KentOnline

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.

The partner of a dad-to-be who’s spent six weeks battling Covid has thanked medics who have saved his life.Olly Toole was taken to hospital after struggling to breathe in early December. He was put on a ventilator and into a coma before being transferred to London.The 31-year-old had intended to get a vaccine before falling ill.We’re telling his story on the day further Covid restrictions in England are lifted.It’s now longer mandatory to wear a face mask in public places, and passes aren’t required to get into venues and events.We’ve been speaking to our resident GP, Dr Julian Spinks, plus a trader and busker in Maidstone town centre.Also in today’s podcast, researchers at the University of Kent have revealed how technology is increasingly being used by domestic abusers to monitor, threaten and humiliate their victims.Their report says there are more and more cases involving spyware to track partners or ex’s – fake accounts being set up, or stalking via social media maps. Hear from Dr Jason Nurse who was involved in the study.It’s the very first Parent Mental Health Day and a dad has spoken about how he struggled following the birth of his second child.Denver King set up DadSpace to help other fathers in similar situations.In sport, we have an update on Kent players in action for England.

A Canterbury police officer could lose his job after video emerged of the moment he attacked his ex-partner’s friend.Hear the moment PC Robbie Egan confronted the pair after she returned his belongings.The 30-year-old admitted assault and has been suspended by the force until court proceedings have ended.It’s been revealed an ambulance that crashed into the back of a cement lorry on the A21, killing a young paramedic, had taken a slip lane into a lay-by rather than the next junction.The vehicle was heading to an emergency at the time.Alice Clark died at the scene while the driver was taken to hospital life threatening injuries.A leading education expert in Kent has supported parents concerns that not enough school places have been created within a huge new housing development.Earlier this month we told you how mums and dads moving to Ebbsfleet Garden City were struggling to get their children into the two new primary schools there.Peter Read has described the issue as a ‘crisis’.People living on a mobile home site in Medway fear new security measures will leave some people unable to collect parcels or welcome visitors.The owners of Island Park in Hoo say staff can no longer keep opening the gate to an increasing number of deliveries. But some residents aren’t happy.In sport, Gillingham are off the bottom of the league one table after it ended 0-0 against Shrewsbury Town last night.We caught up with caretaker manager Steve Lovell after the match.

A Kent high street has been named as one of the most affected by the pandemic.According to experts, Chatham has lost 28 weeks of sales since March 2020 when the first lockdown came into force.It also has the fifth highest town centre vacancy rate in the south east.Reporter Chris Hunter has been there to find out what shoppers, buskers and business owners think.Also in today’s podcast, a criminal investigation is under way into allegations of lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street.It’s after claims emerged that Boris Johnson had a birthday party at Number 10.Hear from our political editor Paul Francis.Figures seen by the KentOnline Podcast show flytipping has increased in every part of Kent over the past year.We’ve been getting reaction from a farmer whose fields have been repeatedly targeted.A Kent MP is backing calls for new laws to prevent drowning, following the death of a six-year-old boy.Lucas Dobson fell into the River Stour in Sandwich in August 2019, and his body was found four days later.Olly Alexander has been speaking to our sister radio station kmfm about the release of his new album.Hear some of what the Years and Years singer had to say to Numi on the Hit List.In sport, Gillingham are back in action tonight and desperate for points.They welcome Shrewsbury Town to Priestfield in league one and the caretaker boss has described the came as crucial. 

A police officer has been left with serious injuries after being hit by a motorbike being driven the wrong way on the M25.The collision happened near the Swanley junction yesterday afternoon.Lucy has been reading some of the messages posted to the officer on social media as he receives treatment in a London hospital.Also in today’s podcast, startling figures show how many households in Kent are struggling with fuel poverty.Thanet is said to be the worst affected part of the county. We’ve been speaking to Alexander Rourke from the Thanet Iceberg Project who says the problem is so serious, some people have taken their own lives.A Kent MP has been speaking about the current situation in Ukraine.Both the UK and America have now withdrawn some people from embassies there, over fears Russia could be about to invade. Hear from Tonbridge and Malling’s Tom Tugendhat who is chair of the foreign affairs select committee.A former Kent midwife has told the KentOnline Podcast that she had no choice but to leave the profession, after being dangerously overworked and massively under-appreciated.She’s spoken out as new figures show that for every 30 midwives who train – 29 will end up leaving.In sport, hear from Gillingham’s caretaker manager as they dropped to the bottom of league one following a 3-2 defeat to top of the table Wigan Athletic.And, there have been more medals for Kent snowboarder James Barnes-Miller at the World Para Snow Sports Championships in Norway.

There are calls for more police to patrol a city centre park in Canterbury at night.Dane John Gardens has been the seen of anti-social behaviour and a number of serious crimes over the past decade and people living nearby are becoming increasingly concerned.Hear from councillor Nick Eden-Green who regularly has to walk through the park in the evening – we’ve also had a response from police.Also in today’s podcast, five drug dealers who were involved in the supply of cocaine across Kent have been jailed for a total of more than 50 years.The men were part of an organised network of criminals who bought and sold Class A drugs while using an encrypted phone platform called ‘EncroChat’.There’s growing concern in Downing Street that Sue Gray’s investigation into lockdown parties at Number Ten has uncovered damaging evidence.Hear from our political editor Paul Francis.Figures seen by the KentOnline Podcast show there’s been a big increase in the number of people buying electric cars in Kent.Almost 10,000 Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles were registered in the county between July and September last year – we’ve been speaking to EVision in Rochester.Caretaker Gillingham boss Steve Lovell shares his thoughts ahead of this weekend’s match against promotion chasing Wigan Athletic in league one.And, para-skier Millie Knight has been chatting after claiming gold at the World Championships.