Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Oliver Leader de Saxe.
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00:00Good evening and welcome to Kentonite, live here on KMTV.
00:27I'm Oliver, leader of the sacks and here are your top stories on Monday the 10th of February.
00:32Unpaid carer crisis as Rochester women supporting their husbands call for action.
00:39It's all down to money and finances and I just feel the whole system is so wrong.
00:45Price hikes ahead, fees and service charges increase as part of Medway's budget proposals.
00:52We've got fees and charges going up across Medway in some cases
00:56up to three or four times what inflation is.
00:58And cashing out on Valentine's Day. Is looking for love becoming too commercial?
01:03I'm not sure there's any meaning in Valentine's Day.
01:06Still something we still celebrate, we always have done.
01:09Who cares about Valentine's?
01:11Our first story this evening, 70% of carers in the southeast don't receive direct support.
01:28That's according to the charity Carers First,
01:30which says more needs to be done to make sure those looking after loved ones
01:34are receiving all the benefits they're entitled to.
01:38Our reporter Kristen Hawthorne has been down to meet a support
01:41group for carers in Rochester to hear their stories.
01:46The only support I got is the groups that I tend to.
01:50This is Debbie and she was a carer for her husband who has early onset dementia
01:55and she's just one of the many concerned voices in Kent
01:58that are battling for more government support for unpaid carers.
02:02Once the diagnosis came he was then put over to his GP
02:06and they just leave you to get on with it.
02:09It's too confusing for people, you know, where do I go from here?
02:12You know, there's so many things that you need to discuss.
02:16Where do you go? Who do you see?
02:18You know, so it's just been an absolute continuous fight
02:22and I just feel that people, it's not going to get any better.
02:26Continuous health care, it's all down to money and finances
02:30and I just feel the whole system is so wrong.
02:33Many of us enjoy going out for coffee with our friends to catch up
02:37but we may not realise just how important times like this are.
02:40For the women behind me, supported by Carers First,
02:43moments like this are something that they rely on.
02:47I took the leaflet and I joined one of the groups which was a garden group
02:50run by two Johns here and my life changed for the better
02:56because I was able to leave him at this garden group
03:00and go and have an hour to myself, an hour to myself.
03:05Last year, 70% of unpaid carers received no direct support from the government.
03:12Support involving the cared for person, such as respite support for carers,
03:15has dropped by 23% since 2019.
03:19Currently, there are now 5.7 million unpaid carers in the UK
03:24and the numbers continue to rise.
03:26But for more than 30 years,
03:28Charity Carers First has stepped in to help more than 50,000 carers across England.
03:33We can chase the council and we can chase appointments
03:37and the hospital and everything like that
03:39where they're struggling to get them appointments in place
03:43or they're not getting the results that they need or answers.
03:47So we will step in and we will advocate for them
03:50because again, they're getting fouled that way by the NHS and by the government
03:54by having to chase them when they haven't got the time
03:57because they're trying to deal with their caring role.
03:59A government spokesperson say they recognise challenges carers are facing,
04:04highlighting that they have increased the carers allowance earnings threshold
04:08to allow them to earn more and still receive support.
04:11But in the minds of those here in Medway struggling to make ends meet,
04:15there's much more work to be done.
04:18Kristen Hawthorne, KMTV, Rochester.
04:21Well, Kristen joins me in the studio now.
04:24Kristen, can you tell me a bit more about what an unpaid carer actually is?
04:29Because it's quite confusing for a lot of people.
04:31They may not necessarily understand what they do in their day to day lives.
04:35Definitely. So an unpaid carer is someone that looks after a family,
04:39their family or a friend due to like a mental illness and sickness.
04:44Or like these women here, their husbands got dementia.
04:49So they were forced into taking care of their husbands.
04:52So, Kristen, what are some of the challenges facing unpaid carers
04:56here in Kent and across the UK?
04:58Because there are quite a lot of challenges, right?
05:00There is quite a lot of challenges, just some of them.
05:04So in terms of unpaid carers, unpaid comes in,
05:08so they're not paid by local authorities or companies.
05:13They get carers allowance.
05:15But one of the women told me that it's actually quite a small amount,
05:18less than minimum wage.
05:20And it's just it's just not enough for two people.
05:23Just more support groups to be a bit more empathy
05:28when it comes to fighting for care.
05:31There's not enough homes for those that have challenging behaviours.
05:39The list just goes on.
05:41So that's some of the calls for support from those carers
05:44that you spoke to at the coffee morning you see on screen.
05:48What have the government said in response when you asked for a statement?
05:52Yes, so I reached out to work and pensions through the government
05:55and they responded with,
05:57we recognise the challenges carers are facing,
05:59which is why we're increasing the carers allowance earnings threshold,
06:03giving unpaid carers the opportunity to earn more
06:06and still receive the government support they deserve.
06:09They went on to say that we have also launched a review
06:12into carers allowance overpayments
06:14to prevent people who devote such time and care to others
06:17from facing difficulties in the future.
06:19A really important issue,
06:20one we'll definitely be coming back to in the near future.
06:23Thanks so much, Kristen.
06:26Well, in other news, a school uniformed bank volunteer
06:29from Tunbridge Wells submitted to pocketing
06:32more than £7,600, which should have been used for clothing.
06:37Leanne Simpson was in charge of taking cash from parents
06:40at Langton Green Primary School,
06:42but instead siphoned the money to her own bank account.
06:46The theft was discovered by another volunteer parent
06:49and Simpson was later charged with fraud
06:51by abuse of position and theft.
06:54She pleaded guilty to both offences
06:56and she's set to be sentenced in March.
07:03...across Kent are set to begin agreeing
07:06on some of the big issues in regards to council tax
07:10above the maximum amount this week.
07:12In fact, Medway's administration has been criticised
07:15by the Conservative group for raising parking fees
07:18and leisure centres more than inflation.
07:21On Thursday, Kent County Council will come together
07:25to agree on its budget for the next financial year.
07:28It'll be the turn of Medway in a few weeks' time.
07:31Local democracy reporter, Gabriel Morris,
07:33has all the details.
07:35It's that time when council set out their finances
07:38for the coming year.
07:40In Medway, the cost of fees and services increasing.
07:43Parking and using leisure centres are set to increase.
07:48If you're a Premier Plus member here at Coslington Park,
07:51well, it's going to rise by around £5 a month.
07:54We've got financial challenges, that's well documented.
07:57We're working our way through the plan
07:59to get to financial sustainability.
08:01That's meant some difficult political decisions
08:03and that includes levels of council tax
08:05and some of the fees and charges
08:06that will be going up this year.
08:08That's not, again, easy decisions,
08:10but everybody in Medway rightfully deserve their council
08:13to have financial sustainability
08:15and that's what we're building in as we move forward.
08:17Alongside these changes, council tax will increase
08:20by a little less than 5%.
08:22It's the maximum possible.
08:24The council has, though, ruled out any further cuts,
08:27but says the increases have been a difficult decision.
08:30Opposite members aren't convinced.
08:33Well, look, we're absolutely shocked
08:36by the consequences of this budget.
08:39We've got yet again another 4.99% rise in council tax.
08:44We've got fees and charges going up across Medway,
08:46in some cases up to three or four times what inflation is
08:50and for some of the services to businesses, even more.
08:54It's worth noting these changes are only proposed
08:58and they will have to be voted on
08:59and they will have to be voted through
09:01by full council in the coming weeks.
09:03Opposition parties will put amendments in,
09:06but it's a statutory obligation to balance the books.
09:10This year, that's been achieved by government funding
09:13and elsewhere, Kent County Council is set to vote
09:16on their budget this Thursday.
09:18Gabriel Morris in Medway.
09:22Well, the police and the health and safety executive
09:24are investigating the death of a man in his 50s
09:27at a recycling centre in Chatham Docks
09:31with police still investigating exactly what happened.
09:35Our reporter Finn McDermott has all the details.
09:37He joins me in the studio now.
09:40Quite a tragic story, this one, Finn.
09:43Can you break down exactly what's happened
09:44while we're talking about it right now?
09:46Yeah, I think very few people were expecting
09:48to have this kind of story come out
09:50of this sort of largely unseen side of Chatham, its docks.
09:54And now it happened at a recycling centre called PDMR,
09:57which is sort of quite close to St Mary's Island.
10:00According to workers who wish to remain anonymous at PDMR,
10:04they've never had a fatality like this before.
10:07Emergency services were called to the Chatham docks,
10:10as you can see on the screen now,
10:12after they heard reports of what local services referred to
10:15as a serious medical incident last Friday.
10:18We do now know that a worker in his 50s died
10:21after a bale of waste fell on him.
10:23And despite the best efforts of workers
10:25and those in the emergency services,
10:27he was not able to be saved and passed away at the scene.
10:30There was also an air ambulance, which is a helicopter,
10:33that was sighted on St Mary's Island on that Friday morning.
10:36And we've now been told by anonymous sources
10:39that the yard is back operating as normal.
10:42Well, Finn, what were the reactions to the incident like?
10:45And is Chatham's last working dockyard?
10:48Well, we've heard from one worker
10:51that it was very shocking for everyone involved.
10:53They said the accident happened
10:55when one of the lorries backed into the yard at the centre
10:58with a bale of waste in the way
11:00with one of the workers underneath.
11:02They said they tried to get him out,
11:03but it was clear to them that he wasn't going to make it.
11:06And there's now currently an ongoing investigation
11:09into what happened with both Kent Police
11:11and the health and safety executive involved.
11:13Well, the next of kin have been informed, Finn.
11:16And we'll be following this one closely
11:17as they prepare for this coroner's report
11:19that they're working towards in their inquiries.
11:21Thanks so much for all the details.
11:23You can check out more on Kent online.
11:25Well, that's all we have time for
11:27in this first half of the show.
11:29But after this break, we'll hear from a couple
11:31arrested on the other side of the world,
11:33Kent's views on robotic animal companions
11:36and what the future means for our furry friends.
11:38And we'll get an insight into all the sporting action
11:41with Bartholomew Hall.
11:42So please stick with us.
11:44I'll see you in a few minutes.
14:54Welcome back to Kent tonight.
14:56First this evening, a couple from Gillingham
14:58have been accused of smuggling nearly 300 pounds,
15:01300,000 pounds of cocaine, in fact, into Indonesia.
15:06Lisa Stocker and James Higgins have been charged
15:08with smuggling cocaine into Indonesia.
15:10And we'll hear from them in a few minutes.
15:12But first, a quick update on the latest news.
15:14A couple from Gillingham have been accused
15:16of smuggling nearly 300 pounds, 300,000 pounds of cocaine,
15:20in fact, into Indonesia.
15:22Lisa Stocker and John Collier were allegedly
15:25caught with multiple packs of cocaine
15:27in Bali's international airport.
15:30In Indonesia, their crimes could be
15:32ceded to given decades of prison time.
15:34But in the most severe cases, the death penalty
15:37has also been used.
15:39A third British suspect was also detained
15:42as part of the investigation and was reportedly
15:44supposed to be there to collect the drugs.
15:47We've been told by the foreign office
15:49that they are in contact with the local Indonesian
15:52authorities.
15:54Now, eight fire engines, a bulk water carrier,
15:57a height vehicle, and a firefighting robot.
16:01That's what was needed to extinguish a huge fire
16:04in Margate this weekend.
16:07You see on the screen right now the fire
16:09at the industrial unit on Alexandra Road.
16:12Let's look at the scale of it.
16:14We shut the road in both directions
16:16and sent smoke over neighboring houses.
16:19The front of the industrial complex
16:21suffered serious damages and partly collapsed.
16:24It was on Saturday afternoon.
16:25The fire was finally put out.
16:28Kent police said no injuries were reported
16:31and inquiries are ongoing to establish
16:33the full cause of the fire.
16:38Now, the RSPCA are calling on us to secure the future
16:41for animals here in Kent and beyond.
16:44As many say, they'd be up for robotic companions
16:46in their lives over the real thing.
16:50But with such a controversial debate
16:52raging about the future of technology in our lives,
16:55what do people here in Chatham think?
16:58Well, our reporter Kai Wei has been making sense of it all
17:01on what is quite a controversial issue.
17:04The RSPCA are trying to save the future of living animals
17:07as they've found more people want robotic pets
17:10rather than real ones.
17:11We spoke to a representative of the RSPCC
17:14earlier on our morning show.
17:15We're a nation of animal lovers here in the UK
17:18and obviously across Kent as well.
17:21And we really want people to tell us their views
17:24around what they think are the big issues affecting animals.
17:27There's different strands you can get involved with,
17:29from animals and technology to how we use animals.
17:32So, for example, how we use animals in sports
17:34and entertainment, farming and wildlife.
17:37They did a poll where they found 26% of people in the UK
17:40would consider adding a robotic pet to their family.
17:43This rose to 42% for those aged 25 to 34.
17:47We're worried that animal welfare issues
17:49will be pushed to the sideline.
17:51And, you know, we'll get progress, for example,
17:53with what they rent as reform bill
17:54going through Parliament at the moment,
17:56which would enable people who rent
17:59to be able to keep pets, which is fantastic.
18:01So there's progress on some issues,
18:02but there's so many issues affecting animals
18:05and we just don't want them to be forgotten.
18:07We also asked people on the streets of Rochester
18:09what they thought about replacing their beloved pets.
18:12Well, that's really barbaric.
18:14Robotic animals instead of real ones.
18:17But we've got a cat and there's no way
18:19we would swap pets.
18:20Absolutely fair.
18:22No way.
18:22You can't beat the real thing, you know?
18:24They can't...
18:25How could a robot love you like a cat,
18:27a real cat or a real dog, rabbit, guinea pig, any pet?
18:30You know, it's not the same as the real thing, is it?
18:33I mean, one day artificial intelligence
18:35could turn against humanity.
18:37Some mixed opinions there,
18:39but many are still insistent
18:40on keeping their furry companions.
18:42Kai Wei for KMTV.
18:46Now from robots to highly rated restaurants,
18:49Azaria Gayle has all your business headlines
18:52in this week's Business Roundup.
19:01After 14 years of business,
19:03Skinner's Electrical Supplies will be closing down.
19:06They first opened in 2011.
19:08Mr Skinner told us the reason for the shop's closure.
19:12Basically, we're past retirement,
19:15so we feel it's time to stop.
19:18Health has not been so good for us both
19:20over the last six months or so,
19:23which is another reason.
19:25And the fact that our lease is coming up
19:28for a renewal at the end of February,
19:30we feel it's the ideal time for us to stop.
19:32However, Mr Skinner says he has mixed feelings
19:35as he has been working in the electrical trade
19:37for 55 years.
19:39The shop's final day of trading
19:40will be on the 22nd of February.
19:43Next, Portland Hotel and Reserve
19:45are looking to turn a safari truck
19:47into a holiday let.
19:48The company have described it
19:50as a hybrid holiday experience.
19:52Those who choose to book the Explorer
19:54will get a private tour of the safari park
19:56before being attached to a stationary trailer
19:59for the overnight stay.
20:01The Explorer will include two bedrooms,
20:04one lounge area and a bathroom.
20:06Portland have said the Explorer
20:08will add an additional unique experience
20:10to the Reserve as it is the only one in the UK.
20:14Finally, the Refectory Kitchen in Canterbury
20:16and the Harbour Street Tapas in Whitstable
20:18have been named as two top places
20:20to grab a meal for two under £40.
20:23Stephen Harris, a chef at the Michelin-starred
20:26Sportsman Gastropub in Whitstable,
20:28was taking part in a nationwide survey
20:31conducted by the Money team at Sky News
20:33to find the best cheap eateries.
20:36The Aussie-style brunch from the Refectory Kitchen
20:38and the Spanish-style cuisine
20:40at the Harbour Street Tapas
20:41earned them their place in Harris' top favourites.
20:51Well, it's been a disappointing weekend
20:53for Gillingham FC.
20:55Well, it's been a pretty underwhelming season
20:58for the Medway side.
21:00Our sports producer Bartholomew Hall
21:02was on the sofa with me earlier
21:03breaking down all the details.
21:14Well, Bartholomew joins me in the studio now.
21:17Bartholomew, not a great weekend for the Gilles, was it?
21:20No, it's the lowest point that they've been
21:22in the season so far.
21:23Things really not looking good
21:25for Gillingham at the moment.
21:26And for their manager, John Coleman,
21:28we'll hear from him in just a moment.
21:30Things couldn't be worse.
21:31He's been there for five games now
21:33and all of them have either been a loss or a draw.
21:36He's really, really searching
21:38for that first win in charge.
21:40And he had some really strong words
21:41to say to his team after they lost
21:433-0 to Barrow at the weekend.
21:46Firstly, I'd like to apologise to the fans.
21:50I've had to travel six hours,
21:51paid a hard-earned money
21:52that I've been working hard for all week
21:55to see them just boot the ball up forward
21:58with no idea, no passion, no fight,
22:00no drive, no desire.
22:02I went into this game super confident
22:06and it evaporates when players,
22:09they just don't seem to want to care.
22:11And I've been managing 25 years,
22:14I've got to say that is up there
22:15with one of the worst feelings
22:17I've had as a manager.
22:20But also one of the worst performances
22:22I've seen from any one of my teams
22:23with a lack of fight and a lack of desire.
22:26Firstly, we understand the chairman
22:27also had some strong words as well.
22:29Yeah, if that wasn't enough for the team
22:31inside the Gillingham dressing room,
22:32let's take a look at this tweet.
22:33This comes straight from Brad Gallinson,
22:35the owner of Gillingham.
22:36He said,
22:37Embarrassed, despondent, frustrated.
22:39All I can take away from that
22:40is that I'm so proud and thankful
22:41for the brave souls who travelled.
22:43I mean, it was a really long journey
22:45all the way up to Barrow in Cumbria.
22:48He went on to say,
22:49we are still Gillingham FC.
22:50We're still a tight community of people
22:51who want to be proud of our team.
22:53And he goes on to say
22:54that they've got to figure this out
22:55and he's not a proud man right now.
22:57He's actually going to be speaking
22:58on a fan podcast on X this evening.
23:01So, you know, he's really giving,
23:02trying to give the fans as much as he can
23:05whilst he's in this position of the club
23:07that he's bought into two years ago now,
23:09almost three years,
23:11is just not going in the direction
23:12that he would have wanted
23:14as he became chairman.
23:16Well, Bartholomew, in other sporting news,
23:18a slight change up for Invicta, right?
23:21Yeah, that's right.
23:22So usually I'd be sat here on Kent tonight
23:24saying that straight after the break
23:26we'll have a new episode.
23:26We actually already have an episode
23:28aired of Invicta Sports.
23:29So with our morning show
23:30having aired this morning at 6.30,
23:33we followed it up with a new episode
23:34of Invicta Sport.
23:35We'll still be showing it on the programme,
23:37on the channel this evening.
23:38So do stick around for a new episode
23:39of Invicta Sport.
23:40It was a fun one.
23:41We had some golf guests.
23:43We had some racing guests.
23:44And of course, we touched on
23:45all that Gillingham news as well.
23:47So for all your sporting news,
23:48bright and early every Monday morning.
23:50Thank you, Bartholomew.
24:00Well, it's been a chilly day
24:03for much of the county.
24:04A yellow weather warning in place
24:06for that cold weather.
24:08But what will the forecast look for you
24:10where you are over the next couple of days?
24:13Well, here's the weather.
24:21Well, the weather for this evening,
24:23cloudy, five to four degrees
24:25across much of the county,
24:26six in Dover.
24:28That's staying the same
24:29into tomorrow morning,
24:30five degrees across
24:32much of the west of the county
24:34and into the afternoon,
24:36seven degrees all around,
24:38loads of six down in
24:39Royal Tunbridge Wells.
24:41And the outlook for the rest of the week,
24:42cloud and sun throughout.
24:45Temperatures fluctuate between
24:46four and five degrees,
24:47loads of two on Thursday.
24:49And finally, can you feel the love?
24:52Or do you just feel a little bit ripped off?
24:55Well, with Valentine's cards,
24:56Valentine's chocolates,
24:57Valentine's decorations,
24:59Valentine's everything,
25:01it's the yearly celebration of romance
25:03becoming a little too commercialized.
25:06Well, the lead up to the big day on Friday,
25:09we've been hearing from those
25:10on the streets of Rochester
25:12to Gayle, to the people of Dover,
25:14to the people of Dover,
25:15to the people of Dover,
25:16to the people of Dover,
25:17to the people of Dover,
25:18and we've asked a few people
25:19in Rochester to gauge
25:21where they stand on Valentine's Day.
25:24Valentine's Day is a marketing tool
25:26based on the idealism of romance
25:28and meeting the love of your life
25:30and it being a special day
25:31to remember that sort of relationship.
25:33Yeah, it's just a commercial,
25:35it's just a way of making money in it.
25:36So if people want to do it to make money,
25:38that's up to people then.
25:40But it's just a creation
25:42to tell more things, isn't it?
25:43It's like everything else,
25:44too commercialized.
25:46I'm not sure there's any meaning
25:47for me personally.
25:48It's just another day.
25:50It's still something we still celebrate.
25:52We always have done.
25:55I don't think it's any more commercial.
25:56It probably is a bit more commercialized
25:58because there's more people in the country.
26:00So I think there's lots of social pressure
26:02to do it when it's all a load of nonsense.
26:04Who cares about Valentine's Day, really?
26:07If you don't have a partner,
26:08then like, what am I going to do?
26:10I'm going to go and buy myself
26:12a hot chocolate? No.
26:13Like, I'll just go sit in my room.
26:15Like, I don't care about Valentine's Day
26:17unless you have someone to spend it with.
26:19But even then, it's just like,
26:21it is kind of silly.
26:22Like, why can't you just love
26:23every other day of the year?
26:25But do you think romance is dead?
26:27Do you think there's any point
26:28in Valentine's Day?
26:30Let us know on social media.
26:31We might run some of your reaction
26:33later in the week.
26:34But for me, for now, good night
26:37and join us at 7am for the Kent Morning Show.
26:40The best way to start your day
26:42here in the county.
26:43Goodbye.