Kent Tonight - Tuesday 5th September 2023
Catch up on the latest news from across the county with Abby Hook.
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00:03 Good evening, and welcome to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
00:25 I'm Abbey Hook.
00:26 Here are your top stories on Tuesday, the 5th of September.
00:31 Kent's concrete chaos.
00:34 Last minute closure sees hundreds of pupils out of school
00:37 because of rack concerns.
00:40 Kent needed really to be reassured
00:42 that the work that had been carried out to fix the roof
00:46 and make it safe fully complied with the guidance from the DFP.
00:50 Splashes to splashes.
00:53 Cranham's 24 million pound swimming center replacement
00:57 takes shape.
00:58 If we can find the funding, we're in a good place.
01:00 But that's our challenge as a local authority.
01:02 And summer in September.
01:05 Heatwave hitting Kent with temperatures set for the 30s.
01:10 It's not even just the daytime temperatures.
01:12 It's the overnight temperatures, which
01:13 are going to be starting to feel particularly uncomfortable.
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01:22 First tonight, concrete concerns have seen two schools in Kent
01:30 telling parents their children won't be able to come in today.
01:33 Palmash Primary in Hithe is fully closed.
01:36 And St. James' Church of England Primary was partially closed.
01:39 The announcement came from Kent County Council late last night,
01:43 leaving little time for parents to find
01:45 alternative arrangements.
01:46 Well, Gabriel Morris is now live at one of those schools
01:49 in Tunbridge, Wales.
01:52 Yes, Abby, this is St. James' Church of England Primary
01:56 School.
01:56 We are in Tunbridge, Wales.
01:58 Today was the first day back for pupils, but not 250.
02:03 Some eight classes were told not to come in today
02:06 over concerns over the mitigation work's done.
02:09 We'll get more on that in just a second.
02:12 Well, this is the primary school today.
02:14 And I was able to do something that the pupils weren't
02:17 able to do.
02:17 I went in to the school today to have
02:21 a look at the mitigation work.
02:22 You should be able to see some pictures up on the screen now.
02:26 Now, on the screen, you should be
02:28 able to see some plywood.
02:31 Above that is the rack.
02:33 That's reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.
02:37 That's been a talking point of the past weekend.
02:40 Now, that rack is safe because mitigation has been in place.
02:43 And we have found out this evening that it is all safe.
02:46 But rack has been of a concern in recent years.
02:50 Back in 2018, a slab of rack fell down onto a classroom.
02:57 Luckily, no one was injured because it was on a weekend.
03:01 But it has been a concern for some time.
03:03 And that's why we saw some 150 schools issued guidance
03:07 from the Department of Education last week to shut their doors
03:09 just a couple of days before pupils returned to school.
03:13 Now, this type of concrete was used widely
03:15 in buildings between the 1950s, '60s, '70s,
03:18 and somewhat into the '80s and even the '90s at primary schools.
03:22 It was cheap, lightweight, and easy to build.
03:26 And it's believed that it might be in many more primary schools
03:30 and secondary schools across the UK.
03:32 At the moment, we currently know there are at least seven schools
03:36 with this type of rack concrete.
03:39 Well, I was speaking to a parent outside the school gates
03:42 at pick-up time today.
03:44 Now, they said the letter to the students came out late last night.
03:48 That's because of guidance from Kent County Council.
03:51 It was, the school sent it out at about seven o'clock last night.
03:56 But they did say they are relieved that they are now in the clear from rack.
04:00 So, it is disappointing and scary for our children.
04:04 I'm thinking of the broader families in the UK
04:07 who are just starting this rack journey now.
04:10 But obviously, you're in a good position.
04:12 But what was the communication you had from the school last night?
04:15 Because they sent a letter out, didn't they?
04:16 We had a letter last night about seven o'clock.
04:18 It was clear, it was concise,
04:20 it gave the information they could do in an accurate way.
04:23 I cannot fault the school.
04:25 One bit.
04:26 Now, it's not just St James' Primary School which has been impacted today.
04:33 Palmarsh Primary down in Hythe,
04:34 they told all students last night at seven o'clock
04:37 that, well, none of their pupils can come in to school
04:41 over similar fears here.
04:43 Now, Palmarsh Primary and St James' Primary School
04:46 were two of the four schools in June that we found out were...
04:50 they had to close roughly for about a day
04:52 just to make the buildings safe temporarily.
04:54 And over the summer period,
04:56 those four schools have gone through a process of mitigation.
04:59 Now, that is all complete.
05:01 However, last night, Kent County Council received guidance
05:04 from the Department for Education
05:07 saying that actually that might not be the case.
05:09 And it seems, speaking to the Department for Education,
05:11 that there might have been some communication issues last night.
05:14 Well, now, in the past half hour,
05:16 we have received this statement from Kent County Council.
05:20 They said, "We do not and did not believe
05:23 that any areas of these schools were in immediate danger."
05:27 But the Department for Education letter that they received last night
05:30 prompted a safety-first approach.
05:32 And we advised those schools to take rack-affected areas
05:36 out of use immediately
05:38 as a precautionary measure whilst the clarification was received.
05:42 We are pleased to now confirm
05:43 that our original assessment of the situation was accurate
05:46 and that all pupils at both schools
05:48 can resume their face-to-face education tomorrow.
05:51 So it is good news for these schools.
05:53 I spoke to the head teacher at this St James' Primary School
05:57 about that letter last night.
06:00 The reason why the school received a letter from the DfE,
06:04 along with Kent County Council earlier in the day,
06:07 and that letter was ambiguous,
06:10 and, you know, Kent needed really to be reassured
06:15 that the work that had been carried out to fix the roof and make it safe
06:20 fully complied with the guidance from the DfE.
06:23 Now, this has been the political debate, discussion and drama of the past week.
06:32 As I said earlier, about some 150 schools
06:35 were contacted by the DfE that they had rack
06:39 and they needed to close immediately and find alternative accommodation.
06:43 Some pupils having to go to different schools altogether.
06:45 Now, as far as we're aware, and we don't know this for certain
06:48 because the DfE still haven't released a full list of school closures.
06:54 As far as we're aware, speaking to Kent County Council and Medway Council,
06:57 no schools in Kent are impacted by this list.
07:03 Now, yesterday was the first day back for Parliament
07:07 over the summer, after the summer recess.
07:09 And we heard from Gillian Hegan, the Education Secretary,
07:12 some fruity language in response to her actions on that.
07:16 And of course, from the school's minister,
07:18 he said the response to this rack has been "wild leading".
07:22 Now, Labour have been talking on this and they've been very critical,
07:25 saying it's been "unforgivable",
07:27 making reference to the Conservative administration back in 2010,
07:31 getting rid of the new school building process.
07:33 Now, last night in Westminster, there was a political debate.
07:37 Greg Clark, the local MP to this primary school,
07:39 name-checked the headteacher here.
07:41 In July, I met with the Minister of State
07:44 when St James' Primary School in my constituency was found to have rack.
07:48 The headteacher, Mr Tutte, and his staff and governors
07:53 have done a heroic job in finding space for the children
07:56 and having works during the summer to restore the classrooms.
08:00 Will the Secretary, will the Minister of State meet with me
08:03 straight after this statement to confirm that they now pass muster
08:07 so that the school can now reopen as planned?
08:12 Secretary of State?
08:13 Yes, I can confirm my right honourable friend is doing an MP meeting after this,
08:18 but he can meet after that.
08:19 And yes, they've done an excellent job
08:21 and I'd like to thank all the people involved
08:23 in making sure they've taken the action they have.
08:26 But we will, by the end of today, work with the honourable gentleman
08:29 to make sure we know how it will finalise, get finalised.
08:33 Thank you very much, Gabriel. Some good news for those schools.
08:36 And I also spoke to Richard Carey, a building surveyor based in Kent,
08:39 and asked him why this concrete is so dangerous.
08:42 In carrying out visual inspections of it,
08:45 it is possible to identify defects with the material.
08:51 So you can see, for example, things like deflection,
08:54 where it's installed in roofs.
08:56 And what I mean by that is the roof planks themselves
08:59 actually start to deflect a little bit.
09:01 Not dramatically, but it is visible.
09:04 You can see opening up between planks, so cracking becomes visible.
09:08 And you can see something that we term as spalling,
09:12 which is when the little chunks, I suppose is the best way of describing it,
09:15 start to become detached or fall away from the actual surface of the planks themselves.
09:21 So those are some of the indicators that are there visually.
09:26 Building materials all have lifespan, an end of life, if you like.
09:31 And quite frequently, building materials will go on
09:33 to exceed what those predicted lifespans are.
09:36 So we're now at a point where, of course, we are beyond
09:40 what was the original intended design life of the product.
09:43 And whilst those visual clues are there to give you an indication of the condition of it,
09:49 what those visual clues can't do is say that definitely this is going to fail tomorrow
09:52 or next week or even the week after.
09:55 Now, Richard, you work with Kent schools and work on removing this RAC, this R-A-C.
10:01 There has been so much confusion up and down the country here in Kent too.
10:07 What schools are closing, if they're partially closing,
10:09 last minute decisions last night, which has seen two, of course, today,
10:14 partially closed and one closed.
10:16 How many more schools can we expect? How widespread is this issue?
10:22 It is a good question. Obviously, I don't have the complete picture
10:27 in terms of exactly where this is up and down the country.
10:30 We know and understand the types of buildings and the era
10:33 in which we would expect to find this form of construction.
10:36 I'm aware that there have been ongoing surveys and investigations
10:40 carried out by the Department for Education for some time now.
10:44 So they, I'm sure, have a very good idea of what and where.
10:51 I'm also aware that they have reached out to schools,
10:54 whether they be local authority, grant maintained, Academy Trust, etc.,
11:00 to ask them to review their own stock as well.
11:03 So there is a sort of a catch-all approach going on there,
11:07 just to make sure that none that haven't been identified already are being picked up.
11:12 And we can imagine this won't just be schools.
11:14 This will be other buildings we've had, hospitals or council buildings, prisons perhaps even.
11:20 Have you worked on any other buildings in Kent on removing RAC recently?
11:29 No. Our experience with this has been primarily related to education buildings,
11:35 although essentially the principles are the same.
11:40 We're not currently working in any of those other sectors with regards to this particular product.
11:47 Richard Carey talking to me earlier. We'll be back after this short break.
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15:10 Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
15:14 The multi-million pound redevelopment of one of Medway's most iconic leisure centres, Splashes, has started to take shape.
15:21 The new swim centre, which was criticised by councillors for costing the council almost £24 million, is on track to open next summer.
15:30 It comes after the former Splashes fell to disrepair before being demolished back in 2021, as Bartholomew Hall reports.
15:38 Today marks the middle for the construction of what will be one of the most expensive developments paid for by Medway Council in recent years, coming in at a whopping £23.6 million.
15:49 The once home for more than 30 years of watertastic action, the Splashes leisure centre was demolished in early 2022 after falling into disrepair.
15:59 The demolition would make way for what is said to become a brand new state of the art site, with two swimming pools, a gym and a fitness centre.
16:08 In its early days, the development was criticised by Labour councillors for the sheer cost of the project.
16:14 I think what we're saying there is that Medway certainly needs swimming pools for the people of Medway.
16:18 We've got pools over in Strood and Gillingham, fantastic if we can have one, but we need to look at the cost.
16:24 But now they're in charge of the new administration, meaning it's Labour councillors who are left to see how it will play out.
16:30 It's a sad story really when it first had to happen because the building was knocked down and in fact my own children learnt to swim here,
16:36 so to see it back on its feet and hit in this state is really exciting news.
16:40 I think the thing we're challenging with as far as the budget is all about the budgets and the funding.
16:44 If we can find the funding we're in a good place, but that's our challenge as a local authority.
16:48 And we've come in and we're determined to meet that challenge and find out what we can do.
16:52 It's unusual for a local authority to have so many leisure centres and pools,
16:56 but we are, don't forget, an amalgamation of several authorities that have come together over many decades.
17:01 And we have what we have and we have to manage it as best we can.
17:04 Despite the cost on the public purse, the Splashes development is well on track to opening next summer.
17:09 So the project down here for Splashes is going really well.
17:12 It's been a challenging programme, but it's something we set out and did the groundbreaking in March this year.
17:17 We're halfway through the project. We are on time.
17:20 We'll be driving every day through to completion for opening in summer '24.
17:26 30 years of activities, family fun and of course swimming took place here in Blaws Lane.
17:32 But now, rising from the ground where it once stood, is the next £24 million chapter in the Splashes story.
17:38 And it's already taking shape.
17:40 And with things on track, today's topping out ceremony even gave those working here on the project a chance to leave their mark,
17:47 in only the most Medway way possible.
17:49 Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Reynham.
17:52 Now for a little bit more sports news.
17:54 From Gillingham hosting a League One team in the EFL trophy this evening,
17:58 to Gravesend's up and coming para triathlete.
18:01 There's plenty going on in sports, so Bartholomew Hall joins me now with the latest.
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18:13 Thank you very much Abby.
18:15 Neil Harris views Gillingham's EFL trophy match against Leighton Orient this evening as a chance for his players to regain some form.
18:23 After a 2-0 loss to Grimsby Town in the League Two over the weekend,
18:27 the Gills, who initially started the season strong with four league wins and a Carabao Cup victory over Southampton,
18:33 have struggled as of late, losing three consecutive games.
18:37 Tonight's 7.45 kick-off marks the start of the Gills' group stage in the trophy,
18:42 where they'll also face Fulham's under-21s and Portsmouth.
18:45 Harris, not a fan of the EFL trophy, has hinted at possible line-up changes.
18:50 It's not just about giving people an opportunity, just because it's a competition that I don't overly love.
18:57 So it might be an opportunity to rest a few, it might be an opportunity to give minutes to a few,
19:04 but it's also an opportunity for players to find a bit of form as well.
19:07 Players that need some match minutes, maybe a little bit of form,
19:10 might need a goal or something like that, then that's a great opportunity for that.
19:14 Next, and in rugby, Medway had a strong start in their quest for promotion over the weekend,
19:19 with a defiant 31-17 win against Old Alenians.
19:23 Ricky Reeves' side took an early lead with a training ground line-out leading to a try by Josh Knight,
19:29 converted by Charlie Wodzinski.
19:31 Despite an attempted early response, the Alenians couldn't convert, leaving Medway ahead by two points.
19:37 Medway finished the first half strong, and despite yellow cards and numerical disadvantages in the second,
19:42 Medway held on for the victory.
19:44 Next up for them, it's a clash with Cobham on Saturday.
19:47 Next, and Pembrey's lightweight double-sculls reigning world champion Emily Craig
19:53 has got her title defence off to an impressive start at this year's championships in Belgrade.
19:58 Currently competing alongside her rowing partner and co-champion Imogen Grant,
20:03 the pair have won their heat against New Zealand, Austria, Peru and Egypt,
20:08 breaking the seven-minute mark on Monday.
20:11 Well-known for their friendship and synergy, the pair are the favourites for their second successive title.
20:18 However, the top prize for them is a spot in the Paris Olympics next year.
20:22 Next up, they face the semifinals on Thursday.
20:25 And finally from me, triathlete Ollie Scott from Favrecham is on a mission
20:29 to prove para-athletes can compete alongside able-bodied contenders.
20:34 The 15-year-old says he plans to podium in every ParaTri super-series event next year,
20:40 facing competitors twice his age.
20:42 He turned to triathlon after being unable to qualify in para-athletics long-distance running
20:47 due to his lower arm amputation.
20:49 Training with Medway Tri and Gravesend, Scott follows the path of athletes like Mike Salisbury,
20:55 Claire Cashmore and Finlay James being part of the British Para Triathlon's Talent Pathway Programme.
21:02 And that's it from me with the sport for this evening.
21:04 You can catch all the latest on Invicta Sports' latest episode this coming Friday.
21:08 Barth, follow me with all the sports news there.
21:20 Now, a brand new constituency in Kent and with it bringing new political ideas, views and faces.
21:26 Katie Lamb has been picked to contest the wield of Kent's seat for the Conservatives
21:30 and has plenty of experience working with and for key names within the government.
21:34 But the seat has faced some publicity as Ashford MP Damien Green's application was rejected.
21:39 Well, I asked our political presenter Rob Bailey what he thinks.
21:43 She's quite interesting. She's currently working as a special advisor to Sowella Braverman.
21:48 So we can assume that she'll be very familiar with some of the issues which are really important here in Kent,
21:53 like like channel crossings. I'm sure that's been on her mind a lot there.
21:58 She was also deputy chief of staff to Boris Johnson. So she's worked as a political advisor at quite a high level.
22:05 But of course, she's just the first chess piece moving into place here. Labour, Liberal Democrats,
22:10 lots of other parties will be putting up candidates against her and she won't have a chance to win the seat.
22:15 And so we're seeing that cause a general election. We don't expect that to be more than 12 months.
22:21 A heat health alert for the southeast has been upgraded from yellow to amber as Kent heats up to 30 plus degrees.
22:28 The warning is understood to cover the whole of Kent and will take effect for five days, which started from midday.
22:34 The Met Office and even the East Kent Hospital University Foundation Trust have pushed the government's message
22:39 to keep safe while travelling and outdoors when the temperatures are at its hottest.
22:44 But we can't forget we've now entered autumn. So why are we seeing such sunny September spells that could potentially be dangerous?
22:51 We start September in the Atlantic. We're getting tropical storms developing and that's changing the pattern of the jet stream.
22:58 So in September, so currently the jet stream is actually situated to the north,
23:02 allowing higher pressure to build further towards the south. And that is giving in the settled conditions.
23:09 So as we go into Wednesday and Thursday, that's really the peak of it. But it's not even just the daytime temperatures.
23:15 It's the overnight temperatures which are going to be starting to feel particularly uncomfortable.
23:19 So we're already seeing some warm temperatures. But overnight, possibly Wednesday into Thursday,
23:23 we could see a tropical night, which is when the temperatures don't drop below 20.
23:27 So that's also worth considering when we're talking about this heat.
23:31 Well, with that, let's see if we'll enjoy a tropical night this evening and take a closer look at the forecast where you are
23:37 for the next few days in a bit more detail.
23:40 As we said, looking warm on that tropical evening over in Dover, temperatures of 20 degrees, lows of 17.
23:52 Tomorrow morning, warming up as expected, 24 degrees by 10 a.m.
23:56 Sunny skies and by the afternoon, 31 degrees near Maidstone.
24:01 Make sure you are staying hydrated and cool where you can.
24:04 And the next few days look pretty similar. Bright sunshine, surprise for September as we said.
24:09 Saturday, seeing some cloud and ease of temperatures.
24:12 And just before we go, this hot weather doesn't just impact us. Our pets may be feeling that heat too.
24:26 So here's some advice from our website, kntv.co.uk, where you can find all our latest stories as well.
24:32 But here's one from me about keeping your dogs cool and calm, especially on what could be some of the warmest days of the year so far.
24:40 The Dogs Trust suggest to check ahead. If you're planning a day out, check whether dogs are welcome to the park or beach you're looking to go to in Kent.
24:51 They also suggest to plan your walk. Walking early in the morning or late in the evening when temperatures are cooler reduces the risk of heat stroke.
25:00 It's also important you check the tarmac. It can get very hot in the sun and could burn your dog's paws.
25:06 Do the 5 second tarmac test. Hold your hand on the pavement. If it's too hot for you, then it's too hot for them.
25:13 Make sure they don't get burnt. Try to keep them out of direct sunlight or use pet safe sun cream as well.
25:20 You can ask your vet for more advice if needed.
25:23 And when you're out in the day or out on a walk, make sure you find some shade.
25:29 Now, don't overdo outside. It may just be too hot to play. So find a way to entertain your dog inside in a cool space.
25:37 Heat safety is vitally important for all animals, but particularly important for flat-faced dogs such as English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs.
25:50 Do not leave your animals in cars, conservatories or outbuildings on warm days as temperatures can rise incredibly quickly in these environments and predispose them to heat stroke.
26:01 If you suspect your animal is suffering from heat stroke, you must immediately seek veterinary treatment.
26:07 And of course, make sure they have plenty of water.
26:18 So make sure your pet and you are keeping cool in what is some extremely hot weather this week.
26:23 Make sure you send us your pictures as well, wherever you are. Whether you are at school, back to school now, or you are at work, trying to enjoy that sunshine but staying safe all the while.
26:31 Send us over your pictures to us on socials, KMTV Kent.
26:34 That's all we've got for Kentonite this evening, live on KMTV.
26:38 I'll be back after this short break with another episode of Made in Kent. That's all from me and the Kentonite team for now.
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