KentOnline

Kent and Medway’s best-performing secondary schools have been ranked from best to worst by GCSE results. 

However some education experts warn a legacy of Covid means the latest league table isn’t the “fairest” measure of performance. 

Also in today’s podcast, a man has died in a crash involving a car and a water tanker.

The motorist was travelling on the A2070 Ashford Road in Hamstreet yesterday afternoon when it collided with a purple tanker heading the opposite way.

Pressure is piling on the boss of South East Water with more local leaders calling for his resignation following water supply outages. 

Thousands of properties and businesses have been affected and several schools around the county are closed again today.

Hopes of saving a town’s library building have been dealt a fresh blow - and the site may proceed to an auction sale next month.

But the deputy leader of Reform UK-run Kent County Council says the “door remains fully open” for alternative proposals for the site at Grace Hill in Folkestone – community groups have been campaigning for it to be saved. 

And a new support group has been set up in Kent for bereaved parents, by a nurse who lost her own son 

You can hear from Amber Selvey, whose son died from a rare genetic condition in 2023 - she's now launched Together in Grief based in Whitstable. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New figures which show even primary school children in Kent are being suspended for substance misuse have been described as “heartbreaking”.

More and more students are being pulled out of the classroom as shock new statistics reveal a significant rise in under-18s being treated for addiction problems — including use of cannabis, ketamine, cocaine, ecstasy. 

Also in today’s podcast, schools are closed again today and thousands of residents are still without supplies as the Kent water crisis continues.

South East Water confirmed 25,000 customers still have issues including in Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, and Whitstable following a breakout of leaks and bursts across their network.

Bosses have declared a critical incident at a hospital due to a sudden “high demand” for its services.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust made the announcement due to sustained pressures at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

An historic former library described as a town’s “most treasured community asset” is set to be auctioned off by Kent County Council sparking fury among residents.

The site in Folkestone has been closed since 2022 because of flood damage - with the authority expected to make a decision to sell it today. 

And money is on offer to independent business in Maidstone to improve their shopfronts. 

It's part of council plans to make the town centre more appealing and draw shoppers away from the online market. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A major incident has been declared as disruption to water supplies has forced some Kent schools to close.

Homes and businesses in areas including Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Canterbury have been affected. Hear from a Pembury resident who didn't have water over the weekend.

Also in today's podcast, bosses in Medway could be pushed into using exceptional financial support from the government after their funding increase wasn't as big as expected.

Under the new Fair Funding Settlement, the council anticipated a significant increase, but the provisional one still leaves a shortfall of almost £8 million.

A mum from Tunbridge Wells whose son has Spinal Muscular Atrophy is backing calls from Jesy Nelson for earlier screening.

The Little Mix star's seven-month old twin girls have been diagnosed with the condition - which affects breathing, swallowing and muscle control.

A Kent MP says plans to change the criminal justice system are essential for victims, defendants and the people who work in it.

Most recent stats show a backlog of around 80,000 crown court cases in England. We've been speaking to Chatham and Aylesford's Tris Osborne.

A former Kent soldier has spoken to the podcast for the first time since completing a challenge to climb the seven highest peaks on all seven continents.

Hari Budha Magar lost his legs while serving in Afghanistan and uses specially adapted prosthetics.

And in sport, Chatham Town are through to the fifth round of the FA Trophy.

It's the first time they've reached this stage of the competition and follows a 1-0 victory over National League side Carlisle United.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Huge waves smashed into cars as Storm Goretti brought wild weather to the Kent coast overnight.

People living along Sandgate Esplanade, near Folkestone, woke up to see vehicles strewn across the road - which was flooded and covered in shingle – we’ve spoken to a witness and bosses in charge of the clean-up. 

Also in today’s podcast, there’s been plenty of reaction from the news Kent County Council is proposing increasing council tax by 3.99% in its draft budget.

The authority is recommending a hike of a full 1% below the cap set by the government but there are concerns it could lead to cuts to local services. 

Major plans to redevelop a town centre street into a car-free zone with al fresco dining are finally moving ahead.

The creation of a “cafe culture” in Earl Street, Maidstone, from Week Street down to its junction with Pudding Lane, is a long-held ambition of the local authority.

A campaign's underway to recycle hundreds of Christmas trees in Kent - while raising money for charity.

Heart of Kent Hospice in Aylesford picked up almost 700 trees last year and this year they’re hoping to make it 1000. 

And England rugby player Rosie Galligan will be hoping to inspire the next generation when she returns to Kent this weekend. 

The 27-year-old, who's from West Malling, will be taking coaching sessions at Aylesford Rugby Club's recruitment drive 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A campervan has been torched in a suspected arson attack just an ‘arm’s length’ away from where a young family was sleeping in Sittingbourne. 

Firefighters were called to battle the on-fire Volkswagen in the residents' car park outside the Litmus House flat block off Vellum Drive in the early hours of Monday morning. 

Also in today’s podcast, a man accused of repeatedly stabbing a uniformed British Army officer in the street has pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder.

Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court via video link from high security psychiatric hospital, he admitted trying to kill Lt Col Mark Teeton near Brompton Barracks on July 23, 2024.

A yellow weather warning for wind has been issued as Storm Goretti is set to batter areas of the Kent coast.

The Met Office says gusts in exposed areas could reach 70 mph, with the caution covering seaside towns in the south of the county. 

You can hear from a young mum who says writing about her husband’s death made her go back to therapy, but also forced her to face the worst moments of her life.

Emma Charlesworthdidn't want her partner to become just “another statistic” and hopes her new book will bring comfort to those who have been widowed young. 

And a 30th birthday party's being thrown for Ashford International Station - as a campaign to bring it back into use continues.

The facility opened on this day in 1996 - the same year Legoland also welcomed visitors for the first time.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A waste company has apologised after workers were filmed taking a homeless woman's possessions from outside a store in Dover, and dumping them in their truck.

Footage at KentOnline shows the Veolia staff removing a mattress and personal items from outside the Boots store in the town centre. Hear from reporter Millie Bowles who has been covering the story.

Also in today's podcast, people living in Tunbridge Wells woke up to another day of water issues earlier. South East Water say a series of bursts at one of their sites was to blame.

It comes after boss David Hinton faced MP's yesterday over an outage that left customers without supplies for two weeks in the lead up to Christmas. He has faced further calls to resign from local MP Mike Martin.

There are suggestions the Port of Ramsgate could open up again, to help relieve pressure on Kent's roads.

Plans are reportedly under consideration as part of the preparations to reopen Manston Airport for freight. But, this comes as Thanet District Council are looking to reduce the amount of money they have to invest to keep the facilities in working condition.

A hard hitting play written in Kent about young people and mobile phones is being performed in parliament.

Generation FOMO is based on interviews and conversations with students at schools and at the Uni of Kent.

A new event space has opened up in Folkestone, taking over a site that's been abandoned for the last 50 years.

The Loft is situated on the upper floor of the Petticoat Emporium which opened it June last year but the building had previously been home to M&S and Wilko.

And finally, the KentOnline Podcast has been hearing how Kent's only greyhound racing track has managed to survive when so many others have shut down.

Central Park in Sittingbourne has been running dog races since 1994.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A pub landlord says government changes to business rates mean he will need to sell an extra 130,000 pints a year.

He has four venues across Canterbury and says he will have to cough up an extra £64,000 annually to cover increased costs.

Also in today’s podcast, police have confirmed a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were killed when a blue Ford Fiesta left the road in Iwade. 

We've spoken to someone who works nearby to where the crash happened on Saturday night. 

The boss of a water company which left 24,000 homes and businesses without drinking water over a two-week period has faced MPs in Parliament today.

South East Water boss David Hinton has given himself a  mark out of ten for how he handled the Tunbridge Wells water outage before Christmas.

A woman who nearly died from anorexia but was pulled back from the brink has written a book and started a podcast to try to help others.

Things were so bad for Annie O’Quigley that her partner threatened to leave her as he “couldn't watch someone die” in front of him.

And you can hear from the Ashford MP who says bringing international trains back to the town remains his “top priority” in 2026.

Sojan Joseph, who was elected last year, says restarting services in Ashford would benefit the town in a “big way”.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thousands more customers than previously thought have been left out of pocket after a Canterbury-based online store went into administration.

Documents show almost 5,000 people are owed around £160,000 pounds following the collapse of Huh. Ltd.

Also in today's episode, it's feared bird flu could be continuing to spread in Kent as more cases of dead swans are reported.

In the latest distressing video a bird can be seen refusing to leave the side of its dead partner. More than 50 swans are now understood to have died in Canterbury and Thanet.

We've been asking Kent's MPs what their priorities are for the new year, and Jim Dickson has told us he's hoping 2026 is the year catapults are reclassified as an offensive weapon.

The Dartford rep says he's spoken to the Home Office minister, and a round table discussion is due to get underway in the next few months.

Meantime, for Tunbridge Wells rep Mike Martin - his main focus will be on housebuilding, to take the pressure off the housing and rental markets.

It comes as the borough council has approved it's Local Plan, which will see around 600 new homes built each year until 2038.

A new programme's been launched to support long-term unemployed adults in Ashford.

Upcycle Your Skills looks to help people boost their confidence and access local job opportunities.

The scheme is being run by CXK with support from Ashford Borough Council and SUEZ.

We've been hearing from some of those who were recognised in the King's New Year honours over the festive break.

Hear from the boss of a west Kent charity and also a man who started his first business when he was just 11.

And finally, a group of dancers from a small village in Medway will be representing England at the 2026 Dance World Cup.

The Performance Hub is a studio in Cliffe which is new to competing - but they've reached the finals of the international dance event on their first attempt.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Three siblings have starred in a Christmas music video after being discovered on Instagram.

Lola, Arlo and Noah Micallef appear in the latest music video by The Florin Street Band, after their mum posted a video of them singing one of the band’s Christmas hits. 

Also in today’s podcast, there are calls for Royal Mail to improve its service after people living near Folkestone say they're only receiving letters every couple of weeks - often in large batches.

Residents say important post such as driving documents, medical letters and bills is regularly delivered late.

You can hear from a mum from Folkestone who’s joined a campaign to give children a smartphone free Christmas. 

Billboards have been put up across Kent encouraging parents to delay giving their children devices as long as possible.

Work on a £41 million relief road will finally begin next month – bringing with it 13 weeks of lane closures on a busy route.

The long-awaited Sturry Link Road will connect the A291 Sturry Hill to the A28 Sturry Road, bypassing the village’s level crossing in a bid to ease congestion.

And in football, Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth is predicting their Boxing Day showdown with old boss Neil Harris could be a great occasion.

Harris brings his in-form Cambridge United side to Priestfield for the festive League Two clash, sitting four points better off than the club who sacked him just over two years ago.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Kent woman who stole party food for her daughter’s 18th birthday party after she ran out of cash has appeared in court. 

The single mother of three, who claims benefits, had hired a caravan to celebrate her eldest daughter’s special day but had no money left for party food. 

Also in today’s podcast, new technology has been rolled out across Maidstone in a bid to crack down on fly-tipping.

Drones are helping council officers detect illegally dumped waste within minutes - a job that usually could take hours.

Residents say it is “ridiculous” plans to turn a family home in a terraced street into a six-bedroom house of multiple occupation have been approved.

The change of use application for the property in Strood was submitted to Medway Council earlier this year.

The boss of a Kent music venue says he's hoping to buck the trend by opening a second site in the county.

The team behind the Booking Hall in Dover are currently working on renovating what used to be the Life nightclub on Sittingbourne High Street.

And we’ve been hearing how a team of therapy dogs have been spreading some Christmas cheer in Kent.

The animals have been going round to hospital wards as part of a Medway Maritime initiative.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.