A pay-as-you-go travel card has been launched in Kent today, allowing passengers to pay for their bus travel without having to scrabble around for change. The Connected Kent and Medway smartcard has been designed as a joint initiative between Kent County Council and Medway Council and will be available for use from Monday, September 26.…
The first European Day Without A Road Death – known as Project EDWARD – took place right across Europe today (Wednesday). The day has been designed to highlight the importance of all road users reflecting on their behaviour – whether cyclists, drivers or pedestrians. It has been devised by the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL).…
Kent County Council is backing the Stoptober campaign starting next month, supporting smokers to sign up and stub out. With data showing that 17% of Kent residents are smokers (above the South East and national average), KCC is promoting Stoptober – Public Health England’s national campaign – and reminding residents of the support services available…
Kent is launching a consultation into a new strategy to improve the outcomes, experiences and support for adults with autism. At the core of the strategy is creating an autism-friendly society in Kent for the estimated 13,431 people in the county who live with the condition. Local authorities are required to develop their own local…
Kent County Council needs 200 new foster homes as the demand for carers is reaching crisis point. Without more carers, it is difficult to provide the stable, permanent homes which can make a crucial difference to the future of a vulnerable young person. The issue is a national one with more than 9000 more foster…
Kent County Council has announced the winners of its third annual Learning Disability Partnership Awards to celebrate unsung heroes who are making a difference to others. More than 100 nominations were received for people, businesses and services who had gone the extra mile to support and improve the lives of people with learning disabilities. The…
A conman who intimidated people across Kent into paying for shoddy workmanship on their driveways, has been ordered to repay his victims a total of £68,330 in compensation. A lengthy investigation by Kent County Council’s Trading Standards began in 2013 and led to 12 months’ imprisonment for Owen Saunders, of London Road, Wrotham, in June…
People living in Swale are being encouraged to have a simple mid-life health check, which could reduce their chances of developing heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes. Figures from the Kent Public Health Observatory show that Swale has rates of heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes that are above the Kent average. There are…
A heatwave warning has been announced for Kent, leading to advice by health experts to help vulnerable residents stay safe and well. The level two alert which is currently in place, is triggered when the Met Office forecasts a 60 per cent chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days and…
After four years of campaigning, a significant milestone has been reached for selective education in the UK as building work starts on a grammar school annexe in Kent. The grammar school provision in Sevenoaks is an annexe of the Weald of Kent Grammar School, in Tonbridge. Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, said: “This…
A new road safety campaign has been launched as it is revealed that almost 6,000 people were killed or injured on Kent’s roads in 2015. In total, 5,801 people were injured or killed with people in cars making up the biggest proportion, followed by motorcyclists, pedestrians, cyclists, and then goods vehicles. Kent County Council Road…
As part of World Suicide Prevention Day on Saturday 10 September, Kent County Council is reminding people of a special 24-hour free helpline. The helpline – which aims to reduce the number of suicides by encouraging men feeling under pressure to seek help – has seen a 37 per cent increase in male callers since…
As the new school year kicks off, Kent families can be reassured that standards in the county’s schools continue to improve and are performing better than the national level. The percentage of Kent schools now rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted stands at 89%, compared with 84% nationally. In August 2015 82% were good or…
More than 1,000 people with type 2 diabetes[1] are set to benefit from an innovative new EU-funded project involving health organisations from across Kent and Medway. Called DWELL (Diabetes and WELLbeing), the cross-border initiative involves eight partners from the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and France[2], including Blackthorn Trust, Canterbury Christ Church University, the Health and…
Has a business or an individual you know made life better for people living with dementia? Nominate them now for the Dementia Friendly Kent Awards. These awards are a chance to recognise the work going on across the county by organisations, projects and people to make Kent more dementia friendly. There are eight categories in…
From investing £4.2bn into key infrastructure, to safeguarding after more than 150,000 vulnerable young children, or covering 86% of England’s landmass, counties matter. County Council’s Network’s (CCN) new campaign, Your County Matters, will ensure county authorities are at the forefront of the debate on devolution and public sector reform. Launched as part of CCN’s Future of…
People are being asked whether they agree with Kent County Council’s priorities for the future of transport in the county. A public consultation of the Local Transport Plan launches today (Monday) and runs until October 30. The plan is broken down into five main sections: Transport in Kent – sets out KCC’s achievements so far, anticipated…
