Kent Tonight - Wednesday 20th September 2023
Catch up on the latest news from across the county with Bartholomew Hall.
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00:02 - Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
00:27 I'm Bartholomew Hall and here are your top stories
00:30 on Wednesday the 20th of September.
00:33 A tough winter ahead.
00:35 Largest walkout in NHS history hits Kent's hospitals
00:39 and pushes patients back.
00:41 - We are running short on patients,
00:43 we're running short on beds, we are at a tipping point.
00:47 - Council cuts and increased costs,
00:50 millions of pounds missing as Medway battles
00:53 with council budget.
00:54 - We're looking at everything apart
00:56 from statutory services.
00:57 We have to consider everything.
00:59 If we don't do that, we're not doing our job properly.
01:02 - Food in a time of crisis.
01:04 Experts meet in Canterbury to find a sustainable way forward
01:08 for farmers.
01:09 - We need to look at farming in the broader picture.
01:11 Farming can't sit in a silo anymore,
01:13 but it has to realise how it works in a broader picture.
01:15 - And detail in the dust.
01:18 Scientists searching for space particles
01:20 on Kent's cathedrals.
01:23 They can preserve evidence of more organic materials,
01:26 so the kinds of building blocks of life.
01:28 - Good evening.
01:38 For the first time in NHS history,
01:40 Kent's junior doctors and consultants
01:42 have taken part in a joint strike.
01:45 Today's walkout by members of the British Medical Association
01:48 is part of a series of industrial action
01:50 set to take place during this autumn.
01:53 But since December last year,
01:54 it's led to nearly one million appointments
01:57 being rescheduled, leading to mixed public support,
02:00 as Sophia Akin reports.
02:02 - An unprecedented joint strike has been held
02:05 by Kent's junior doctors and consultants today.
02:08 Members of the British Medical Association
02:11 are calling for a pay rise in line with inflation,
02:14 as well as better staffing.
02:15 - I am struggling, and so are so many of my colleagues.
02:19 At the moment, a newly qualified doctor
02:21 is only making 14 pounds per hour.
02:24 And we're just asking for our pay to be restored.
02:27 And what we're asking in effect
02:29 is just a five-pound increase.
02:31 - There's a 10% or so vacancy rate across the NHS.
02:36 We've got, in my department, we've chronically understaffed.
02:40 We need to attract people into the profession
02:43 and make it a welcoming and enjoyable profession
02:47 that people come and work in happily.
02:49 That's the way to provide good care to our patients.
02:52 - While the support here today has seemed consistent,
02:58 there will be some disappointed
03:00 that services have temporarily been reduced.
03:03 Since December last year,
03:05 the number of rescheduled appointments
03:06 due to industrial strike action is nearing a million.
03:11 - We are sorry that people are being affected,
03:13 that appointments are being canceled,
03:14 that procedures are being delayed.
03:16 We don't want this to happen.
03:18 I want to get back to doing what I do best,
03:20 which is seeing patients.
03:21 And if we don't look after the NHS, we won't have an NHS.
03:24 - And how long could we see this going on for?
03:27 - That's a very good question.
03:29 If the prime minister and the health secretary
03:31 came to the table, we can end this tomorrow.
03:34 - Earlier this year, the government offered junior doctors
03:37 an average pay increase of around 9%,
03:40 and consultants an increase of around 6%.
03:43 Both pay offers were rejected.
03:45 The health secretary, Steve Barclay,
03:47 has said that the right to strike is important,
03:49 but action is needed to reach a balance
03:51 between that right and the rights of patients
03:54 to critically important services,
03:56 such as chemotherapy and dialysis.
03:59 During strike action, staff will work
04:01 what's known as Christmas Day cover,
04:03 providing emergency care only.
04:06 Junior doctors will also strike tomorrow and on Friday,
04:09 and further joint strikes are planned
04:11 for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of October.
04:15 - We're all very used to seeing picket lines by now,
04:17 but something we're not used to seeing
04:18 is two different types of NHS workers
04:20 coming together to fight for the same thing.
04:23 But now they're calling for the government
04:25 to meet them in the middle,
04:26 and they're hoping that they can come
04:27 to a solution together.
04:29 Sophia Akin for KMTV in Ashford.
04:32 - Well, joining me now with more
04:34 is KMTV's health expert, Dr. Julian Spinks.
04:37 Julian, thank you for joining us.
04:39 As we saw there in Sophia's report,
04:42 many appointments have been either pushed back
04:44 or cancelled entirely.
04:46 GPs are not on strike, of course,
04:48 but what have you seen,
04:49 and how has this affected your patients?
04:51 - Well, of course, the impact is that people come back
04:54 to us asking if we can bring their appointment forward.
04:57 Actually, we were doing this before,
04:59 'cause so many people have been waiting anyway.
05:01 But every time someone comes,
05:02 unless there's a really good reason
05:04 why they need to be moved up,
05:06 for example, their condition has deteriorated a lot,
05:08 we can't do anything.
05:10 And so we're wasting appointments,
05:11 and that means it's more difficult to see us as well.
05:14 - And both sides, the government and the BMA,
05:18 are kind of really sort of hard-footed on this.
05:21 The BMA say they're gonna continue striking.
05:23 The government says it's not gonna budge.
05:25 How long can this go on for, do you think?
05:28 - It's very difficult to tell.
05:29 I have to say that if anything,
05:31 things have firmed up on the doctor's side.
05:34 They had another vote in August,
05:36 and they had a 98% in favour of industrial action,
05:41 on a turnout of over 70%.
05:42 So actually, a majority of the entire workforce
05:46 wanted to take industrial action.
05:48 Government seems to be stuck and doesn't want to talk.
05:50 They have got to get round the table,
05:52 'cause there's gonna need to be a compromise to stop this.
05:55 - And I mean, we were talking about levels
05:56 similar to sort of that of Christmas.
05:58 This could go on until Christmas and beyond.
06:01 I mean, we talk a lot about the future of the NHS
06:03 when it comes to these discussions.
06:05 Could this be a sort of major turning point
06:07 in the future of the whole service?
06:09 - I think whether or not it's solved, it is.
06:12 It's gonna take an awful lot of time and money
06:14 to actually turn things around after this dispute.
06:17 And on top of that, unless there's a good settlement,
06:19 we'll continue to hemorrhage doctors
06:21 out to other countries such as Australia.
06:23 And we desperately need them,
06:24 because if we don't have the doctors,
06:26 we can't get the work done.
06:27 - And of course, you are a GP, as we mentioned before,
06:30 but many people will be listening to this
06:32 and hearing the headlines about the amount of money
06:34 that consultants earn, some in excess of 100,000.
06:38 But can you just sort of give us an understanding
06:40 of why they're earned that much?
06:42 Is it more related to skill rather than,
06:44 you know, and skill in their training?
06:46 - You've got somebody who probably has decades of training
06:49 and they only start to get that sort of money
06:51 really towards the end of their career.
06:53 What has happened is since 2008,
06:56 you've seen a massive drop in the real purchasing power
07:00 of their income.
07:02 And as far as junior doctors are concerned,
07:05 you've got them being paid at a starting rate
07:07 of just over 14 pounds an hour,
07:09 which you can get doing a far less stressful
07:12 and important job.
07:14 - Well, Julian, thank you very much for joining us today.
07:16 I'm sure we'll be hearing from you as this develops.
07:18 Thank you very much.
07:19 A Kent MP has welcomed the government's
07:22 scaling back net zero targets.
07:25 The initial phasing out of all petrol and diesel vehicles
07:29 was set for 2030, but it's now being pushed to 2035.
07:33 It's all part of a wider plan,
07:35 which some say is weakening the Conservative Party's
07:39 commitments on tackling climate change.
07:41 South Anet MP, Craig McKinley told Kent Online
07:44 he believes it's a pragmatic and realistic approach.
07:48 The chairman of the anti-net zero parliamentary group
07:50 said that the government has realised
07:52 many of its climate pledges are simply not on track.
07:56 Well, there'll be more on this in Kent Tonight,
07:58 straight after, sorry, in Kent on Climate,
08:01 straight after Kent Tonight.
08:02 Next, we inherited a 17 million pound gap.
08:08 The words from the Labour and Co-operative Leader
08:10 of Medway Council, Vince Maple,
08:13 who told us today that tax is set to rise by 5%
08:16 following financial trouble.
08:18 A report projects that the council could face
08:21 budget shortfalls of almost 40 million pounds
08:23 within two years, but the leader says that it's doing,
08:27 that the council is doing all it can to balance the books.
08:30 Well, with more on this now,
08:31 Abbey Hook joins me in the studio.
08:32 Abbey, what more can you tell us?
08:35 - Well, today I was at Medway Council at Gunn Wharf
08:37 asking Vince what's going on,
08:40 putting those many questions that residents will have
08:42 here in Medway, asking him what's all this
08:44 financial trouble really about.
08:47 Now, they are taking a report to the cabinet next week,
08:49 looking at their financial outlook.
08:52 But Vince Maple, the Labour and Co-operative Leader
08:54 you mentioned there, says that this is all because
08:57 of inherited financial troubles
08:59 from the previous Conservative council
09:01 that was led by Alan Jarrett,
09:03 previously to when Vince Maple was elected
09:06 back in those May elections.
09:08 He says that because of successive council budgets
09:12 that use reserves and overspent,
09:14 they have to make some challenging decisions,
09:17 decisions that will impact those living here in Medway
09:20 and their council-run and funded services too,
09:24 decisions that will impact them now even harder
09:27 because of this current cost of living crisis
09:29 that we're still seeing, hitting people's purses,
09:31 especially those families on lower incomes as well.
09:34 Now, the council say they do have working assumptions,
09:37 that's how Vince worded it,
09:39 that council tax will rise to that maximum of 5%
09:44 that they can do without a referendum,
09:47 of course, something Vince Maple won't be wanting,
09:49 that 4.99% rise in council tax that will be seen
09:53 when they decide these budgets.
09:55 Again, something that will hit the pockets
09:57 of those living in Medway,
09:58 something Vince doesn't want in practice,
10:01 but might have to with these financial pressures
10:04 they're under.
10:05 Now, of course, Vince says that this is something
10:09 he's going to be clear about,
10:10 he's going to give clarity to those living in Medway,
10:12 let them know what services will be cut
10:15 or what parts of services will be cut.
10:17 And this is something I asked of him today,
10:19 to give us clarity of what services could be cut
10:22 and what this could look like.
10:24 - Look, basically, we're looking at everything
10:26 apart from statutory services.
10:28 We have to consider everything.
10:29 If we don't do that, we're not doing our job properly.
10:33 Some of those are really challenging conversations,
10:35 but that's the right thing for us to do.
10:36 So when we come forward with those more firm proposals,
10:41 some of those will need statutory consultation,
10:43 some of those may need internal consultation
10:45 within the council.
10:47 We'll go through those processes
10:48 'cause that's the right thing to do,
10:50 but we'll be clear with residents
10:51 why we're taking that decision.
10:53 And ultimately, it's because we've been left
10:54 with a financial mess from the previous administration.
10:58 - Well, that financial mess he's referring to there
11:01 is the 17 million pound gap he says was inherited
11:04 from that previous Conservative council that I mentioned,
11:06 led by Alan Jarrett.
11:08 Something Alan says he doesn't believe for a moment.
11:12 Now, I spoke to Alan on the phone earlier.
11:14 He said it's pressure that's been inflated,
11:16 that they've confronted these types of issues year on year
11:20 that he experienced in his council too,
11:23 of overstated pressure, those are his words.
11:25 He said that these were all issues in the budget
11:27 about the change of social care as well,
11:29 something that all councils nationally
11:31 are trying to tackle as well.
11:32 He said that too, but the main thing taken away
11:35 from the former leader, Alan Jarrett,
11:37 he said that there's a real danger
11:39 that this Labour council will go bankrupt.
11:41 Of course, something Vince Maple does not want at all.
11:44 He said he's making difficult decisions
11:46 with a heavy heart all to balance these budgets.
11:48 - Thank you very much for those details, Abi.
11:50 We'll have plenty more news made just for Kent
11:52 after this break.
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15:06 - Welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
15:15 Now, industry experts, policy makers,
15:18 and academies from across the Southeast
15:20 are today calling for a more sustainable food sector.
15:25 The theme of this year's Eastern Arc Conference
15:27 is food in a time of crisis.
15:29 It comes as inflation has eased slightly,
15:32 fueled by a slowing of food prices.
15:34 But industry experts say the garden of England
15:36 is far from rosy.
15:38 Well, joining me on the line now
15:40 is Gabriel Morris from Canterbury.
15:42 Gabriel, it's good to see you.
15:43 It's looking like things are still active there in Canterbury.
15:46 Tell us who has been there
15:47 and what have they been saying today?
15:51 - Well, it's the last few delegates
15:53 who are still here now.
15:54 The Kent group who are here today.
15:56 But there have been people here from across
15:58 the East of England, from Essex, Peterborough,
16:03 and of course in Kent.
16:04 It's the Eastern Arc Consortium.
16:06 It's formed of the University of Essex,
16:09 East Anglia University, and the University of Kent.
16:12 But it's not just academics who have been here today.
16:16 There have also been community,
16:18 people from the community who run food banks,
16:20 community supermarkets,
16:22 but also people from the industry,
16:24 such as James Smith from Loddington Farm.
16:28 We've featured him on Made in Kent in the past
16:30 with his Owlette juice.
16:32 And they've all been here today
16:33 for a series of lectures, breakout rooms,
16:36 to talk about the food industry in the East.
16:39 Now, the South East is heavily influenced by food.
16:42 It makes up a third of England's total income.
16:46 And it's incredibly important to talk about this
16:49 and get academics speaking to people
16:51 who are on the ground and know the issues firsthand.
16:55 And one of the things which was talked about today
16:57 is to get farmers actually working collaboratively
17:00 with each other to improve the situation
17:03 and make farming in Kent more sustainable.
17:07 For Kent, we need to look at farming in a broader picture.
17:10 Farming can't sit in a silo anymore,
17:12 but it has to realise how it works in a broader picture.
17:14 They need to realise how they can exploit the resources
17:16 that they have around them,
17:18 not just looking at simply growing a crop
17:20 and trying to make that for an economic viability,
17:22 but actually going to something farther.
17:24 How do they use their waste resources
17:25 to actually bring new value streams into what they're doing?
17:28 For Kent, we have a great,
17:30 good variety of land uses that we have in Kent
17:33 and a large amount of crops that are grown here.
17:36 But we will be under pressure if they sit in silos.
17:39 Connecting all of these together,
17:41 creating circular economies where things can work together
17:44 and businesses can work hand in hand
17:45 can really make a real impact.
17:47 Rob's right. A large amount of crops are grown here in Kent.
17:52 It is the Garden of England.
17:55 And we've seen inflation, it's eased slightly,
17:57 particularly because of food.
17:59 Now, one of the ideas is to get people to shop more locally.
18:02 However, will that work for people
18:04 who are in deprived backgrounds?
18:07 The current argument is that food needs to be cheap
18:10 because we're in a cost of living crisis.
18:12 I think cheap food is a tiny, sticky plaster
18:15 on a big, festering wound of low wages
18:18 that have been stagnated for years
18:21 and that certainly haven't kept up with food inflation.
18:25 So I think we need to change the narrative again
18:27 and press for action on addressing the causes
18:30 for the cost of living crisis rather than its effects.
18:34 And, you know, in a way, making the food producers
18:37 and growers the culprits.
18:39 Well, by finding me, 16,000 people are estimated
18:45 to be employed in the food sector in Kent.
18:46 I'll be talking more about that and sustainability
18:49 in Kenton and Clyne with Abi in around about 10 minutes or so.
18:52 Well, we're looking forward to it.
18:53 Thank you very much, Gabriel, for those details there.
18:56 And now, from a washout for Kent cricket
18:58 to a firm backing for Dartford's manager.
19:01 Let's take a look at the sport.
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19:11 And we start at Taunton, where play between Kent and Somerset
19:15 has been abandoned without a ball even being bowled
19:18 on what would have been day two of their county championship meeting.
19:22 It makes two days of disrupted play due to rain this week.
19:26 Somerset are now set to resume batting 214 for two on day three.
19:31 And as I mentioned, just two wickets on the board for Kent so far.
19:35 Daniel Bell Drummond ending a post-century run for Tom Lammenby
19:39 and Arafat Boyan bowling out Tom Abel for 20.
19:43 Our county side have just one game remaining after this
19:46 to try and avoid relegation from the top division.
19:49 Ebbs Fleet United are hoping for good news
19:53 after their top scorer Dominic Pelléon came off
19:56 during their one-all draw at Woking on Tuesday evening.
20:00 It comes as the striker returns to action
20:02 following international duty with St Lucia,
20:05 where the 30-year-old scored a hat-trick for his country
20:09 in a meeting with St Martin.
20:11 So far this season, Pelléon holds the joint second highest number of goals,
20:15 at seven after a very strong start to the season.
20:19 Manager Dennis Kutryb says he hopes his star man struggles
20:22 are just down to jet lag.
20:24 We will see. I can't tell you exactly if he's injured or just a little bit fatigued.
20:30 So we will see. We assess him tomorrow and then we know a little bit more.
20:34 That's always a problem when you need to make decisions
20:36 if internationals are right or wrong,
20:38 and if you should go, if you shouldn't go.
20:40 At the end of the day, the player needs to decide.
20:42 But I have my own opinion on that because you can see
20:45 he had jet lag on Saturday, now went off fatigued today,
20:49 hopefully not more.
20:50 And this is always a trouble if you have long journeys
20:53 to go to internationals and different load,
20:57 different times, everything different.
21:00 So there's always a problem and a challenge,
21:03 but it is what it is, so we need to get on with it.
21:05 Moving on to Margate, who have moved on to the final round of FA Qualifying
21:09 after beating Folkestone in victor 3-1 at Sheraton Road.
21:14 Following their 2-2 draw at Hartsdown Park last weekend,
21:17 goals from Tyrone Stirling, Ben Greenhalgh and Steve Crawley
21:22 sent the travelling gate fans into raptures
21:25 as they secured their place in the next round of the FA Cup.
21:28 Invicta boss Michael Everitt described mistakes made by his side
21:32 as just not good enough.
21:34 After the success, both sides will now look back towards Isthmian Premier action
21:38 as Gate travel to Canvey Island,
21:41 and Invicta will welcome Whitehawk at home.
21:44 Finally from me, National League Southside,
21:47 well, finally in the sport rather, National League Southside Dartford
21:50 have released a statement backing manager Alan Dowson
21:53 following a four-match losing run.
21:56 In the statement, the board acknowledged what it called a disappointing period.
22:00 It went on to explain that a regular meeting was held by the board
22:03 in which it decided to stick together with Dowson
22:06 to discuss the work needed as the season progressed.
22:09 It comes after the Darts have bowled out of the FA Cup
22:12 losing 3-2 to Welling last weekend.
22:15 This Saturday, however, Dartford host Kent rivals Tunbridge Angels.
22:19 That's it from the sport.
22:21 Now, an 11-hour weather warning has been put in place
22:33 as heavy rain is expected to hit Kent this evening.
22:36 The Met Office has issued the yellow alert for the county
22:39 from 4pm until 3am tomorrow morning.
22:42 So with that in mind, let's take a look at the full forecast.
22:45 This evening, looking pretty miserable across the board.
22:53 Rainy, lows of 15.
22:56 On Thursday morning, temperatures around the same
22:59 but looking dry at 10am and staying cloudy.
23:03 But the afternoon warming up slightly,
23:07 bringing out a little more wind with it, a mix of sun and cloud.
23:10 This is looking towards the end of the week and the weekend.
23:13 Raining Friday, dry and sunny Saturday and rain again on Sunday.
23:17 And finally, tiny pieces of space have been raining down on Earth
23:29 for millions of years.
23:31 These are micro-meteorites and they're being collected here in Kent.
23:35 The small spheres are half the width of a hair formed from asteroids
23:39 and hit our atmosphere at tens of thousands of miles per hour.
23:43 Scientists from the University of Kent are searching for them
23:46 on roofs of cathedrals, including Rochester and Canterbury.
23:50 Why are they doing this?
23:52 It's to unlock the unknown origins of our universe, as Abbey Hook reports.
23:57 These scientists are hoovering the roof of Canterbury Cathedral,
24:02 but not to clean it and not to collect just any old dust.
24:07 These scientists are searching for cosmic dust,
24:10 tiny particles from asteroids orbiting Mars and Jupiter
24:15 that have been shooting down to Earth ever since time began.
24:19 But how have these minuscule parts of our universe
24:22 ended up on the roofs of Kent's cathedrals?
24:26 Their rooftops are really large, so that's a large area
24:29 that we're collecting from that's been collecting cosmic dust.
24:32 But we also choose rooftops in this case because they've had no footfall on them
24:37 or very limited footfall, so you haven't got people walking around
24:40 and displacing the dirt, taking those cosmic dust particles away with them.
24:44 The goal - to simply discover more about our universe.
24:50 They can preserve evidence of more organic materials,
24:53 so the kinds of building blocks of life, which can then tell us about
24:57 what kind of materials were brought in to the Earth
25:00 over its entire history from space.
25:03 Just to give you an idea of the kind of size of this cosmic dust
25:07 they're looking for on the roof behind me, here's a pound coin,
25:11 something we use every single day.
25:13 And just on the surface alone, you could probably fit
25:16 more than 4,000 micrometeorites, and they're all on that roof.
25:22 So you may not be finding them in your garden any time soon,
25:26 but Matthias has been to the Natural History Museum in London
25:30 to create mini meteorite models so that we can see what they look like.
25:35 Seeing them with the naked eye is very difficult because on average
25:40 there are 200 microns in size, which is one fifth of a millimetre,
25:44 which is maybe twice as big as the width of a hair.
25:50 Thanks to these scans, I was able to build 3D models of the particles,
25:55 make them bigger, obviously, actually look like the original particles.
25:59 You can see that they're very spherical, even contain some bubbles in size.
26:04 And this one, for instance, is from the roof of the Natural History Museum.
26:10 The team are hoping to expand the project nationally
26:14 and search for cosmic dust on ancient roofs right across the UK.
26:19 But with Kent's contribution collected, sorting can begin,
26:23 all to determine what signs of life have been right above our heads
26:27 for millions of years.
26:30 Abbey Hook for KMTV in Canterbury.
26:34 Really fascinating stuff there. Well, that's it from me this evening.
26:37 You've been watching Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
26:40 I'll be back with the late bulleting at 8, but for now, see you soon.
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