Catch up with all the news across the county with Gabriel Morris.
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00:00Hello there. Hope you had a lovely day. Welcome to Ken Tonight live here on KMTV. I'm Gabriel
00:29Morrison here are your top stories on Wednesday the 30th of October. Looking back in anger
00:36effigy won't live forever as Ticketmasters Oasis Gaff is this year's choice in Edenbridge.
00:44We thought it would be a fun idea to do something like a Ticketmaster, which has affected so
00:50many people and so many different age groups. More cash for Kent. What does Labour's first
00:56budget mean for you? So we will see small businesses choosing not to employ people.
01:01A bridge too far. Medway River crossings closed, causing a nightmare for residents. The knock
01:08on effect is that what would be historically a 10, 15 minute journey is now taking some
01:13time, sort of an hour and a half. First Tonight. Billions in tax rises and increases to wages
01:28for workers in Kent are key parts of Labour's first budget in more than a decade. But will
01:34you be worse off? Our politics producer Oliver Leader de Sacks has been digging through the
01:39details to see what it might mean for you. Today's budget sees the fiscal rules fiddled.
01:46British people have inherited their failure. It was always going to be the political blockbuster
01:54of the autumn. But Labour's first budget in 14 years didn't just pack out Parliament,
02:00but has fundamentally changed the future of Kent's economy. For a start, taxes are going
02:07up in a big way. £40 billion in fact, though income tax and VAT are locked where they are.
02:16Instead, the burden will fall on employers who will have to pay out more in national
02:22insurance contributions. A complex way of saying businesses will have to pay more tax
02:28to the government when their employees start earning a lot less. Yeah, it really does affect
02:35the bottom line in a serious way. Now, most businesses are going to pass that cost on.
02:38You're going to see an increase in prices. You'll see perhaps some changes to the pricing
02:44models to try and recover that impact. It will stop people employing. So there are small
02:51businesses, of course, who originally wouldn't have been paying national insurance contribution
02:55because they were below the threshold. The fact that's been dropped now from nine down
02:58to five, that means they're going to have to pay. And so we will see small businesses
03:02choosing not to employ people. Part of the reason business is worried is because minimum
03:08wage is skyrocketing. As promised in our manifesto, we asked the Low Pay Commission to take account
03:15of the cost of living for the first time. I can confirm that we will accept the Low
03:21Pay Commission recommendation to increase the national living wage by 6.7% to £12.21
03:28an hour, worth up to £1,400 a year for a full-time worker. Big wins for working people
03:38then. But whether Kent is a rich man's world under Labour is very much in question. Oliver
03:46Leader-the-Sax for KMTV. Well, our politics producer Oliver Leader-the-Sax joins us in
04:02the studio now. Big day, lots of changes announced by Rachel Reeves and Labour's first budget.
04:08But what will this actually mean for people sitting and watching this at home tonight?
04:12Exactly what everyone's talking about it, that money, money, money, as we heard there.
04:17And it is going to be more money for people who are working. As you heard there, increases
04:21the national living wage. It's not just for over-21s. For people aged between 18 and 20,
04:27they will see the national minimum wage going up to £10. Rachel Reeves has plans to make
04:31it a universal adult minimum wage. But it's not just that minimum wage that's important
04:36to consider. It's about benefit increases. For example, benefits will rise by 1.7% in
04:42April next year, in line with inflation, meaning if you are one of the millions on
04:46universal credit, you could be benefiting from this budget. Same with carers. Now, if
04:53you earn over £10,000 a year, you might be able to still receive your allowance, meaning
04:59that if you're a carer looking after a vulnerable person, you can still keep more of your money.
05:03And that is an important aspect to consider. Lots of announcements today, but will everyone
05:08be happy? Is anyone ever really happy with a government budget? There's going to be winners
05:13and losers. And perhaps one of the bigger losers in the eyes of some businesses are
05:19employers across Kent and beyond, because they will have the burden of additional wages
05:25that they pay out to minimum workers, and also national insurance contributions rising
05:31to 15% next year. There are worries that people could end up losing out on higher salaries
05:37and could even lose out on their jobs entirely. For higher earners here in Kent as well, capital
05:43gains increases as well as inheritance tax increases, as well as the increase in surcharges
05:48for second homes might leave some a little bleary eyed. Now, what are some of the other
05:53big takeaways from today? Well, a big impact that's going to impact someone like me, for
05:58example, is actually the single bus fare cap, which is rising to £3 next year. It's currently
06:05at £2 for a single journey. But this will impact people trying to get around the county
06:11commuting to work, though, for those driving, there is actually going to be a benefit because
06:16the fuel duty to be frozen for over a decade. And it will continue to be so as an awareness
06:22of the cost of living crisis. And we can raise a glass that perhaps because there is a draft
06:27increase of a draft cut on tax. I mean, sorry, Gabriel, on the draft that drinks will be
06:34cut by around 1.7%. Again, my tongue tied, I'm quite excited about this one. Though obviously
06:40non-draft alcoholic drinks will see increases in tax due to inflation as well as a new vaping
06:47tax as well. So lots to keep an eye out for, lots to impact people across Kent.
06:51Ollie, thank you for bringing us those details. There's more on this on Kent Online, further
06:56analysis of today's announcements. And I think quite importantly, what it will mean for you
07:00and I and people watching at home. Ollie, thank you once again.
07:05Now, police have confirmed a body has been found in Fordwich for us in a search for a
07:09missing man. Hamish McMuhan was last seen in Canterbury on the 17th of October. Officers
07:16confirmed that a body had been found in a search for the missing 53-year-old man. Formal
07:21identification has yet to take place, but police say the family has been informed. Officials
07:27could be seen searching for River Stour yesterday afternoon and a Coast Guard helicopter was
07:31seen circling the area at around 5pm. A University of Kent professor from Ramsgate has been banned
07:38from bringing his dog to the campus in Canterbury. Dr Simon Geller said his German shepherd helps
07:46him manage the pain he gets from his degenerative spine condition. The university claims Wolf
07:51poses a health and safety risk, but Dr Geller says this is ridiculous. He says Wolf has
07:56an ID card as an emotional support animal, but this is yet to be officially recognised
08:02in the UK. The criminology professor says before Wolf, he used to take strong opioid
08:07painkillers but it interfered with his ability to work. Students launched a petition supporting
08:13him that's already reached more than 1,000 signatures. Now, a Tunbridge man has been
08:20charged for aggressive behaviour and attempted physical assault at multiple locations. Thomas
08:25O'Toole pictured started showing increasing signs of antisocial behaviour before heading
08:30off in a taxi after police were initially called, as heard at Medway Magistrates Court
08:35this week. But officials quickly returned after the 30-year-old had attempted to spit
08:39on staff at a nearby petrol station. His defence states that Mr O'Toole has no recollection
08:45of the incidents and is very remorseful. He has been granted bail and will be sentenced
08:49on the 27th December. Now, Ticketmaster will have to roll with it this evening after the
08:56billion-dollar business was the choice for this year's effigy in Eden Bridge. The annual
09:01selection for who will be the giant's guide to go on the bonfire has become a global news
09:06story over the years. Organisers have chosen their villain to be Ticketmaster next week,
09:11following controversial pricing for the upcoming Oasis reunion tour. Kristin Hawthorne went
09:16to see the creator's master plan earlier today.
09:20How will you be celebrating bonfire night? Many will be celebrating with the Eden Bridge
09:25Bonfire Society that has been poking fun at infamous celebrities for more than 25 years.
09:31In previous years, we have seen prime ministers being recreated in the effigy. But this year,
09:37it's not a person or a politician, but Ticketmaster. And this is because of the amount of backlash
09:42it received earlier this year due to the sale of Oasis tickets.
09:46It really, you know, they suggested Keir Starmer, which I think would be of no surprise
09:50to everybody that he was the top choice for this year. But also, after deliberation, we
09:55decided that the amount of disappointed fans from Ticketmaster who were trying to get their
10:00Oasis tickets, that they deserved to be our effigy for this year.
10:03Nearly 10,000 people attend this annual family event, travelling in from London, Surrey,
10:09Sussex and Kent. The effigy went up today to check that everything looked good and worked
10:14well, as the process to make the structure is quite difficult.
10:18The process takes around a month, as in we do these things during weekends. The structural
10:27work is so much longer, you know, what you don't see, you know, is actually the most
10:33time-consuming thing, whereas the painting actually is probably about three days if that.
10:38But it's positioning things and the most difficult thing, I find, is the scale of it, because
10:44actually I don't get to see it at all until the press sees it on a day, because we can't
10:49put this together easily. So all I see is the elements that I paint, but never see it
10:56together, so I don't actually know whether it's going to be in proportion, whether it's
11:01going to look OK. So that's the hard process that, you know, goes into it.
11:07As the politicians and celebrities slide away this year in turn for a cooperation, the effigy
11:12will succumb to the gas pedal this Saturday, being surrounded by explosions and fireworks.
11:17Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV.
11:24That's this year's effigy. What do you think of it? Was it the right choice? Do get in
11:28touch with us. We're on social media at KMTVKent. You can also reach us on KMTV.co.uk.
11:35Now we're going to be taking a quick break now, but coming up we'll find out how a 600-year-old
11:39bridge in Teaston, that's closure, has been causing up to two hour delays. And we'll also
11:44take a quick look at the weather. All that and more coming up in a few minutes' time.
14:39Thanks for joining us.
15:09Hello and welcome back to Kentonite Live here on KMTV.
15:18Now an absolute nightmare and causing two hour delays. Residents are furious as a series
15:22of bridges over the River Medway are closed for repairs. One of those 600-year-old Teaston
15:28bridge has been closed for a few weeks to allow for structural repairs following a crash
15:32damage earlier this year. But this issue will be compounded with diversions also being closed
15:37for repairs in a few weeks' time. I've been finding out more.
15:41It's one of Kent's prettiest bridges, crossing the River Medway and on the outskirts of rural
15:47Maidstone. It's now looking ugly for drivers. Crash damage earlier this year has closed
15:52Teaston bridge. And with other roads soon to be shut for repairs, residents say it's
15:58causing a nightmare. Some reporting up to two hour delays.
16:03I mean I have to go to the hospital regularly for oncology treatment and often if Forge
16:08Lane is shut or Dean Street is shut or the bridges are shut, that makes me have to plan
16:12my journey, leave sometimes a lot earlier than I would. And if my appointment's at nine
16:16o'clock, I'm sometimes leaving the house just after eight to get to an oncology appointment
16:20at nine, which is four miles.
16:24Teaston bridge would have once transported animals and goods into Maidstone.
16:28Little has changed this bridge in its 600 year history, other than it being tarmacked
16:34and some tens of thousands of vehicles coming over it every month.
16:39And the local parish council say because of this historic nature, it could be December
16:44before traffic flows once more.
16:47Because it's a grade one listed bridge, they need to use lime render and mortar, etc, for
16:53the stones, which is all Kentish ragstone, and they have to comply with English heritage
16:58regulations. And I've been told that it takes longer for the mortar to cure when you use
17:04lime than you do with sort of modern day mortars and stuff.
17:08It's still open to those on foot, but cars wishing to cross the Medway are having to
17:12use both East Farley and Bow Bridge, both routes closing at points for repairs at the
17:18same time work is being carried out here at Teaston.
17:23The local county councillor worries these combined closures will cause chaos.
17:28It is a common thoroughfare for traffic crossing the river and is a very effective bridge.
17:37The problem we have now is that what I am concerned about, with two of the key arteries
17:42closed, where does the traffic go? I just wish really that common sense would prevail.
17:48In a statement, the man in charge of highways at Kent County Council says the work is essential
17:53and crucial, but he appreciates there will be unavoidable delays whilst the work is undertaken.
17:59For residents, they'll be hoping for favourable weather this November, as that could mean
18:03lime mortar repairs drying quicker and therefore the bridge opening sooner.
18:09Gabriel Morris, in Teaston.
18:14Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories by logging on to our
18:19website, canyontv.co.uk, where you can find one like this about a Harry Potter cafe opening
18:26in Margate.
18:30The cafe swapping coffee for cauldrons has had a magical makeover. Named after an antique
18:36shop from the books, Borgan & Bakes went through a Harry Potter transformation, almost like
18:40it drank a polyjuice potion.
18:43The cafe used to be called Little Brown Fairy Cakes, but after Covid they struggled with
18:47business, and the owner thought that a change to the decor might help.
18:51We've changed the shop because I needed something to reflect what we're doing now, so I've stopped
18:57making the big cakes, like Gollum up there, and we're just focusing on what we sell in
19:03the shop, cupcakes, pastries and cookies, and we also do Harry Potter, wizardy, afternoon
19:11tea, so we needed something to reflect that.
19:18Well no magical effects yet, but it tastes pretty good.
19:22Well Borgan & Bakes tell me they're confident in the future, even without a crystal ball
19:26to tell them so.
19:27Finn McDermid for CAME TV in Westgate.
19:31And now let's take a look at the weather for the rest of the week.
19:39Going into this evening, much of Kent will be covered with cloud, temperatures ranging
19:44from between 11 in Dartford and 12 at the coast.
19:47Tomorrow morning reaching highs of 14 in Margate, spots of sunshine though across the county.
19:53Moving on into the afternoon, some lighter winds, warming up slightly with cloud cover.
19:58Looking towards the rest of the week though, we can start to see temperatures starting
20:02to drop, but some sunny spells on Sunday.
20:11Now we'll be bringing you a special report from Abbey Hook. It's about the family of
20:15a 17 year old boy from Sandwich who took his own life almost three years ago. As a loved
20:21one described him, Max Timberlake was a funny, bright, sociable and kind young man. And above
20:26all else, to anyone that met him, he seemed simply happy, which is why his death in 2022
20:32was such a shock. This Kentonite special, Life After Max, will air next Wednesday at
20:375.45. For those of you who saw the documentary, Abbey sat down with me earlier to explain
20:41more. A warning, her report does contain some details some viewers may find distressing.
20:46So Abbey, tell us a little bit more about your special report.
20:50Well, Gabriel, it's the story of Max, Max Timberlake. You can see him on the screen
20:55here. A happy, as far as his family knew, 17 year old boy. He sadly took his own life
21:02back in 2022. And it was his mother, Michelle, who I met on a walk she did with two other
21:08bereaved mothers from suicide last year, this time last year. In fact, a year ago, she walked
21:13265 miles across the UK to raise money for the prevention charity Papyrus and to raise
21:21awareness of young suicide as well. Of course, Max was only 17 years old. And Michelle said
21:27to me throughout this documentary that those 17 years she had with Max were the best of
21:31her life. She was lucky to have those. And the complete shock it was when she lost him
21:38because by all accounts, he seemed he was this happy young man who had his whole life
21:43ahead of him and so many friends, so many loved ones around him as well. She says in
21:49Michelle's words herself, she says she had this perfect life and then it just went.
21:56We said you spoke to Max's mum. Who else have you spoke to for part of this special report?
22:02So I sat down with a few of Max's friends as well, his mother, Michelle, and his grandmother
22:06too. And they shared pictures and videos and stories of him, a real picture. I got a real
22:11idea of what Max was like and those 17 years they had with him. I also visited his school
22:18too. That's something that we'll see shortly. And the memorial bench and tree left for him
22:24spoke to the school about what provisions are in place to stop something like this
22:28ever happening again. But this Kent Tonight special, Life After Max, will be airing next
22:33Wednesday. So that's the 6th of November. It'll be airing straight after Kent Tonight as well,
22:395.45pm. But here's some of that documentary we're talking about airing next Wednesday,
22:446th of November. But let's take a quick look now.
22:54Did I ever think I'd be in this situation? Not in a million years. Not in a million years I had
23:01this perfect life. And then it went. He stopped singing. Huh? Keep singing it. I, I don't have
23:10no one. I, I have nothing. What are you looking like? No one else, nothing but a ghost.
23:26I, I who have nothing. I, I who have no one. I adore you. I want you so. I'm just a no one
23:49with nothing to give you at all. It just tastes brilliant. I love you.
24:04How do you feel when you see videos of him?
24:08It's really lovely. It's really weird. But it's painfully beautiful.
24:17Government figures show just last year, 5,656 people died from suicide in England.
24:24More than 4,000 were male, less than 1,500 were female. Of that total, 866 people died
24:32from suicide in the South East. More than 620 were male and around 240 female.
24:41If you don't mind, can I just chuck my little...
24:43It's your signature.
24:44It's my signature, yes, because he would always say,
24:48you're not you without your red lipsticks. I wouldn't even put the bins out without it on.
24:52I made sure that when Maxie died, that every single day I'd wear it,
24:57every single day without fail. Doesn't matter, rain, shine, whatever.
25:00And the thing with Max was that it was such a shock. And it lasted several weeks. It wasn't
25:05just the initial, let's tell everybody, how do we tell everybody? It was, it went on for the rest of
25:11that academic year because he was in the upper sixth when he happened.
25:15This is great because the school that he loved will always have this here for him.
25:22But yeah, I think it's time now to do something myself, I think, and commemorate that boy.
25:31Can I get up and sit down? Yeah.
25:41So
26:00we'll have more on that next Wednesday at 5.45, Abbie's documentary, looking at the life of Max.
26:07Well, before we go, Christmas has come early for Dartford residents. The winner of this year's
26:11Britain's Got Talent has given a special performance at the Orchard West.
26:26Well, Sydney Christmas won the talent competition earlier this year and will be the leading lady
26:30in this year's Panto in Dartford. The stars sang for crowds this week for the launch of
26:35the Sleeping Beauty event at Orchard West this December,
26:38but she'll also be playing to a local crowd having grown up in Gravesend.
26:44And that's where we've got time for this evening on Ken Tonight.
26:46We'll be back tomorrow at the same time. Good night.