.
25:15And what's the bigger bite?
25:16Is it obviously the same sort of theme or is it...?
25:18Very much so.
25:19I felt that I almost had an obligation to do something with this research because to my knowledge,
25:24nobody has ever conducted this level of research into widowhood.
25:27So I've got these hours and hours and reams and reams of transcripts.
25:30So what I've done is I've made a kind of part memoir, part self-help book.
25:34It's a kind of hybrid.
25:35So you've got lots of my story running through it because obviously it's my book.
25:38And I can only speak from personal experience.
25:40But I've included lots of anecdotes and examples from other people.
25:44There's kind of self-help tips and there's a guide for what not to do if you want to help
25:48somebody who's grieving as well.
25:50And it also seems like community is a big part of your work.
25:54How did the idea of Soul Sisters Retreat first come to you?
25:57Oh, well, yeah, that was only last weekend.
25:59So I'm still riding on a bit of a high from that myself.
26:02I actually went out to America.
26:04I was invited out to speak at a widow's retreat, which was a huge honour.
26:07And I flew out to New York on my own.
26:09And it was all really exciting.
26:10And I could see firsthand what this did for the women in the room, right?
26:14Even for me just there as a guest speaker.
26:16And I kind of came home and I percolated on it a little bit.
26:19And I thought, I'm going to do it.
26:20I'm just going to do it.
26:21I did.
26:22It sold out within a few days.
26:23And I had 10 widows come to my home and we did yoga and craft and I cooked things.
26:29Yeah, it was, it sounds so wholesome, but it had hen party vibes at times as well.
26:33Widows can be quite raucous.
26:35But it just, it was incredible.
26:37And I felt like I got as much from it as they did.
26:40And I absolutely will do more.
26:42That's amazing.
26:43Well, all the very best of luck in the future with your podcast and everything.
26:47And congratulations.
26:48Thank you so much.
26:49We'll have more after this break.
29:51Hello, and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
30:14Here's a recap of today's headlines.
30:16It's like a second home.
30:19People say closure of Whitstable S&D school would spell disaster for students.
30:25Quit now.
30:26Kent Labour MPs demand KCC reform leader stands down.
30:31And a race against time.
30:33Three mothers of children with rare genetic disorder have come together to raise awareness
30:37and money for a cure.
30:40But first, we return to our top story this evening.
30:42A funding dispute between a school in Whitstable and Kent County Council means dozens of students
30:47and their families are unsure if they will be returning to class after the half term.
30:51The FAR Academy provides S&D provision to dozens of young people, including those who have dropped out of mainstream education.
30:59However, KCC say they received notification from the school of its desire to cease operations earlier this month.
31:06A decision which the Academy say was enforced because of local government funding cuts.
31:11The McDermott has more.
31:13For young people who struggle to attend mainstream schools in the Whitstable area,
31:17the Fastgate Academy provides a place where they can continue their learning in an alternative setting,
31:22while making sure they get their qualifications.
31:24One of those students is Kira, and she's studying maths, English and photography.
31:28But before that, she wasn't in mainstream education since primary school,
31:31was on authorised absences for four years and says she didn't have any help before coming to the Academy.
31:37The FAR Academy has helped me a lot.
31:39There's a lot of people around here that just understand me
31:43and I've been able to make friends that have my interests.
31:48They just know me here.
31:50They know how to deal with me, how to handle me if I have issues and problems.
31:55And they just, they're really kind here.
31:58They understand your mental health here, don't they?
32:00Yeah.
32:01And they really help you with it.
32:02Yeah.
32:03If you're having a bad day, they make it better.
32:06Kent County Council say they were informed on the 13th of October 2025 by FAR Academy
32:11of its decision to cease operations on the 15th of October.
32:14This unexpected action has left us no choice but to immediately begin arranging suitable alternative provision
32:20for the 23 young people currently funded by the Council.
32:23The decision to close is part of a funding dispute between the Council and the school,
32:27wherein a change of price from a previous year's discount due to the amount of students brought about the decision.
32:32So this year, we've had to put them on our standard published fees, which are on our website.
32:39So it's all very transparent.
32:41And they agreed to that.
32:43So we haven't put up our fees at all.
32:46We're just back onto our standard fees, which have been on our website for 10 years.
32:50I spoke to the Council's cabinet member for Education and Skills about this dispute.
32:54There was an agreement in place for 2324, which was an agreed amount per pupil of £23,000.
33:03When the invoice was expected, which would have been just start of the new term, an invoice came in which was basically for £35,000 per pupil.
33:15The Academy has different facilities like a skate park and skate shop that they can incorporate into a more practical teaching style.
33:21Now this place is for those who the school system might have failed.
33:24So in order to get them to fall in love with learning again, they can learn a variety of different subjects.
33:28Obviously, they can still cover their maths and English qualifications.
33:31But if they've got an interest in graphic design, they can design their own skateboards and sell them here in the shop.
33:36Maybe behind the counter, someone working towards a business qualification is able to show off their design and marketing skills or learn how a product is really sold.
33:45The families of pupils at the school say they hope that Kent County Council and the Fire Academy can reach an agreement.
33:51Finn McDermid for KMTV in Whitstable.
33:54I'm Brent Lewis, the founder of the FireScape Foundation, along with Finn who's been covering the story.
34:02So tell us a bit about the students you teach at the Fire Academy and the issues they can experience in mainstream schools.
34:09We have a variety of young people with us, all with mental health issues.
34:17So they're very vulnerable and a lot of them will have childhood trauma.
34:21So we work holistically with them at our school and college and create an environment where they feel safe and nurtured.
34:29In turn, building their confidence up in learning and gaining qualifications.
34:34And talk to us through the situation. When did this funding dispute start?
34:39There's no dispute from our side.
34:45So last year we've been speaking to KCC for many years.
34:49We gave them a discount last year because they gave us a lot more students than what we offered.
34:59So we then could spread the money across a larger amount of the college.
35:03Being a nonprofit, it's really tough to try to find the right amount of funding.
35:09So this year they cut and stopped young people entering the college, which drastically took our numbers down.
35:16We spoke over the last year with KCC and they agreed that they will be put onto our standard rate.
35:25We have that in writing. And I've just seen your clip and Beverly Fordman's obviously just reading a script given to her by KCC, which is actually completely inaccurate.
35:36That's not the case at all. Our standard fees are published on our website and we're very open and transparent about this.
35:42And they were agreed by Paula Watson from KCC.
35:45Yeah. And then joining us is also Finn. And you actually have the response from County Council.
35:50Well, yes. So that response, that statement that Brent was referencing there is that KCC say they were informed on the 13th of October 2025 by the Fire Academy of its decision to cease operations by the 15th of October.
36:03The unexpected action has left us no choice but to immediately begin arranging suitable alternative provision for 23 young people currently funded by the Council.
36:12And we've contacted families to ensure continuity of support.
36:16So they say to avoid disruption while those negotiations continued, Kent County Council advised the provider of the commitment to pay invoices submitted at the agreed rate while awaiting their supporting evidence to justify the increase.
36:30So as this dispute continues.
36:33And what maybe does the future like? I mean, can you answer that, Brent?
36:37Well, we don't have a choice to be able to look after these young people.
36:44A lot of them wouldn't be here if they weren't at the college.
36:50And we've never said that we're ceasing operations.
36:54We just said we need to cut down a bit to KCC pay their invoices because we need to not get ourselves into debt.
37:02That's all. So the college is fully open and operational.
37:05OK, so any maybe of the children that are worried they can still sort of go down to it and use it, but it just will look a little bit different.
37:12Yeah, exactly that. So we just have to cut down a little bit. That's all.
37:17All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Brent, and thanks for doing the story as well, Finn.
37:24We will follow it as it continues.
37:27Now, a singer from Hawking was sentenced on Friday after stabbing a man at his Folkestone bar last August.
37:34A court heard 32-year-old Stephen Harwood-Brown attacked two men at Pickleback's Bar in Cheriton Place.
37:41Harwood-Brown smashed a bottle over Hussein Hadoubashloo's head, leaving him with serious injuries and requiring multiple stitches.
37:49He claimed emotional distress over his failing business and a desperate state.
37:55Harwood-Brown was sentenced to three years in prison at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent.
38:02Next, protesters are outraged that the only 10% of 150 homes planned on a former school site in Margate are set to be affordable.
38:14Germino Estates plan to build homes to replace the Royal School for Deaf Children, including just 15 affordable units.
38:23Although the council's target for the area is 30% affordable housing, developers argue that 10% is justified through a viability assessment.
38:32Locals express that the development raises concerns over wildlife, tree loss, and creates pressure on local health services.
38:40They worry such developments could worsen the affordability crisis in Thanet.
38:46And in the last couple of hours, it's been revealed that the under pressure Reform UK leader of Kent County Council has called on her 49 remaining members to back her in writing.
38:56Councillor Lyndon Kim Caron, on advice from the party's headquarters, sent out a message this morning calling all fellow councillors to sign a statement of support amid talk of a no-confidence vote.
39:07It comes after a video was leaked during the weekend showing the council leader swearing about colleagues who did not agree with decisions she's made.
39:15We can hear from some of the Kent MPs on the situation now.
39:18I think we need to make sure that everyone is in public office, in public life, upholds the highest standards.
39:24And I think if what we saw from this video is really the bonnet being lifted on what's under Reform's operation.
39:31And I think, you know, people who are in positions of leadership need to be making sure that they're leading by example.
39:38I've been involved in politics and in local government in my previous life for 35 years or so.
39:46I've never come across anything like this. Leaders swearing at their group members, muting them, telling them their views aren't wanted, expelling them so they can't challenge the leadership.
39:58This is all very extraordinary behaviour. It's not business as usual in any sense.
40:02We do this. Certainly I do this and my colleagues in the Labour Party do this so that other people are confident that decisions are being made that will benefit the whole country.
40:12I'm afraid to say what we see here is people behaving in a very, very unprofessional way and not grown up at all.
40:20You cannot leave decisions to be made by people who cannot conduct themselves properly in the workplace.
40:25Now, about 40,000 people in Rainham have been left without a pharmacy after its last community pharmacist closed.
40:32Jutes Pharmacy in Rainham Shopping Centre stopped dispensing prescriptions in August, leaving residents in the town having to travel more than two miles away to the nearest pharmacy.
40:43We've been speaking to shoppers in the town.
40:45Oh, I think there's a big problem, especially from, you know, I mean, OK, I'm capable of getting from A to B, but other people are not.
40:56And it's our age group really that's suffering through not having a pharmacy in Rainham.
41:03It's just rubbish, isn't it? They've been shut for quite a while, only because they didn't have a pharmacist there.
41:11But if you look in there, in there, there's hardly anything on the shelves anyway.
41:15So they obviously either haven't paid the pharmacist or the company is just going down the pan, basically.
41:23People paid a lot more money than me to make those decisions.
41:28Being somebody that lives in the local community, I would say we definitely, we need at least one permanent pharmacy in this area, in the centre of Rainham.
41:37Whether three was too much, I don't know, but it certainly cut down queues.
41:44But, yeah, I do think we definitely need one permanent pharmacy in this area.
41:49More after this break.
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45:12Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
45:13.
45:14Now whether you're strolling through Blyn Woods or Bredgebury, Kent nature enthusiasts have noticed
45:19a bumper crop of acorns this year.
45:21This autumn marks the start of a natural phenomenon in which certain species of trees produce a
45:26superabundance of acorns and other nuts.
45:29It's called a mast year and Alex Marshall, citizen science assistant at the Woodland Trust.
45:33At the Woodland Trust, join me earlier to talk all about it.
45:37All right, Alex, thanks so much for joining us this evening.
45:40First of all, can you tell me what a mast year is exactly?
45:45Yes, a mast year is when trees produce an abundance of fruits and nuts.
45:52It happens every five years or so, and it happens across different species as well.
45:57And is it climate-related at all, or is it just a phenomenon that happens every so often?
46:03I think there's research looking into the links with climate,
46:08but it's a bit of one of nature's mysteries as to exactly why and how it happens.
46:14And how does it affect people here in the county?
46:16I know one of the people in the office was talking about how they heard all these acorns falling onto people's cars.
46:21Is there any disadvantages to it? And, I mean, on the other side, what are the advantages?
46:27Well, it's great for foraging.
46:30If there's anyone who's interested in foraging, like me, collecting conkers.
46:33There's lots of conkers to pick up at the moment.
46:36And berries, hawthorn, blackthorn.
46:40And then disadvantages.
46:43I think it might be toxic to sheep.
46:46I'm talking about acorns when I say it might be toxic.
46:50But other than that, no, it's a natural phenomenon.
46:53It's amazing to see all the fruits and berries and nuts on the trees at this time of year.
47:01And where in Kent?
47:02I mean, if people are listening to this and they want to go and collect some for themselves,
47:06where would be the best place to go, do you think?
47:08Oh, woodlands, parks, anywhere where there's big mature trees,
47:14because they're more likely to produce lots of fruits and nuts.
47:18Are there any long-term effects on the local environment?
47:24I wouldn't say there were long-term effects from mast years.
47:30So when a tree produces an abundance of fruits and nuts,
47:35it creates an abundance of food availability for wildlife that feeds on those fruits and nuts,
47:43like mice and squirrels and deers and certain birds.
47:48So for a mast year, it's beneficial for them because they get an abundance of food
47:54and their population will spike as a result.
47:59But in terms of people, there's no sort of long-term impacts from mast years.
48:05It's been happening for, well, as long as trees have existed, as far as I'm aware.
48:13It's very interesting that it is kind of this phenomenon that isn't known too much about,
48:19but everybody likes acorns.
48:21Everybody sees them on the ground and maybe collects them,
48:23and then you go back to the games that they used to have.
48:26And is there any other sorts of things that maybe people could do to celebrate?
48:30We may have passed the right time, but I was thinking getting creative in the kitchen,
48:37maybe some pies with all the fruits or creating some jellies.
48:42I was thinking along those kinds of lines, harvesting some sweet chestnuts.
48:48They're a nice snack this time of year.
48:51Now, do all your sport headlines from across the county with Finn McDermott.
49:00First off, Gillingham assistant manager Richard Dobson remains confident in his team's ability going forward,
49:10even praising their recent loss against Grimsby.
49:13The Gills lost 1-0 to the Lincolnshire team on Saturday, having had two players sent off.
49:18But Dobson is excited for what lies ahead.
49:20On not conceding any goals apart from a penalty,
49:22he said those qualities are going to be what sees us through over the course of the season.
49:26The Gills next play Salford City at home this Saturday.
49:30Now to rugby, and it was a victory for the Medway women's team,
49:34who won their first match in the NC1 South East season against Hove, 15-10.
49:40Playing away in Sussex, the side started strong, asserting some early dominance,
49:44and the first try from Hove spurred them on further, with Esme Conway scoring first.
49:48Hove held up well until they let slip successive penalties
49:51that gave Medway the upper hand to a well-deserved win.
49:55Medway, now in fifth, are next in league action on the 8th of November at home to Jersey.
50:00Now, Dover's Elfmark VDS racing rider Jake Dixon finished fifth place in the Moto2 Australian Grand Prix
50:07after a long wrestle for a spot on the podium.
50:10The race included a battle for second place at Phillip Island,
50:13losing out to Aspar's Danny Holgado by 0.7 seconds.
50:17Dixon maintained that he did the absolute maximum that he could do,
50:20despite the result being, as he said, slightly frustrating with the down-under race now over.
50:27Three rounds remain in this season's battle to be top of the podium, with Malaysia up this weekend.
50:33And finally, this month's Shotokan Connect Karate Championships saw May Rosen of Deal take home a bronze medal in the Jakurin.
50:41Her Canterbury-based Sochin Karate Club also made the top ten overall for the championships,
50:47and May also came in eighth in the parent and child team, Kata, with her mother, Emma.
50:51At 12, this was the last year May was able to compete in this category,
50:55and as the only girl, was thrilled to finish third.
50:57Well, that's all your sports news from May.
51:10Now, Kent residents have been reacting to the news that several beloved chocolate bars
51:15will no longer be classified as chocolate,
51:18after rising cocoa prices led the marketers to the switch to using other ingredients.
51:23Club and Penguin bars are now described as chocolate flavour
51:28because of the amount of cocoa they contain has been reduced
51:31after owner Plattis had to find cheaper alternatives to the main ingredient in chocolate.
51:37But what do you think? We asked shoppers in the Chillingham.
51:41I've never heard anything ridiculous.
51:43You know, chocolate-coated biscuit, they are chocolate, not chocolate-flaving.
51:47If it's chocolate-flaving, you can tell the difference.
51:49You know, it's an artificial taste, you know, but McFitties, you know,
51:54the chocolate that they use is delicious, is better than Cadbury's sometimes.
52:00Ah, well, I always thought they were biscuits more anyway,
52:03but I haven't really talked too much about it,
52:06but I just think it was always a biscuit, really.
52:09Well, they are chocolate, so I think it's a bit silly, I guess, yeah.
52:14Well, I just feel it's a shame now that they're looking at alternatives,
52:19diluting it down, adding sweeteners, just to, I don't know,
52:24I'll look forward to trying the new club to see how it tastes compared to the old one
52:29because it used to have that lovely thick chocolate on it.
52:33So, we'll see.
52:35Some very interesting responses there.
52:37You can send in your thoughts by going to our website,
52:39kmtv.co.uk, or messaging us on social media.
52:43Now, you can also keep up to date with all our stories from across the county
52:46by going to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
52:49There you can watch all our past pieces, including this one with Maisie,
52:53joining Kent County Council's Highways team as they prepare for the winter chill.
53:03Things are about to get icy, but don't worry, Kent's bringing the grit.
53:07Each year, Kent County Council's Highways team prepares for the colder months
53:12with an operation to keep Kent's roads safe and moving.
53:16Now, I promise you I'm not super short.
53:19I'm just behind 4,000 tonnes of salt,
53:22which enables Kent to have safer, less hazardous roads
53:25when it comes to those icy conditions during the wintertime.
53:29This year, the service will run from October to April,
53:32with a period from December to February.
53:34Residents can expect to see gritters out
53:37if temperatures are predicted to dip below zero degrees.
53:41Last winter, the team carried out 57 primary salting runs
53:45and used over 11,500 tonnes of salt.
53:50You can't really improve on perfection,
53:52but we have changed the routes.
53:54The routes are much more streamlined.
53:58The guys are going out on the practice run today
54:00to make sure they know exactly which routes they're going to cover.
54:02We can only really do 30% of our roads.
54:05As I've said, we do most of the A roads, most of the B roads.
54:09We get a lot of help from local farmers.
54:11They go out in their local areas and we pay them to do that for us,
54:15but they don't get paid very much,
54:17but they do a great service out on the rural roads.
54:20In addition to primary routes,
54:22designated snow routes will be treated during severe weather,
54:26with 3,000 salt bins scattered across Kent.
54:29Improvement to roads drainage is to be expected too,
54:33in order to prevent hazardous conditions
54:35caused by standing water and flooding,
54:38which can be especially dangerous in winter.
54:41Kent's highways team is prepared to tackle winter head-on,
54:45carefully salting away at the season's challenges
54:48and making sure Kent roads stay steady when the cold sets in.
54:53Maisie Walker for KMTV, Ellsford.
54:56Well, will there be any use
54:59for the grit on the roads in the coming week?
55:02Let's take a look at the weather to find out.
55:10Tonight, you can expect mostly cloudy skies across the county,
55:13with temperatures dipping to 11 degrees for most areas,
55:16highs of 12 over in Dartford and Margate.
55:18Tomorrow morning, we will bring slight chill,
55:20with highs of 11 in Dover and lows of 9 in Ashford.
55:23Then, into the afternoon, temperatures will rise a bit,
55:26peaking at 15 in Maidstone,
55:27where we'll see a few sunny spells breaking through the clouds,
55:29lows of 14 degrees.
55:31On Thursday, then, we have cloudy, rainy skies,
55:33yellow weather warning there popped up, 12 degrees.
55:36And then on Friday and Saturday, 11 degrees, clear skies.
55:38Now, you've made it through Kent Tonight Live on KMTV,
55:52but don't worry, there's more news made just for you
55:55throughout the evening.
55:56We will have a bulletin at 8pm,
55:58and then all our other shows throughout the week.
56:00So don't forget you can keep up to date
56:01with the latest news across the county
56:03by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
56:07There, you can keep us on.
56:09You can also keep us on your social timelines
56:10by liking us on Facebook and following us on TikTok.
56:14We'll be uploading some of the stories from today
56:15onto Facebook later on.
56:17And if you have a story you think we should be covering,
56:19then don't hesitate to get in touch.
56:22We also have a series of special programmes,
56:25Invicta Sport, based in Kent and Kent Film Club.
56:28We're very, very interesting,
56:30which you can watch throughout the week
56:32or catch up on our website.
56:33But from me, for now, have a very good evening,
56:36and we will see you again at 8pm with Alfie Rowe.
56:39Bye-bye.
56:57Bye-bye.
57:13Bye-bye.
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