Local News from Kent News
Medway Towns » Local News from Kent News
Pothole-littered Kent is getting better, says KCC
KENT NEWS:Road repair crews across the county have fixed 31,000 potholes since the start of the year, writes Nick Ames. The news follows disputed figures suggesting Kent is the third worst county in Britain for potholes – behind Hampshire and top placed Surrey. Leader of KCC Paul Carter is on record last month being critical of the company contracted to maintain our roads but rolled out a programme of repair contracts aimed at smaller...
Council chief executive steps down
Maidstone council’s chief executive has announced today he is stepping down after ten years in the role.
David Petford’s decision is part of a planned downsizing of the council’s senior management team to help meet its savings target.
The restructure will save £220,000 a year as the council’s directorates will be reduced from three to two.
Mr Petford will be replaced by one of the three existing directors.
The candidates for the job are - David Edwards,...
X-Factor dance workshops planned for Spring break
X-Factor fans are being given the chance to learn the dance steps to their favourite hits.
Brook Theatre dance sessions will see youngsters learn the moves to some of JLS’ top tracks and Alexandra Burke’s hits.
The JLS lessons are available on Tuesday, April 6 between 10am and 3. 30pm, while the Alexandra Burke sessions are available the following week.
Budding stage musical stars will also get a chance to recreate Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ...
Mother blasts soft punishment for drunk driver
A mother whose son was rushed to hospital on a spinal board after being hit by a drunk driver has blasted the “soft punishment” handed out by magistrates.
Tania Allen, of Saddlebrook Park, Leysdown, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath and driving without due care and attention on December 3, 2009.
She was sentenced at Sittingbourne Magistrates on March 3 where she received a 16-month driving ban and a £550 fine.
The court heard how the 47-year-old...
Boris sending 'mixed messages' over airport plans
The Mayor of London has been accused of flip-flopping over plans to build a multi-million pound airport in the Thames Estuary.
Boris Johnson unveiled tentative proposals last year and ordered a steering group to carry out feasibility studies into the controversial idea.
But last week the Mayor appeared on BBC1’s Question Time panel and said: “I don’t want to build an estuary in the, er, an airport in the Thames Estuary. ”
A Mayoral spokesman said Mr Johnson was...
Yourmaidstone joins cops for burglary raids
Terrified screams and deafening crashes filled a usually peaceful cul-de-sac when uniformed officers swooped on an unsuspecting house in a series of organised raids, Anna White exclusively reports from the scene.
The shocked cries were from a female tenant at the house in Stanhope Road, Ringlestone, who was the first to greet to the officers as the smashed their way through the front door on Thursday morning.
The dramatic forced entrance into the property at 9am felt like it was over in...
Tuesday's football round-up
Dover Athletic missed out on the chance to close in on the Blue Square South play-offs as they slumped to defeat at home to struggling Worcester City.
The Whites’ dip in form was extended to one win in six league games by two second half strikes from the visitors. The first defeat at Crabble in 2010, it leaves Andy Hessenthaler’s side four points adrift of the top five with 10 games remaining.
Dartford re-established their 11-point lead at the top...
Man in custody as Crescent Road stand-off ends
A 54-year-old man is in police custody this morning after a day-long stand-off in Tunbridge Wells finally ended last night. At 5. 30pm police officers using public order tactics entered a flat in Crescent Road and arrested a man who had barricaded himself into the premises late on Monday evening. The man was violent and had to be restrained by police. He was taken into police custody. No one was hurt during the incident.
Worcester dent Dover's play-off hopes
Dover Athletic 0 Worcester City 2
By Tom Howard
Lowly Worcester City dented Dover Athletic’s Blue Square South play-off hopes with a victory at Crabble on Tuesday night.
With points crucial at this stage of the season, Dover, who dominated in large parts, were unable to find a way past Worcester.
The Whites were forced to rue their missed chances as second-half goals from Marc McGregor and Rob Elvins condemned Andy Hessenthaler's side to a surprise home defeat. ...
Christians' mission to keep city's drinkers safe
Christians have been given £16,000 to patrol the streets of Canterbury at the weekends and look after drunken revellers out on the town. Volunteers at the Canterbury Baptist Church already dedicate Wednesday evenings to helping the drunk and distressed as part of their Lighthouse Project, but they want to expand to cover the city at weekends. Samuel Locke, the Lighthouse Project’s manager, said: “We want to get all of the churches in Canterbury working...
Barcham: Gills must build on Town win
Gillingham winger Andy Barcham is desperate for the side to follow up their superb win against Huddersfield with an away win at Stockport this weekend.
The Gills’ 2-0 win on Saturday built a useful gap over the sides in the bottom four, but they have been held back all season by their woeful away form. They are still waiting for a first triumph on the road and Barcham is determined to help break the hoodoo at the bottom club on Saturday.
He said: “Starting with Stockport we...
Court staff's only protest is against the cold
They face drug addicts, armed robbers and violent thugs on a daily basis but going out in the cold to protest against Government cuts was a bridge to far for Sittingbourne Magistrates court officials.
While up to 270,000 of their civil servant colleagues took part in a 48-hour, country-wide protest against plans to scrap redundancy pay, court staff in the town chose to remain firmly ensconced inside the building.
One court worker said though the banners had been made and plans carefully laid...
Dog killer mocks sentence saying he'll do it again
A violent thug who used a claw hammer to batter a dog to death mocked his sentence and vowed he would do the same again to another animal.
Showing no remorse for his crime, unemployed Christopher Dance unleashed a string of obscenities outside Sittingbourne Magistrates Court on March 4 shouting: “I’m happy with what I got, I beat the s**t out of that dog and I’d do it again as well. This tag is nothing, I’ll p**s it and I p*iss on them [magistrates]. ”
Dance,...
Dedicated Scout laid to rest this afternoon
A young Scout leader was today laid to rest proudly wearing the uniform he had loved since he was six years old.
The funeral of Stephen Young, from Borough Green, who was killed in a fall in the Scottish Highlands, was held at Rochester Cathedral at 1. 15pm.
More than 500 relatives and friends attended, celebrating the teenager’s life.
The 18-year-old’s mother, Judy Young, had asked guests to wear bright colours on the day to represent her son’s “amazing”...
Tunbridge Wells: Armed police stand-off continues
KENT NEWS: Police including masked, firearms officers continue to surround a property in central Tunbridge Wells.
Police negotiators have been talking to a man, who has barricaded himself in his own flat above an antiques shop in Crescent Road.
The area was said to be swarming with emergency services including dogs units, a armed police, an unmarked BMW X5 and two fire engines.
"We do not believe the man has access to...
Teenage Scout leader is laid to rest
A young Scout leader was today laid to rest proudly wearing the uniform he loved since he was six years old.
The funeral of Stephen Young, from Borough Green, who was killed in a fall in the Scottish Highlands, was held at Rochester Cathedral at 1. 15pm.
Hundreds of mourning relatives and friends were expected to attend to pay their final farewells and celebrate the youngster’s life.
The 18-year-old’s mother, Judy Young, had asked guests to wear bright colours on the day to...
Drug dealing golfers caught with cocaine in clubs
Two men who smuggled more than £500,000 worth of cocaine and speed into the UK in the shafts of golf clubs have been jailed.
Gray Elcombe and Glen Henderson, both 40, were caught after Border Agency officials caught wind of the duo’s dealings in September of last year and tipped off Kent Police.
Officers from the force’s serious and organised crime group followed the drug-filled clubs to a property in Farleight Hill, Tovil, Maidstone, and carried out a raid in November... .
Met officer due in court after fatal police crash
KENT NEWS: A Metropolitan police officer is due in court to face a death by dangerous driving charge after a young mother was killed in a car crash on the A21 near Tunbridge Wells.
PC Nigel Brown, 46, from the Met’s specialist crime directorate, will appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court next Tuesday (March 16) in relation to the head on collision on May 5 2009.
It follows a Kent Police investigation managed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)...
Attempted murder charge for car-bomb husband
KENT NEWS: A husband accused of planting a car bomb that exploded while his pregnant wife was inside has been charged with attempted murder.
Former Army explosives expert Nicholas Fabian, 32, of Highview, Vigo, was arrested following the incident on Saturday afternoon which left partner Victoria, 32, with serious leg injuries.
He has also been charged with unlawful possession of section one ammunition and will appear before Dartford magistrates today.
Witnesses said Fabian pulled his...
Hawkins through to World Championships
Barry Hawkins will make his fifth successive appearance at the World Snooker Championships after coming through qualifying last night (Monday).
The Dartford potter beat Ian McCulloch 10-7 to progress to the season-ending tournament at the Crucible, which starts next month.
Hawkins, who will play in the China Open later this month, admitted it was a tough game but could now look forward to another chance of breaking his duck at the World Championships.
He told worldsnooker. com: “That was...
