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Catch up with all the latest news in the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:27I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Wednesday, the 26th of November.
00:32A taxing day. Kent's politicians, business leaders and the public react to the Chancellor's budget.
00:38Me and the rest of the KMTV politics team will be outside Parliament with everything that could impact you.
00:45Farmer fury. One year on from the government's controversial inheritance tax plans, we catch up with Kent's farming community.
00:52It saves small family farms and actually gives the treasury more tax income. So it's a win-win.
01:00And meditation in motion. Canterbury residents keeping all things in balance through Tai Chi.
01:06It helps them to do movements they're not used to, so it helps to stimulate your neuropathways.
01:12But first tonight, households and businesses across Kent will face sweeping tax welfare and cost of living changes.
01:29This is all part of proposals put forward in the Chancellor's annual budget.
01:32From a levy on gambling to a so-called mansion tax on high-value homes, the package amounts to £26 billion in tax rises.
01:41However, many of the changes were already known.
01:44This happened before the Chancellor spoke today.
01:46Because of the Office for Budget Responsibility accidentally publishing their full analysis online early.
01:53Here's what happened in the Commons this afternoon.
01:56I said there would be no return to austerity, and I meant it.
02:01This budget will maintain investment in our economy and in our National Health Service.
02:07I said I would cut the cost of living, and I meant it.
02:11This budget will bring down inflation and provide immediate relief for families.
02:18I said I would cut debt and borrowing, and I meant it.
02:23Because today, today she has announced a new tax rate of £26 billion.
02:29They're all cheering.
02:30Household income is down.
02:32Spending policies in this budget increase borrowing in every year.
02:36That smorgasbord of misery we just heard from her can be summed up in one sentence.
02:41Labour are hiking taxes to pay for welfare.
02:45So what does this all mean for us here in the county?
02:48Well, our local democracy reporter, Olly Lieder, joins us from Westminster now.
02:52So, Olly, break down for us.
02:54Are our taxes going up?
02:57The answer is, Finn, yes.
03:00£26 billion worth of levies and taxes on everything from gambling to sugary milkshakes.
03:08It's a smorgasbord of little small taxes, rather than the speculated raid on income tax that we were talking about just a few weeks ago.
03:20The government are hoping this will close the shortfall they've had in their books and will provide a ground to deliver the services that they want to deliver.
03:30But it does come after a really difficult budget for the government last year, which saw protests from farmers and other businesses angry at rises on national insurance, as well as inheritance tax.
03:45And let's go on to inheritance tax.
03:47It's been one year since the government promised to increase that, put the burden on to Kent farmers in their view.
03:56And our reporter, Megan Shaw, she's been out speaking to Kent farmers to see what the government's last budget, 12 months ago, meant for people here in Kent.
04:07We all know Kent as the Garden of England, but with 70% of the county comprising farmland, the most in the south-east, is it also the farm of England too?
04:19This makes today a very important one for Kent's farmers.
04:23A year since a fatal blow to farmers' so-called prosperity.
04:27In November 2024, farmers from across the county descended on Whitehall in a mass protest against the government introducing an inheritance tax on farmland worth over a million pounds.
04:39But that was a year ago.
04:41Now, with the second Labour budget upon us, I'm at JL Baxter's, a fruit farm just south of Maystone, whose owner, Clive Baxter, is urging the government to reconsider.
04:51We're still trying to convince the government that they've made the wrong decision.
04:58I represent the NFU, and the NFU as a body gets what the government's trying to do.
05:05And actually, in some ways, we're supportive and we're proposing a tax that gets to those people sheltering their wealth to a degree,
05:15saves small family farms, and actually gives the Treasury more tax income.
05:22So, it's a win-win.
05:24Set to take hold from April 2026, the 20% tax on farmland valued above one million could have grave effects on smaller and medium-sized farms.
05:35We're a generational business, fourth generation coming up.
05:39I have triplet daughters who would like to be involved in the business and future.
05:45Policy, I think, is clumsy because it's 20% above quite a low threshold.
05:54I mean, people might think a million pounds is an awful lot of money, but you soon invest that in, as I say, machinery, and particularly farmland.
06:02It soon mounts up.
06:03The Minister of State, Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed, ahead of the budget, that the farmer's inheritance will not make a U-turn.
06:11Farmers like John are concerned this might be the start of further measures,
06:15that despite being designed to raise funds and distribute wealth, hit those with already little cash to spare.
06:22A concern for us, and probably quite a lot of farmers, will be a potential mansion tax.
06:27Because, very often, the farmhouse, which is in the middle of the farm, is historically quite a nice house.
06:37It's not something we regard as an asset, and we would really struggle to pay that extra money.
06:42Megan Shaw for Kame TV in Seven Oaks.
06:47Well, Ollie, it's quite loud down there, but can you describe what the mood's been like outside Parliament today?
06:52I'm not sure if you can hear that, Finn.
06:56You can hear the sound of a farmer honking on their tractor's horn.
07:00They've been driving past us just a few moments ago when we were in that piece from Megan just there.
07:07It is a pretty eventful day in Westminster.
07:12You have the whole world's media descending on college green.
07:15You have different protest groups making their voices heard just outside of the security perimeter.
07:22We've seen farmers down here still angry, as we heard in Megan's piece.
07:27But there is some good news, I think, for small businesses.
07:31That's according to Labour, cutting through the noise we've heard just there,
07:36such as a reduction in business rates that could help small businesses in North Kent
07:44and other parts of the county where the high street is really under threat.
07:48Of course, this is going to be offset slightly by that rise in national minimum wage to over £26,000.
07:58Great if you are a minimum wage worker.
08:00If you're a business hiring people, that might put you off increasing your staff roster.
08:07Well, what do MPs make of it?
08:10Well, I spoke to Trish Osborne.
08:11He's a Chatham and Ellsford Labour MP.
08:13He, here's his thoughts about what this all could mean for businesses in his constituency.
08:19We're also looking at ways of ensuring that high streets can compete more on a level playing field
08:25with some of these online operators where people are purchasing.
08:28And as you've just correctly said, we're going to be offering training and apprenticeship levies
08:32to support younger people into work.
08:35And, of course, we're raising the minimum wage for those youngsters as well.
08:39So we're giving that support for young people to progress in life.
08:43The other big thing that could impact you if you're watching this right at home
08:50is the fact that the income tax bans aren't going up with inflation.
08:58That means, and this has technical jargon, right?
09:01What it really means, if your wages are going up to match inflation,
09:05you could end up being dragged into a higher income tax bracket,
09:11especially if minimum wage is also going up as well.
09:14This could cost you more money.
09:17This could be effectively an increase in income tax for some people.
09:22It's not the big, talented raise on income tax we heard about earlier on.
09:27There's a worry about that.
09:28And the government does say it's going to raise billions of pounds
09:31to help plug that shortfall they mentioned.
09:34The other thing for people watching at home,
09:36if you're in the southeast of the county, you may be in a larger house.
09:41Particularly if you're a farmer or live in the countryside,
09:44you could end up on the mansion tax that we've heard about.
09:48Big £2 million properties getting an extra levy on them in addition to council tax.
09:54That is going to be big if you live in one of those properties.
10:00Though, the government says it's basically putting the burden on the broadest shoulders.
10:04If you have a really high value home,
10:06they say you're probably going to be able to afford to pay it.
10:11So, those are some of the big elements.
10:14Also, pensions are going up.
10:16Though, the government are cracking down on salary sacrifices,
10:21putting a levy on people sacrificing salary to boost their pension pots.
10:27So, there are a bunch of different checks and balances here.
10:31Things offsetting other financial choices.
10:34And that's going to have a huge impact on different groups here in Kent.
10:39In the coming days, we'll be getting a reaction from all different sorts of people.
10:44From councils all the way to hospitality.
10:47Later in the programme, in fact, we're speaking to Jonathan Neame,
10:51the head of Shepherd Neame, the big brewery here in Kent.
10:56And our politics producer, Megan Shaw,
10:58we're going in to some of the details about one of the biggest policies I haven't talked about.
11:04That's, of course, the two-child benefit, which is going to be scrapped.
11:09Meaning, if you have three kids, you might be able to get those additional benefits
11:13helping bring children in Kent out of poverty.
11:17But it is a pricey measure.
11:20So, that's what we will really be discussing later on in the programme.
11:24But to answer your question at the beginning there, Finn, taxes will be going up.
11:28There's no question about it.
11:30But whether or not that will help boost public services is another matter as well.
11:34As Oli said there, we'll be coming back to Westminster with all the latest from the budget.
11:43But before that, we'll have some sports and health news in the next part of the show.
11:47See you in just a few minutes.
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14:20See you in just a few minutes.
14:48Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
15:15Now, new plans for a traveller site in Cobham have been submitted after it was revealed a previous application was actually approved for the wrong field.
15:24Permission was granted for one mobile home, a touring caravan and a day room on a plot near White Post Lane earlier this year.
15:30The proposal had originally been refused.
15:32The proposal had originally been refused but was given the go-ahead after an appeal, but it has since emerged the application was mistakenly made for a different plot.
15:39Now, plans have been submitted for two traveller pitches on fields adjoining the approved site.
15:45Next, the boss of Chalkwell Coach Hire has slammed Swale Borough Council's decision to shut public toilets at a sitting-borne shopping centre.
15:52Roland Eglinton says the closure at the Forum Shopping Centre shows a shocking lack of consideration for his driver's welfare.
16:00The block is the closest to the town's bus hub and is used by his staff throughout the day.
16:04But the council say the toilets will cost thousands in maintenance fees and was one of three facilities people surveyed said they would prefer to close.
16:12The authority is also working with local businesses and partners to create a community toilet scheme.
16:18And with all the sporting headlines, here's Ethelie Reynolds.
16:30On this week's Sport Roundup, Dover manager Jake LeBurl has praised Luka after his goal which gave Dover their victory.
16:40The midfielder scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute which resulted in a 2-1 win for Dover.
16:45The manager described the midfielder as one he can always rely on, adding he's got that pedigree, he's very level-headed and doesn't get too emotional.
16:55The win was celebrated by a crowd of 882 away fans who had travelled over 400 miles to watch their team win.
17:05And sticking with football news, Epsuite manager Josh Wright admitted the team were not on their game following a 2-0 home defeat to Horsham.
17:13This loss unfortunately ended the team's unbeaten home record.
17:18Wright commented saying the team didn't get themselves going, adding as much as they could have ended up getting something out of the game,
17:26they weren't themselves and you have to hold your hands up.
17:30Wright felt Horsham were the best team they'd played so far this season, saying they're organised, they're solid, they're dynamic and they've just got something about them.
17:39And in rugby news, Medway Woman beat Portsmouth Falkyries in a 29-17 victory.
17:46Medway showed early intent with Amy Coates scoring her first try for the team.
17:52The team began the second half much like the first, with physicality and direct running,
17:56with Megan Good scoring her second try of the match, followed by Anna McDonald adding to the score.
18:02Portsmouth kept putting pressure on Medway's defensive line, but ultimately the Medway Women's team held their ground.
18:09This now puts Medway fourth in the NC1 South East League.
18:14And that's it for this week's Sport Roundup.
18:17Now it's time to take a look at the weather.
18:34Well tonight it's looking like a rainy one, downpours across the board, highs of 9 degrees there in Dover.
18:40Into tomorrow morning warming slightly, 11 degrees wherever you are, cloudy skies and wind speeds of 8 and 9 miles per hour.
18:46Into tomorrow afternoon now lows of 12 in central Kent, staying with those grey skies.
18:51The wind's getting a bit stronger at 13 miles per hour.
18:54And for the next coming day, it's getting a bit hotter on Friday with the sun coming out,
18:58but it's leading us into a bit of a disappointing weekend.
19:00Rain on Saturday and cooling to 7 on Sunday, some sun peeking out.
19:03And now we are joined by our resident health expert, Dr Julian Spinks.
19:15And in keeping with today's budget, we'll be focusing on some of the health headlines from the Chancellor's announcement.
19:21So thank you for joining us, Julian.
19:23First of all, the government has announced some new changes to the soft drinks industry levy, better known as the sugar tax.
19:31How big of an issue is obesity here in the UK and in Kent?
19:36It's an enormous impact on people's health and on the health service.
19:41Being overweight increases your risk of things like diabetes and heart disease and liver disease.
19:47And on top of that, you get increased problems with joints because if you're walking around with the extra weight, you wear your joints up more.
19:53That impacts individuals, but also the NHS is having to spend more and more money to treat people with the effects of obesity.
20:01I see. I'm going to ask you about that further.
20:03What strain is obesity placing on the NHS?
20:06Well, all of those additional diseases being caused by it is increasing the demand on NHS services.
20:13And so it means we're having to work harder to stay still.
20:17And there's an accelerating amount of this if you compare it with, say, 30, 40 years ago, where obesity was nowhere near the same amount of problem.
20:25I see. And back in 2018, the Conservatives started the sugar tax.
20:29In your experience, has that had any effect on obesity up until this point?
20:33It's very difficult to prove it because there are other factors pulling and so on.
20:37What we can see is a dramatic drop in the number of people drinking sugary drinks and particular children doing that.
20:46And also, equally importantly, the manufacturers have shifted.
20:49They've moved a lot of sugar out of their drinks to get them below the limit.
20:53So, you know, without people having to change what they drink, they're actually having less sugar.
20:57I see. And you mentioned having less sugar there.
21:00But the government has also lowered the sugar content threshold at which this tax applies, from 5 grams to 4.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres.
21:07How impactful do you foresee these changes being?
21:11It's a small change.
21:12But again, the likelihood is manufacturers will drop their sugar content further to meet that amount rather than have to face paying or charging people for more money.
21:21So that's the main impact of that change.
21:24And the sugar tax is also being extended to cover high-sugar milk-based drinks from January 2020, I believe.
21:32How unhealthy can some of these beverages be?
21:35Well, I have one right here, which is an iced coffee I've got to have from a machine outside, actually.
21:40And amazingly, that little can there has got the equivalent of five and a quarter teaspoonful of sugar.
21:46So there's an awful lot of it. It's about 8.8 grams per 100 millilitres, when you realise the new limit is going to be 4.5.
21:54So people are drinking this thinking it's not going to be as unhealthy as fizzy drinks.
21:58In reality, it's loaded with sugar.
22:00And the same thing happens with a lot of milkshakes as well.
22:03And you said you got that from the vending machine here in our office.
22:07But do you think the kind of accessibility to these drinks is part of the problem?
22:13I mean, we've seen recent things about energy drinks having the, I believe, is it 16 and under have to provide ID when they purchase them.
22:22But apart from that, do you think the accessibility of how easy it is to get these kind of sugary drinks is part of the problem?
22:27It's incredibly easy to get them, whether it's from a machine or for a shop or a supermarket.
22:32And the problem with the milky drinks is people have been fooled into thinking that somehow they're going to be healthier than just general water-based fizzy drinks.
22:40When in reality, because of the amount of sugar they put in them, it's having a similar impact on people's health.
22:46I see. And fruit juices, alcohol-free beer, wine and meal replacement drinks, they don't pay this tax.
22:54Do you think they should?
22:54I think we need to be looking at the sugar content of those as well.
22:59The meal replacements in particular, because it's surprising how much carbohydrate and sugar and things are in those drinks.
23:07Although they talk about being high protein, often they have high sugar as well.
23:11So it is something we need to inquire about.
23:12But let's take this step by step.
23:14And in terms of alcohol, do you think in the budget the duty maybe should be raised to kind of ward people off?
23:20Because alcohol can also contribute to obesity.
23:23Well, there's a balance to be had.
23:24We want people to be able to enjoy life.
23:27We don't want them to drink excessively in alcohol.
23:29And at the moment, I think we've got the balance about right.
23:32But it's sad that it's not going to go up to keep pace with inflation.
23:35So relatively, alcoholic drinks will become cheaper.
23:39I see.
23:40And with this sugar tax, obviously it's going to hopefully bump up the prices.
23:45Do you foresee that raise in price, maybe hopefully having less people going out and buying these kinds of drinks?
23:51Well, the evidence so far is it's shifty people away from sugary to less sugar drinks.
23:57And I think the likelihood is people will start to avoid more expensive, more sugary drinks.
24:02And the manufacturers will take the sugar down so they don't have the prices up.
24:06So again, people will end up having less sugar in their drinks.
24:10And obviously this isn't an overnight fix.
24:13Do you foresee this being something that's hopefully worked out over a series of years?
24:17Or what do you sort of estimate the impact of this being immediately?
24:20It's part of a process.
24:22We need to re-educate people about eating healthily food.
24:25We need to get them to do more exercise.
24:28All these things to drop obesity.
24:30Just dealing with drinks is not going to be the fix.
24:33And we've talked a lot about the actual sugar tax.
24:36But how does sugar actually impact us and our health and our bodies?
24:39Well, the sort of sugar you're seeing in these drinks, it gives you empty calories.
24:43And so the effect is that it makes you put out more insulin.
24:47That excess insulin then ends up increasing your risk of having diabetes, type 2 diabetes,
24:53puts your weight on, affects your heart and so on.
24:55So all of it's not a good idea to have.
24:57And in your experience as a GP, as we're getting closer and closer to the Christmas season,
25:02do you think there's more and more of people having sugary foods,
25:07whether it's chocolate on Christmas Day or maybe even in January as we get into the new year?
25:13Well, when I started, when I was young, Advent calendars, none of them had chocolate in,
25:18which is interesting.
25:19So people get chocolate every day in the lead up.
25:21But I don't want to be a party pooper, to be honest with you.
25:24We should be able to relax at some point.
25:27And sort of relaxing your diet for one day over Christmas is not going to be a big problem.
25:33OK, well, you heard it here first, viewers.
25:35Not going to be a big issue.
25:36Thank you so much for joining us on that, Julian.
25:38And, yeah, well, any last messages to people to stay healthy over Christmas?
25:44I think the answer is, you know, everything in moderation.
25:48Relax and enjoy yourself, but just think a little bit about what you eat, what you drink.
25:53Absolutely.
25:53Well, thank you so much for your time, Julian.
25:56Well, unfortunately, it is now time for a break.
26:01Just like Julian said there, you can have a break on your diet over Christmas.
26:05But, as he mentioned, everything in moderation.
26:07But when we come back, we'll be returning to our top story that is, of course, all about today's budget announcement and the impact it'll have on us here in Kent.
26:18Whether it's income tax, whether it's some of these gambling levies, or as we just spoke about, the sugar tax as well.
26:26But it's not just sugary drinks.
26:27We'll also have Jonathan Neem, the chief executive at Shepard Neem Limited, talking to us about how this budget will actually affect alcoholic drinks and the pubs.
26:37And we'll also be joined back with Megan Shaw, live from Westminster, where her and the local democracy reporting services Olly Leader have been speaking to MPs about this all day.
26:47We'll have all that and more.
26:48See you shortly.
30:53Obviously, this is all part of proposals put forward in the Chancellor's annual budget today.
31:29We're right back.
31:44Not really.
31:49But will this budget affect you?
31:50Probably.
31:53Seeing as how many taxes are involved.
31:56Apologies if you can hear some of those protesting farmers.
31:59They've all mentioned it before.
32:00For EV drivers.
32:00It's not great news for the new exercise duty on electric vehicles at 3p per mile.
32:05This comes alongside vehicle exercise duty and that's to help double the funding for road
32:07tax maintenance, though the OBR has suggested this might be counterproductive,
32:11that most phase out ice vehicles that's your petrol your diesels before 2050 as
32:16part of net zero commitments there's also going to be a two thousand pounds
32:20cap on salary sacrifice pensions which is how most people in this country a
32:24third of private sector workers pay into their pension before national
32:29insurance that will be applied from April 2029 of course you can pay more
32:34than that to your pension but national insurance will apply after that and
32:39harsher taxes as well for online gambling so remote gambling duty on remote
32:43casinos will increase from 21 to 40 percent to raise as predicted by the OBR
32:49over a billion by 20 to 20 20 29 to 2030 but on the health front what can we
32:56expect well prescriptions are set to freeze at nine pound ninety for the second year
33:00in a row that's great news and we caught up with Ashford MP Sojan Joseph to give
33:06us more on what residents in Kent can expect on the health care front after
33:10the budget so I was really pleased that the money for NHS is protected especially
33:16talking about neighborhood health services that we are going to get one in
33:21southeast as well so it's really pleased that the money is protected for NHS which
33:27is we desperately need in Ashford as we mentioned Ashford Hospital William Harvey
33:31Hospital and and the community services as well so the money is there which is
33:37very reassuring we're already delivering on our waiting list well earlier on I
33:43caught up with Jonathan Neem the chief executive of Shepherd Neem to find out
33:47more about the Chancellor's announcement and their impact on the food beverage and
33:51hospitality industry thank you so much for joining us Jonathan first of all
33:55alcohol alcohol duty is set to rise by about four point five percent in 2026 with
34:00prices already up how will this affect what you charge in your Kent pubs and
34:05your breweries well like any excise duty we will have to pass it on we lobbied
34:12hard as an industry not to get excise duty we already pay the highest in the
34:17world they've gone up significantly in recent years albeit there has been a
34:21differential between draft duty and small pack duty in the off trade and the
34:27industry as a whole is reeling from a very very damaging budget last year
34:33particularly related to labor costs and a variety of other taxes so we were
34:38pleading very strongly with the Chancellor for no new taxes no new
34:42increases and sadly we have got some including excise I see and you mentioned
34:48draft there but it's also higher strength drinks that will be hit hardest
34:52by this duty rise do you foresee this changing the balance at all of what you
34:56produce and sell especially your Kentish ales and beer I think there's been an
35:02accelerating trend towards lower alcohol anyway more and more producers
35:07including ourselves are bringing out moderation as it's called beers so lower
35:13alcohol beers so that fits in with people's lifestyle trends but also it's
35:19the drive of the Treasury to tax higher alcohols and to drive average alcohols
35:25down so I think it's an acceleration rather than a new trend that will come
35:29forward most ales are the lowest alcohol on the bar particularly our sort of
35:34classic master brew at 3.7 so it's not going to change any of our beers per se but it
35:41might grow a category or more categories around the mid threes I see and the
35:47office for budget responsibility has said they expect alcohol sales to fall this
35:52year and potentially stay flat for a while with current trends are you seeing
35:57that at all and do you think the budget could maybe speed that up the trends
36:02that we've been seeing is most of the decline in overall alcohol sales is in
36:07spirits and in wine beer as a category has been reasonably resilient and although you
36:15know the prices are beginning to impact volume a bit it's quite weather-reliant beer
36:23sales so you know the last summer they were quite strong in the early part of the
36:27summer when the weather was good but there's no doubt at all that everyone in the
36:32sector is concerned about pricing and the impact of more and more taxes more and
36:40more costs going on and the need for producers and retailers to pass those
36:45costs on to consumers something we don't want to do but something we have to do
36:49because of the fact that the sector as a whole is chronically overtaxed I see and
36:56coming back to those trends for a moment do you expect footfall or buying
37:00habits to change obviously mentioned that they change over the seasons but in
37:03your experience do higher passed on prices reflect in terms of numbers of
37:08people through the door buying drinks it all depends on their own individual
37:13circumstances because of course the flip side to this is that wage rates for
37:18many people are going up and we've just seen the national minimum wage go up above
37:23the rate of inflation so you know there's a relative rebalancing there but of course
37:30some people depending on your earnings will be experiencing significantly higher tax
37:36rises so I think there will be individual changes of behavior according to age
37:41job lifestyle etc I see thank you so much for joining us thank you and Megan tell us a
37:50bit more about what's been called the milkshake tax yeah of course you had that
37:57chat earlier with dr julian sphinx but just to clarify before previously under the
38:03sugar tax milk-based prepackaged drinks did not apply so in this case kind of
38:07your packaged iced coffees your milkshakes now they will despite being
38:12previously exempt so that means like just when you bought a meal deal before and
38:16you added a can of coca-cola the price went up a little bit this is something
38:19that's going to happen again with strawberry milkshakes your eyes lattice
38:23the lever is also going to be lowered as well so much tougher so now you just need
38:274.5 grams per you need 5 grams not 4.5 as it was before grams of sugar per 100
38:34meals for this to apply and this has been brought in to try lower obesity but one
38:41of the biggest which is obviously a health issue but one of the biggest
38:44drivers of poor health a big factor in health is actually poverty poverty there
38:51there's been a lot of talk about strapping the two-child benefit tax cap tell us a
38:55bit more about that absolutely so it's been a hot topic since
39:00Keir Starmer ascended in as prime minister the entirety of Labour's government so
39:05far there have been cries for and discussions around lowering or getting rid of
39:09sorry that two child cap to benefits there meaning that you after 20 if your
39:14children are born after 2017 you only get benefits you have the child benefit
39:19for two of them actually on Monday I was out in Gillingham I was speaking to
39:23people asking what they would like to see from the budget what changes like
39:28the bring the government in and that two child benefit cap was something that
39:31came up very often I should be able to see right here I think it's wrong because
39:36they've got three children they need the benefits keep their kids feed them or
39:41whatever nothing it's disgusting really in a way how can people only have two
39:45children and then be penalized for it it's ridiculous poor people generally have
39:50more children because it gets you know it's tougher for them to survive so to take
39:56it out on kids like that is outrageous if you're claiming money for multiple kids
40:01but that money is not being spent on your kids then personally I don't think you
40:05should be entitled to it so removing the two child cap on on child benefits there
40:13will have huge impacts people up and down the country of course people in Kent
40:17too it said that it will push 450,000 children out of poverty which is huge and
40:24worth 5,450 pounds to working-class families at the Chancellor herself Rachel
40:30Reeves said the biggest barrier to equal opportunity is child poverty and that
40:34will have knock-on effects across all areas if that's education if that's
40:38health reducing poverty it will of course benefit these areas too as for Ken
40:43earlier today I spoke to the Gravesham MP Dr Lauren Sullivan and she said how
40:48removing that cap will will improve lives of children across Kent removing the two
40:54child benefit cap it's gonna mean that 3,000 children in Gravesham are now going to be
41:02lifted out of poverty I mean that is just in one foul swoop one signature can do that I
41:10mean that's incredible and this is why I came into politics to do things like this the other
41:15thing about breakfast clubs we've got four or five new schools in Gravesham that are now going to be
41:20taking up the free breakfast club great to hear more details of the budget there from our reporter
41:27Megan Shaw now that is all for this part of the show but when we come back for the final part
41:32we'll have Naila Mohammed taking us through the formal election of Dame Sarah Mullally the 106th
41:37Archbishop of Canterbury and you'll also get to watch me try my hand at Tai Chi supposedly to help
41:43rejuvenate the people's health here in the area of Kent but like I say that's all the time we'll be back
41:49in a few minutes
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45:11Hello and welcome back to Kent tonight to live here on KMtv now Dame Sarah Mullally has been formally elected as the
45:17as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury in a special ceremony at the city's cathedral.
45:23She was officially named in October as the next person to take the leading role,
45:27making history by becoming the first woman to do so.
45:30The ceremony inside the cathedral marks another major step in the centuries-old
45:34and lengthy process of appointing the church's spiritual leader.
45:38Our reporter Naila Mohamed joins me in the studio now.
45:41Naila, talk us through what happened yesterday.
45:42So what happened yesterday was just the first formal but essential stage in appointing a new Archbishop.
45:49It's, as we mentioned, it's a long and lengthy process that's been spanning centuries now.
45:54And so yesterday, the College of Canons met in Chapter House in Canterbury Cathedral,
45:59where they officially elected Dame Sarah Mulally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.
46:03Now, what's bizarre about this is she wasn't present at her own election.
46:06But that's very standard for this type of ceremony anyways.
46:10Instead, the Dean of Canterbury, David Monteith, oversaw the ceremony with a list of invited observers and legal officers.
46:18And then after the ceremony, a certificate with the Canterbury Cathedral seal was sent over to King to show that the election has happened.
46:26And as of yesterday, she was officially known as the Archbishop of Canterbury-elect.
46:30Right. And a big step, really, for her and the Church.
46:34But it's not the end of the process, is it?
46:36Absolutely. I mean, for the moment, she's still known and recognised as the Bishop of London.
46:40The next key moment is the confirmation of election, which will happen at St Paul's Cathedral in late January next year.
46:47And this is when she legally becomes the Archbishop.
46:50And then after that is this enthronement ceremony, which is just as big and glamorous as it sounds.
46:55That will happen mid to late March.
46:58And it's very much a public ceremony as well.
47:00And she's stepping into what is quite a sensitive time at the Church and obviously a very big role.
47:08Tell us about that and that sort of impact.
47:10Absolutely. So Dame Sarah is going to be taken on from Justin Welby, who formally resigned as Archbishop back in January earlier this year,
47:19after he received a lot of criticism over his handling of a safeguarding scandal.
47:25And so Dame Sarah, she has been upfront about the scandal.
47:28I mean, some of her first remarks since being designated last month has very much recognised the scandal.
47:33And in her words, she's acknowledged that the Church has a history of safeguarding failures and a deep harm and mistrust with the public and within the religion.
47:44But she's coming into the role and she's setting out a really hopeful tone.
47:47And in her words, she wants to be what she says, a shepherd who enables everyone's ministry and vocation to flourish.
47:54So being the 106th Archbishop now and the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, it's a really historic, historic moment in the religion.
48:05But this does mean that her employment will undoubtedly come with significant challenges as well.
48:10Absolutely. Well, thank you very much for bringing us, as you say, a very historic story, Nayla.
48:15Next, a former Margate Hotel is set for a multi-million pound overhaul into council homes.
48:21Bickenhall in Cliftonville is believed to date back to the late 19th century.
48:26And it was last used for Thanet Council's RISE project, which helps those who are rough sleeping and are most in need of support.
48:32But now the site is set to be turned into six two-bedroom flats and three-bed flats after getting the green light at a planning committee this week.
48:39The properties will be council homes and the RISE project is set to move to a council-owned building in Grosvenor Place.
48:45Next, more than a dozen new jobs are expected to come to a sitting-born factory after a multi-million pound investment.
48:53£30 million has been spent on building a new state-of-the-art facility for Smead-Dean.
48:58Weiner Burger, which runs the premises on the Eurolink industrial estate, invested in the construction as it shifted away from making bricks and began producing concrete tiles.
49:07The change follows the predicted demand for new homes and the government's promise of building 1.5 million properties.
49:12And now on to what is definitely a brighter story.
49:16Whitstable is preparing for the return of its annual festive lights tradition.
49:21The Seaside Town's Lantern Parade and Christmas lights switch-on will take place this Saturday, with large crowds expected.
49:27Families have been invited to join the celebrations by crafting their own glowing creations for the event, which is being called Whitsparkle.
49:33This year's programme includes live performances, mulled wine and activities starting from the afternoon onwards.
49:38The High Street and roads will be closed from 4 in the afternoon until 6 at night, as the colourful procession winds its way through the town.
49:46Now don't forget, you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website, that is of course kmtv.co.uk.
49:53There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about a charity in Herne Bay which has received a King's Award for their work.
49:59Thank you, Rector!
50:00Mya's Community Support Centre in Herne Bay looked a little different this morning.
50:10They were sporting royal colours after being crowned with a King's Award for Voluntary Service, a national way of recognising charities and their volunteers.
50:18The food bank has been open for three years and makes sure people can access food, clothing and other basic essentials if they're struggling.
50:25It's been a long road to this, but how did the charity get on the royal radar in the first place?
50:30They came to us and they researched all our services and what they said is, you are like an all-inclusive holiday, you have everything.
50:40That's what judges say, it's literally all-inclusive service.
50:43Whatever people need, we have it.
50:44And it's all from waste, we reduce massive amounts of waste.
50:50We are the bridge between people in need and a waste.
50:53We reduce a lot of carbon offset.
50:56Carbon offset is one of the main topics and poverty.
51:00We give the waste to the people in need.
51:03We are that bridge.
51:04Now Mya's has been going as a charity for about three years and during that time it's been helping the community here in Herne Bay.
51:10And it's also been winning awards.
51:12But what makes this award particularly special isn't just the fact that it comes from the king,
51:17but also that it highlights the efforts of their volunteers as well.
51:20Well, we've got a whole team of volunteers.
51:22Some you see, some you don't.
51:23We've got people work behind the scenes.
51:25We've got people who are going out collecting every night, rain or shine, winter or summer,
51:30collecting food from the supermarkets, half past eight, nine o'clock at night.
51:34And then they are making sure that people get that food and it doesn't go into landfill.
51:38So today it's a combination of all that anticipation.
51:44And so it's really lovely to recognise our volunteers.
51:48The award is essentially an MBE for volunteers who give their time to the cause without payment
51:53or normally much recognition for their efforts.
51:56It's very special.
51:57It's very special because we put a lot of hours in, a lot of time.
52:00And it's nice to actually get something back.
52:03Well, we work so hard.
52:06We work like nine till three.
52:08It's just absolutely amazing.
52:11With volunteers and everything we do, it kind of helps everyone as it should.
52:14The award is quite rare.
52:16Only 0.03% of charities in the country ever receive it.
52:21And it's the highest honour they can get.
52:22Once Myers volunteers had their coronation, they celebrated with music and a feast fit for kings.
52:29Finn McDermid for KMTV in hand day.
52:37Well, now it's time to take a look at the weather forecast.
52:39Tonight is looking like a rainy one.
52:46Downpours across the board.
52:48Highs of nine degrees down there in Dover.
52:50Into tomorrow morning, warming slightly.
52:5211 degrees wherever you are.
52:53Cloudy skies and wind speeds of eight and nine.
52:56And into tomorrow afternoon, lows of 12 in central Kent.
52:59Staying with those grey skies, the wind's getting a bit stronger at 13 miles per hour.
53:04And for the coming days, getting a little bit hotter on Friday with the sun coming out,
53:07leading us into a disappointing weekend.
53:09And rain on Saturday, calling to seven on Sunday with some sun peeking out behind the clouds.
53:21And finally, instead of chopping, kicking or hitting,
53:24a group in Canterbury have taken a more relaxed approach to martial arts.
53:27The practice of Tai Chi is popular in Southeast Asia.
53:31But a class in Barham have also picked up the activity in a bid to improve both physical and psychological health.
53:37Well, I joined them earlier.
53:39In the small village of Barham, near Canterbury, is a class teaching Tai Chi,
53:43a Chinese martial art practiced around the world.
53:47Although it has its roots in combat, in the modern day, it's mostly used as a form of exercise
53:51with slow, low-impact movements to help people with their health.
53:55It's often called meditation in motion.
53:57It gives them balance, helps with their mobility, helps to, helps them to do movements they're not used to.
54:09So it helps to stimulate your neuropathways, if you know what neuropathways are.
54:14If you don't, it's the connection between your brain and your body.
54:18And it helps to prevent things like Alzheimer's and things like that, overall health and relaxation.
54:28Now, Barry's been showing me and the class some Tai Chi.
54:32I've never really done it before, but he's shown me this move, where you put your laogong,
54:36basically the palm of your hand, onto your yunmen, or this area around your collarbone.
54:41It's called a lung point as well, all to strengthen your lungs ahead of the autumn, where you might get colds or flu.
54:47Now, Barry's been running the group for about 10 years, and his students tend to be between the ages of 70 and 80.
54:52And they say that Tai Chi helps with their movement, their joints, and provides a nice social group that they can come back to every week.
54:59It empties my mind. I always feel good afterwards.
55:04He puts it on the video, you can go home and follow it at home, and I just find it really useful.
55:12I feel much better after a session. I feel that I've been exercising my body, especially balance,
55:19because I think balance is very important, especially as you get older, our balance can go a bit.
55:25I find it very, very helpful.
55:28And apart from the sociability of it all, you know, with a group, you seem to concentrate more on what you're doing.
55:36Naturally, I had to have a go myself, and it did feel quite good, quite calming, like a meditation,
55:42although my balance might need work.
55:44There was also a lot of emphasis on natural movements, like making sure we aren't moving our arms on their own,
55:49but instead using the whole body for motion, starting with our hips and shoulders.
55:54Now, while it was a good stretch, I think I'd need to come back a few more times
55:57before I could look like I had any idea what I was doing.
56:00Finn McDermid for KMTV in Barham.
56:03Very fun there to join the group and try my hand at some Tai Chi.
56:10Well, that is, unfortunately, time on the show as well.
56:14You've been watching Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
56:17There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
56:20And don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest news across your county
56:23by logging on to kmtv.co.uk.
56:26You can also keep us on your social timelines by liking us on Facebook and following our TikTok.
56:30And if you have a story that you think we should be covering,
56:33please don't hesitate to get in touch.
56:36But, like I say, that is all the time we have.
56:38Thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you very soon.
56:40Goodbye.
56:40I'll see you next time.
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