Catch up with all the news across the county with Cameron Tucker.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kentonite Live on KMTV.
00:29I'm Cameron Tucker and here are your top stories on Wednesday the 27th of November.
00:34Road rage.
00:35Shocking footage reveals bus driver telling wheelchair user she gives disabled people
00:39a bad name.
00:40It made me scared because I used to go every day, every day outside to meet people, doing
00:47something.
00:48You know.
00:49Now I didn't go.
00:50Since those things happened, I didn't go.
00:52I'm very upset.
00:54Shining a light on the past, Canterbury comes together to commemorate Ukrainian tragedy
00:59Canterbury has been for centuries and centuries a place where people found refuge from various
01:07atrocities.
01:08And we'll catch up on all the latest health headlines with KMTV's health expert.
01:22First tonight, a disabled woman from Strude says she's too afraid to leave her house after
01:27being kicked off a bus and being told by a bus driver that she gives disabled people
01:31a bad name.
01:32Nargis Fakhri went to board the 140 Arriva service at Strude Retail Park but said she
01:38was told by the driver she couldn't get on as there was already a push chair in the designated
01:42space.
01:43Mobile phone footage shows the incident which has led bus operator Arriva to launch an investigation.
01:49Bartholomew Hall has been following the story.
01:51Just get off the bus.
01:53OK.
01:54You give disabled people a bad name.
01:57This bus driver is being investigated by Arriva after a woman from Strude says she couldn't
02:04board due to a baby's push chair taking up the space.
02:07Nargis Fakhri suffers with several spinal and back conditions, meaning she relies on
02:12a wheelchair to get around and she's done so for the last 13 years.
02:16Just get off the bus.
02:18OK.
02:19You give disabled people a bad name.
02:20He just said, oh you cannot get in, so I'm like, I peeked a little bit and I said there's
02:25a space, can I please get in, can you give me a ramp?
02:29And then he said, no, there's no space.
02:31And I'm like, could you please ask the people, I'm wet and I'm shivering, I'm cold.
02:37He said, you have no priority, you cannot ask people to move.
02:42Nargis says another passenger hit her when she tried to film the bus driver's attitude
02:47and that the whole incident has left her feeling scared to go out of her house.
02:51She took my mobile and I was like, who took my mobile?
02:54It happened so fast, all I was feeling pain on my hand.
02:59You took my mobile, you're not giving my mobile back, there's lots of CCTV camera and everyone
03:04watch you took my mobile.
03:06And then she said, ha ha, I delete your all videos.
03:10I was having a panic attack.
03:12I called police and I reported police everything what happened.
03:19A spokesperson for Arriva South said the bus operator is aware of the incident and it is
03:24being investigated.
03:25Conditions of carriage state wheelchairs have priority and that drivers are expected to
03:31ask pushchairs to fold down to make space, although if they refuse, they say drivers
03:36are advised not to get into conflict.
03:39However, Nargis says this isn't the service she received and that the passenger with a
03:43pram was happy to fold down their pushchair.
03:47The thing is, we have priority wheelchairs and this is the only place, the designed area,
03:53this is the only place we can travel.
03:55It make me scared because I used to go everyday, everyday outside to meet people, doing something,
04:03you know.
04:04Now I didn't go.
04:05Since those things happened, I didn't go, I'm very upset.
04:09Kent Police is also looking into the incident and says it's investigating the report of
04:13an assault.
04:14It was at this bus stop just outside Strood Retail Park where Nargis first tried to board
04:18the bus.
04:19Nargis says it could take some time, if at all, before she feels comfortable to come
04:23back and catch one again.
04:24I'm Follow Me Hall for KMTV in Strood.
04:29Video from Kent Police shows the moment two men were arrested after a man was stabbed
04:33at Whitstable train station.
04:35Lewis Day and Dawah Brown assaulted Maudas Sherhar Hussain after he tried to help their
04:40friend at the station back in December last year.
04:43Police say Brown mistakenly thought the victim was attempting to steal a phone and threw
04:47a beer can in his direction.
04:49After Mr Hussain threw it back, Brown and Day chased him into the alleyway where he
04:53was repeatedly stabbed.
04:54At Canterbury Crown Court, Day was sentenced to 14 and a half years in prison for grievous
04:59bodily harm with intent.
05:00Brown was sentenced to three and a half years for unlawful wounding.
05:05Here's the moment the pair were arrested.
05:07Tony at Domestic, mate.
05:10How you doing, mate?
05:13You alright?
05:14I'm fine, thank you.
05:16We've had reports of a stabbing, mate.
05:17Someone in a black tracksuit's been involved.
05:19You alright?
05:20I'm fine, thanks.
05:21Have you got any weapons on you?
05:22I'm going to search you, mate.
05:23You're detained for the purpose of a search.
05:24Tell them I've been with you all night.
05:25Mate, I've done nothing.
05:26Search me.
05:27No, that's alright.
05:28I am going to search you, alright, just for a weapon.
05:29Hello, mate.
05:30You okay?
05:31Yeah.
05:32Where have you just been out to?
05:33I just had a fight with my sister's boyfriend.
05:34Yeah?
05:35Right, I'm going to nip you in the moment, mate.
05:36Alright?
05:37It's a mission of GBH, right?
05:38See, don't say anything, mate.
05:39Hold your fence.
05:40Mate, put your hand up.
05:41Put your hand up.
05:42Give me your other hand.
05:43Give me your other hand.
05:44I know.
05:45Just give me your other hand.
05:46Alright?
05:47You're under arrest, mate.
05:48It's a mission of GBH, alright?
05:49Because I'd say, mate, hold your fence.
05:50I'm going to question you.
05:51I don't want to call anything you do say.
05:52Alright?
05:53The Ukrainians are calling on the government to recognize an historic famine in Ukraine
05:54as genocide.
05:55The Holodomor, as it's known in Ukraine, was brought about by extreme policies by the Soviet
05:56Union in the 1960s.
05:57It's a genocide.
05:58It's a genocide.
05:59It's a genocide.
06:00It's a genocide.
06:01It's a genocide.
06:02It's a genocide.
06:03It's a genocide.
06:04It's a genocide.
06:05It's a genocide.
06:06It's a genocide.
06:07The Holodomor, as it's known in Ukraine, was brought about by extreme policies by the Soviet
06:12Union in the 1930s that killed between three and a half and five million people.
06:17Hundreds gathered at a Canterbury for Ukraine vigil hosted in the city's cathedral to raise
06:21awareness of the tragedy in the week that saw the thousandth day of the Russian invasion.
06:26Our reporter Oliver Leeder de Sacks was there and a warning, this report contains content
06:30that some viewers may find distressing.
06:33The Holodomor was one of the great tragedies of the 20th century.
06:38But for many in Kent, the famine imposed on Ukraine by the Soviet Union that claimed the
06:45lives of millions of people in the 1930s is something that very few would know about.
06:53Holodomor was a terrible tragedy which was hidden from the West for many, many years.
07:01And when people came to welcome Ukrainians into their homes after the war started, one
07:08of the things that we started to learn about was the culture of Ukraine and also this particular
07:13tragedy and to stand up against traitors and tyrants that want to perpetuate war and famine.
07:23Now for the first time, the Ukrainian community in Canterbury have come together in the cathedral
07:31to commemorate the lives lost during the starvation alongside faith leaders and local politicians.
07:40Having an opportunity to commemorate Holodomor in Canterbury Cathedral is very symbolic.
07:48Canterbury has been for centuries and centuries a place where people found refuge from various
07:56atrocities and it is important to remember about these crimes so that we do everything
08:01possible and impossible to prevent these kind of tragedies happening in the future.
08:09Organised by Canterbury for Ukraine, the event did not just remember those who lost their
08:15lives during the famine.
08:17With the voices of children and women displaced by the Ukrainian war being the loudest of
08:24the night.
08:25Despite the candles of remembrance lighting both the reception and the cathedral, the
08:31shadow of that conflict lingered over the whole evening.
08:36With the Ukrainian ambassador who was scheduled to attend being pulled away as the war rages
08:44on in its third year.
08:46But none of this took away from the solidarity of hundreds huddled in the heart of the city
08:53gathered in defiance of losses both past and present.
08:58But then once in a lifetime, the longed for tidal wave of justice can rise up and hope
09:09and history rhyme and hope and history rhyme.
09:19Oliver Leder de Sacks for KNTV in Canterbury.
09:27Oliver Leder de Sacks there.
09:28Now good, but some improvement needed.
09:31That's the government's ruling on social housing in Medway.
09:34The recent inspection is said to be the first of its kind in the southeast with legislation
09:38introduced earlier this year to carry out such reviews.
09:41Medway's been given the second highest rating possible.
09:43However, the report has highlighted concerns with almost half of their records out of date
09:47and almost one in 10 failing to meet government standards.
09:51While local democracy reporter Gabriel Morris joins me now.
09:54Gabriel, what does this mean for Medway Council?
09:56Well, as far as the local authority is concerned, they are very pleased with the results of
10:01today's report released by the government.
10:03In actual fact, this is the first investigation of its kind for any council in the southeast.
10:09That's because they were only introduced earlier this year.
10:12Now for Medway Council, they received a ranking of C2.
10:16That's the second highest possible.
10:18That's essentially the government saying you did a great job, but there is still room for
10:22improvement.
10:23Now some of the reasons cited is that 45 per cent of their records are not up to date and
10:298 per cent of the social homes that Medway Council have are failing to meet the decent
10:33homes standard.
10:34That means something like an oven or maybe something's wrong in the bathroom.
10:38The council expected this and say it's not abnormal as they run a just-in-time repair
10:42model.
10:43Well, I've been speaking to the council in charge of social housing today at the local
10:46authority asking them how they're going to achieve a better ranking next time.
10:51Well, we're increasing the number of stock condition surveys that we're carrying out.
10:55By the end of the year, that will have significantly increased.
10:59And with our decent home standards, as we approach the new year, some homes will fall
11:04out of that window.
11:07That's normal and that's across every authority.
11:09And as planned works go ahead throughout the following year, the number reduces again.
11:15So we are striving for the best quality standard of accommodation we can get for our tenants.
11:22So any positive points in the report?
11:24Well it found that they have a proactive approach to identifying and dealing with mould and
11:28noted plans to reduce current repair backlog.
11:31Medway Conservatives have come out today saying they praised the report saying it's the hard
11:34work of council officers.
11:36And other inspections coming up soon?
11:38Yeah, every local authority who has social housing will have to go through these inspections.
11:42And it's also housing associations as well.
11:44They will be subject to this.
11:45So Gabriel, thank you.
11:46Gabriel, thank you very much for coming in.
11:48We'll have more after this short break.
11:49We'll see you in a few moments time.
14:58Welcome back to Kentonite live on KMTV.
15:16A city-born grammar school has told parents, pupils and staff not to worry after asbestos
15:21was found in the building.
15:23Borden Grammar School has been shut after the toxic minerals were discovered following
15:27electrical works in the old science block.
15:30Head teacher Ashley Tomlin says a deep clean is underway despite tests showing amounts
15:34were minimal.
15:35She added that they will only let students and staff back when they receive complete
15:39assurance that the facilities are 100% safe.
15:44A go slow protest involving 100 tractors has been making its way through Dover.
15:50It's the latest in a series of demonstrations by farmers against the government's changes
15:54to inheritance tax.
15:56They're demanding that the government access its plans to impose a 20% inheritance tax
16:00on farm assets worth more than a million pounds from April 2026.
16:05Just last week, dozens of Kent farmers joined a rally in Westminster to demonstrate against
16:10the government's plans.
16:11Today's tractor protest was organised by the groups Save British Farming and the Fairness
16:16for Farmers of Kent.
16:20Next tonight, how many of you have struggled to get a dentist appointment?
16:24According to a National Watchdog, plans to end the deepening crisis in access to NHS
16:29dental care are failing to discuss this and more of the top health headlines from across
16:33the county.
16:34I'm joined by our health expert, Dr. Julian Spinks.
16:39Julian, thanks for coming in.
16:45So this dental recovery plan, 200 million pounds, National Audit Office says it's not
16:50working.
16:52If people can't get a dentist appointment, what can they do?
16:56This is a major problem.
16:59Private dentistry is by no means cheap and in fact the relative lack of dentists, even
17:04getting a private appointment can be a problem.
17:07What it does tend to do is push things on to other services which are really not set
17:10up to do dentistry.
17:11As a GP, I have people coming in hoping we can be able to give them something like antibiotics,
17:17but they're not a fix for dental problems and all I can do is point them back in the
17:21direction of dentistry.
17:23The plan really hasn't produced the number of new appointments that they need.
17:28They're about 2.6 million short, even if they hit the target of 1.5 million and really
17:35additional money going into dental practices has turned out to be not really enough to
17:39bring them back into the NHS service.
17:42So we know this is a national story.
17:44What is the situation specifically here in Kent?
17:46Is it quite reflective of what's going on elsewhere?
17:49I think if anything we're worse than the national story.
17:52The additional costs of working as a dentist in the South East have meant that they face
17:56an even greater struggle and so there are large areas in Kent that don't have NHS dentistry
18:04effectively other than in an emergency.
18:07How has it got to this stage?
18:08We've heard about difficulty in getting appointments.
18:12I know it's difficult to get an appointment where I live in the county.
18:15How has it got to this stage?
18:18Well, like the rest of the NHS, there's been a degree of underinvestment.
18:22The actual contract the dentists work to, the way they were paid, was really dropping
18:27behind the curve when it came to their costs.
18:30The final thing is when COVID came along, they were forced to shut their practices for
18:34a period of time and that did a lot of destabilisation for some of the practices and they didn't
18:39reopen afterwards as NHS dentists.
18:42So we know the situation with dentists.
18:44In another health story we've seen today, going up is the number of single women and
18:49female couples undergoing IVF in the UK over the last decade.
18:53Tell us a little bit about that process.
18:57We know that it's an expensive one, it can take some time.
19:01What are the stages of parents or want-to-be parents going through IVF?
19:06Well, it's slightly different for same-sex couples because you know that they're not
19:10going to be able to conceive just in the normal way, shall I say.
19:15But for other people it's a big process.
19:17You've got to go to your GP, you have to have been trying for a baby for at least two years.
19:22The GP does investigations, passes you on to a specialist service and then there are
19:26a lot of hoops to jump through to actually satisfy, to get funding.
19:31That includes things like not being significantly obese, not smoking, not having existing children,
19:37even from a previous marriage.
19:39So really it takes a long time.
19:41Finally, in this area, if you're over 40 then you can finish the cycle of IVF you're on
19:47but you can't start a new one.
19:48We're talking about female couples.
19:50What about gay men and gay couples?
19:52Is it a similar situation with getting access to IVF?
19:56It is.
19:57Again, they want to have a desire for a child and so on and they go through the same hoops.
20:03If they had a child from a previous relationship then they're not going to be able to get it
20:06and they still won't be allowed to be a smoker or be overweight.
20:10And just finally, we have another story that's through microplastics.
20:14Scientists are warning that home activities like folding clothes and sitting on a sofa
20:17could give off clouds of microplastics.
20:19Tell us a little bit about what microplastics are and how concerned we should be about this
20:24story.
20:25Is it maybe a bit overblown?
20:28Microplastics are a concern and they are these tiny bits of plastic, some of which are small
20:33enough to get into the air and be inhaled, in other things it could be in food and it
20:36could be in drink.
20:38This survey worries me, I can't even sit down and watch television without taking a risk.
20:42Really, you can't prevent that from happening other than going from a totally natural sofa
20:47and wool and so on rather than using artificial.
20:50We've got to work as a country to look at how we can produce products that don't put
20:54off these microplastics.
20:55Julian, as always, thank you very much for coming in.
20:58Now, don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by
21:02logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
21:05There you'll find our reports, including this one about the second most expensive place
21:09in Kent to get a taxi.
21:11Going to the shops, travelling to work or getting home after a night out could be about
21:16to get more expensive.
21:19That's if you go by taxi in Tunbridge Wells.
21:22The proposed changes will bring the tariffs in line with other districts in the area,
21:27although there's quite a split in rates.
21:30Tunbridge Wells would become the second most expensive area to hail a cab in Kent.
21:36A local Hackney Carriage Company has requested for rise.
21:40One of the reasons why these cabbies are asking for a tariff increase is because most of their
21:45passengers nowadays, when they open their wallets, they're not paying with cash but
21:49rather reaching for their card.
21:51And for the drivers, that means fewer tips and less profit.
21:562022 was the last time there was a tariff increase.
22:00The council every year has keep on putting their rates up to us by 5, 6%.
22:07This year it's only 4.5%.
22:11Card fees, the public wanted us to take cards.
22:15We listened to you, we got told we've got to take card machines and that is a cost that
22:20we have swallowed but we can't swallow it anymore.
22:26City drivers themselves can't raise tariffs.
22:29It's down to the local licensing committee.
22:33So I'm not inclined to accept that card payments are a massive issue here.
22:42The cost of card payments because not everybody pays by card anyway.
22:46The cost of living perhaps is, cars are getting more expensive, financing cars is getting
22:53a lot more expensive.
22:55Gone are the days where the term free money was bandied around.
22:59Council has voted unanimously for the increase.
23:01It'll now go to consultation.
23:04If there are no objections, it'll be implemented later this year.
23:08Gabriel Morris in Tunbridge Wells.
23:11Next up from overnight camping at Bluewater to the latest in the poor Hollywood pub saga.
23:17Many businesses in Kent are building up their budgets and perfecting their profits.
23:22Lots to break down in this week's Business Roundup with Kate Buddle.
23:33First tonight, over 500 people crowded Bluewater Shopping Centre this morning for the opening
23:37of the first Sephora store in Kent.
23:39The queue began at 7.30 with hundreds keen to grab one of the grand opening goodie bags.
23:44This is not Sephora's first attempt at establishing a base at the shopping centre, having opened
23:48a branch initially in 2000.
23:50Staff are hopeful this iteration of the store will be successful.
23:52A Maidstone pub has been closed for refurbishment recently, with it hopefully being reopened
23:56next month.
23:57The Sandling Lane Harvester says it is undergoing a fresh new look and already has scaffolding
24:01up.
24:02The pub is set to be reopened by Wednesday 11 December.
24:05Next, a Dover Fort is set to have a major transformation as it hits the market for £10
24:10million.
24:11The fort, currently owned by Dover Citadel Ltd, hopes to build new hotels, restaurants
24:15and even labs.
24:16The director, David De Min, also planned to include art galleries, a visitor centre and
24:21music studios, even hoping to build sustainable homes, wanting it to be known as The Little
24:26City and breathe new life into Dover.
24:28The Ashford pub, once ran by the wife of Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, is set to reopen
24:32today at 6pm under new ownership.
24:34After struggling to get customers, Melissa put the checkers in and Smarden up for sale.
24:39The Wilding family put in a late offer and was accepted, with the hopes of revitalising
24:42the pub and making it a family business.
24:44Mr Wilding confirmed the family plans to take a hands-on approach initially, with the aim
24:48of eventually handing over management to their son once he had gained enough experience.
24:53And finally, a Kent developer has won an award for his contributions to the county and community.
24:57Mark Quinn, chairman of Quinn Estates, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution
25:01to Business in Kent award at the Kent and Victor Chamber Awards 2024, thanks to his
25:05contribution to the county over the past 25 years, including donating £350,000 each year
25:11to local community groups and personal sponsorships of local clubs, including Canterbury City Football
25:16Club, alongside building a new Pilgrims Hospice as a way of thanking the hospice team for
25:20caring for his late mother.
25:28Now that Storm Connell has passed, let's take a look at the forecast where you are.
25:33A clear night tonight, with a touch of cloud along the coast, cooling to a chilly two degrees
25:42in Tunbridge Wells. Highs of four in Canterbury. Moving into tomorrow morning, sunshine in
25:48the west of the county, cloud cover in the east. Going into the afternoon to up to four
25:53miles per hour, you can expect clear skies and sunshine for the rest of Thursday. The
25:58sun won't last sadly, looking towards the rest of the week, with cloud cover across
26:02Saturday and Sunday. However, temperature will increase to a balmy 14 degrees.
26:15You've been watching Kent Tonight live on KMTV. There's more news made just for Kent
26:19throughout the evening. Don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest
26:23news across your county by logging on to KMTV.co.uk. You can keep us on your social timelines by
26:28liking us on Facebook and following us on Instagram. And if you have a story you think
26:33we should be covering, then get in touch. We also have special shows throughout the
26:37week in Victor Sport, Made in Kent, Kent on Climate, Kent Film Club and the Kent Politics
26:41Show. We'll be back with more news from across the county tomorrow, but for now, have a very
26:45good evening. Good night.