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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
00:25I'm Kristen Hawthorne and here are your top stories on Wednesday the 12th of November.
00:30Reform retaliation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Brands reform led KCC's performance
00:36as totally incompetent. Cutting local services, raising council tax, failing to protect the
00:43public. That's all reform have to offer. Grievance, division and total incompetence.
00:49Traffic torment looms. Eastree residents raise money to fight 100 home development.
00:54It's going to be a nightmare and we do not believe that that road can take any traffic
01:00and we do not believe that the access and exit that's being proposed is safe.
01:05And is it time to deck the halls? Rochester residents let us know when they string up their decorations.
01:11I think it's too early to start decorating but I don't think it's too early to start preparing
01:15for Christmas.
01:26Our top story this evening. The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has launched a scathing attack
01:31on Kent County Council today saying it's failing to protect the public. The PM and Labour leader
01:36was speaking at Prime Minister's questions and called the reform led council staggeringly incompetent
01:42and that he felt sorry for Kent residents. It comes as KCC released his statement to
01:48KMTV today advising that councillors won't be able to balance the books this year saying
01:53the cost of adult social care is the cause. Finn McDermid's outside KCC headquarters for
01:58us in Maidstone to tell us more this evening. So Finn, Kent was brought up by the Prime Minister
02:04today for all of those reasons. Is that right?
02:09...extension reform has sort of become the talk of the parliamentary town with it kind of being the
02:15blueprint for reform around the country. And here at Sessions House reform have been working over the
02:21last six months to deliver their promises from the local election. And this includes things like you say,
02:26like transport, and especially cutting costs in their British version of DOGE or the Department of
02:32Government Efficiency, something they've borrowed from Trump's administration over in America.
02:37Now fast forward to the start of this month where some of reform's cabinet members were saying that
02:41the council might be down to bare bones, that they were saying that they might need more money.
02:46And it's as you say today where we heard this morning that the council is looking to overspend their
02:52budget by three percent. It's total revenue budget. Now, Councillor Lyndon Kemkeran, the council leader
02:59even, she refuted claims at that time that the party would be raising tax. But with this overspend,
03:06the questions are raising, well, where is this deficit going to be cleared? And you mentioned,
03:10obviously, that Keir Starmer raised this in Parliament and spoke about what he called the
03:15disruption to the people of Kent. We can hear a little more from the Prime Minister just now.
03:20My sympathy is with the people of Kent whose lives are being disrupted by the staggering
03:27incompetence of reform. Mr Speaker, Kent County Council was supposed to be the blueprint for
03:33what reform would deliver across the country. Now we can see what that means. Cutting local services,
03:40raising council tax, failing to protect the public. That's all reform have to offer. Grievance,
03:46division, and total incompetence.
03:49Said David, leader of the Liberal Democrats.
03:53Very interesting clip there, Fint. Can you explain to us a bit more about that overspend and where it's come from?
04:00Absolutely. Kent County Council sent us and other organisations a release today where they said
04:05continued unprecedented pressures have resulted in Kent County Council's adult social care service
04:10budget currently forecasting an overspend of just 7%. Conversely, they say the rest of the council
04:18services are underspending, bringing the overall position to an overspend of just 3%. So they're
04:25claiming that, well, our adult social care budget is just too high that it's dragging up all of our other
04:30budgets. And very quickly, Lyndon Kerkeren said that the latest monitoring report demonstrates
04:36the incredible challenges facing the authority and that there may be difficult decisions made ahead.
04:42All right, then, thank you. We will come back to that later in the programme to find out more.
04:48Now, an alleged murder victim was found in the basement of a home in Chatham after being stabbed
04:52during a break-in. Charles Belsham died on the 1st of November following reports of a serious attack
04:58at a property in Castle Road. The court heard that three to four people had barged into the address
05:03and attacked the victim. His cause of death was given as a stab wound to the chest. Two men were
05:10arrested and charged with the murder following the death of Mr Belsham on the 6th of November,
05:14but have yet to formally enter a plea.
05:19Next, Eastry campaigners have launched a fundraiser to fight back against a 100-home
05:24development they say will gridlock their village. Dover Districts Council, their local plan was
05:32already paved the way for the housing in the area, but residents want their own assessment of
05:36what new traffic will mean on their narrow Roman roads. Local democracy reporter Olly Leader went
05:41down to the village to find out more. Lower Street is already a busy Roman road,
05:49running right into the heart of the quintessentially Kentish village of Eastry. But more than that,
05:56it's become a battleground against a 100 new home development, which campaigners say will cause
06:04traffic chaos and increase the risk of accidents in an area with inadequate footpaths and poor visibility.
06:13The access to it is very poor. It's a blind bend and there is a 30 mile an hour lead speed limit
06:20through here. But you can hear from the traffic that it comes at 60 down from the bypass and then
06:28comes down to 30. It is an accident waiting to happen. And one of the local residents recently fell
06:34down on the blind bend. And if we hadn't have sort of stepped in, he may well have been run over by a car
06:40because they were speeding down from the, from the bypass. Dover District Council's local plan
06:46has already greenlit the area for housing, but the density of development in just one field has proven
06:54to be a barrier to local support with 330 objections being lodged against the planning applications so far.
07:04The Eastry says no campaign is now trying to raise thousands for independent surveyors
07:12to assess their concerns. But we have to actually get independent assessments on things like traffic
07:20management, the suitability of ancient Roman roads to take all this increase in traffic that's going to
07:27come out of these developments. It's going to be a nightmare and we do not believe that that road
07:33can take any traffic and we do not believe that the access and exit that's been proposed is safe.
07:39The proposal has not yet gone to planning committee for approval, with Hume planning consultancy acting
07:46on behalf of the developers stating that highway evidence supports the current planning application
07:53and discussions are ongoing with Kent County Council as the local highway authority to resolve any
08:00outstanding concerns. But campaigners say that no matter what happens next,
08:06the fight is far from over. Olly Leda in Eastry.
08:1620 year old man from Faversham has been sentenced to four years in prison,
08:19imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court with possession and intent to supply.
08:25Ellis Priest had first caught the attention of the police in 2023 when CCTV operators spotted him
08:32acting suspiciously and alerted the police who found 84 wraps of cocaine and two bags of cannabis in his
08:38bag. In June officers received a warrant to search Priest's home and located a large machete next to his bed
08:45as well as cannabis, cocaine, drug paraphernalia and another machete inside a child's playroom. He was
08:51arrested and later charged on November 5th. Next, plans for a 15 megawatt solar farm have been
08:59recommended for refusal. Earlier this year, BSR Energy Ltd asked Mainstone Borough Council for
09:06permission to build a solar farm on Harpt Farm in Boxley. This proposed development would produce
09:12enough clean renewable energy to power approximately 6,500 homes per year. In a meeting tomorrow, a final
09:19decision will be made. However, planning officers are recommending councillors vote down the
09:24application. They argue it would cause significant harm to the character and appearance of the area
09:29as it sits within the Kent Downs national landscape.
09:32Plans have been revealed for the 291 homes on the Hive Golf Club. This comes after a previous proposal for
09:41150 holiday chalets were dropped in February last year. GSE Group, the owner of Hive Golf Club and
09:49neighbouring Hive Imperial Hotel, has said that 25% of homes will be classed as affordable. Etley Reynolds
09:56joins me now with more. So, Etley, what's the plan? So, Hive Golf Club would become just a nine-hole
10:03pay-to-play par-three academy golf course with an adventure golf attraction that will be themed around
10:10the Napoleonic Wars. On top of this, the 291 homes that are proposed to be built will include a mix of
10:18three-bedroom houses and flats that have one or two. We can see on screen some of the proposed ideas
10:26there for this new plan. The Hive Imperial Hotel will also see a multi-million-pound investment,
10:33taking them to 116 rooms. This includes a 20-metre indoor swimming pool that is set to be a privately
10:43funded alternative to nearby Hyde swimming pool, which will be open to both guests of the hotel
10:48and members of the public. And what have GSE said? So, the company has actually yet to submit a formal
10:56planning application for the scheme. So, all of this, as I've said, is just proposals at the moment.
11:02But their chairman says that the investment has been designed to strengthen the local economy,
11:08community and enhance the environment. He also said that GSE have listened to the concerns of
11:14residents and radically redesigned the scheme to better align with the community's needs. And they
11:21say that these new houses that they built, 73 of which will be considered affordable housing,
11:27is going to help with the much-needing housing in the area. Fabulous. Well, we will speak with you
11:34more later about a different story, but we'll see you then. Now, we're heading to a break now,
11:38but don't go anywhere as we'll be back in just a few minutes with more. And we'll be speaking with
11:43Dr. Ranj about infant vaccinations protecting from winter respiratory viruses. See you then.
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15:11Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
15:15An urgent warning has been issued this winter saying that despite the UK's immunisation programmes, many babies are entering the season without protection from winter respiratory viruses, putting them at a higher risk of serious illness and hospitalisation.
15:29Medical expert and practicing NHS paediatric doctor, Dr Ranj, told us more.
15:35We know that cases of certain illnesses like RSV and flu have been going up since October.
15:41The numbers we are seeing are actually higher than we have seen in previous years, and that's why it's really imperative that we protect the most vulnerable especially as much as we can.
15:53For instance, premature babies we know are one of the groups that are greater at risk.
15:59They are three times more likely to need hospital care for RSV
16:03and ten times more likely to need intensive care because of it.
16:07So it's really essential that we protect those vulnerable groups
16:11as well as any other baby or little one that might be eligible.
16:16Now, to talk more about this story and more health headlines from across the county,
16:20here's our resident health expert, Dr Julian Spinks.
16:23OK, thank you so much for joining us.
16:31Let's first return to the topic of winter respiratory viruses,
16:35as I'm sure many parents are worried about it.
16:36Why are so many children entering the season without protection from the viruses?
16:40Well, we're very much into the wheezing season, the winter months when we get these problems.
16:45And interestingly, as Dr Ranj said, this year we've got a bigger problem than normal
16:49and so it's more personal to actually getting the protection we need to do.
16:54The problem we have with respiratory successional virus, RSV, is that we don't vaccinate the children, the babies.
17:02Actually, it's the pregnant mums we need to get to have the vaccination.
17:06We give it to mothers who are 28 weeks pregnant or beyond and the idea is they develop immunity
17:12and the immunity crosses the placenta and the baby is born with several months' worth of protection
17:16when they're most vulnerable because we're trying to protect those very newborn ones,
17:21particularly those who are premature.
17:24RSV mostly causes a mild illness for most of us, but in the very young and the very old,
17:29it can cause pneumonias and it can cause another condition called bronchiolitis,
17:33which is inflammation of the very small airways.
17:36And in those sort of circumstances, what will happen is the child may start with what appears to be a cold
17:40and then they start to get worse, their breathing deteriorates, they wheeze,
17:44they might start to actually slightly turn blue and that's when you need to seek medical help.
17:49And if the parents or the mothers haven't had that injection when they're pregnant,
17:53what's then the best way that they can protect their child from the viruses?
17:56The best way is to try and avoid them mixing with people who have what appears to be a cold,
18:02because it could be RSV, and simple, ordinary hygiene like washing hands and so on
18:07before handling the baby.
18:08There isn't much else you can do.
18:10If your baby has a cold-like symptoms, you can still use things like paracetamol
18:14and monitor them and make sure that they don't get too hot.
18:18But at the same time, really, if they haven't had that vaccination when they're pregnant,
18:23unfortunately, it's too late to protect that baby with vaccination.
18:26OK. Moving on then, it's been confirmed today that 18,000 NHS staff are set to lose their jobs
18:33following the approval of a deal between the Treasury and the Health Service.
18:37What do these job losses mean for patients here in Kent?
18:41Well, the interesting thing here is this is not clinical staff,
18:44so this is not doctors, nurses and so on.
18:45These are managers, and particularly in the integrated care boards,
18:50the bodies that actually run the health service in areas.
18:52In this area, it's Kent and Medway ICB.
18:55And there's a target across the country of losing about half of the staff in these organisations.
19:00So patients might not notice very much difference as far as the health care service is happening,
19:05but the problem I can see is all those staff have been doing things.
19:10And so the question is, are the people who are left going to be capable of doing that workload?
19:14Because we do need managers.
19:15It's very easy to blame them and say we have too many, but we need managers to be able to run things.
19:20For example, we've just talked about immunisations, and there are people to do with that in these organisations.
19:26So it's trying to reduce the spend on management.
19:29The challenge, I think, is going to be keeping things working properly with that reduction in numbers.
19:35OK. And could it cause further delays, do you think?
19:37I don't think directly it will, but there's always a bit of a danger because suddenly there has to be a shuffle around
19:43and people take on new duties and we've lost the expertise of those people who've gone.
19:47And so we go through a period when we're less efficient at actually running the health service
19:53whenever we have these big reorganisations.
19:56So then moving on, some more positive news maybe.
20:00Some research recently published suggests that longer walks are better for general health and heart health.
20:07Is this true and what should people be doing?
20:10Well, what they did was they compared a number of short walks, and they really were short,
20:15you know, as little as two minutes, with a longer walk.
20:19It was only 15 minutes, so we're not asking you to do a marathon.
20:22What they found was that the longer walk had a better effect of protecting against cardiovascular disease
20:28and other diseases than the same length of walking in little walks.
20:33And I think it probably is because you're trying to give your heart and your lungs and things a workout,
20:38your body a workout.
20:39And little short walks, you're really not doing very much in those,
20:42and the body recovers very quickly.
20:4415 minutes is enough to actually really tone up the muscles of the heart and the rest of the body,
20:49and so it is that positive effect.
20:5215 minutes is not a long time, and I think it's a worthwhile thing for people to do.
20:57You're not having to jog, you're not having to take up any sort of sport or anything like that.
21:01You're getting a benefit from day-to-day activity, maybe a nice walk in the countryside.
21:05And that's a stroll or a quick pace?
21:08It doesn't have to be super fast, but if you get something that gets your heart going a bit faster, that's better.
21:13But you can't give a pace because obviously the thing is that, depending on your condition already,
21:19you may not be able to go as fast as somebody who's fit.
21:23And many of our viewers may struggle to be more active or go on long walks.
21:27Do you have any advice for how to get out of the house and be more active?
21:30I think look for the sort of walks you'd like to do.
21:33You know, there are places that will offer things like guided walks with nature in and everything else.
21:38Being in the countryside is obviously nicer sometimes than walking around town.
21:42But actually, the best exercise is the exercise you carry on doing, not the one you do once and then go, I don't want to do that again.
21:49So finding something you enjoy, I think, is so important when it comes to getting fit.
21:53Yeah, so that could be, I mean, if you're walking to work, you go for a stroll after work, it could be quite beneficial, especially if you do it every day, yeah?
22:00Yes, that's it.
22:01It's building in physical activity, not exercise, just activity into your day-to-day life will make a difference to your general health.
22:09All right, thank you so much, Julian, I think we will speak to you soon, I'm sure.
22:22Now, don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest stories from across Kemp by visiting our website, kmtv.co.uk.
22:29There you'll find all the reports, including this one, about a special Black History Month screening from Medway Culture Club,
22:36tackling the challenges faced by the Windrush generation.
22:39The Glassbox Theatre in Medway hosted an important event as part of Black History Month,
22:47specifically about a generation that's often forgotten.
22:53Medway Culture Club hosted a film screening of the documentary Barrel Children, the family's Windrush left behind,
23:03exploring a generation of children separated from their parents
23:08who had to migrate to the UK for better job opportunities.
23:13Members of the Windrush generation have shared their voices here at the Glassbox Theatre in Medway
23:21about a period of time they believe needs to be discussed more.
23:26My dad prompted me to make this film and, you know, all of those themes, I feel, should be discussed more widely,
23:34both nationally, internationally, but also within our communities.
23:37We don't have these discussions as much as I think we should.
23:40And there are very good reasons for that.
23:42As Darnell said, you know, trauma, you know, survival, self-preservation,
23:46but nonetheless, it's important to have these discussions.
23:49The term Barrel Children came about as the parents sent supplies to them through barrels containing essentials and other products.
24:00We have many people in Medway who resonate with the Windrush generation either as descendants or first-hand.
24:07And so we had someone on stage who resides in Medway and shared her story of migration, identity and belonging as a Medway resident,
24:16but also as someone who migrated here as a child and has raised her family here.
24:21So I think it's important for us to recognise the contributions of the Windrush generation,
24:26but also pass down those oral histories to future generations living here in Medway.
24:32This event has encouraged these children, now turned adults, to speak about these challenging memories.
24:40I think for me, probably trauma was the social divide because different class.
24:48My father was working class and the parents different class.
24:53And for me, I only knew my mum's parents, only because I've been sent my grandmother, because my dad, my granddad was a politician.
25:05Nadine White is now working on a second instalment to this series,
25:12focusing on the effects of separation during this time period, ensuring this conversation is far from over.
25:21Henry Luck became TV in Medway.
25:26Now, as we're well on our way to winter now, I've been told the rain today has been a bit drizzly and quite windy,
25:32if you haven't been outside like I haven't really.
25:35But, so let's see if it's going to get any better in the next few days.
25:38OK, looks like tonight we can expect to see cloudy skies across the county with temperatures of 13 to 14 degrees across the board.
25:50Tomorrow morning, temperatures can be expected to remain around the same, 14 to 15,
25:55with slightly less cloudy in the southern Kent.
25:58By the afternoon, Dartford will remain cloudy.
26:00Dover will have some light showers, while temperatures will range from the highs of 16 to lows of 14.
26:06Friday, we've got 14 degrees.
26:08Looks like a yellow weather warning for rain.
26:10Saturday, much of the same, but goes down to 12 degrees, less rain.
26:14And then Sunday, cloudy skies, 11 degrees.
26:17Well, so it's still going to stay cloudy and rainy, but if you like that weather, then it'll be brilliant.
26:24But it's time for a quick break coming up.
26:26But don't go anywhere, as we will have a recap from Finn McDermott about the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's scathing comments
26:33on reform-led Kent County Council.
26:36And we'll be hearing more about MP Jim Dixon, who took to Prime Minister's questions today in celebration of Movember.
26:43All of that and more to come in a few minutes. See you then.
32:07of their total revenue budget.
32:09We'll get more into that budget in a second.
32:11But first, as you mentioned, let's hear what Keir Starmer had to say
32:14back in the House of Commons today.
32:17My sympathy is with the people of Kent whose lives are being disrupted
32:21by the staggering incompetence of reform.
32:25Mr Speaker, Kent County Council was supposed to be the blueprint
32:28for what reform would deliver across the country.
32:31Now we can see what that means.
32:33Cutting local services, raising council tax, failing to protect the public.
32:39That's all reform have to offer.
32:41Grievance, division and total incompetence.
32:45Said David, leader of the Liberal Democrats.
32:48All right, Finn, then can you explain what this overspent,
32:52where it has come from and a bit about the budget?
32:55Absolutely.
32:56So in that release we received today,
32:59Kent County Council expressed that their adult social care budget
33:02had gone over by about 7% or they're forecasting this kind of overspending.
33:10And on the other hand, they claim that most of the other services
33:13are underspending, bringing the overall position to an overspend
33:16of just 3% of the total revenue budget.
33:19So they're claiming that this social care budget
33:21is going to be overspent by so much that it's going to sort of drag everything else down.
33:26The council leader, Lyndon Kem-Keran, has come out today and said,
33:29the latest monitoring report illustrates the incredible challenges facing the authority,
33:33particularly in relation to adult social care.
33:36When we were elected in May, it became apparent how challenged this budget was.
33:40Under the previous administration, this department overspent massively.
33:44So you can see that they're highlighting this as a particular issue,
33:48this adult social care budget.
33:50She added, to remedy the situation,
33:51we'll need to make necessary but difficult decisions
33:54and we will require some input from central government.
33:58Now, we don't exactly know what those difficult decisions will exactly constitute,
34:01but the council added they are putting in place a series of measures
34:04to reduce the overspend,
34:05including targeted actions within adult social care
34:08and robust controls across the rest of the organisation
34:10to mitigate the overspend as far as possible.
34:14So we'll be hearing more updates on exactly how they'll be tackling this.
34:18All right. Thank you, Finn.
34:20Now, Dartford MP Jim Dixon took the Prime Minister's questions today as well
34:24in celebration of November,
34:27a movement devoted to changing the face of men's mental health.
34:32He asked for a major step change in the way the county helps men stay well.
34:37Let's take a look at what was said.
34:39Jim Dixon.
34:41Thank you, Mr Speaker.
34:42Can I say that I've long thought that both you and the Prime Minister
34:46would suit a magnificent moustache,
34:48and I'm sure you'd be capable of growing a better one than this.
34:52Many of us men in this House and outside
34:55are growing our tash out this month
34:58to highlight the need for our health system
35:00and men ourselves to address preventable and treatable conditions
35:04to which all men are vulnerable,
35:06including prostate cancer, testicular cancer,
35:09and mental health conditions such as depression.
35:11Does the Prime Minister agree that the forthcoming first-ever men's health strategy,
35:16soon to be published,
35:18must lead to a major step change
35:20in the way our country helps men stay well?
35:23Well, as he knows, my number one priority is growth,
35:27so I'm very glad to see his upper lip.
35:30He's obviously championing this himself.
35:32And can I say my best wishes to everyone growing moustache this Movember?
35:37It is right, Mr Speaker, to highlight that men are hit harder
35:40by a range of conditions,
35:42including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
35:46And that's why our men's health strategy
35:48will set out actions to improve the health of all men in England.
35:53Now, Year 5 pupils from Swalecliff Community Primary School
35:56have participated in a design contest
35:59to create warning signs for Hamshed Bridge in Whitstable.
36:04The students were encouraged to contribute these designs
36:06as part of our campaign to introduce a safer crossing to the area
36:10as part of their Values Day.
36:12Residents say the path leading towards the bridge is too narrow
36:15and has already led to many near-misses
36:17for both children and parents.
36:19The two winners, Brodie Allen and Henrietta Maitle-Jordan's posters
36:25now line the bridge, encouraging drivers to slow down
36:28and consider the safety of pedestrians.
36:31Next, it's time to take a look at the latest sports stories
36:34from across the county with Jude Moulton.
36:40Last night, the Gilles had an unfortunate exit to Wickham Wanderers
36:47in a devastating 3-0 loss.
36:50Wickham had complete control of the game
36:52with 68% possession and 18 shots on the Gillingham goal.
36:58The Gillingham boss, Gareth Ainsworth,
36:59did make his triumphant comeback to the dugout
37:01after his open-heart surgery
37:03and even with this tough exit,
37:05Ainsworth stated that it was a learning experience for everyone.
37:08It was a step up against Wigan, the boss added,
37:11way superior than the Fulham under-23s
37:14that they played in the previous round.
37:16It was a really good experience for my young boys
37:18and some of my senior boys as well.
37:21In some more positive Gillingham news now,
37:24goalkeeper Glenn Morris is recovering well from injury
37:26and will challenge Jake Turner for the number one spot.
37:29The battle to be Gilles' number one
37:32could resume soon,
37:33after manager Gareth Ainsworth hinted
37:35at a quicker-than-expected return for the shot-stopper.
37:38Morris went off injured against Salford
37:40earlier this season
37:42and there were fears that it was a long-term issue.
37:45However, the manager's hopeful
37:46that Morris will be back soon
37:48to give Turner some good competition.
37:50We head into the world of boxing now
37:52and Chatham's golden boy,
37:54Moses Itoma,
37:55finally has announced his next opponent.
37:58Coming off an impressive first-round victory
38:00against Dillian White,
38:02the unbeaten Chatham native
38:03will be back on the 24th of January
38:05to face Jermaine Franklin
38:07in Manchester's Co-op Live Arena.
38:10He was described as a world champion
38:12in waiting by Frank Warren.
38:14Itoma looks to continue his unbeaten run,
38:17which has seen him win
38:18all 13 professional bouts
38:20with 11 of those ending in a knockout.
38:23And now,
38:24Canterbury Rugby Club
38:25faced off against London Welsh this Saturday,
38:27but at the game,
38:29they tackled something more than just each other.
38:31The Canterbury team
38:32unites with Chaucer Hospital
38:33to raise awareness for prostate cancer
38:36and encourage early testing for men
38:38over the age of 40.
38:40Ruth Holliday,
38:41the executive director of Chaucer Hospital,
38:43adds that supporting the health
38:44of our local community
38:45is at the heart of everything we do.
38:47This collaboration is a powerful way
38:50to reach men
38:51that may not be considering testing.
38:54And that's been your Sports Roundup for today.
38:56Jude Moulton for KMTV.
38:58The Saturday's singer Frankie Bridge
39:08came to Folkestone for a weekend getaway.
39:11The former I'm a Celebrity star
39:13was with colleagues
39:14working on her new community-based
39:16fashion platform,
39:17Faves,
39:18before joining friends
39:19at the Rock Salt restaurant.
39:21Mindset coach
39:22Izzy Utterson
39:23said it was a perfect couple of days away,
39:25and Frankie Bridge responded with,
39:27we're lucky, lucky girls.
39:29This isn't the first time
39:30that the Loose Women panellist
39:31has come to Kent, though,
39:32as she previously attended a hen do
39:34at the Zetland Arms in Dale.
39:36She must quite like Kent.
39:37And yesterday,
39:38News Nuggets returned
39:39for another episode
39:40on KMTV
39:42after Kent Tonight,
39:43covering important topics
39:45all across Kent
39:46for primary school children.
39:47News Nuggets
39:48tackles stories
39:49about local politics
39:50and democracy
39:50allows our younger generation
39:52to explore the importance
39:53of our local area.
39:55From elections
39:55to food waste
39:56to who runs our sports clubs,
39:58each episode
39:59takes a deep dive
40:00into anything and everything
40:01about how our county runs.
40:03Here's a sneak peek
40:04into the series.
40:05Hello, I'm Abby
40:06and welcome to News Nuggets.
40:11Do you think
40:12you're doing a good job?
40:13What's the difference
40:14between a pharmacist
40:15and a doctor?
40:16I think it's really nice
40:17having the dogs around.
40:18They make everyone
40:19feel so happy.
40:20This week,
40:20we'll be learning
40:21about sports
40:22and exercise.
40:24Hello, News Nuggets.
40:25It's Joe Wicks,
40:25the body coach here.
40:26Thank you so much
40:27for coming down
40:27to report on my visit.
40:29We got the chance
40:31to find the best seats
40:32in the whole stadium.
40:34Swoo!
40:36For me,
40:37sport's really important
40:38as a young person
40:39because we can't just
40:40report on one side
40:42of the story.
40:43Tax is something
40:43grown-ups pay
40:44so we get public services.
40:46The votes are in.
40:49I would always say
40:51to keep your phone away
40:52unless you actually need it
40:53when you're walking
40:54to and from school.
40:55Right, we've got our box
40:55for our food parcels.
40:57Fred, go on to
40:57and grab those rolls
40:58and put those in the box.
41:00This is so cool!
41:02This is our sensory story stack area.
41:05We're in a plane right now.
41:07Oh, so those taxis
41:08are picking up other students.
41:10I do have a school
41:11closer to me.
41:12I was struggling
41:13with everything
41:13but I was overwhelmed.
41:15We're looking for litter
41:16because we don't want it
41:18to hurt all the animals
41:19that are here.
41:21So it does can't have
41:22a lot of history underneath.
41:24Absolutely.
41:25Looks like a brilliant watch
41:37that and I know
41:37a lot of hard work
41:38has gone into it
41:39so it's fabulous to watch
41:40and I do recommend
41:41following up on that
41:42on our website.
41:43But time for a quick break now
41:44but there's plenty more news
41:46made just for you
41:47in just a few minutes
41:49so join us then.
41:49Bye-bye.
41:55Bye-bye.
42:25Bye-bye.
42:55Bye-bye.
43:25Bye-bye.
43:27Bye-bye.
43:29Bye-bye.
43:55Bye-bye.
43:59Bye-bye.
44:25Bye-bye.
44:55Bye-bye.
44:57Bye-bye.
44:59Bye-bye.
45:01Bye-bye.
45:03Bye-bye.
45:05Bye-bye.
45:07Bye-bye.
45:09Bye-bye.
45:11Hello and welcome back
45:12to Kent Tonight Live
45:13here on KMTV.
45:15Now 7,000 new homes
45:17are planned across the heathlands
45:19and Lidsing areas of Maidstone.
45:21Additional plans introduce
45:23the construction of a train station,
45:25medical and educational facilities
45:27and a county park.
45:29Public consultations are being held
45:31in Walderslade, Bredhurst and Lenham
45:33where the public can ask questions
45:35about the project.
45:37However,
45:39the Save Our Heathlands group argue
45:41that the council failed to consider a petition
45:43opposing the plans presented by
45:45group leader Kate Hammond.
45:47But the council say it heard the petition
45:49before making its decision.
45:51The consultation will close at midnight
45:53on Monday the 15th of December.
45:55Now we spoke to our councillor Stuart Geoffrey,
45:59the leader of Maidstone Borough Council.
46:01We've been working for the last almost a year now
46:05to develop the plans that start to shape
46:09what the developments will look like.
46:11As many people know, my administration
46:15were not keen on these developments being there.
46:17We've tried to get out of them
46:19and we haven't been able to.
46:21So now we're trying to make sure
46:23that they are delivered in the best possible way,
46:26that there's enough green space for people
46:28and so on.
46:29And therefore we've pulled together
46:33a good starter set of documents
46:36that we really need the public's views on
46:39and suggestions on.
46:41The developments are going to go ahead.
46:43We can't stop them.
46:44So we really need those positive suggestions
46:46that say actually if you move this bit over here,
46:49it will be better because it's that kind of thing
46:51that we really need.
46:52Now it's time to take a look at the latest business news
46:56with today's Business Roundup.
47:05First on today's Business Roundup,
47:07Kent Property Market Report reveals cautiously positive outlook
47:10ahead of the November 26 budget,
47:13forecasting positive growth in property sectors,
47:16but emphasising the November budget is crucial
47:18to upcoming progress.
47:20Report findings included the success
47:22of logistic real estate giant Panettone,
47:25who have recently acquired a 70-acre site in Lenham
47:28to deliver 1 million square feet of industrial space.
47:31More from the report reveals the office market shift
47:34to flexible workspaces,
47:36with occupiers prioritising sustainable and high-quality spaces,
47:39with a decline in new office builds.
47:41And latest figures for residential properties reveal a 5% drop
47:45in average house prices in Kent,
47:48with the exception of Dartford and Gravesend,
47:50who had an increase of 1%.
47:52And next, a restaurant dubbed the UK's original fried chicken store
47:56is set to give away free food for the opening of its first Kent branch later this month.
48:01Miss Millie's new store will be located on Canterbury's High Street,
48:05and a free-to-attend launch party will be held on the 20th of November,
48:09providing free chicken tenders to the first 100 lucky customers.
48:13The firm is known for its wings of fire, burgers, wraps and shakes,
48:17as well as its tenders.
48:18The official opening date, however, is Friday the 21st of November,
48:22and franchisee David Peachey has spoken on the excitement for himself and the team
48:27ahead of the new opening.
48:29And next up, a former recycling site on Nin Lane near Great Chart
48:33is set to be transformed by Ashford Borough Council into a 2.6 million service depot.
48:39The revamped scheme would see three new buildings on the brownfield land
48:43to house the council's grounds maintenance, housing repairs and electrical teams,
48:47freeing up space as its Carlton Road site.
48:50The earlier plan to build 4.5 million industrial estate was dropped
48:55as financially unviable, making this a more cost-effective reuse of the site.
49:00A planning application could go in by December, with occupancy expected in April 2027,
49:05if all goes ahead.
49:07And finally, more than a dozen apprentices from Kent have joined the latest cohort
49:11at UK Power Networks under its 6 million training scheme.
49:15Of 55 new recruits, 13 were selected from Kent, chosen from more than 2,000 applicants.
49:21They'll train in critical electricity trades and play a key role in maintaining reliable power suppliers,
49:27while supporting the region's transition into low-carbon energy.
49:31And that's all from Business Roundup for tonight.
49:41Well, don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest stories across Kent
49:44by visiting our website, kmtv.co.uk.
49:47There you'll find all the reports, including this one, surrounding the new study that revealed Ramsgate
49:52is the most deprived area in all of Kent.
49:56I would prefer it if we were saying which is the best town, which is the most interesting town.
50:01More than 70 neighbourhoods across Kent now fall into England's top 10% most deprived.
50:06That's according to the index of multiple statistics released last week by the government.
50:10I'm here in Ramsgate, which is the most deprived area in the whole county.
50:14From hosting a bustling tourism industry in the summer, an impressive Royal Harbour,
50:18and the largest Wetherspoons in England, Ramsgate clearly has a lot to offer.
50:23Over the last six years, several neighbourhoods here have shot up in national deprivation rankings.
50:28We have very particular challenges in Thanet, partly because we're surrounded on three sides by sea.
50:33That makes some of the things that you would normally do for economic regeneration somewhat challenging.
50:38It also means that it's harder to encourage people to come and stay for work
50:43because the travel to work area is more limited.
50:46And even though we've got the high speed rail into London, that's expensive.
50:50And we don't therefore have the kind of connectivity, in particular local connectivity,
50:56that really helps people get the kind of jobs and opportunities that they need.
51:00On Ramsgate High Street, it's hard to ignore how quiet it is.
51:03One in four shops are empty lots, but people here tell us it's a far cry from how they remember it.
51:08All the shops seem to have moved out of the town.
51:11So to go shopping, there's very little choice here.
51:14This is nothing like the high street that I remember, you know, as a boy.
51:18Like many other high streets, it's declined.
51:21You can see people coming in here trying to run businesses.
51:24They just can't afford it. They can't afford to heat the spaces.
51:27And I wish they got more breaks. I wish it was easier for people to use these stores.
51:32Councillor John Davis is the shadow leader of Fanet District Council and represents Pegwell Ward in Ramsgate.
51:38We need an opportunity for our youngsters who get some of the best educations in the country, let's remember, in this area.
51:45They have no choice but to join an exodus, to go elsewhere and then hopefully one day to come back.
51:53I think what we need to do in order to protect and revive our community, and that's across this island as well as Ramsgate,
52:02is start to develop some, A, some pride in the place, but B, some policies that actually support regeneration and the creation of meaningful jobs.
52:13While the stats may feel less positive, it is clear here people are proud of their area and are hopeful for change.
52:18Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Ramsgate.
52:21Now, in case you missed it, let's take a look at the weather for the coming days.
52:31Tonight we can expect to see cloudy skies across the county with temperatures of 13 to 14 degrees across the board.
52:37Tomorrow morning temperatures can be expected to remain the same around 14 to the 15 degrees mark,
52:42slightly less cloud though in the south.
52:44By the afternoon Dartford will remain cloudy, Dover will have some light showers,
52:48but temperatures will range from highs of 16 to lows of 14.
52:51And here's the outlook.
52:52We've got 14 degrees on Friday, 12 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday with rain and clouds on Friday and Saturday with a yellow weather warning.
53:01Now, what is your favourite Christmas film?
53:08Home Alone, The Grinch or The Muppets?
53:11Even maybe, oh, The Muppets Christmas Carol, of course, that's another one.
53:14Well, Folkestone Harbour Arm is showing these and many other festive classics at its outdoor cinema throughout November and December.
53:22The films will start at 12pm each day and will be shown within a festive marketplace complete with live music, street food, stalls and Christmas decorations.
53:31The Harbour Grotto will also allow children to see Santa Claus from Friday the 5th of December.
53:37Very exciting to see Santa Claus.
53:39Now, is it too soon to be thinking about Christmas movies though?
53:42With Bonfire Night not too far behind us, Christmas is fast approaching.
53:47With the shelves stocking up with advent calendars, tinsel and Christmas lights being turned on throughout Kent,
53:52we asked people in Rochester if it's too early to decorate for the festive season.
53:57Shops and things like that you should be decorating now, which is what we're doing.
54:02But home's nice because you get bored of it by the time you get to Christmas.
54:07Yes.
54:08Yes?
54:09It should be 12 days before.
54:11Why is that?
54:12Because that's a tradition.
54:14It's never too early to decorate Christmas.
54:17At my home, I actually live in China, I'm from China, and my parents already decorated a really beautiful Christmas tree.
54:25I think it's too early to start decorating, but I don't think it's too early to start preparing for Christmas.
54:30I'm probably going to sound completely hypocrite because I'm surrounded by Christmas,
54:35but I think I've driven past houses with trees up and decorations,
54:39and if it was me personally, I think I'd be like, oh, I wouldn't enjoy it as much.
54:44Atlee Reynolds joins us now to talk about the historical side of Christmas decorations.
54:49Now, you do study history as your degree, so I'm expecting big things.
54:52Tell us about it then.
54:53So, to kind of put it quite briefly, the history of Christmas decorations is quite long,
55:00so it's very hard to pinpoint an official origin of Christmas decorations and why we put Christmas decorations up.
55:06If we do look at the Middle Ages, houses would be decorated with a lot of greenery for the Christmas season,
55:12but most specifically, they would put their Christmas decorations up on Christmas Eve.
55:17The Feast of Christmas started around 4pm on Christmas Eve, and they continued all the way until the 6th of January.
55:24Also, around this time, we see a rise in festive greenery, things such as holly and ivy,
55:31as churches often record these types of plants and greenery being bought around this time.
55:37And if we cut forward to the Victorian period, holly wreaths, often people put them on their front doors nowadays,
55:44but the origin of putting them on the fireplace and mantelpiece can be traced back to the Victorian period.
55:51Very exciting. And what is the reason behind the 12 days of Christmas?
55:55So, we all know the 12 days of Christmas from the very famous Christmas song,
56:00but the 12 days of Christmas actually represents the days after,
56:04part of the Roman Catholic religion in medieval and Tudor times.
56:08So, they would celebrate, do feasts and things along those similar lines on Christmas Day,
56:15and all of this remained until early January.
56:19So, the 12 days of Christmas is from when until when?
56:21So, it starts on the 25th and ends on the 5th of January.
56:26OK. I feel like that's something that kind of confuses people every now and then,
56:29but that's brilliant. That's good to know. Thanks a lot.
56:32All right. Well, that's it then. You've been watching Kent Tonight Live on KMTV,
56:36but there's more news made just for you throughout the evening at 8pm,
56:39where we have a roundup of everything discussed today. See you then. Well, maybe. Bye-bye.
56:45Bye-bye.
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