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Tonbridge Swimming Pool's Indoor Pools Still Shut Over a Week On From Ceiling Safety Scare
Tonbridge Swimming Pool's indoor pools have been closed since 11 September after ceiling tiles in the pool hall were found to be unstable, with a protective net needed before they can reopen - the outdoor pool, spa and café are staying open in the meantime, with extended hours to cover the gap.
Tonbridge and Malling Recommends New Debt Recovery Policy and £270,000 for Poult Wood Heat Pumps
Tonbridge and Malling's Finance Scrutiny Committee has recommended publishing an updated Corporate Debt Recovery Policy and putting £270,000 of new Business Rates Pool funding towards air source heat pumps at Poult Wood Golf Club, at a meeting that also confirmed the council remains debt-free with a £66,000 underspend.
Kent Police Shut Down 14 Maidstone Businesses in Six-Month Crackdown on Organised Crime
Maidstone neighbourhood officers have closed or evicted more than a dozen town-centre businesses and made nine arrests over the past six months, as part of an ongoing crackdown on organised crime, illicit tobacco and counterfeit goods.
More Than 3,000 Packets of Illicit Cigarettes Seized From Paddock Wood Shop
Kent Police and Trading Standards officers seized more than 3,000 packets of untaxed cigarettes hidden in makeshift hides at a Commercial Road shop in Paddock Wood. A 34-year-old man from Tunbridge Wells was arrested and has been released on bail until 1 December.
Tonbridge Racecourse investment and leisure trust fee on scrutiny committee agenda
Tonbridge and Malling's Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee is due to consider an update on capital investment at Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground, alongside a private discussion on the Leisure Trust's annual service fee.
Maidstone Planning Committee to Weigh Applications Across the Borough, Including Archbishop's Palace Dungeons
Maidstone Borough Council's planning committee has published its agenda for its next meeting, covering a wide spread of applications from Lenham to Yalding, plus listed building works at the Archbishop's Palace.
14 Streets in Maidstone's Fant and Oakwood Ward Could Drop to 20mph - Have Your Say by 5 October
Kent County Council is consulting on cutting the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph across 14 residential roads in Maidstone's Fant and Oakwood ward. The consultation opened on 11 September and closes at noon on 5 October 2026.
A Sevenoaks Councillor's Own Application to Build on Green Belt Land in His Ward Has Been Approved
Councillor Chris Haslam has won permission in principle to build up to seven homes on Green Belt land behind Childsbridge House in Kemsing - the ward he represents. The application went to full committee because the applicant is a sitting councillor, and was approved despite a formal objection from Kemsing Parish Council.
A New Welfare Row Has Broken Out in Parliament - What It Actually Says, and What Kent's Own Numbers Show
The Government has confirmed 200,000 UK families received more in benefits and tax credits last year than the average worker earns, reigniting the welfare debate at Westminster. There's no equivalent breakdown for Kent specifically, but the county's own claimant figures give a sense of the scale involved locally.