Kent Tonight - Wednesday 19th June 2024
Catch up on all the latest news across your county with Abby Hook.
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00:00Good evening and welcome to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
00:28I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Wednesday the 19th of June.
00:33We're worse off, Favisham amid Kent talks inflation just weeks before election.
00:38What they measure on inflation I have no idea but it bears no relation to my life whatsoever.
00:45Bad apples, waterborne diseased found in pre-washed vegetables at Kent supermarkets.
00:51Cryptosporidium is generally unpleasant but harmless in adults however in people with
00:57immune problems and particularly younger children it can sometimes be dangerous and
01:01we do see some deaths from it.
01:03And we'll get the latest business news from right across Kent.
01:17Tonight voters in Favisham amid Kent have been giving their views as inflation drops
01:22to its lowest level since 2021.
01:25Data from the Office for National Statistics shows inflation has finally hit its target
01:29of 2% which could mean future interest cuts and cheaper mortgages.
01:34But both candidates and those on the high street weren't convinced it'll make a significant
01:38difference as Oliver Leader de Sacks reports.
01:41A sunny day in Favisham and a slightly sunnier outlook on the economy.
01:48Inflation has hit the Bank of England's target for the first time in almost three years meaning
01:53prices have only gone up by 2% in the year leading up to May.
01:59This could lead to cuts in interest rates and potentially cheaper mortgages.
02:03Now amid Kent and Favisham it's quite an interesting constituency historically true blue conservative
02:10part of the blue wall here in the south east.
02:12Now there is one point in it between Labour and the Conservatives that's according to
02:16new Ipsos polling and this toss-up seat could be determined by how much money is in people's
02:23pockets.
02:24Do they feel better off?
02:26That new inflation data that's come out today could determine that and I've been asking
02:32voters on the street how they will be voting this election and whether this new inflation
02:36data actually makes a difference.
02:39Truthfully no I don't think it will I mean they say inflation is coming down but you
02:45still go to the supermarket and do your weekly shop it still costs a damn sight more than
02:51what it did last year.
02:54No because what they measure on inflation I have no idea but it bears no relation to
03:00my life whatsoever.
03:01No no no because you've got huge hikes in electricity and gas and water everything petrol
03:08everything's expensive isn't it.
03:10The Liberal Democrat candidate for the area is equally uncertain whether it will make
03:15a difference to ordinary people in the seat.
03:18The kind of reassurance that inflation is back down isn't much of a reassurance when
03:22you're still struggling to pay your rent you're still struggling to pay your mortgage and
03:25also feed your family a lot of people are now relying on the food banks in Fabersham
03:30and Midken.
03:31I think looking at removing the two child benefit cap would be really helpful I think
03:35looking at increasing universal credit to the most people the people that are in most
03:39need.
03:40Meanwhile the Green Party candidate says we need to take a different approach to the economy.
03:46There are a number of reasons why people are really struggling and inflation and the cost
03:49of goods is one of those things as you say the cost of fuel is a massive thing which
03:54really influences the cost of goods and if we invest in ensuring that there is really
04:00good renewable energy technology that there is community owned renewable energy then that
04:06means that we all become much less reliant on foreign affairs to shape our fuel prices.
04:11The Reform UK candidate says the best way to ensure voters in the seat are better off
04:17is tax cuts.
04:19We're trying to tax ourselves out of a crisis that both the Conservatives and Labour Party
04:22are doing that.
04:23We need to put British people first we need to put more pennies and pounds in their pockets
04:27that's why we're going to start tax at 20,000 and ensure that we get this tax breaks for
04:32marriage capitals etc.
04:34We need to ensure that people have got the pennies and pounds in their pockets to ensure
04:38that we can all as a country grow from the grassroots up.
04:41We can't do that anymore.
04:42With some voters here feeling worse off than they did at the last election the future of
04:47Mid Kent politically will come down to margins regardless of inflation.
04:53Oliver Leeds for KMTV in Faversham.
04:57And for a full list of candidates just go to Kentonline.
05:03Next tonight a waterborne parasite has been discovered in pre-washed vegetables across
05:09major supermarkets in Kent according to researchers.
05:12The School of Biosciences at the University of Kent has discovered that more than 17%
05:17of the samples tested contained cryptosporidium.
05:20It said symptoms of the parasite include diarrhoea and vomiting.
05:24This study took place last year but it comes as many products are currently being withdrawn
05:28from supermarket shelves.
05:31And that also follows a recent E. coli outbreak as well.
05:35Well Dr. Julian Spinks joins me in the studio.
05:44Okay Julian firstly can you explain exactly what cryptosporidium is?
05:49Yes this is a microorganism that lives inside cells and you catch it from contaminated water
05:55and food which have got animal or human faeces in them.
05:59And the nasty thing it can do is it can be in a form which actually is very difficult
06:04to completely eliminate.
06:06And so it's a risk with things like ready made, ready to eat vegetables, salads and
06:12so on because really you need to cook things, boil things and so on to be really confident
06:17you've got rid of it.
06:19How worried should we be if people are watching this thinking they need to go and do their
06:22food shop locally?
06:24Those fears are starting, is it fear mongering or is there a serious risk here?
06:29We do get outbreaks with it, I have to say it's about a decade since we had a very big
06:34outbreak so even though this research suggests it may be in a lot of these ready made or
06:40prepared meals that it is not likely to be a super high risk to everybody so I wouldn't
06:46be panicking as we go into summer and start having our salads.
06:50And how should we store our veg then if we're thinking about making sure our food stays
06:56clean even if it is washed, it is actually clean because it's not in this water, how
07:02can we make sure we're cleaning our veg properly and then storing it?
07:05Well I hate to say it, you're actually safer going back to old fashioned vegetables which
07:09you peel and wash and store after that because then you're likely to take it off.
07:13It's the ready made stuff, particularly if you don't wash it and don't do anything with
07:17it before you eat.
07:18But as I said earlier the problem is it's quite difficult to get rid of this bug.
07:22The other thing is if people do get it and you get something which is like a very nasty
07:25gastroenteritis that things like hand washing, being very careful, not sharing towels and
07:31so on, not sharing bath water and even staying away from work and school can prevent it spreading
07:36to other people.
07:38And this also comes with an E. coli outbreak, a separate issue, but what should we be doing
07:43to protect ourselves from that too?
07:45It's been all over the news recently.
07:47Yes and again it's a similar thing because this appears to have been from salad leaves
07:53going into things like ready made sandwiches and it probably is the water that they put
07:58on the fields to actually irrigate the crops that may be the source of this.
08:04And the people who actually produce these salads are going to have to look again as
08:07to what they do to try and prevent it happening, but it's very difficult as individuals because
08:11you can't boil a salad or do anything like that to take any additional precautions.
08:16So important to keep up to date with the latest news, especially over on Kent Online to see
08:22if our salads are safe.
08:24Julian, thank you for those details.
08:27And now, just before the break, don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest
08:30stories across Kent by logging onto our website, kmtv.co.uk.
08:35There you'll find all our reports, including this one about inefficient heating at a tower
08:40of Ashford flats, piling on costs for residents.
08:44David John Benge was only recently discharged from a Kent hospital after being diagnosed
08:49with type 2 diabetes, only to find out when he arrived home his heating and warm water
08:55supply had been switched off.
08:57It follows weeks of back and forth between himself and Ginger Energy.
09:01It's the billing agent for his flat here at the newly built Victoria Point in Ashford.
09:05They claim he hasn't been paying his bills, which David denies, having evidence which
09:09he says proves him of innocence of any wrongdoing.
09:13I was horrified to be fair.
09:15I just feel a bit helpless.
09:17Obviously, I'm unwell.
09:20And it's not right.
09:21I've actually, the money they say I owe, I've paid.
09:25The only outstanding invoices are current invoices, which I've also tried to prove
09:29to both Ginger and to the agents.
09:32I know I'm right.
09:33I know I'm not wrong, if that makes sense.
09:38That's what makes it so frustrating for me.
09:40And if anyone in their office took the time to look at it, they'd see it too.
09:46It just doesn't make any sense.
09:48It comes after weeks' worth of anger from other residents at Victoria Point towards
09:52both Ginger and their building manager, Centric.
09:56They say they're being charged much more than they should be due to the building's inefficient
10:00heat network.
10:01Everyone's on the same level here.
10:04The billing is ridiculous in this building when it comes to heating.
10:08The main problem being, because it's not a typical gas or electric company, it's not
10:14seen by the government in their eyes as a traditional energy company, they aren't regulated.
10:19And when I made this apparent to everybody, they all finally understood, yeah, we're being
10:24ripped off here.
10:26Adrian has been following the problem since he moved in when Victoria Point first opened
10:30three years ago.
10:32All 200 apartments are on a communal heat network, with each home connected to one central
10:37boiler.
10:38For the system to work, it must be switched on all the time, which has led some to say
10:41the building is always very warm.
10:44Even Ginger has admitted that for every three units of gas paid for, two disappear into
10:49the atmosphere.
10:50We put the queries of the residents to both Centric and Ginger which gave us lengthy responses.
10:55Centric told us it understands the concerns of residents and despite not being involved
11:00in the design of the building, is actively working with all parties to improve the efficiency
11:05of the network to the benefit of the residents.
11:07Meanwhile Ginger told us that despite being sub-optimal, the efficiency of the building
11:12falls in line with the UK average and said in regards to David's story that disconnection
11:17never takes place unless a balance is overdue.
11:20So it's hoped for these residents that a solution can be found or else it may be time to think
11:26about leaving.
11:27Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Ashford.
11:31Time for a very quick break now, but coming up we hear more about Oxney Court Estate as
11:36Kent Online reporter Millie Bowles has been unveiling the hidden mysteries of a former
11:40chairman and shareholder of the Russian National Bank Trust right here in Kent.
11:45We'll have more on that after this very short break.
11:48I'll see you in a few minutes time.
11:49Bye bye for now.
14:40Time for a quick break now, but coming up we hear more about Oxney Court Estate as Kent
15:00Online reporter Millie Bowles has been unveiling the hidden mysteries of a former chairman and
15:09shareholder of the Russian National Bank Trust right here in Kent.
15:13Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
15:16Now, a father of two who fell down a manhole in Ramsgate died in a tragic accident, an
15:22inquest has concluded.
15:25David Archer fell into the opening after being distracted by a passing road sweeping vehicle
15:29while working at a new housing estate in the area.
15:32A jury ruled the death accidental, but his training for the work had lapsed and had that
15:37been known he would not have been allowed to carry out the work.
15:41His employer Kings Heath say they're deeply shocked and have considered where they can
15:45improve standards of health and safety.
15:48A group of Canterbury residents are calling for South East Water to fix a leak that's
15:52been pouring onto the road for more than three months.
15:57It's branded a terrific waste of water with utility firm bosses being urged to tackle
16:01the problem.
16:03Residents say it's constantly creating a big puddle in the road which is blocking access
16:07for pedestrians.
16:09South East Water fixed a burst water main just 100 metres away from this leak last week
16:15but locals say it's done nothing.
16:17A spokesman for the water giant has to date apologised for delays and assured steps are
16:22being taken for repairs to get underway.
16:26Now an arson attack on a forest school for young children in Sevenoaks has caused thousands
16:30of pounds worth of damage.
16:32Benches and teaching equipment were broken into pieces and set on fire.
16:37The area had been built by volunteers including some from the Kent Wildlife Trust.
16:42It's already taught hundreds of children forestry skills according to the trust and vowed to
16:47build it back bigger and better.
16:50The frustration and the sadness comes from knowing how many hours, days of volunteer
16:56work went into creating this magical space for the children and how many future hours
17:01and days of volunteers giving up their own time to fix it.
17:06In terms of cost of materials to replace what has been destroyed we're looking at between
17:11a thousand to two thousand pounds to replace those materials.
17:15Now it might be one of the most expensive and oldest estates currently on the market
17:20in Kent but the previous occupiers of Oxney Court near Dover have a past of their own.
17:26Ilya Yurov was a former chairman and shareholder of the Russian National Bank Trust, MBT and
17:33his career there led him to a life of wealth while he brushed shoulders with Hollywood
17:38stars.
17:39But in 2015 he was accused of fraud by the Kremlin and a few years later ordered to pay
17:44nearly a billion pounds back to Putin's government by the High Court here in the UK.
17:49Well a complicated story that Kent Online reporter Minnie Bowes has recently been covering
17:55and visited the estate.
17:56I asked her why the family are selling the house and what the latest updates are.
18:01That bank, the MBT, has not been sanctioned since the Ukrainian war like a lot of big
18:07Russian banks and businesses have, which means that they could benefit from this money should
18:13his house have been sold.
18:17They could claim that money from the sale as repayment for the money he owes to the
18:22bank he used to run basically, but he no longer has those concerns.
18:27He told me that he has sorted it out financially and it was a moral issue for him at the time
18:35but now his wife Natalia, she is the ultimate owner of the house rather than him, so in
18:45his words he's sorted it out and it's not an issue and anyone who buys a house doesn't
18:50need to worry about the money funding Putin's war, which is where he was worried that the
18:56money would go before.
18:58And it's an awful lot of money we're talking about anyway, but the house itself, pretty
19:02grand and you've looked around it, what did you make of it?
19:08I have, yes, it is really impressive.
19:10I've never been in a house quite like it before.
19:14It's a really interesting sort of mix between history and a bit modern as well.
19:23Not in a very balanced way, it's still really traditional, the decor inside, but what they've
19:28done is different rooms represent all different eras, so there's some that are more art deco,
19:34some that are Victorian, some that are Gothic, like the exterior of the house is built in
19:39a Gothic style, so it's really impressive, quite extravagant, very vibrant, quite quintessentially
19:50British, but going a step further with that, maybe a bit over the top, but it is really,
19:56really impressive.
19:57And I've been told the area in fact is actually haunted, did you see anything spooky there
20:03other than the astronomical numbers we're talking about?
20:07Unfortunately, I didn't myself, not for sure the paranormal, but it is like covered in
20:15woodland for miles around it, well there's a road, but it is thick, thick woodland, so
20:23coming down the drive was a bit creepy, with the overhanging trees and stuff, it's very
20:27sort of, very eerie, so no, I didn't see any ghosts.
20:32The ghost is called the Grey Lady, by the way, that is rumoured to haunt Oxney, which
20:37is the village that the house is in, but the owners told me that they had a statue of the
20:45Grey Lady that was in the house, and just a few weeks ago it fell over and the head
20:50came off, so I don't think that's very good luck.
20:54Not good luck if you're looking to buy and move into that house, hey.
20:57Millie, thank you very much for those details.
21:01Fascinating story that one, now don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest
21:05stories across Kent, including that one, by logging onto Kent Online or our website kmtv.co.uk.
21:11There you'll find all our reports, including this one about when celebrity chef Greg Wallace
21:16helped support a new double-decker bus being put up in a school in Kent.
21:22A Kent school is the last destination point for a double-decker bus. It will be joining
21:27a lifeboat and a plane once it has been given a new lease of life.
21:31Five Acre Wood School is a district special school for young people with learning difficulties,
21:36working to bring new ways to support their students to learn and grow.
21:40The host of the latest fundraiser explains the opportunities this new addition provides.
21:45So for me, I have no connection to the school whatsoever, but I've got the privilege of
21:49knowing Tim, who's the head of the school. He's done a couple of tours for me at the
21:52school and I've seen first-hand just the amazing work they do at the school. So this is just
21:57a snapshot of the opportunity really to raise more vital funds for services and equipment
22:03for those amazing children at the school.
22:05The school refurbishes donations such as the bus into unique spaces for the young people.
22:10The new addition will be joining an Airbus A319, which has been converted into a library,
22:15and a 10-metre-long lifeboat, which is now a specialist counselling space.
22:20Fundraisers are a few ways the school brings these pioneering ideas to life. And amongst
22:25the community today, many familiar faces were there to help raise the money.
22:29I think we are a nation of generous people that want to help. And so I think it's important
22:35to help children with special needs, I think it is. But then it's a subject that's particularly
22:40close to me, of course, because of my little boy, Sid. I think if we all of us went out
22:45and lend a hand to hard-working charities and support groups, the world would be a better place.
22:51Today, community has come together to turn a double-decker bus into a soft play area.
22:56But what does this mean for the school?
22:58The really amazing thing, we've obviously got donated the bus, but from that the other
23:03opportunities that we've got. So we're working with Kent County Council to make a
23:11How to Catch a Bus video, and that will be for our older pupils. But that's the exciting
23:17thing, that from that connection we've built with Norman Kent, this has now come out of
23:21that, if that makes sense. So again, that's entered a different world of collaborating
23:27with our community and providing different opportunities for our pupils and our youngsters.
23:33From the work of the fundraiser team and the community coming together, they have managed
23:36to raise the money to convert this bus and give a new space for the school.
23:41Daisy Page for KMTV.
23:44It's time for us to take a very quick look at the weather forecast.
23:53Tonight, temperatures between 10 and 12 degrees across the county, clear skies this evening.
23:59Tomorrow morning, warming up to highs of 16, 15 in parts, a bit of sunshine in the middle
24:04of the county there. By the afternoon, sunshine spreading pretty much across the whole county,
24:09a bit of cloud over in Maidstone, 19 degrees. And here's your outlook for Kent.
24:14Friday, some sunshine. Saturday, a bit of rain. But Sunday, nice and warm, 22.
24:28Now, from global fashion brands heading to Blue Water to a pub closing in Hempstead,
24:33there's lots to break down in this business roundup. Take a look.
24:39Two global fashion brands will join Blue Water Shopping Centre before the end of the year.
24:47The director said he's excited about the opening. Bershka, founded in 1998,
24:52caters to young, adventurous people who follow the latest trends in social media and music.
24:57Pull & Bear was established in 1991 and has since opened over 1,000 stores worldwide.
25:02It aims to take the latest international trends and mix them with influences seen on the street
25:07and in clubs. Each will occupy 10,000 square foot units, with building work set to begin later
25:12this month. Additionally, the stores will open next to each other. Canterbury Tales,
25:16a well-loved historic attraction, is set to reopen following an investment from new owners.
25:21The couple, who run popular escape rooms in Margate and Broadstairs, will invest £650,000
25:27into the restoration, with plans to transform it into an educational, interactive experience.
25:32The attraction will guide visitors through the works of Geoffrey Chaucer,
25:35poet and author known for The Eponymous Tales. The restoration is planned to feature new
25:40animatronics, holograms and projections, while keeping the original formula, which the owners
25:45hope will make the experience truly immersive. The pair also plan to hold special events in
25:50the space, such as role-play experiences. Canterbury Tales is set to reopen in August.
25:55The social hub of the village is how some residents refer to the Flying Saucer,
25:59a pub in Hempstead. Last month, a shock decision was made to close the pub.
26:04A petition to keep the pub open has gained momentum, receiving over 550 signatures.
26:09Ward Councillor Jim Gilborne is urging the owners, brewing company Green King,
26:13to meet face-to-face to discuss saving the pub. However, alternative breweries could
26:18step in to take over. Daniel Smallbone started the petition, believing that the closure would
26:23strip away an essential part of the local culture and community spirit.
26:27That's all we've got time for here on Kent tonight, but stick with us at 7pm,
26:38we'll be live streaming Canterbury's hustings this evening. Stick around for all that and more.