- 23 hours ago
Catch up with all the latest news across the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
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 10th of December.
00:32Progress unlocked, deal resident with locked-in syndrome continues the fight to regain his speech.
00:38He's got a life now, just not the life that he wants or wishes for.
00:44Are we safe in Medway? We take a sneak peek at a Kentonite special all about safety and security in the towns.
00:51You don't feel so safe, you never feel safe.
00:55It's just disrespectful for everybody really, not just us but people in the high school as well.
01:01And pine or plastic? We learn if the county prefers their Christmas trees from Mother Nature or the manufacturer.
01:08I feel like I've got to say plastic.
01:10Real. Real.
01:14The resident is pushing to regain his speech and mobility after a stroke in 2019 left him with locked-in syndrome.
01:34Jeff Brown's life changed when suddenly his body was completely paralysed, yet he was fully conscious and aware inside, only able to communicate through eye movements.
01:43His family and carers have worked with Jeff to try to regain his mobility back.
01:47And a GoFundMe has been launched to raise funds for therapy that could see him speak again, as Megan Shaw has been finding out.
01:53Imagine suffering a life-changing stroke that leaves you unable to move a muscle, all while being fully conscious and aware of your surroundings.
02:02This is what happened to Jeff in 2019, when a stroke left him with locked-in syndrome, only able to move his eyes.
02:11Jeff and I met in 2010 and we married in 2016.
02:17In 2019, Jeff had a very unexpected sudden brain stem stroke.
02:24He collapsed while he was at his yard.
02:26He was airlifted to Kings, where they discovered a day or so later that he had a brain stem stroke and the damage was bad.
02:37Now, there's a common misconception around those with locked-in syndrome that they'll be like that for life.
02:43But change is possible as Jeff and many others are living proof of.
02:48Jeff's family and his carers both believe Jeff could be able to get his voice back.
02:54Before his life changed, Jeff was an avid motorcycle fan and the fight to get back on his bike one day continues.
03:02Ever since working here and working with Jeff, every week there's something else that Jeff manages to achieve.
03:11His levels of trying to progress and progress and progress, just get more and more each time.
03:19He doesn't want to just do little movements, there's bigger movements and, you know, the same with his voice, his legs.
03:25And, yeah, as I say, I was quite naive coming in at first, but as you see Jeff doing so well and progressing, he just wants it more and more and so do you.
03:38In 2020, his family raised money to fund a specialist physiotherapy bank for him and now Jeff is embarking on the final push to speak again for the first time in six years.
03:50We can access more rehabilitation for him to be able to really push him and get him where he needs to be.
03:59I feel if he could have intense therapy every single day or at least three, four times a week, he can really push himself to where he can actually get back on those motorbikes and can actually, he's got a life now, just not the life that he wants or wishes for.
04:18But, with so much uncertainty, how does the family stay positive?
04:23If we forget to keep his head straight or if we don't pay attention in time, we get fines now.
04:29Two pounds a pound?
04:30Two pounds a pound.
04:31Through humour and remembering they have each other.
04:34Megan Shaw for CAME TV in Deal.
04:39Next up tonight, the villages near West Hoam are making their voices heard against the planners of a new 70-acre lorry park.
04:46The plans for 600 brand new HGV spaces will be just off the A20 motorway, but many local residents staunchly oppose its construction.
04:54Bosses from GSE Group, which is behind the scheme, say it will improve the lives of residents across the district who are fed up with queues of trucks clogging up major routes.
05:03We spoke to some of the residents to hear their thoughts.
05:06They're killing the village.
05:08It's a village that every...
05:09It's our home.
05:10It shouldn't be allowed to happen.
05:12If they do this...
05:13Yeah, yeah.
05:14It will cause accidents on that slip roll because you'll be backing up onto the A20.
05:20Then they have to alter the roundabout at the bottom.
05:23And in the mist, I'm standing a metre from you, you can't see that far in front of you.
05:27What three things do we need to survive as human beings on this planet?
05:31We need food, we need water and we need shelter.
05:35Now, I've looked around this presentation today by GSE and not one slide does it mention farming or the loss of farmland or the loss of food production.
05:46So we're looking at replicating the facilities we've got at Ashford and providing a 600 space truck stop, obviously directly accessed off the A20.
05:56In terms of, you know, while we're trying to do this, obviously Dover being one of the busiest roll on roll of ports in the world, you know, huge amounts of HGV traffic come through this port every single day.
06:05And there's a need in excess of a thousand trucks, you know, that have nowhere to park every single night.
06:11You know, we are determined to provide them with somewhere to park.
06:14Yeah, there's obviously a lot of motion in the room today.
06:17Huffman is obviously the nearest settlement, so obviously they are directly impacted by this.
06:22I think in terms of the issue as a whole, it is an issue that impacts the wider Dover district.
06:27You know, what we can say is that we will do everything we can to mitigate the impacts on the neighbouring villages.
06:33But it's also something that has the potential to improve the lives of other people in the district every single day, particularly those who, you know, experience disruption going in and out of Dover.
06:43And those who work in the wider Dover district.
06:46Next, hospitals, GP surgeries and community services across the county are bracing for major disruption.
06:53This comes as resident doctors stage a five-day strike from the 17th to the 22nd of December.
07:00NHS Kenton Medway warns the walkout will put significant pressure on already stretched winter services, particularly emergency departments and GP practices.
07:08The public is urged to use 111 online for urgent concerns and reserve 999 for life-threatening emergencies.
07:17Operation Brock will return to the M20 next week as Kent prepares for a surge in festive travel.
07:23The motorway will close overnight on the 15th of December between Ashford and Maidstone so the scheme can be installed.
07:29The contraflow system will manage lorry queues between junctions 8 and 9 to reduce congestion heading to the port of Dover and the Eurotunnel.
07:36Officials say it's needed due to high predicted passenger numbers, though it costs taxpayers around £250,000 per deployment.
07:44Now, with flu cases on the rise this winter, hospitals across Kent are seeing more patients becoming unwell.
07:51We spoke to the chief medical officer of NHS Kenton Medway, Kate Langford, about how the flu can spread, what to look out for and the simple steps like vaccination and good hygiene that can significantly reduce your risk.
08:03So the simplest and best protection is to get yourself vaccinated.
08:07So if you're in one of the groups who are most vulnerable to flu or a parent of a child who's in that group, I would definitely urge you to get vaccinated.
08:16There's still time and you can look at the website www.getvaccinatednow.co.uk and that will show you where you can go, as will your NHS app.
08:28So if you're in a cohort that's offered a vaccination, please get it.
08:33For everybody else, there's still a lot you can do.
08:36Good old fashioned hand washing is actually really good at preventing you picking up germs off surfaces.
08:43So I'd say don't forget the hand washing.
08:45And the other thing is, if you have got a cough or a cold, either stay at home or wear a mask when you're in public to try and stop spreading it around.
08:54That would be really helpful.
08:56Stick around on KMTV this evening for a Kentonite special, where we'll be asking the question, is Medway safe?
09:03The special will focus on antisocial behaviour in the high street, as well as hearing from faith leaders in the community about the rise in nationalism.
09:10We're also here for a Medway council leader, Vince Maple, to find out how he's changing the towns for the better.
09:15Here's a preview.
09:17Well look, I think I want everywhere in Kent and Medway to be a safe place.
09:22Over the years of the Conservative government, we saw cuts in policing, particularly community policing.
09:27And that's meant in some cases the community stepped in.
09:30So here in Chatham, we have the Chatham ambassador scheme that's funded in part by the Pentagon Centre, in part by some of the traders and one of the local developers.
09:38And for me, that's about making people feel safe and confident to come to the town centre, but also supporting those who need support.
09:45Me and my colleague experienced three accounts of racism in one hour of being on Gilligan High Street.
09:51What do you think of that? Are you surprised?
09:53I'm disgusted, first and foremost. That should never happen. No one should tolerate that.
09:57And I'm sorry that happened to you and your colleague.
10:00I think what we've seen in recent times, particularly with things like raising the colours, with people raising flags in a way which is organised by far-right activists.
10:11That's led to people who haven't. It's almost feeling more confident in being unacceptable.
10:17In my view, racism is never acceptable.
10:20Many years ago, I used to organise, maybe I love music, hate racism.
10:23I still love music and I still hate racism.
10:26So from that perspective, absolutely, people probably feel at this point in time that they've got more powers to be able to make horrible comments,
10:36both in person but particularly online as well.
10:40One of my friends who's the MP for Gilligan Marainham, Nishabha Khan, who's a female Asian MP.
10:48You know, everybody in politics says grief online, but what she receives is unbelievably disgusting.
10:55So, yeah, we've got more to do on that.
10:57I'm volunteering, I'm helping my community, I'm standing up as council leader to say everybody is welcome in Medway.
11:03Not being divisive, which we see far too often.
11:06So what is your council doing to tackle this kind of racist rhetoric?
11:11Oh, look, so we've been really, really clear. We've taken down the flags.
11:14And look, I've got a bit of abuse online about that.
11:18But actually, when I've come down the high street here in Chatham and elsewhere, you know, we put out a big video on a Friday.
11:24Over that weekend, more than 20 people stopped me and said, you've done the right thing. And I'm proud of that.
11:30And remember, you can check out the full Kent Tonight special at 6.30 this evening right here on KMTV.
11:35But for now, it is time for a quick break.
11:38Coming up after that, we'll speak to Flory's Friends Rescue about the generous £2.4 million donation that Ricky Gervais has given to 22 different charities, two of them coming from Kent.
11:49All that and more after this short break.
13:11.
13:41.
14:11.
14:41.
15:11Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
15:16Now, Southeast Water plan to invest up to £500,000 to replace one kilometre of burst-prone
15:21water mains which has sparked traffic concerns in Smarden by Ashford.
15:27The closure of Biddenden and Bethesden Road on January 5th worries locals as they say
15:31construction on more roads in the area could further traffic congestions.
15:35Councillor Kayleigh Brunger-Randall of Ashford Borough Council claims the diversions would
15:39cause havoc on smaller lanes.
15:41Jeremy DeFore, project manager for Southeast Water said, we know road closures are disruptive
15:46and they are a last resort.
15:49Now Ricky Gervais has donated £2.4 million to 22 different charities, two of which are
15:54here in Kent.
15:56Flory's Friends Rescue was one of the charities to receive the donation.
16:00Based in Canterbury, they work on rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming abused and unwanted
16:04animals.
16:05I can say with pleasure, we're now joined by Natalia from the rescue to discuss their
16:10work and the donation.
16:11So, thank you for joining us, Natalia.
16:13When you first found out about the donation, what was your personal reaction?
16:17Natalia Brunger-Randall of Ashford Borough Council claims relief for all the paralysed
16:20dogs that are now not going to lose their lives next year.
16:23I see.
16:24And tell us for anyone who doesn't know a bit about the work that you do at Flory's Friends Rescue.
16:30So, we are a paralysed dog rescue.
16:35All of our dogs have got broken spines.
16:37They rely on the use of wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and also bilateral rear double amputations.
16:42So, we are an extremely niche rescue.
16:45We take on the dogs that no other rescue does want to take.
16:49And obviously, that comes with absolutely massive overheads because we work very closely with
16:53a lot of surgeons.
16:54We have overheads of over £300,000 in just surgery bills alone.
16:59But we give animals the chance that they would never have anywhere else because the only other
17:04option for them is euthanasia.
17:06I see.
17:07And we're getting nearer to Christmas.
17:10You mentioned that relief there.
17:11What is that like around this time of year to get that?
17:14How much is that going to impact the business?
17:16So, the rising cost of living has massively affected us hugely.
17:22And then coming up to the Christmas period also, people cancel their donations to many
17:26charities because people want to buy their Christmas presents.
17:30So, for us, this means we can operate for at least another year and save the lives of many,
17:35many animals.
17:36And you're hands-on with these animals every day.
17:39Could you share a little bit about who's currently in your care?
17:42Maybe a few animals who've really touched your heart recently.
17:45Yeah.
17:46So, we actually have a one-legged dog called Giselle who was hit by a HGV lorry and left
17:51on the side of a motorway for six days.
17:54We found her on a traffic camera.
17:56We also have a dog called Winnie Pegg who was thrown off Brighton Pier.
18:00We also have a dog called Patsy who her legs were cut off with a machete.
18:05They're one of many of the dogs living in our care, in our sanctuary residence, who require
18:10incredibly specialist help and rehabilitation.
18:14And it's dogs like them that we specialise with, and we will keep these dogs on forever.
18:19Some we will rehome and find lovely families for.
18:21There are some amazing people out there that take on these dogs.
18:25But unfortunately, to get these dogs from start to finish is about £7,000 to £10,000
18:29a dog.
18:30I see.
18:31And for people watching at the moment who feel moved by your work, what's the most impactful
18:35way they can support you as a charity?
18:38So, we always say we have a £1 a month donation campaign.
18:42People think £1 does not matter.
18:44Yes, we've had a large donation from Ricky Gervais, but that does not even cover one year
18:49of our running costs.
18:51So, even £1 a month, a share on Facebook, offering to foster one of our animals, or
18:56even just volunteering some time and sharing our social media posts.
19:00People think that things can be too small to do.
19:03Nothing is too small to support your local animal shelter.
19:06Every single action, every penny really counts for us.
19:10Absolutely.
19:11And this is such a big moment for the rescue.
19:14How are you and the team going to take it in?
19:16Are there any celebrations planned?
19:18No.
19:19We work 24-7, seven days a week, no days off.
19:22The animals don't know it's celebration day.
19:25They don't know it's bank holiday.
19:26They don't know it's Christmas.
19:27But we're lucky.
19:28We absolutely love our job.
19:29We are more than happy to celebrate with a cup of tea and cleaning out a catchway or a
19:33kennel.
19:34And you mentioned that feeling of relief.
19:36Did it also come as a surprise?
19:37Did you have any inkling this was going to happen?
19:41We have some patrons that have connections with Ricky Gervais.
19:44We didn't know it was coming, no.
19:46But we have been working relentlessly hard for 11 years.
19:50And we knew that the next two years was finally these dogs' time to shine and to raise awareness
19:56for disability in animals because human beings are accepted as disabled.
20:01Human beings are helped when they become disabled, whereas animals are basically put to sleep
20:07when they become disabled.
20:08And for us, our mission is to make sure that people understand that disabled dogs and cats
20:14are OK, too.
20:16So we knew that the next couple of years that some of our hard work is going to have to pay
20:20off.
20:21Absolutely.
20:22Well, thank you so much for joining us, Natalia.
20:25Thank you for having me.
20:28Now we're going to take a look at the sports headlines from all across the county.
20:41In cricket news, Kent captain Sam Billings has announced that he is committing to at least
20:45another two years with the Kent Spitfires Cricket Club.
20:48The two-year contract extension comes just before the 34-year-old's 300th appearance
20:52for the county since graduating the Kent Cricket Academy in 2011.
20:57Billings' decorated career has seen victories with many teams, including the Spitfires obtaining
21:02the Vitality Blast title in 2021, which was the second trophy of its kind in Kent's history.
21:08His impressive vocation has also seen triumph in the Indian Premier League as well as the
21:12Pakistan Super League.
21:14The next stage in the captain's career is set to run all the way until 2027.
21:19He says, while last year was gutting, we were so close to reaching another finals day.
21:23Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, considers him a huge asset for the club, and billing mirrors
21:28his optimism by assuring the press that he's looking forward to a great couple of years,
21:32and hopefully more silverware.
21:35Another national success from Broadstairs-based alchemy martial arts students after they
21:40return home with medals.
21:42Ross Barnett, hailing from Margate, won silver after travelling all the way to Abu Dhabi for
21:47the AJP World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
21:50And Freddie Finn from Broadstairs claimed gold at the London Fall Kids International Open Jiu-Jitsu
21:55Championship and followed with silver at the IBJJF Europe Event in Dublin at just 15 years
22:01old.
22:02Freddie's mum, Amy, thanks coach Liam Harris for giving him support throughout his entire
22:06jiu-jitsu journey, stating,
22:08Freddie definitely wouldn't be where he is today without him.
22:12And there's so much more to come from him, says Falkston Invicta manager Jay Saunders
22:16on teenage midfielder Mikey Berry's potential.
22:20Berry's talent shone through after a 1-0 victory against Brentwood, cementing their lead in the
22:25Itzmian Premier League.
22:27Berry, still only 19, has already played for Ashford and Tombridge after he spent his youth career
22:32at Charlton.
22:33As one of Saunders' first signings, the manager has very openly admitted his thoughts on the
22:3819-year-old centre mid.
22:39He frustrates the life out of me, but he gives us good legs in midfield.
22:44It appears that only time will tell how far his promising career will go.
22:48Now, don't forget you can stay up to date with all the latest stories from across Kent by
23:00visiting our website kmtv.co.uk.
23:02There you'll find all our reports, including this one, where more than £18,000 worth of
23:08donations have been raised for KMFM's Give a Gift campaign, which aims to make sure every
23:12child receives a present this year.
23:15Now it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but for some people here in Kent, that doesn't
23:19always look like how people might expect.
23:22For some, it can be a difficult time.
23:24So four years ago, KMFM started their annual Christmas Give a Gift campaign to try and make
23:29sure that no child would be without a toy in the holiday season.
23:33And this year, they've broken their previous records and smashed their £10,000 target,
23:37raising more than £19,000, plus at least £4,000 worth of toys, all going to children
23:43who need them most.
23:44So, we're talking about children that are unfortunately going to be in hospital over
23:48Christmas.
23:49That is obviously an incredibly challenging time.
23:52And to be able to bring a smile to their face, we've been really lucky to meet children
23:58before who have previously spent time in hospital or parents who were in hospital when
24:02they were younger.
24:03And they remember receiving a toy either through Give a Gift or similar campaigns.
24:08And they, you know, it had a wonderful positive impact on them.
24:12With the donations flooding in, Suez Recycling gave £1,000 towards the cause and went down
24:17for a tour of the studio.
24:20Now the Give a Gift campaign is all about giving children who might be having a difficult Christmas
24:24a reason to smile.
24:25And as you can see, I'm sat inside the Suez Recycling bin lorry that they've brought down
24:29with them to the KMFM offices and they've also brought £1,000 more money to the campaign.
24:35They say it's something they try and do every year, but that Give a Gift was particularly
24:39special.
24:40So, our contract manager for Ashford, Ryan, heard about the Give a Gift campaign on
24:44the radio and gave me a call straight away to say that it was something that he really
24:47thought we should get involved with.
24:49We try and do something around Christmas every year anyway, so it was the perfect timing.
24:53And all our crews and staff across our Maidstone Ashford and Swell depots were really excited
24:57to get involved and so we were really lucky to be able to raise the amount that we did.
25:02While many have donated money to KMFM's Just Giving page, others have brought toys to be
25:06given out, with one paramedic team bringing enough to fill most of their car.
25:11So last year at Paddock Wood, my missus here did their own competition or their own fundraiser
25:18in the last two weeks of November and there is about 40 gifts, so this year she wanted
25:25to make sure that it was more successful and just trying to get as much toys as possible.
25:29So we created a competition between Medway, our EOC, our dispatchers and our call takers,
25:36and Paddock Wood to see who could get the most toys.
25:39The donations have now closed and so the process of sorting the toys and travelling across the county
25:44to make sure they find a home this Christmas can now start.
25:47Finn McDermott for KMTV in Medway.
25:52Now it's time for a quick look at the weather.
25:59Into this evening, Kent will have clear skies throughout, temperatures reaching highs of
26:029 degrees, dipping to around 7.
26:04Into tomorrow morning we'll see some more sunshine breaking through the clouds, highs
26:08of 10 degrees in Margate, lows of around 9.
26:11The afternoon is set to turn cloudier, though temperatures will edge up slightly in some areas,
26:15averaging highs of 11 in Medway and Dartford, lows near 10.
26:18And here is your outlook.
26:19Friday will be cloudy all day with temperatures reaching around 13 degrees.
26:23A little bit cooler on Saturday, highs of 11.
26:26Sunday will be slightly warmer, highs of 12 with some sunshine.
26:30A little bit cooler on Saturday, highs of 11.
26:35Now it's time for a quick break, but coming up we'll be returning to our top story about
26:38a deal resident who's pushing to regain his speech and mobility after a stroke in 2019 left
26:44him with locked-in syndrome.
26:46We'll be talking about that and more news from around the county just after this break.
26:59Get out.
27:06Get out.
30:11Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
30:16I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Wednesday 10th December.
30:20Progress Unlocked.
30:22The Unlocked deal resident with locked-in syndrome continues the fight to regain his speech.
30:27Are we safe in Medway?
30:29We take a sneak peek at a Kent tonight special about safety and security in the towns.
30:35And pine or plastic?
30:36We learn if the county prefers their Christmas trees from Mother Nature or the manufacturer.
30:41Now we look back at our top story tonight.
30:45A deal resident is pushing to regain his speech and mobility after a stroke in 2019 left him
30:50with locked-in syndrome.
30:52Jeff Brown's life changed suddenly when his body was completely paralysed, yet he was fully
30:58conscious and aware inside, only able to communicate through eye movements.
31:02His family and carers have worked with Jeff to try to regain his mobility back and a GoFundMe has been launched to try and raise funds for therapy that could see him speak again, as Megan Shaw has been finding out.
31:12Imagine suffering a life-changing stroke that leaves you unable to move a muscle, all while being fully conscious and aware of your surroundings.
31:21This is what happened to Jeff in 2019, when a stroke left him with locked-in syndrome, only able to move his eyes.
31:30Jeff and I met in 2010 and we married in 2016.
31:34In 2019, Jeff had a very unexpected sudden brain stem stroke, he collapsed while he was at his yard.
31:44He was airlifted to King's, where they discovered a day or so later that he had a brain stem stroke and the damage was bad.
31:56Now, there's a common misconception around those with locked-in syndrome that they'll be like that for life.
32:02But change is possible, as Jeff and many others are living proof of.
32:07Jeff's family and his carers both believe Jeff could be able to get his voice back.
32:13Before his life changed, Jeff was an avid motorcycle fan and the fight to get back on his bike one day continues.
32:20Ever since working here and working with Jeff, every week there's something else that Jeff manages to achieve.
32:29He, you know, his levels of trying to progress and progress and progress, just get more and more each time.
32:38He doesn't want to just do little movements, there's bigger movements and, you know, the same with his voice, his legs.
32:44And, yeah, as I say, I was quite naive coming in at first.
32:47But as you see Jeff doing so well and progressing, he just wants it more and more and so do you.
32:57In 2020, his family raised money to fund a specialist physiotherapy bank for him.
33:02And now Jeff is embarking on the final push to speak again for the first time in six years.
33:09We can access more rehabilitation for him to be able to really push him and get him where he needs to be.
33:18I feel if he could have intense therapy every single day or at least three, four times a week,
33:25he can really push himself to where he can actually get back on those motorbikes and can actually...
33:31He's got a life now, just not the life that he wants or wishes for.
33:37But with so much uncertainty, how does the family stay positive?
33:42If we forget to keep his head straight or if we don't pay attention in time, we get fines now.
33:48£2 a cup.
33:49£2 a cup.
33:50Through humour and remembering they have each other.
33:54Megan Shaw for CAME TV in Deal.
33:57Now, in Maidstone, a burglar has been imprisoned after breaking into Pudding's Cafe twice in one night.
34:03The incident happened late on December 2nd and the first thing the next morning.
34:08The burglar, Danny Crawley, smashed through the window and took an iPad as well as the tip jar and till drawer.
34:14The police responded quickly and found Crawley inside the premises around quarter to three in the morning with stolen items and he was arrested.
34:21Crawley admitted to burglary and criminal damage at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court the following day and was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment.
34:29The owner of Pudding's Marta Squires says the burglary will cost her business as much as £1,000, something that poses a threat to the shop's existence.
34:38Now, at the PMQ's Ashford's MP, Sojan Joseph applauded the progress on the health service.
34:44We can hear what he had to say now.
34:45Working in NHS, I saw the consequences of Tory under-investment in our health service.
34:52I welcome the progress under this Labour government, falling waiting lists, higher patient satisfaction with the general practice and the rollout of neighbourhood health centres announcing the burglary.
35:03I thank the frontline staff, including in mental health and community services, for all their hard work.
35:09And I am especially grateful to all the staff at the William Harvey Hospital in Nashford who turned up to work during the last BMA-led resident doctor strike and ensured that so many planned appointments went ahead.
35:21With rising hospital admissions because of flu and increased demand on A&E services, does the Prime Minister agree that the BMA should call off their next planned strike and instead work with the government to find a solution?
35:37Mr Speaker, he's right. Waiting lists are falling with over 5 million extra appointments.
35:41More people are being seen within 18 weeks and we've hired 2,600 new GPs.
35:47That's real progress thanks to the hard work of NHS staff.
35:51Backed by our record investment.
35:54I do think the strikes are unjustified and they threaten that hard-won progress and the focus should always be on patience.
36:04Well, the Kent Politics Show presenter Rob Bailey joined us earlier to break down the PMQs further.
36:10Well, thank you so much for joining us, Rob.
36:12We're going to be discussing all of the Kent news surrounding the PMQs today.
36:16First of all, Dartford MP Jim Dixon asked about the record of the Reform UK-led Kent County Council.
36:23Now, Keir Starmer says people in Kent have been let down by Reform UK.
36:27Do you think this is a fair judgment here in Kent?
36:29Well, I think what we've got to see this as is Labour taking advantage of some open goals.
36:36They see reform as a big threat.
36:38It's become a bit of a feature of PMQs now that the Prime Minister is given a soft question by a Labour MP
36:44that enables him to attack reform in Kent because the Kent County Council is reform's most notable and biggest local authority that it is in charge of.
36:56And so it's a really kind of important line of attack for Labour, they would see it.
37:02So it has to be seen in that context.
37:04It is Labour setting themselves up to have this attack.
37:07But Keir Starmer today once again kind of accused reform of overseeing chaos in Kent,
37:13said the community had been utterly let down by them.
37:17This comes at a time, of course, when we're waiting to hear how big the tax rises that will come in our council tax bills will be.
37:27Everyone's expecting that to be a 5% rise in council tax accompanied by cuts in public services.
37:33Reform have yet to unveil those plans fully to the public.
37:38So there is a lot of fear out there about what might be coming up next year.
37:41There was some specific criticism in PMQs today of services for vulnerable people in Kent,
37:47which may be at risk if KCC is looking to save money.
37:51And I think this is an argument that's going to keep on rolling,
37:54at least for the next few months as budget season approaches in local government.
37:59Absolutely. And mentioning the budget there, Jim Dixon also referenced this phrase, the squeezed middle,
38:04a group of families within the sort of class boundaries who would be adversely affected by the budget that Reeves has set out.
38:12She also said she's determined to cut the cost of living by reducing rail fares
38:16and freezing prescription charges for the second year in a row.
38:19Do you think that'll be effective in maybe curtailing that squeezed middle here in Kent?
38:24This was the much more revealing part of what happened in Parliament today, I think.
38:28This happened in the Treasury Select Committee.
38:30Jim Dixon, the MP for Dartford, not asking a soft question of a Labour frontbencher on this occasion,
38:36but asking directly, was Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, worried about the impact of her budget
38:42on squeezed middle, as it's often called, the working families,
38:46people who have a little bit of disposable income,
38:48people who may normally be able to save, who have a relatively comfortable life,
38:51who right at this moment in time feel like they're under attack from various different taxes
38:57and the cost of living increases, people who can no longer afford all of the things
39:02that they used to buy at a supermarket, people who may be thinking twice now about taking a summer holiday,
39:07people who are worried about the opportunities that their children might have
39:11to find work or to own homes in the future.
39:14These are the political definition of first world problems.
39:16They're not the sharp end of the most vulnerable people seeing services cut.
39:21But in electoral terms, these are really important views that voters have.
39:26People who feel their quality of life is declining, who feel their money doesn't go as far,
39:31they're likely to be very unhappy with whoever's in government.
39:33And Jim Dixon's question today reveals concern among Labour MPs,
39:39that Labour is not currently making people feel better off, not making them feel happier,
39:44and that there may be electoral consequences for that in the future.
39:48And of course, in a county like Kent, where Labour picked up a lot of seats in the last general election,
39:53that could already be something that is causing some anxiety in the Labour Party.
39:58Another Kent MP, Sojan Joseph, has praised workers at William Harvey Hospital,
40:03but has also criticised other striking doctors, especially during a flu epidemic.
40:08Now, with these strikes going on around pay disputes, what do you make of this kind of debate?
40:14Yes, this was interesting.
40:15Sojan Joseph obviously is a former nurse, so he very often asks questions relating to the NHS in these kind of forums.
40:22He praised William Harvey's staff for working through the last set of strikes.
40:28There is another set of strikes coming up this month over pay and working conditions.
40:33Keir Starmer said that doctors should put the health of people first.
40:36Obviously, right now we're in the middle of what is a quite serious flu epidemic this winter.
40:42So I think there's going to be some friction there between the BMA, which is calling these strikes,
40:49and between the Labour Party, which obviously normally is the party of unionised workers.
40:56But right at this moment in time, politically, Labour doesn't want to be seen to be supporting strikes
41:00when people are urgently in need of health care and wards are filling up with vulnerable people with flu.
41:06I see. Well, thank you so much for your time, Rob, for bringing us more detail on Kent's political agenda.
41:14Now, it's time for another quick break, but coming up we'll be joined by a Bug Life representative
41:19after an annual survey from Bug Life and Kent Wildlife Trust shows a shocking decrease in local insect abundance.
41:25Now, this is the fifth year recorded of a significant decline around the country.
41:30That's according to Bug Life.
41:32Residents of Reynum will also be sharing their favourite kinds of Christmas trees,
41:36whether or not they will go for a real tree or buy a fake one.
41:41And as always, we'll also be taking a look at the weather where you are.
41:44Don't go anywhere. We'll catch you after this short break.
41:46We'll catch you after this short break.
42:46We'll catch you after this short break.
43:16We'll catch you after this short break.
43:46We'll catch you after this short break.
43:48We'll catch you after this short break.
43:49We'll catch you after this short break.
43:50We'll catch you after this short break.
43:51We'll catch you after this short break.
43:52We'll catch you after this short break.
43:53We'll catch you after this short break.
43:54We'll catch you after this short break.
43:55We'll catch you after this short break.
43:56We'll catch you after this short break.
43:57We'll catch you after this short break.
43:58We'll catch you after this short break.
43:59We'll catch you after this short break.
44:00We'll catch you after this short break.
44:01We'll catch you after this short break.
44:02We'll catch you after this short break.
44:03We'll catch you after this short break.
44:04We'll catch you after this short break.
44:05We'll catch you after this short break.
44:06We'll catch you after this short break.
44:07.
44:37.
45:07Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
45:14Now, Folkestone's ski racing club says it's on the brink of collapse after losing access
45:20to its dry slope when Folkestone's sports centre closed last summer.
45:24The slope has become overgrown, forcing members to travel 40 miles to train in Medway, with
45:30many leaving the club altogether.
45:32The Sports Trust, which took over the site earlier this year, plans to reopen the swimming
45:36pool in 2026 and say they are still reviewing the future of the slope.
45:41Local swimming clubs have also been hit hard by the closure.
45:44Now, Bugs Matter, the annual survey from Bug Life and Kent Wildlife Trust shows a shocking
45:50decrease in local insect abundance.
45:52By monitoring bug splats on vehicle number plates, this method of collecting data has
45:58revealed there has been an annual average decline of 23% since the survey started in
46:022021.
46:03I'm pleased to say joining us here is Paul Hetherington, a representative from Bug's
46:08Life.
46:09So, Paul, thank you for joining us.
46:10What are the main reasons for the declining abundance of bugs?
46:14So, there's a whole raft of reasons.
46:18I suppose number one, really, is loss of habitat.
46:22And with loss of habitat, you have got the problem of loss of connectivity of habitat, and
46:27then it's a horrible vicious circle that feeds itself, if you like.
46:30So, once you've lost that connectivity, if you then lose another bit of habitat, everything
46:35in it is loss because it can't get anywhere else.
46:38On top of that, we've got our overuse of chemicals.
46:40And here I'm talking pesticides and herbicides.
46:44The other pollutions we put out there, like light pollution, has a very negative impact
46:49on things like moths.
46:51Climate change, which particularly affects things like bumblebees and mayflies.
46:55And, of course, non-native invasive species, which in Kent, unfortunately, you're very well
47:02aware of the yellow-legged cornet, for instance.
47:04I see.
47:05And with this survey, what's the most telling sign that there's been a bug decline?
47:10Well, we can talk about percentages, but basically, if we had five bugs in 2021, today we have less
47:21than two left. And that really puts it into terms that everyone can understand. We've gone
47:27from five bugs to two in four years. This is a really serious rate of loss, particularly
47:36when you bear in mind that it is believed that there were far more greater losses back
47:41in the 1970s and so on, when we were spraying DDT all over the place. So, we're in a very serious
47:47point here, very close to the tipping point of no return. And that would be absolutely
47:53critical to our farming and to our just general wellbeing.
48:00And for our viewers out there, why are insects so important to our ecosystems?
48:07Pollinators alone are responsible for one in every three mouthfuls of food that we eat.
48:13So, you take away bugs and you will lose all but probably a couple of species of birds
48:19in the UK. They're so important as part of the food chain. Basically, you'd keep the crossbill
48:25because the crossbill eats grass seeds and they don't need insects to grow. And you'd probably
48:30keep one of the carrion raptors because they could feed on rabbits that get run over by cars.
48:35And that would be about it for birds. We would lose eight out of every 10 of our wildflowers.
48:42The impact would be immense. We would have to live on potatoes and rice and wheat. Yeah,
48:48it'll fill you up but it won't give you much nutrition and it'd be a very, very bland diet.
48:53And is there anything that us as the general public can do to help?
48:58We can all do our own little bits even if we live in a flat. If you can put up a window box and plant some of the right kind of plants. And I always say, if that is all you can do, plant herbs, let them flower because you can then also pick some of those herbs and use them in cooking. So, it's a win-win situation. And what you're effectively doing is you're creating, if you like, a motorway service station where bugs can drop in, they can feed up, and it will just enable them to get to that next
49:16really good place where they can live. So, yes, we can all do our own thing. And obviously, the other thing to do is we don't need to use pesticides and herbicides in our gardens. Let's not be lazy gardeners. Let's do it by hand.
49:28And can you express for us, are there any numbers that suggest how significant the bug decline is here in Kent compared to the rest of the UK?
49:35So, across the UK, we're looking at roughly a 19% decline per year. So, we're looking at a really good place where they can live. So, yes, we can all do our own thing. And obviously, the other thing to do is we don't need to use pesticides and herbicides in our gardens. Let's not be lazy gardeners. Let's do it by hand.
49:44And can you express for us, are there any numbers that suggest how significant the bug decline is here in Kent compared to the rest of the UK?
49:53So, across the UK, we're looking at roughly a 19% decline per year. So, the figures in Kent are slightly higher than the UK as an average. The figures for all of southern England are higher than the UK as an average.
50:09And I think that's probably got something to do with the sort of more intensive agriculture that we have here. Scotland, slightly less affected. North of England, slightly less affected.
50:19But I mean, everywhere, we are looking at declines in double figures per annum since 2021. So, we're looking at mass declines across the whole of the UK.
50:32Yeah, Kent is getting it slightly worse. It's also probably because you're at the forefront of where we're getting this warm weather. And I saw the weather forecast earlier. Nice warm winter weather.
50:44Yeah. A lot of bugs like to hibernate. Bugs cannot hibernate when the temperature is above five degrees. I'm a bee. I come out at this time of year. There's not many flowers around, are there?
50:55And that is also a real big part of the problem. It's the change in our weather.
51:02I see. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Paul, and telling us more about this, something that many people might not even consider. Thank you for your time.
51:16Now, don't forget you can stay up to date with all the latest stories from across Kent by visiting our website, cametv.co.uk.
51:22There you'll find all our reports, including this one, where a new initiative backed by both Medway Council and Ideas Test aims to combine tunes and trash to discourage children from littering.
51:32Let's have a look.
51:33Thank you for giving me some more litter.
51:38Say hello to Chatham's first bin that's both on the beat and ready to drop the beat, rewarding diligent litter pickers.
51:45And here is the beatboxing bin. This is how it works. You throw away your litter.
51:51I just beat seven and empty the trash in the bin.
51:53And the bin lets you know. It says thank you.
51:56Funded by Arts Council England, the bins are part of an initiative to boost creativity among children and foster good environmental habits for life.
52:05This project is a project between Medway Council and Ideas Test, and it's a creative health project.
52:12So it's a focus on Luton and Brompton, two specific areas, thinking about how creativity can help improve health, either from a physical perspective, well-being perspective or an environmental perspective.
52:24It started with a consultation with community members about what, particularly for Luton, what it is that they wanted to see change.
52:31And they articulated that litter was a big thing, and they also articulated that if we were going to think about creative ways to solve or help litter issues,
52:39that actually a good place to solve is with young people.
52:42The bin's 40 different voices among beatboxer Rupert Aldridge include children from local schools, Luton Primary and Phoenix Primary School.
52:51Getting children excited about the bins through beatboxing sessions played a key role.
52:56The teacher who taught us how to beatbox, would come on most Wednesdays, more than you, when we beatbox and have some beatboxing battles.
53:06I love beatboxing, first of all, and also it's good for the environment, like Martin said, so we can pick up litter and just help the world.
53:15It's a joint project from Ideas Test and Medway Council, but are eight singing bins along Luton Road, more trash than treasure,
53:23where Medway already has significant problems on its plate.
53:27People's idea of what art and culture is different for everybody.
53:31It's like not everyone's going to be inspired by going to a theatre or painting or something like that.
53:36But it's all forms of culture.
53:38I think music's particularly great at involving lots of people, and obviously that beatbox culture comes out of a culture which isn't privilege and all those kind of things.
53:50So I think it's a great way in, Luton.
53:53And with the bin ready to freestyle, there was only one thing left to do.
53:57Celebrate, of course, with a beatboxing match.
54:00The only rappers welcome on Luton Road for the foreseeable.
54:05Megan Shaw for K-TV in Chatham.
54:09Please do not pollute the earth.
54:15Great piece from Megan there.
54:17Now it's time for a quick look at the weather.
54:19Into this evening, Kent will have clear skies throughout.
54:26Temperatures reaching highs of 9 degrees, dipping to around 7.
54:29Tomorrow morning will bring some sunshine breaking through the clouds.
54:32Highs of 10 degrees in Margate and Canterbury, lows of around 9 degrees.
54:36The afternoon is set to turn cloudier, though temperatures will edge up slightly in some areas.
54:40Highs of 11 in Medway and Dartford, lows around 10 degrees.
54:43And here's your outlook.
54:44Friday will be cloudy all day, temperatures reaching around 13 degrees.
54:47Saturday will be just a bit cooler.
54:49Highs of 11 with some sun.
54:51Sunday, slightly warmer.
54:53Highs of 12.
54:54Highs of 12.
54:55And last up tonight, what kind of Christmas tree do you prefer?
55:04Well, the holiday is on the very near horizon with just over two weeks to go until the big day.
55:09Now, those age-old decoration debates might start to rear their heads once again.
55:14Questions like, when is it too early to start decorating come around every year?
55:18So, we took to Raynham and Rochester to let the public weigh in on those discussions.
55:23Today, we are here on the streets to ask the people of Kent about their Christmas trees.
55:32Probably real, but I've always had a plastic one. So, I feel like I've got to say plastic.
55:37Real.
55:38Real.
55:39Real.
55:40Real.
55:41The wife puts them up normally a week before.
55:48Personally, at home, I usually put them up quite late in the year because my dog likes my fresh tree at home.
55:57He obviously feels like that's his little pee post for him.
56:00So, kind of, yeah, quite late in the year.
56:03But in the High Street, because the Christmas festivals start, so I have a premises in the High Street,
56:08I put them up quite early.
56:09In fact, I had to put them up in November this year.
56:12December 1st, but I'm not opposed to it in November.
56:15December 1st.
56:19October.
56:20At the moment, we've got two Jack Russell pups.
56:23We normally have a real Christmas tree, but we've got no chance this year because there'll be no tree.
56:27There'll be nothing left of it, no lights coming, because they're in that absolute chewing stage.
56:32Personally, I prefer a fake tree, and I think if it's December, you're fine to put your tree up.
56:36Well, you've been watching Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
56:40More news made for you just throughout the evening.
Be the first to comment