KentOnline

Thousands of people have been tuning in to understand more about mental health in an unlikely place – listening to two friends talk over a beer.
The Why The Long Face? podcast is hosted by Chatham’s Oliver Turnbull and his psychiatrist friend Dr Paul Keedwell.
Oliver joins this week’s KM Community Podcast to explain why he thinks podcasting is the best way to tackle the difficult topic. 

We’re being given another chance to have our say on plans for the Lower Thames Crossing, connecting Kent to Essex.New images and details have been released of the proposed route for Britain’s longest road tunnel from the east of Gravesend to Tilbury, as an eight-week public consultation gets underway on the latest changes.Also in today’s episode: Kent’s MEPs say goodbye to Brussels as the EU rubber stamps the UK’s Brexit deal, and we hear from a woman who set up a charity to donate children’s shoes to disadvantaged youngsters.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

Plans to build a controversial new railway station have taken a step forward.The county council’s decided to contribute almost £18m of funding towards the Thanet Parkway project, which would allow people to get between Cliffsend and London in around an hour.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

This week KentOnline’s podcasting duo look at the political developments affecting the county.
Political editor Paul Francis and Oliver Kemp discuss smart motorways, the shortcomings of HS1 and waving goodbye to our MEPs.
They also talk about the strange battle of the political banners over the past week.

The Tonbridge and Malling MP is urging the government to consider using other suppliers for its 5G network, instead of getting Huawei involved.Ministers are expected to make a final decision tomorrow on whether to approve the Chinese technology company’s equipment.Also in today’s episode: there could soon be a crackdown on lorries using rural roads through Kent villages, hundreds of trees have been cut down in a Maidstone park to reduce the risk of flooding, self-defence classes for women are getting more popular, and we hear from the Gillingham and Dartford managers after their matches at the weekend.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

A coroner has said a baby boy who died at the QEQM in Margate was ‘failed by the hospital’ and his death was ‘wholly avoidable’.
An inquest has been looking into what happened to Harry Richford who died at seven days old following a traumatic birth at the hospital in 2017.
The coroner also says ‘neglect contributed to his death’ and he would have survived if he’d been resuscitated within 10 minutes – instead of 28.
Also in today’s episode: with a week to go, there’s still confusion over cross-Channel travel after Brexit – how martial arts is being used to tackle knife crime and we look ahead to Gillingham’s next game in league one.

An investigation into East Kent Hospitals Trust has concluded the deaths of at least seven babies since 2016 might not have happened if standards had been higher.Bosses have already apologised admitting standards “fell short” – and say they’re reviewing their service with some of England’s leading maternity experts to make rapid improvements.Also in today’s episode: a doctor is urging us not to panic too much about a deadly virus in China, a car dealership has been targeted by thieves for a third time, and a former striker has told us what it’s like to play under Gillingham manager Steve Evans.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

A man is expected to go on trial in July accused of murdering his partner at their home in Gillingham.40-year-old Benjamin Bowler was charged after 39-year-old Kelly Price was found dead on Richmond Road.Also in today’s episode: 40,000 tonnes of stone is going to be brought in to fix a landslip which has left train tracks dangling in mid-air, and we find out what’s happening in Kent to mark the National Trust’s 125th anniversary.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

Figures show pupils are being temporarily excluded from secondary schools in Kent and Medway more times than anywhere else in the south east…According to data released in Ofsted’s annual report, there were almost 10-and-a-half thousand fixed period exclusions last year – but in terms of percentage it was around average for the region.Also in today’s episode: there are calls for more carriages on high speed trains to tackle overcrowding, vehicle are still underwater almost a month after an underwater car park flooded, and there are calls for more funding for sitting volleyball.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/

This week KentOnline’s political podcasters look at the headlines dominating the news across the county. 
 
Political editor Paul Francis and Oliver Kemp discusses delays in the Manston airport talks, Jess Phillips’ ‘awful’ hustings performance and a lack of lorry parks in Kent.
The duo also reflect on whether Big Ben might be bonged for Brexit.