Kent weekly round-up: 3 August - 9 August 2024
Street Pastors help vulnerable people on nights out with water, food, or advice on getting home
- Published
The story about Dover Street Pastors starting a summer cycling scheme to offer support and advice to outskirt village residents proved a popular read this week.
A variety of local issues featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Kent and BBC South East Today.
We have picked five stories from the past week in case you missed them.
First wild chough chick for 200 years 'missing'
There are thought to be fewer than 450 pairs of red-billed choughs in the UK
The first wild red-billed chough chick to be born in Kent for more than 200 years has not been seen for a month after going missing in strong winds.
Wild red-billed choughs had not been spotted in the county for two centuries, which Kent Wildlife Trust says is because of habitat loss and historic persecution.
A 40-year project by the trust to restore chalk grassland and create a suitable habitat around Dover Castle allowed several of the birds to be introduced into the area last year.
A young pair among those released successfully bred this summer, with the first chick fledging in June. However, said the chick has disappeared.
Tents on major road dangerous - homeless charity
The tents have been set up on Pin Hill, a major road into Canterbury city centre
A Canterbury homeless charity said it is dangerous for people to sleep on the verge of a busy main road in the city centre.
Five tents have been set up on the grassy verge next to Pin Hill, a busy dual carriageway, since the beginning of July.
The homeless centre Catching Lives is nearby and although it does not own the land that the tents are pitched on, it has been supporting the occupants by providing food and showers.
Canterbury City Council said supporting rough sleepers into appropriate accommodation was one its highest priorities and it was working with Catching Lives to support those sleeping rough on Pin Hill.
"It's almost like a little community," says tent resident.
Residents threaten legal challenge over waste in wood
The woodland was cleared in preparation for the waste to be dumped
Campaigners fighting for the clean-up of thousands of tonnes of illegally-dumped waste in a Kent woodland are threatening legal action against the Environment Agency (EA).
Solicitors Leigh Day have sent a letter to the agency saying it urgently needs to instruct a contractor to carry out the clearance of Hoad’s Wood, near Ashford.
Local residents said they wanted work to begin last month after the former Environment Secretary issued a formal ministerial direction to the EA in May to fund and carry out the clean-up, but there is still no date of when work will begin.
The EA said it was working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to appoint a contractor for clearance to take place as soon as possible, adding: "In the interim, all environmental monitoring is continuing with no negative effect seen."
Two arrested after protesters gather in Chatham
Police were at the scene in Chatham
Two people were arrested after groups of anti-immigration and counter-protesters gathered in Chatham.
Anti-racism protesters attending held placards supporting refugees and chanting, in Maidstone Road.
Kent Police said they were later approached by "a very small number of individuals with opposing views".
The force said officers were in attendance to prevent any crime or disorder and arrested a total of five people over the course of the evening.
Fishermen's dismay as funds diverted to port upgrade
Former Thanet Fishermen’s Association chairman John Nichols described the loss of funding as 'extremely disappointing'
Fishermen in Thanet say they have been “pushed to one side, forgotten about and ignored” after money for new facilities was redirected to a plan to reopen a Kent port.
Thanet District Council (TDC) said it had no choice but to reallocate £3.5m slated for fishing upgrades to reopening Ramsgate's port due to government rules.
The move has brought the total budget for the Port of Ramsgate project to £7.2m.
Two of the major levelling-up projects in Ramsgate are the port works and upgrades to fishing facilities in the town.
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