Catch up on all your latest news from across the county with Abby Hook.
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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kentonite live on KMTV.
00:29I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Tuesday the 7th of January.
00:33Snow on the way, yellow warning as Met Office predicts disruption on Kent's roads.
00:38I don't like snow because I'm disabled and it just annoys me because I can't get out.
00:43Endangering lives, fears that Medway's school street proposals might force children onto
00:48busy roads.
00:49If a child gets hit at 30 to 40 miles per hour on Maidstone Road, which is probable
00:54per all of the accidents that have occurred and all of the speeding offences that have
00:57occurred on that road, they're very, very, very unlikely to survive.
01:02What's next? Anger as Kent's councils race for effective abolition.
01:07The public haven't had a chance to say anything about this yet at all.
01:21Good evening, we're being told to check on older relatives and neighbours this week as
01:25snow is expected to hit the county in just a matter of hours.
01:29A yellow weather warning for snow is due to come into force at 9am with the Met Office
01:33warning of disruption.
01:34It comes after a start to the year where communities across parts of Kent have been met with flooding.
01:39Well, Bartholomew Hall joins me now live from the Medway tunnel with the latest.
01:43Bartholomew, what is the Met Office telling us about how intense this snow could be?
01:47What exactly can we expect?
01:49Well, at the moment, Abbey, it is all on a knife edge.
01:53There's this weather system that's moving in from the channel and it's unsure as to
01:57how far north it could move.
01:59Some computer models suggesting it will stay in the channel, others saying it will progress
02:03further north.
02:04And if it does reach us here in Kent and in the far south of England, well, then it could
02:09be pretty disruptive.
02:10Places like where I am on the Medway tunnel, where we tend to see a lot of traffic disruption
02:15whenever there is some sort of weather issue, could be some of the pinch points to look
02:19out for.
02:20Here we have this yellow weather warning for snow, which is due to come into force
02:24tomorrow at 9 a.m., continuing on until midnight.
02:28Let's hear from Jonathan Valtry.
02:29He's one of the Met Office meteorologists I was speaking to earlier about what we can
02:33expect and some of his advice for people going into Wednesday.
02:38Throughout Wednesday, we're going to see an area of low pressure push its way in across
02:41the English Channel, moving from west to east during the day.
02:45And as this is pushing into the cold air ahead of it, that has really gripped the UK at the
02:49moment.
02:50There is the potential for some snow in areas on the leading edge, mixed in with the sleet
02:55and the rain that will come with that as well.
02:58Advice would just be to make sure you're staying up to date with the forecast because there
03:00is that uncertainty in there.
03:02We do need to make sure that people are up to date with the latest information and how
03:06much of that snowfall we might be seeing in places.
03:09So just keep up to date with the Met Office forecast.
03:11Look, Abi, it's not the first bit of significant weather news we've had this year so far.
03:18We're only a week in at that.
03:19You mentioned some of that flooding that people in Youlding, Tunbridge and the surrounding
03:23villages have woken up to today.
03:25That's been subsiding as we pass through this afternoon.
03:27But look, we've also had snow already this year already.
03:30Take a look at these pictures.
03:31This is Herne Bay, where they've already had a nice light dusting of the white stuff so
03:36far.
03:37This was at the weekend.
03:38And whilst it does look pretty, I think the reality is that especially for some older
03:41folk, it can be pretty disruptive, pretty dangerous when we have these really cold snaps.
03:46That's why we have this cold health alert in at the moment, an amber one at that.
03:51We've been speaking to some shoppers in Medway today about their feelings as the potential
03:55for snow draws ever closer.
03:58I don't like snow because I'm disabled and it just annoys me because I can't get out.
04:02Because especially where I live, I live, although I live on a ground floor flat, it's up a slope.
04:07So if that gets snowy and icy, then I'm sort of housebound basically until the snow clears
04:12up.
04:13If there's snow, there's snow.
04:14I feel sorry for people who've got to go out today and got to go to work.
04:18And it's nice if you can stay indoors and just look at it.
04:22But it just seems to cause so much disruption.
04:25I'm sure that for a lot of other people who drive, it's going to be quite a disaster.
04:31And we saw earlier in your report, Bartholomew, that map, but how widespread could these weather
04:35issues be?
04:36Yeah, well, we were talking about the roads earlier, weren't we, KCC highways, Medway
04:42highways both saying they will have their gritters out tonight on all primary routes,
04:47making sure that those roads are as safe as can be.
04:50Look, I think the advice is wherever you're going tomorrow, just make sure you're being
04:53safe and stay up to date as well with all the traffic alerts by heading to Kentonline
04:57or listening to KMFM throughout the morning.
04:59Bartholomew, thank you very much, especially if schools are closing as well.
05:03All the updates over on KMFM and Kentonline.
05:05Now, a drunk drunk driver in Medway has avoided a prison sentence after swerving on the M25
05:11before crashing his car.
05:12Dash cam footage shows the motorist swerving dangerously and driving towards oncoming traffic.
05:17When he pulled over, he was more than four times the drink drive limit.
05:21Fifty-three-year-old Valerij Miroznikau pulled into the A25 near Sevenoaks and ended up crashing
05:26into the Beggars Lane roundabout in Westram.
05:28Fortunately, no-one was injured and nothing harmed.
05:31He will have to pay a few hundred pounds in compensation and do 200 hours of unpaid work.
05:39Children's safety could be put at risk as a result of Medway Council's proposals to
05:42create further traffic-free zones.
05:45The local authority is planning to create nine more school streets, but teachers and
05:48parents in Rochester are fearing it will force children onto another busy rush hour route.
05:53The council's defending the rollout.
05:55Gabriel Morris has more.
05:58It's a scheme that's been stopping parents dropping children off around some schools.
06:02Medway Council now want to extend the scheme to nine further areas.
06:07A school street could soon be coming to Cannon Close, but parents worry their children will
06:12now be forced onto this busy main road.
06:16The grim reality is that if a child gets hit at 30 to 40 miles per hour on Maidstone Road,
06:21which is probable, per all of the accidents that have occurred and all of the speeding
06:25offences that have occurred on that road, they're very, very, very unlikely to survive.
06:30In contrast, if a child gets hit at 10 to 20 miles per hour in Cannon Close, they're
06:34much more likely to survive.
06:36So compared to Maidstone Road, Cannon Close is actually somewhat of a safe haven for these
06:40small kids.
06:42Maidstone Road has several schools in its vicinity and was revealed to be in the top
06:4720 stretches for speeding offences in Kent.
06:50If people can't park in our roads, which is what they do at the moment, relatively safely,
06:55relatively courteously, they will move to busier roads such as Maidstone Road, which
07:00is a major road, speeding traffic and is already very congested.
07:05Just down the road is King School, where a member of staff told a scrutiny committee
07:09they support traffic-free zones, but it just doesn't work in their area.
07:15As we know, it's a very major road.
07:17It has raised pavements, which have steps going up to them, and it has stepped pavements
07:24on the other side.
07:25So therefore, kids and parents crossing that road is going to be very dangerous, we think.
07:31There's a pressure of fear that fatalities or accidents are going to happen.
07:36It was the Conservatives that called in the roll-out of school streets over concerns about
07:41public support.
07:43I presented a petition to full council signed by 100 residents in the area around Fairview
07:49Primary School and that wasn't even referenced.
07:51So they were our primary concerns.
07:53As I said in the meeting, I think good policies made on evidence, bad policies made on feelings
07:59and we had an awful lot of feelings.
08:00The call-in meant any progress on the scheme had been stalled, but the opposition's motion
08:05failed, meaning work and proposals will now continue.
08:09The speakers tonight have been amazing, right?
08:12The stories that you've come and told about the personal problem you have with your own
08:20schemes I'm sure has been listened to tonight and it will be listened to again.
08:26You've got to feed into that consultation.
08:29Gabriel Morris in Medway.
08:33The deadline is drawing near for Kent councils to submit merger plans as almost all our local
08:38authorities face effective abolition.
08:40But what does this actually mean?
08:42Politics producer Oliver Leeder to SACS has been trying to solve that mystery.
08:46It's the mystery hanging over all of our politicians.
08:50What is going to happen to Kent's councils?
08:54Just before Christmas, the government dropped the smoking gun on devolution and local government
09:00reorganisation, which will fundamentally change Kent's political landscape forever.
09:07Like all great mysteries, the future for Kent's councils is a little complicated.
09:12You might even need a chalkboard.
09:14To kind of break it down for you, currently there's three types of council in Kent.
09:20You have your borough and district council, so your bins, your planning, your local services.
09:26Then you have the big stuff run by Kent County Council.
09:30That's adult social services, education, that sort of thing.
09:34Then you have Medway, the only unitary authority here in Kent.
09:39But under government plans, these 13 here will have to merge together to be more like
09:47Medway Council.
09:49These unitary authorities will exist within a wider strategic authority, overseen potentially
09:56by one of these, one of the new mayors.
10:00And if this all sounds like a lot, all submissions have to be done by the 10th of January.
10:06The public haven't had a chance to say anything about this yet at all.
10:11And as a councillor myself, I've had very little input either.
10:15I think that the group of people that have made the decision are a very small representative
10:20group of the county.
10:21They are 14 men to start off with.
10:24And that's, you know, I have colleagues in that group, which I have a lot of respect
10:28for, but 14 men is not a representative selection of the county.
10:32Protests are expected on Thursday, as Kent County Council is set to hold an extraordinary
10:39meeting to help decide whether Kent and Medway will be on the fast track to these changes.
10:45If added to the priority list, it could mean no local elections in May and the end of all
10:51borough councils within three years.
10:53I'm really concerned about the cancellation of the elections to Kent County Council.
10:59Others are worried about too much power being invested in this single mayor figure across
11:05Kent and we don't know how that person is going to be held to account.
11:12Others are concerned about the loss of districts and the impact that has on democracy.
11:18So having big unitary authorities instead of smaller districts separates or starts to
11:24separate the link between councillors and constituents.
11:28All submissions to government have to be made by Friday, but while this may solve the mystery
11:33of Kent's political map, answers over local elections or representation will be a lot
11:40less clear.
11:41This is Oliver Leader-the-Sax for KMTV.
11:45Now for time for a very quick break.
11:47See you in a few minutes.
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15:0220th Century Fox Show
15:09Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
15:13Axes, knives, machete blades, and BB guns are just some
15:17of the offensive weapons seized by Kent Police in Kent schools and colleges.
15:21Between January and October last year, there were nearly 60 reports
15:25of young people with weapons. Knives being the most common.
15:28Schools are working with local authorities to educate children around the dangers of knife crime.
15:33One being Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott who says those carrying weapons are more likely to be injured by one.
15:40The consequences for young people can be quite severe because carrying a weapon does carry a custodial sentence.
15:46The police will look to do a series of interventions with that young person and their family to understand the reasons behind it,
15:54what has happened and whether there is any concern about exploitation.
15:58In some circumstances they're holding weapons for other people so they'll look at it in the whole.
16:04Criminalising is an option and yes that's right it should be,
16:09but they will do everything in their power to protect that young person, protect their schoolmates and make sure they're dealt with appropriately.
16:15Next tonight, pressure is growing on the government to launch a fresh inquiry into child abuse
16:21after Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips made the decision to block a public inquiry into exploitation in Oldham.
16:28But why does that matter here in Kent?
16:30I asked Vinisha Jassal from the Centre for Child Protection based at the University of Kent about the debate and that pressure on the government.
16:38I think there should always have been pressure on the government to tackle child sexual abuse
16:43and I think this has just spearheaded the subject matter into the forefront which on one level is very good
16:49and I suppose a lot of us are hoping that this will lead to the implementation of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse
16:58and the very important recommendations that inquiry had made.
17:02So I think at this particular moment in time, I think we all know the reasons it's been spearheaded into the headlines at the moment
17:10but I think we mustn't detract from the fact that this is and should have always been a really important point for any government to have tackled.
17:18That's the key bit here, the J inquiry highlighted lots of things that can be implemented but none of those have been done.
17:24Do you think now we should focus on, people are calling for a new inquiry but do you think now is the time to focus on the old inquiry
17:32and getting those recommendations put forward?
17:35I absolutely do and the reasons I really believe that is important is that that was a seven year inquiry
17:42and it resulted in vast amount of evidence from multiple agencies, institutions and most importantly from victim survivors through its truth project
17:52and there's a real fear that that contribution made by victim survivors is going to get lost and diluted in the current debate and discussion
18:01so we must not forget that it is the child and the adult survivors of child sexual abuse
18:07that must remain at the forefront of this whole subject matter and this whole discussion and the government's priority.
18:13Of course they are at the heart of the issue, this is what we're trying to achieve by having these conversations.
18:17Do you think that that message is getting lost?
18:20I do, I do and I think I talk on behalf of many child protection practitioners and professionals
18:26who we support within the Child Protection Centre at the University of Kent
18:30when I say that what practitioners most need is to feel more confident in responding to child sexual abuse
18:38and to providing support to survivors of child sexual abuse
18:42and we must focus on the services and interventions that we can design that helps survivors from dealing with the trauma which is lifelong for survivors
18:51so we mustn't lose sight of that and I do feel that in the current debate and discussion that is not as visibly present as it should be.
18:58We know that grooming is a huge part of this issue as well and something the government's going to try and tackle
19:04and particularly grooming gangs in the north of the country as well
19:07but here in Kent, looking at our county, is that a prevalent issue here?
19:11I think grooming is nationwide, I don't think anyone would argue against that.
19:15We've had enough evidence to show that that is an issue nationwide.
19:20I think what is important to really state is that there are many forms of child sexual abuse, many patterns of perpetrator behaviour,
19:30many patterns of grooming, many types of risks to children from child sexual abuse
19:35and I'm just about to submit my thesis which I've completed which again evidences that there are types of child sexual abuse we don't even know about for various reasons
19:45Those working in the field will know that disclosures of child sexual abuse are very, very low.
19:51Rates of referrals of child sexual abuse are very low due to the nature of the abuse,
19:56victim survivors not wanting to come forward for very valid and real reasons, life-impacting reasons.
20:03So we need to be focusing on those kinds of areas about how we can find out about child sexual abuse,
20:09how we can create environments for victim survivors to come forward from all communities.
20:14And help is available at the NSPCC and Childline.
20:18Next evening, independent pubs are being forced to close and train fares are being lowered.
20:23Let's have a look at this week's Business Roundup and find out more about how the economy is changing here in Kent.
20:28Here's Kai Wei.
20:30First up, a beloved farm shop in Cliffwoods plans to shut this weekend after 40 years of business.
20:35Customers have been left saddened but supportive of the owners who have decided to close their doors.
20:41Some regulars have commented that they are gutted to hear the sad news,
20:44with the owners adding that it's been lovely to see the overwhelmingly positive response.
20:48Kim Fox, one of the owners, explained that she's exhausted and also that the business is not doing well.
20:55Kim Fox, one of the owners, explained that she's exhausted and also that obviously the economic climate has affected them.
21:01Although it isn't the reason behind their closing, many businesses are struggling with inflation and the changing economy,
21:07such as pubs across the South East.
21:09With the combination of dry January and the popular Weatherspoon chains offering nearly unbeatable offers such as 99p pints,
21:16there is a huge risk to independent pubs having to close down.
21:20In fact, last year, 45 pubs were forced to close, with over a dozen being in Kent.
21:25We spoke to an expert about the changing economic environment and the impact the government's new plan will have on independent businesses.
21:32Fundamentally, one of the things that needs to be addressed moving forward is about business rates.
21:36It is dreadfully wrong.
21:38At the moment, a bricks and mortar retailer will pay somewhere in the region of about 2.8% of their turnover,
21:45will be given over to business rates, whereas an online seller who works at a warehouse will be paying about 0.6%.
21:52You then got some anxiety for the future.
21:55You know, there are some retailers who think, OK, we've got national insurance contribution coming up.
21:59We've got an increase in national minimum wage. Of course, that's tends to impact on seasonal staff.
22:04And of course, the inequity and inequality of the business rate system is also coming into play as well in April.
22:13So you can understand why a lot of retailers thought, OK, we've had a bad summer.
22:17Christmas isn't looking fantastic. Let's call it a day.
22:19Finally, some good news for train passengers.
22:22Fees are being lowered for rail lines between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel.
22:26This includes local southeastern services between London and Kent, as well as freight trains to and from the Channel.
22:32The Office of Rail and Road claim the amount paid by users should be cut by 10.4% for the next five years from April onwards.
22:39So we can expect lower train fares on high speed lines in a few months.
22:50You can keep up to date on all the business news and all the other stories that we cover over on our website, kmtv.co.uk.
22:56You'll find all our reports there, including this one about a Chatham vet that was scammed out of nearly £6,000.
23:02I felt absolutely awful.
23:05Words don't explain how awful I felt because it's something that could be such a smooth transaction and that should have been very straightforward.
23:13When you think of a scam, you may think of text messages or online links.
23:17But when this vet clinic in Chatham was targeted, the suspect was not hiding behind a screen.
23:23Just yesterday, a man walked into this vet to get treatment for his dog.
23:27The initial cost was only £20.
23:29But after being handed the machine, he tampered with the device, refunding himself almost £6,000.
23:34Apparently, it only took a few seconds.
23:37Clover Street Vets in Chatham has been a victim to a new kind of scam that has left them in shock,
23:42urging them to share their experience and warn others to stay vigilant during the busy Christmas period.
23:48The scam was done through their card machine that is commonly used by smaller businesses.
23:53I think it's awful, especially over Christmas, added on top of everything.
23:56I mean, small businesses struggle anyway.
23:59B2B self-employed is really difficult.
24:01But for, you know, companies to have trust in their customers, not to scam them.
24:07But I think it's just something that people need to be more aware of and that it can happen in the blink of an eye.
24:13And I would just urge people, if something doesn't look right or feel right, then to definitely contact the card companies as soon as possible.
24:20And hopefully, the quicker the action, the better the outcome.
24:24Vets are vital for pets, wildlife and animals that are in need of help.
24:29And when scams like this happen, it has a real impact on those who rely on the service,
24:34especially during Christmas time when animals are much more likely to be abandoned due to financial pressures and overbreeding.
24:41We work with Wisteria Cat Rescue.
24:43He's with us on a daily basis.
24:46And it's very, it does put a strain on the work that we're able to do with him at reduced cost
24:53to allow him to do the work that he needs.
24:56So we'll be here six days a week, visiting the vets for different things.
25:01At Christmas time, we do see a rise in, unfortunately, animals being dumped.
25:05Only last week, we was out at Raynham to five young kittens that had been dumped in a car park.
25:09So it's so important to have a vet that's readily available.
25:13In a statement, Kent Police have said that officers have spoken to the victim and an investigation is underway,
25:19including the review of CCTV.
25:21I hope it doesn't happen to anybody else and just, you know, shopkeepers,
25:25particularly those that have terminals that can input amounts, just to be extra vigilant.
25:31So in the midst of Christmas time and rising scams in Kent, it is important to stay aware.
25:37Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Chatham.
25:41Just before we go this evening, that yellow weather warning for snow is due to be in place at 9am
25:45with the Met Office warning of disruption to transport and public services.
25:49Make sure you are checking before you travel.
25:51With that, let's take a look at the full forecast for the coming days.
25:59It's going to be a cold night with clear skies this evening,
26:02temperatures of one and zero across the county, wind speeds of nine miles per hour.
26:06Then tomorrow, that yellow weather warning for snow.
26:08Temperatures into the minus ones there, lows of zero elsewhere.
26:13Warming up slightly into the afternoon.
26:16A bit of rain and wet weather expected, staying pretty cloudy, sorry.
26:20And here's your outlook. Some sunshine potentially on Thursday.
26:27And finally this evening, a mum from Strewton celebrated Christmas Day this year
26:31by giving birth to her son exactly 37 years to the day when she was born.
26:36Chloe Terry gave birth to baby Alfie just after 8am at Medway Maritime Hospital.
26:41The best birthday present and Christmas present she could ask for.
26:44That's it from us this evening. Bye bye.
27:05.