Kent County Council has a new Leader. Roger Gough was officially elected to the post at the full council meeting having been voted in as leader of the majority Conservative group on the council two weeks earlier. In both roles he succeeds Paul Carter, who has held them for the past 14 years. Mr Gough…
A third school has been recognised with a Kent School Award for Resilience and Emotional Wellbeing in celebration of the support it offers its young people. St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School in Gravesend was successful in its application and received the Award from Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, Roger…
Whatever the weather this winter, Kent’s gritters are ready for action. Today (October 17), the county’s 67 gritters including five mini gritters warmed up their engines and took part in a dry run of gritting routes. The dry run allows drivers old and new to familiarise themselves with the routes, ensure vehicles and their systems…
The wait is almost over for the 16,207 children who sat the Kent Test in September, as they will find out whether they have been assessed as being eligible for a grammar school place this afternoon. Families who registered online will be sent an email from Kent County Council after 4pm today (Thursday, October 17)…
Kent County Council hosted another successful rail summit this evening (Tuesday) with different speakers from the industry. About 90 people attended from local authorities, rail user groups and associations, community rail partnerships and the rail industry. Presentations were made by representatives from Southeastern, Network Rail, Eurotunnel, Eurostar and Kent County Council. KCC cabinet member for…
Kent County Council today launches a public consultation on its annual budget proposals. The document outlines the council’s three key objectives for the next financial year, beginning in April 2020. These priorities for spending are: Helping children and young people in Kent get the best start in life. Helping Kent communities benefit from economic growth…
Kent is supporting calls by England’s top medics for people at risk of suffering from or spreading flu to ensure they get their free NHS vaccination this winter. The health service in England has prepared for its largest ever flu protection drive to help keep people well and ease pressure on urgent care services over…
More than 20 members of Kent County Council’s staff have attended an awards ceremony to celebrate completing apprenticeships. A total of 22 employees, of varying ages and from different KCC directorates, were presented with certificates by KCC Leader Paul Carter at Village Hotel Maidstone on Thursday (October 10). This is the second year the council…
This National Adoption Week (Oct 14-20), Kent County Council (KCC) is highlighting the urgent need to find adoptive families to ensure children get the love and care they need. This year, KCC is focusing on children who due to their needs are more difficult to find families for. The council is seeking to find adoptive…
South East transport strategy sets out plan to transform the economy, boost jobs and hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 • Investment could unlock massive growth, more than doubling the South East’s economy and supporting half a million new jobs by 2050 • Strategy sets out “bold and compelling” future that is better for people,…
Kent is supporting the national ‘Every Mind Matters’ campaign this World Mental Health Day (10 October) by reminding residents of the support services available across the county. Launched by Public Health England, ‘Every Mind Matters’ is the first national NHS mental health campaign encouraging adults to be more aware of their mental health and helps…
Kent County Council (KCC) is seeking people’s views on the future of community-based wellbeing services for older people, adults living with dementia, physical disabilities or sensory impairments. The council spends £5.9m on these services each year, across 52 voluntary and community organisations. This funds befriending, volunteer-run transport schemes, dementia cafés, support services for people with…
Op Assist, the multi-agency crackdown on fly-tipping across the county has been recording a number of successes. Over the past few months, officers from local authorities, have been working together with the police and other agencies, carrying out days of action to deter illegal dumping and identify unlicensed waste collectors. Kent County Council is investing…
This media release was issued on behalf of the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board. From the 7th – 11th October, the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board is hosting its annual Safeguarding Adults Awareness Week. The Board is urging local communities to join Kent and Medway Councils, Kent Police, local NHS services, charities and…
Plans for a relief road of the A28 through Birchington, Acol and Westgate-on-Sea have received backing from the government and will now move on to the next stage of development. A bid to fund the £49.8 million project was submitted following a request from the government in December for regions to agree their priorities for improving the Major Road Network – the country’s…
KCC Highways is carrying out trials of “hot foam technology” as part of the council’s commitment to look at alternative methods of weed control on the county’s roads and footpaths. Members have expressed concern over the safety of using weed-killer sprays containing glyphosate because of suggestions that the chemical could be linked to some forms…
With figures at their lowest levels, smokers in Kent are being reminded of ways to help them quit as the national ‘Stoptober’ campaign this year encourages them to ‘end a bad relationship and split up’ with cigarettes. Figures for Kent last year show a decrease down to 15 per cent of residents being smokers –…
