KentOnline

The owner of two wild animal parks has been speaking to the KentOnline Podcast about their future.
Damian Aspinall would like nothing better than for all zoos to close and animals live in their natural habitat.
To try and achieve that, he’s hoping to re-wild a herd of elephants currently living at Howletts near Canterbury.
That plan has been criticised though with some saying the animals wouldn’t survive.
Hear what Mr Aspinall has to say in response.
Also in today’s podcast, it’s feared queues of lorries at the Port of Dover will only get worse.
It’s all to do with post-Brexit lorry checks that need to take place – hear from a hauler and local councillor.
There’s reaction to Boris Johnson’s announcement all Covid restrictions could be lifted this month – four weeks earlier than planned.
It’s feared more people could be tempted to turn to loan sharks as the cost of living continues to rise.
We’ve been speaking to the chief exec of the Kent Savers Credit Union.
It’s also the day we’ll find out how much more we’ll have to pay in council tax.
And, we have the latest on how one of Kent’s athletes is getting on at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Grieving families have been told they can’t put mementoes like teddy bears or items including candles and balloons on graves at a Kent church.
The decision has been made following a five year dispute involving St Peter’s Church in Bredhurst.
While some think it’s the right decision, not everyone is happy. Also find out the results of our poll.
In other news today, a man’s been left with knee injuries after a thief drove into him while taking his Range Rover from outside his home in Cliffe.
Hear from the chair of the Public Accounts Committee that’s warning delays at the Port of Dover could increase if issues with post-Brexit checks on goods and vehicles aren’t solved.
The government’s being urged to put more funding into cleaning up Kent’s rivers.
It’s feared visible litter, as well as pollutants we can’t see, are becoming increasingly worse in our water ways. We’ve been getting reaction from a councillor and green campaigner.
An app designed to reduce the amount of food that gets thrown away is going to be trialled in Kent.
FoodLoop will match food producers with organisations and charities that give surplace stock to families that need it.
A Dartford schoolgirl who raised money for the NHS during lockdown – is now hoping to get enough cash together so she can head to America for a world championships.
Bonnielou Furzer has been selected to compete for England in Karate in Florida later this year.
And, hear from the Gillingham manager following their 1-0 win over Cambridge United at Priestfield.
It’s a second win for Neil Harris after taking over as manager just over a week ago.
 

Street traders in Canterbury say their futures could be uncertain after the end of the year.
The city council say they’re going to be carrying out a review so won’t be issuing licences beyond December.
Hear from the owner of the popular Gourmet Sausage and Burger unit.
Also on today’s podcast, hear from one of Kent’s MPs as Boris Johnson remains under pressure to apologise for comments made about Jimmy Savile.
There’s a warning from a Kent GP about the effects of energy drinks on children.
It’s as a study finds one in three children in Britain are drinking them – some are having them five or more times a week.
As National Apprenticeship Week continues, we’ve been hearing from Connor Robinson who’s completing his qualifications while working at NuSteel in Hythe.
And our sports reporter Luke Cawdell looks ahead to Gillingham’s game against Cambridge United in league one this evening.

The sister of the man serving life for the murders of a mother and daughter in Kent is hoping a confession by a convicted serial killer will see him go free.Lin and Megan Russell were attacked while walking along a lane in Chillenden in 1996.
Michael Stone from Gillingham is in jail for the killings but has always maintained his innocence.Yesterday it was revealed Levi Bellfield – who’s in prison for the murders of two young women and schoolgirl Milly Dowler – has given a letter to Stone’s lawyers.The 61-year-old’s sister Barbara has spoken to the KentOnline Podcast and says she believes the confession is genuine.Also today, the Prime Minister has been in Kent and spoken about clearing the current NHS backlog.Boris Johnson visited the Kent Oncology Centre at Maidstone hospital – hear what he had to say.People living in part of Ashford are calling for better signage as cars keep being damaged by lorries getting lost.A number of vehicles on Fairview Drive in the South Willesborough part of town have had wing-mirrors knocked off or lights broken as HGVs attempt to get down the residential road.It’s Charles Dickens day and there are calls to save the Swiss Chalet in Rochester where he wrote his last words.The two-story building – originally set up near Gads Hill in Higham – was used by the author from 1865 until his death but has fallen into a state of disrepair.We’ve been chatting to historian Geoff Ettridge.In sport, there was disappointment for Gillingham at the weekend as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.But manager Neil Harris was pleased with their performance – hear what he had to say after the final whistle.

A man accused of murdering a missing mum-of-two from Sissinghurst has been charged with another murder.
Alexandra Morgan was last seen on Remembrance Sunday last year.
Mark Brown, 40, from Squirrel Close in St Leonards on Sea in East Sussex has appeared in court today via video link.
Also in today’s podcast, startling new figures show Kent and Medway has the lowest ratio of GPs to patients in the country.
There are just 39 GPs per 100-thousand patients in the county, that’s compared to an average of 60 across England.
Hear from an Ashford GP and a patient from Gravesend who went to extreme measures to make sure she was seen.
A councillor from Sevenoaks is the new MP for Southend West.
Anna Firth was the Conservative candidate in the by-election which was triggered following the death of Sir David Amess who was stabbed while meeting constituents last October.
The KentOnline Podcast has been told climate change is having a ‘noticeable and real’ impact on nature in the county – with spring bulbs blooming much earlier than normal.
Hear from the boss of Hopes Grove Nurseries in Tenterden.
Find out which luxury hotel in the county is going to be hosting a food a music festival this summer.
And in sport, we catch up with the Gillingham captain ahead of their trip to Ipswich Town this weekend.

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of a schoolboy who was hit by a minibus.The pupil was knocked down as he made his way to Northfleet Technology College yesterday morning.
Hear about tributes which have been left on Vale Road.Also in today’s podcast, a woman who drove a car onto a railway line in Faversham while drunk has avoided being sent to prison.The 29-year-old turned onto the track at a level crossing and then tried to claim she has been a passenger in the vehicle.The government’s ‘levelling up’ plans have been described as a “kick in the teeth” for Kent schools.More than 50 Education Investment Areas have been identified and money will be put into closing the attainment gap for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.But none will be coming to the county – we have reaction from Alan Brookes who’s former chair of the Kent Association of Headteachers.On Time to Talk day we’ve been hearing about a 13-year-old girl from Whitstable who was struggling with her mental health, then sent to hospital in Manchester.It’s because there aren’t enough beds available in the county. Chief executive of South Kent Mind, Simon Dolby, shares his thoughts.Kent’s police and crime commissioner explains why we’ll be paying more towards policing via our council tax bills from April.And, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens tells us it was a huge honour to have royalty open a new exhibition about the author’s life.In sport, there’s disappointment for Kent cricketer Tammy Beaumont in Australia.And find out which football manager has agreed a contract extension.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have been in Kent today.
The Royal couple carried out a number of visits including to the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Battersea Dogs and Cats home at Brands Hatch and the Guildhall Museum in Rochester.
Also in today’s podcast, a child’s died after being hit by a van near a school in Northfleet.
Police, paramedics and the air ambulance were called to Vale Road earlier this morning.
The adoptive mum of a little boy from Kings Hill who was so badly abused he needed his legs amputated, says she hopes his biological mother stays away from him.
We’ve been speaking to Paula Hudgell who’s recently found out her son’s birth mum has applied for day release from prison.
Meantime, it’s emerged cases of child domestic violence in Kent have increased by a staggering 286%.
Hear reaction from the NSPCC.
And in sport, they’ve finally done it – Gillingham have won a league game for the first time since October.
We spoke to new manager Neil Harris following the final whistle.

A man who punched a woman 30 times and held a broken bottle to hear throat has been jailed.
Jason Wood, 30, carried out the sustained attack on a street in Margate after a party in December in 2020.
Also on today’s podcast, there’s more fall out from yesterday’s publication of the Gray report into alleged lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street.
Hear from a Labour councillor from Medway and a Conservative councillor from Sevenoaks who’ve been reacting to it on the Lowdown.
An elephant expert has criticised plans to rehome a herd from Kent to Africa, claiming it would be “sending them to their deaths”.
13 elephants at Howletts wild animal park near Canterbury are being prepared to be released into the wild in Kenya.
We have details of a report into conditions at a prison and young offender institution in Medway.
Community reporter Laoise Gallagher has been speaking to a man from Maidstone who is now unable to return to his home country after coming out as gay.
Alex Gede is originally from Nigeria where being gay is still illegal and has told his story at the start of LGBT History month.
And, hear from the new Gillingham manager ahead of his first game in charge of the club.
Neil Harris will lead them against Crewe Alexandra at Priestfield tonight.

There are calls for more to be done to stop violence breaking out in Ramsgate late at night.Some people living there say the town becomes ‘lawless’ after dark and urgent measures are needed to bring things back under control.More than 100 people have signed an online petition. We’ve been speaking about it to Philip Thorley from Thorley Taverns which has venues in the town.Also in today’s podcast, Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden is backing Kent’s Tom Tugendhat as a future Prime Minister.The Tonbridge and Malling MP says he would stand in a leadership contest if Boris Johnson is forced out over the Downing Street lockdown party scandal.It comes as Mr Johnson and his team go through the Sue Gray report after it was delivered to Number 10 earlier today.The KentOnline Podcast has been told how the ‘no jab, no job’ policy has left the social care sector struggling to cope.It’s been more than two months since the rules were brought in for people who work in care homes.We have reaction from Nadra Ahmed who’s chair of the Medway-based National Care Association.The boss of a Kent shellfish operator says people have lost ‘all faith’ in local produce.Graham West, who runs West Whelks in Whitstable, believes a number of sewage leaks into the sea by Southern Water could lead to someone being poisoned by local seafood.In sport, Gillingham have named their new manager.Neil Harris takes over at Priestfield following the departure of Steve Evans three weeks ago – reporter Luke Cawdell has the very latest.

We’ve been to meet three-year-old Freddie Alsey from Whitstable who could well be the smartest youngster in Kent.
He can already name all of the planets in order, say his times tables and even read books.
Even his teachers reckon he should have an IQ test. Hear from Freddie and his mum.
Also in today’s podcast, there’s confusion over whether or not a planned rise in national insurance will go ahead in April.
Some have called for the hike to be scrapped because of fears it’ll force inflation up even further and that will increase prices in shops even more.
But a government minister has said it will go ahead as planned.
We hear the thought of the deputy chief executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and a trustee from Canterbury foodbank.
Sittingbourne and Sheppey’s MP insists major work to improve the Stockbury roundabout will be worth the current disruption being felt by drivers.
Hear from Gordon Henderson ahead of another closure of the A249 this weekend.
A driving instructor also shares his views on changes to the Highway Code coming into force tomorrow.
A group of volunteers in Gravesham are working with the Home Office to find a refugee family that could relocate to the area to start a new life.
We’ve been speaking to the man who heads up the Refugee Welcome Group.
And, Gillingham caretaker manager Steve Lovell speaks ahead of their game against promotion chasing Oxford United this weekend.