Kent Police has announced the first stage of a programme of review and change designed to make sure it is a force fit for the future. Initial plans include reducing the number of policing areas in the county from nine to six, with the target of cutting the time spent on administration and get more officers on to Kent's streets.
A new initiative by Kent Police has been introduced to give rural communities the opportunity to help make their villages safer by monitoring traffic speeds on their roads. Speed Watch is designed to give parish councils around the county a chance to sign up to a scheme to record the speed of vehicles travelling through their area.
Shepway Liberal Democrats have slammed response times to email enquiries made to Shepway Council. An enquiry send by email to Shepway Council send on the 3rd of August and chased on 23rd August still has had no reply (beyond an automated receipt) by the 5th of September - over a MONTH after the initial enquiry.
Shepway's Euro MP, Sharon Bowles, has discovered that local councils across the South East, including Shepway, are struggling to bring about energy efficiency improvements in line with government targets.
Campaigners protesting against the expansion of an airport in Kent have formed a new group to fight the plans. Managers at Lydd Airport on Romney Marsh want it enlarged to carry about two million passengers a year by 2011. But protesters have said it will harm the environment, quality of life for local residents and the area's tourism trade, all of which the airport denies.
Commenting on the survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2004, published by the Department of Health today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Steve Webb MP said:
Commenting on the talks between Chinese and EU negotiators regarding textile imports, Liberal Democrat Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said:
The Liberal Democrats said today that GPs should be able to arrange appointments to suit the needs of patients, not government targets. A YouGov poll revealed only 44 per cent of people asked were able to book an appointment with their GP within the 48 hour target.
A new report showing the true extent to which smoking affects the lives of people in the South East has been launched by the South East Public Health Observatory (SEPHO). The report shows the proportion of people that smoke in each Local Authority in the South East and has new figures showing the cost of smoking to business and to the NHS in the region.
New figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats reveal the extent of under age drunken anti-social behaviour across England. Since Labour came to power some areas have seen a massive rise in the numbers of youths arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour. Surrey has seen massive 111% rise and Kent a 98% jump.
Following a review of the East Kent Non Emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) by the East Kent NHS Trust, "leadership and senior management" responsibilities are to be passed to the private sector.
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam, died at a hospice in Kent this morning. She was admitted to hospital following a fall at home earlier this month and never regained consciousness.
