# Kent Current
> Clear, independent reporting on Kent’s biggest stories. No ads, no clickbait.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [Independent journalism for a county that deserves better](https://www.kentcurrent.news/about.md) - Kent deserves journalism that does more than repeat press releases or chase the latest outrage. We started the Kent Current because we believe local journalism should explain what’s happening across the county, ask difficult questions, and hold those with power to account. Our reporting is independ…
- [Complaints](https://www.kentcurrent.news/complaints.md) - We can look into complaints about items we have published which are in our control. We adhere to the Standards Code adopted by Impress and can only deal with complaints which relate to an alleged breach of the standards set out in this Code. We can only deal with your complaint if you are: * person…
- [Editorial Policy](https://www.kentcurrent.news/editorial-policy.md) - Trust is central to what we do. Local journalism only works if readers believe we have done the work, separated fact from opinion, treated people fairly and put mistakes right. This policy applies to Local Authority and the Kent Current, both published by Authority Media Ltd. It covers our websites…
- [Events](https://www.kentcurrent.news/events.md) - Our curated list of the most interesting events happening in Kent over the coming months. To inform us about an interesting event happening in Kent, email hello AT kentcurrent DOT news. We can’t guarantee we can include everything, but we’ll do what we can. August 2026 🪕 Until 14 Aug - Broadstairs…
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.kentcurrent.news/privacy-policy.md) - Authority Media customer privacy notice This privacy notice tells you what to expect us to do with your personal information. Contact details Email hello(AT)authoritymedia(DOT)news What information we collect, use, and why We collect or use the following information to provide services and goods, i…
- [See the bigger picture across Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/start.md) - Independent journalism bringing together the stories, decisions and people shaping the county.

## Posts
- [Three versions of the right fight for the White Cliffs](https://www.kentcurrent.news/three-versions-of-the-right-fight-for-the-white-cliffs.md) - Plus a £50,000 toilet saga, Greens and Reform against solar farms, a delayed Leas Lift and the battle over a Walmer sauna.
- [“I'm forever curious about the world”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/im-forever-curious-about-the-world.md) - What we asked Christine Rayner, former editor of newspapers across Kent
- [Kent’s fire cuts defeated as politicians fight for credit](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-fire-cuts-defeated-as-politicians-fight-for-credit.md) - Station closures defeated, but the underlying problems remain, plus Kent's four new councils begin to take shape
- [The Northfleet plan that promised almost everything](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-northfleet-plan-that-promised-almost-everything.md) - Plus Margate’s art boom, Dover’s unwanted political spotlight, a critical incident at East Kent hospitals and Costco coming to Aylesford
- [“The universe goes on and on. It never stops”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-universe-goes-on-and-on-it-never-stops.md) - What we asked Anton Vamplew, astronomer and creator of the Night Sky Club
- [DOLGE is dead. Long live DOLGE.](https://www.kentcurrent.news/dolge-is-dead-long-live-dolge.md) - KCC replaces its flagship efficiency department with a council-wide way of working with no savings target, no new powers and closed meetings at the centre
- [KCC’s finance and payroll overhaul heads for £38m](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kccs-finance-and-payroll-overhaul-heads-for-38m.md) - Another £7.5m is needed, with payroll still in testing and the system’s future undecided
- [Kent’s grammar school system has a £7.2m maths problem](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-grammar-school-system-has-a-7-2m-maths-problem.md) - Plus a council stretching from Folkestone to Sheppey, six-hour border queues, Southern Water bosses facing trial and a far-right damp squib in Dover
- [“I always believed that there was power in brevity”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-always-believed-that-there-was-power-in-brevity.md) - Our interview with Martin Stirling, writer and director
- [KCC didn't approve a quarry, but it did move one step closer](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-didnt-approve-a-quarry-but-it-did-move-one-step-closer.md) - An argument over wording is obscuring what the council's close decision actually changes
- [The anthem, the loophole and the American subtitles](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-anthem-the-loophole-and-the-american-subtitles.md) - Plus missing KCC documents reappear, another Tunbridge Wells water failure, a £7m sewage fine and a fight over ancient woodland near Maidstone
- [“It had shamed me for having poor mental health”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/it-had-shamed-me-for-having-poor-mental-health.md) - Our interview with Rich Lehmann, former Green Group leader at Kent County Council
- [Four new councils and a lot of unanswered questions](https://www.kentcurrent.news/four-new-councils-and-a-lot-of-unanswered-questions.md) - Four authorities, fourteen councils to unwind, and less than two years to build a new system of local government
- [Taking apart Kent’s most famous wreck](https://www.kentcurrent.news/taking-apart-kents-most-famous-wreck.md) - For 82 years, Kent has mostly dealt with the SS Richard Montgomery by leaving it alone. Now, the masts are coming down.
- [How a Kent councillor briefly tried to save Clacton](https://www.kentcurrent.news/how-a-kent-councillor-briefly-tried-to-save-clacton.md) - Plus Kent waits on local government reform, Operation Brock returns, fire cover struggles and a very broken walking app
- [“I've never thought of myself as famous enough”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/ive-never-thought-of-myself-as-famous-enough.md) - What we asked Iain Dale, radio broadcaster and author of his new autobiography
- [The Reform litter pick that edited reality](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-reform-litter-pick-that-edited-reality.md) - A routine Facebook post becomes a story about AI in political imagery and whether photographs can still be trusted
- [Kent keeps saying yes to homes. So where are they?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-keeps-saying-yes-to-homes-so-where-are-they.md) - Plus a quarry row near Maidstone, Dover border fears, the Goodyear blimp, influencers in a lavender field, and lots more
- [“I like to hide from public view”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-like-to-hide-from-public-view.md) - What we asked A W Earl, author and folklorist
- [The data centre that skipped Dartford](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-data-centre-that-skipped-dartford.md) - How a contested area of land became part of Britain’s AI infrastructure argument
- [Kent found almost £100m of savings. It still overspent by £23m.](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-found-almost-100m-of-savings-it-still-overspent-by-23m.md) - Adult social care keeps driving the deficit, as Kent weighs new homes, water restrictions and fire cover
- [“I'm the least important person in the room”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/im-the-least-important-person-in-the-room.md) - What we asked Ian Watson, club promoter and debut novelist
- [The road that fell off the map](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-road-that-fell-off-the-map.md) - Three years after Galley Hill collapsed, north Kent may finally have a route back
- [Kent faces 37°C heat weeks after the taps ran dry](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-faces-37degc-heat-weeks-after-the-taps-ran-dry.md) - A red heat alert triggers water worries, plus huge housing plans, far-right disruption, and lots more
- [“I was radicalised by trying to buy a house”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-was-radicalised-by-trying-to-buy-a-house.md) - What we asked James O'Malley, journalist, podcaster and 'Professional Opinion Haver'
- [KCC faces transparency questions after damning ICO ruling](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-faces-transparency-questions-after-damning-ico-ruling.md) - Regulator decision on cancelled meetings points to bigger problem with records, scrutiny and accountability
- [Kent fire service plans biggest shake-up in more than a decade](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-fire-service-plans-biggest-shake-up-in-more-than-a-decade.md) - Five on-call stations at risk, plus Margate town council plans, storm overflows in Thanet, some very old naming, and custard pies
- [“It's a gloriously varied life”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/its-a-gloriously-varied-life.md) - What we asked Laura Lexx, comedian, podcaster and author of Klopp, Actually
- [Kent’s town centres are searching for a new purpose](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-town-centres-are-searching-for-a-new-purpose.md) - Declining retail forces towns to look elsewhere, plus Bluewater facing bus cuts, South East Water payouts and subsidence risks
- [The taps are back on, but trust has not returned](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-taps-are-back-on-but-trust-has-not-returned.md) - Water company failures, housing rows, Broadstairs disorder, Amazon robots mark another week in Kent
- [“I described Kent as a thousand silos of awesome”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-described-kent-as-a-thousand-silos-of-awesome.md) - What we asked George Matuska, Learning Disability and Autism lead at NHS Kent and Medway Mental Health
- [How Kent got stuck with Britain’s border problem](https://www.kentcurrent.news/how-kent-got-stuck-with-britains-border-problem.md) - Operation Brock was meant to keep Kent moving. Years later, it has become a recurring reminder that nobody has found a better way to do this.
- [Kent’s housing market is splitting in two](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-housing-market-is-splitting-in-two.md) - Rents rise while house prices stall, lingering water outages and the week’s other Kent stories
- [“Life is meaningless and short, but it's life”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/life-is-meaningless-and-short-but-its-life.md) - Our interview with Rob Earl, Chartered Environmentalist and co-founder of the Medway Poets
- [How many times can Kent’s water system fail the same test?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/how-many-times-can-kents-water-system-fail-the-same-test.md) - South East Water says it planned for the heat. Thousands of Kent households still lost supply.
- [Kent’s water failures return with the heat](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-water-failures-return-with-the-heat.md) - Plus border queues, a restored synagogue, Dreamland scrutiny and the week’s other Kent stories
- [“I have to be told to turn off the phone”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-have-to-be-told-to-turn-off-the-phone.md) - Our interview with Etie Vamplew, actor, singer and online content creator
- [What has gone wrong at East Kent Hospitals?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/what-has-gone-wrong-at-east-kent-hospitals.md) - A hospital trust in trouble, KCC chooses prayers over water, and a very good video about one very broken road
- [A flood forced residents out, but the warning signs go back years](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-flood-forced-residents-out-but-the-warning-signs-go-back-years.md) - A Maidstone tower block evacuation, plus Reform at County Hall, bank holiday traffic and more water woes
- [“It's about filling people with ideas and hope”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/its-about-filling-people-with-ideas-and-hope.md) - What we asked Mark Thomas, performer and writer.
- [Less scrutiny, but more prayers and singing](https://www.kentcurrent.news/less-scrutiny-but-more-prayers-and-singing.md) - Kent’s council chamber gets more performative as Gormley sale raises fresh questions and Kent MPs choose sides over Starmer
- [South East Water boss resigns after Kent’s winter water failures](https://www.kentcurrent.news/south-east-water-boss-resigns-after-kents-winter-water-failures.md) - Plus empty car parks, patriotic singalongs, sewage schemes and the rest of the week across Kent
- [“Dartford suffers from having the crossing there”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/dartford-suffers-from-having-the-crossing-there.md) - Our interview with Jim Dickson, MP for Dartford
- [Tunbridge Wells doubles down on the Lib Dems](https://www.kentcurrent.news/tunbridge-wells-doubles-down-on-the-lib-dems.md) - A borough once painted blue now looks increasingly orange
- [Water restrictions enter second week at Darent Valley Hospital](https://www.kentcurrent.news/water-restrictions-enter-second-week-at-darent-valley-hospital.md) - Plus local elections, utility failures, pollution cases and the rest of the week across Kent
- [“What have we done? It's bonkers”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/what-have-we-done-its-bonkers.md) - What we asked Gavin Esler, journalist, podcaster and former Chancellor of the University of Kent
- [Alan Cecil already has a council seat. He’d like another.](https://www.kentcurrent.news/alan-cecil-already-has-a-council-seat-hed-like-another.md) - Reform councillor makes Greenwich run, a costly system upgrade, and the ferry everyone wants but no one will fund
- [Whitstable’s sewers have entered their AI era](https://www.kentcurrent.news/whitstables-sewers-have-entered-their-ai-era.md) - Southern Water’s latest fix, fire station risk, toxic caterpillars, a delayed Ramsgate Lidl, and bikers head to Margate anyway
- ["You should be able to disagree well"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/you-should-be-able-to-disagree-well.md) - What we asked Cllr Alister Brady, co-leader of the Labour Group on Kent County Council
- [Kent’s cup finals week goes from showcase to shambles](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-cup-finals-week-goes-from-showcase-to-shambles.md) - Disorder overshadows two finals as complaints surge at County Hall and Reform drifts back into AI slop
- [KCC rediscovers Turner Contemporary's value when someone else is paying](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-rediscovers-turner-contemporary.md) - Fresh money for Margate gallery, plus South East Water scrutiny, Costco’s Kent plans, and a huge housing decision near Dover
- [“Embrace your inner oddball”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/embrace-your-inner-oddball.md) - What we asked Oliver Double, Reader in Comic and Popular Performance at the University of Kent
- [Major Maidstone public artwork sold off behind closed doors](https://www.kentcurrent.news/major-maidstone-public-artwork-sold-off-behind-closed-doors.md) - KCC sells off a Maidstone landmark as its first political assistant exits early, and the Swanscombe Hole enters a funding lottery
- [Kent Police shows progress, but weak spots remain](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-police-shows-progress-but-weak-spots-remain.md) - Praise for progress and concerns over accountability, plus Kent’s politics, planning and other news from the week
- [“If you're going to do something, you've got to do it properly”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/if-youre-going-to-do-something-youve-got-to-do-it-properly.md) - What we asked Sheila Potipher, former Chair of Governors at MidKent College
- [Greens stun Reform in Cliftonville by-election shock](https://www.kentcurrent.news/greens-stun-reform-in-cliftonville.md) - From fourth place to victory, the Greens land a blow on Reform while Labour’s anti-Reform argument falls apart
- [Happy birthday to us](https://www.kentcurrent.news/happy-birthday-to-us.md) - One year of the Kent Current
- [Kent keeps waiting for Europe’s new border regime](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-keeps-waiting-for-europes-new-border-regime.md) - Long-promised changes still haven’t fully arrived, plus Cliftonville votes, Medway borrows, and the rest of Kent this week
- [“You’ve just got to commit to it”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/youve-just-got-to-commit-to-it.md) - What we asked Andy Zaltzman, comedian and podcaster
- [Musical chairs at County Hall](https://www.kentcurrent.news/musical-chairs-at-county-hall.md) - Reform rearranges its top team, Cliftonville race heads for polling day, and Kent’s Town of Culture pile-on grows again
- [Election battle looms in a corner of Kent and the stakes are high](https://www.kentcurrent.news/election-battle-looms-in-a-corner-of-kent-and-the-stakes-are-high.md) - Paul Francis casts his eye over the upcoming Cliftonville by-election
- [Kent’s Town of Culture pile-on is well underway](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-town-of-culture-pile-on-is-well-underway.md) - At least eight Kent towns enter race, a Sevenoaks by-election, and the rest of the county's news
- [“We haven't had a King of Kent for over 1,000 years”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/we-havent-had-a-king-of-kent-for-over-1-000-years.md) - What we asked Cllr Mark Hood, leader of the Green Group on Kent County Council
- [Whitehall shifts Kent's reorganisation debate](https://www.kentcurrent.news/whitehall-shifts-kents-reorganisation-debate.md) - Ministers reshape the argument on Kent’s future, Canterbury outbreak slows, and County Hall gets another splinter party
- [Where should Manston's planes go?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/where-should-manstons-planes-go.md) - Flight path plan resurfaces old rows, Canterbury meningitis latest, council news, and lots more
- [“Things do get better”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/things-do-get-better.md) - What we asked Jordan Chan, Director of Swale Pride and Mr Gay Great Britain finalist, ahead of the launch of Trans Pride Kent
- [KCC meeting implodes as opposition walks out](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-meeting-implodes-as-opposition-walks-out.md) - A migration motion ends in chaos as Swale hardens security and Canterbury’s meningitis outbreak grows
- [Two deaths as Canterbury confronts meningitis outbreak](https://www.kentcurrent.news/two-deaths-as-canterbury-confronts-meningitis-outbreak.md) - Viral outbreak reshapes life in the city, plus Cliftonville by-election latest, and the week’s other Kent stories.
- ["We’re still standing by what we were elected to do"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/were-still-standing-by-what-we-were-elected-to-do.md) - What we asked Cllr Paul Thomas, leader of the new Restore Britain Group on Kent County Council
- [Huge expansion of Faversham gets go-ahead](https://www.kentcurrent.news/huge-expansion-of-faversham-gets-go-ahead.md) - 2,500 homes edge towards reality while Kent politics offers pot plant confusion, tax doublespeak and a familiar defection
- [Everyone thinks they can win Cliftonville](https://www.kentcurrent.news/everyone-thinks-they-can-win-cliftonville.md) - A four-way fight in Thanet, plus by-election fallout, major planning calls and the rest of the week in Kent
- [“Being grey absolutely suits me perfectly”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/being-grey-absolutely-suits-me-perfectly.md) - What we asked Albion Grey, ME area coordinator for the Pagan Federation
- [Regulator proposes £22m fine for South East Water](https://www.kentcurrent.news/regular-proposes-22m-fine-for-south-east-water.md) - Supply failures, a looming Cliftonville by-election, and another far-right controversy in Swale
- [Democracy, now open on weekends](https://www.kentcurrent.news/democracy-now-open-on-weekends.md) - A voting experiment in Tunbridge Wells, a Sevenoaks by-election, more water failures and lots more
- [“The only way you do anything in life is by failing”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-only-way-you-do-anything-in-life-is-by-failing.md) - What we asked Ian Ballard, owner of Damaged Goods Records
- [Kent’s SEND reforms collide with the people expected to deliver them](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-send-reforms-collide-with-the-people-expected-to-deliver-them.md) - Specialist teachers walk out as Kent’s right-wing councillor churn continues
- [KCC councillor jailed, triggering by-election](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-councillor-jailed-triggering-by-election.md) - Cliftonville will head to the polls as Kent wrestles with budgets and infrastructure
- ["Without planning and development, you haven't got an economy"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/without-planning-and-development-you-havent-got-an-economy.md) - What we asked Andrew Metcalf, Director of Maxim PR and Chair of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
- [Kent becomes a test site for Restore](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-becomes-a-test-site-for-restore.md) - A new hard-right brand takes seats at County Hall
- [Turner Contemporary funding becomes the next Reform fight](https://www.kentcurrent.news/turner-contemporary-funding-becomes-the-next-reform-fight.md) - Plus a Sevenoaks by-election, more water disruption and fallout from the Canterbury Odeon fire
- [“I didn't really feel like a person anymore”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-didnt-really-feel-like-a-person-anymore.md) - What we asked writer and presenter Helen Zaltzman of the podcasts The Allusionist and Answer Me This!
- [Kent’s budget vote was easy, but the numbers are not](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-budget-vote-was-easy-but-the-numbers-are-not.md) - Reform has passed its first budget at Kent County Council, with a 3.99% council tax rise and persistent questions over how long the council can rely on reserves to balance the books... Kent gets its first Reform budget as the reserves question hangs over it “Today, we are all witnessing history,” d…
- [Reform's new DOLGE boss is extremely online](https://www.kentcurrent.news/reforms-new-dolge-boss-is-extremely-online.md) - Reform’s flagship efficiency project at Kent County Council is back in the spotlight this week, following a cabinet appointment that raises fresh questions about credibility, competence and communication at County Hall. We look at why the replacement of the council’s efficiency lead matters, what i…
- [“Nobody needs 14 councils”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/nobody-needs-14-councils.md) - What we asked Councillor Harry Rayner, leader of the Conservative Group on Kent County Council
- [Reform’s first KCC budget and the numbers it can’t escape](https://www.kentcurrent.news/reforms-first-kcc-budget-and-the-numbers-it-cant-escape.md) - A balanced budget that relies on thinning reserves, undelivered savings and a steadily narrowing margin for error
- [Questions grow over Dreamland’s Scenic Railway closure](https://www.kentcurrent.news/questions-grow-over-dreamlands-scenic-railway-closure.md) - A heritage row in Margate, plus planning news, a disputed car park, water woes, and more
- [Kent faces £15 police council tax rise](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-faces-15-police-council-tax-rise.md) - Funding pressures meet neighbourhood policing promises, and a council meeting again derailed by far-right disruption
- [Kent’s “cuppa and a chat” got awkward](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-cuppa-and-a-chat-got-awkward.md) - An awkward show of cooperation at County Hall, plus council meetings, protests, planning news and the latest news from across Kent
- [“Intent matters and reception matters”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/intent-matters-and-reception-matters.md) - What we asked Sunder Katwala, Director of independent think tank, British Future
- [What Kent’s budget means in practice](https://www.kentcurrent.news/what-kents-budget-means-in-practice.md) - Council tax choices, pressure on services, a challenge to democratic norms, and a rail recovery that looks very different depending on where you live
- [Kent’s water crisis isn’t over yet](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-water-crisis-isnt-over-yet.md) - The taps are running again, but the arguments, investigations and political rows are only just getting started
- [A rescue sanctuary meets the planning system](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-rescue-sanctuary-meets-the-planning-system.md) - Enforcement action, water failures and political defections put power and accountability under pressure across Kent
- [KCC balances the books. For one year.](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-balances-the-books-for-one-year.md) - A bridged budget at County Hall, storm damage across Kent, and another water crisis unfolds
- [“We're all about helping our neighbours”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/were-all-about-helping-our-neighbours.md) - What we asked Jennifer Sutton, Community Engagement Officer at Wave Community Bank
- [South East Water said outage was unforeseeable the day before it happened again](https://www.kentcurrent.news/south-east-water-said-outage-was-unforeseeable-the-day-before-it-happened-again.md) - Water failures, delayed megaprojects and a contested library sale put accountability and long-term planning back in the spotlight across Kent
- [How Canterbury’s Victorian lampposts are being lost](https://www.kentcurrent.news/how-canterburys-victorian-lampposts-are-being-lost.md) - Years of drift between councils have left replacement as the default option.
- [A county in transition](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-county-in-transition.md) - Local government reform, political instability and financial pressure are converging as the county heads into 2026.
- [The end of our first year](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-end-of-our-first-year.md) - What we’ve reported on since launch and where we’re heading next.
- [“It's a very privileged role”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/its-a-very-privileged-role.md) - What we asked Jonathan Neame, the High Sheriff of Kent
- [Winners and losers emerge as council funding is reset](https://www.kentcurrent.news/winners-and-losers-emerge-as-council-funding-is-reset.md) - Plus the latest from Kent County Council, news in brief, and more
- [Kent’s 'mega dumps' expose the limits of waste crime enforcement](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-mega-dumps-expose-the-limits-of-waste-crime-enforcement.md) - Large illegal waste sites are thriving in Kent and no one seems able to stop them
- [“Just buy things because you really like it”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/just-buy-things-because-you-really-like-it.md) - What we asked Catherine Southon, auctioneer and antiques expert
- [When intimidation replaces debate](https://www.kentcurrent.news/when-intimidation-replaces-debate.md) - What Swale’s meeting tells us about local democracy. Plus the latest from KCC, Tunbridge Wells still faces water uncertainty, news in brief, and more
- [A Kent perspective on the Budget](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-kent-perspective-on-the-budget.md) - Tim Aker argues Westminster’s muddled Budget leaves entrepreneurs exposed, but a local-first procurement drive could offer Kent a practical route to stronger growth.
- [Damage bills mount from Kent’s lamppost flags](https://www.kentcurrent.news/damage-bills-mount-from-kents-lamppost-flags.md) - FOIs reveal the cost of Kent’s lamppost flag policy and what happens when risks go unchecked
- ["My job is to try and bring everyone together"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/my-job-is-to-try-and-bring-everyone-together.md) - What we asked Kevin MᶜKenna, MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey
- [The week the water stopped](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-week-the-water-stopped.md) - A week of dry taps, false deadlines and emergency queues reveals a broken system and a town running out of patience
- [The Kent Current has a new home](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-kent-current-has-a-new-home.md) - We’ve moved, but nothing should change for most of you. A quick update: The Kent Current has now moved off Substack and onto a new home powered by Ghost. You don’t need to resubscribe, you don’t need to change anything, and your newsletters should keep arriving exactly as before. If you’re a paying…
- [Maidstone leader hit with no confidence challenge](https://www.kentcurrent.news/maidstone-leader-hit-with-no-confidence.md) - Plus Reform set to raise council tax, Goudhurst sees off smugglers, and is Kent really the largest council in the country?
- [“I’ve got enough reasons to break down over music and painting”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/ive-got-enough-reasons-to-break-down.md) - What we asked Lupen Crook, artist and musician
- [Is Kent facing a bird flu winter?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/is-kent-facing-a-bird-flu-winter.md) - Plus Lower Thames Crossing to get underway next year, news in brief, and more
- [Kent’s far right moves into the mainstream](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-far-right-moves-into-the-mainstream.md) - Plus a fake town for civil unrest near Gravesend, more from Reform, Folkestone MP speaks out, and more
- [“Sourdough cultures will sour beer”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/sourdough-cultures-will-sour-beer.md) - What we asked Pete Nelson, Head Brewer at Docker Bakery
- [Kent's finances sharply worsen](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-finances-sharply-worsen.md) - Plus local government reorganisation reaches endgame, latest financial declarations of Kent MPs, news in brief, and more
- [Standfast](https://www.kentcurrent.news/standfast.md) - Paul Francis on why Labour’s landslide already feels fragile
- [Kent to lose its Police Commissioner in 2028](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-to-lose-its-police-commissioner.md) - Plus the mega-solar farms of the future, senior staff at Manston suspended, more Reform expulsions, and lots more
- ["If some of these kids weren’t here, they would be dead"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/if-some-of-these-kids-werent-here.md) - What we asked Brent Lewis, CEO of the FAR Academy
- [The final countdown to a new Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-final-countdown-to-a-new-kent.md) - Plus what is happening at KCC this week, a Canterbury by-election, news in brief, and more
- [Fire authority in limbo as Reform suspensions stall oversight](https://www.kentcurrent.news/fire-authority-in-limbo-as-reform.md) - Plus Faversham flag wars, Thanet's last youth centre, latest financial interests of Kent MPs, a Canterbury by-election, and lots more
- [“Magazines are on the way back”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/magazines-are-on-the-way-back.md) - What we asked the Joe Bill, Editorial Director of 'cene and Padel Culture magazines
- [Flags spark festive stand-off](https://www.kentcurrent.news/flags-spark-festive-stand-off.md) - Plus what's going on at KCC this week, a chaotic council meeting, news in brief, and more
- [KCC can brand Kent with Brand Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kcc-can-brand-kent-with-brand-kent.md) - Tim Aker on promoting our county without falling into the usual mistakes
- [56 children vanished after arriving alone in Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/56-children-vanished-after-arriving.md) - Plus assessing Reform's running of Kent, a Dartford defection, new truck stop proposed, and more
- [“We’re focused on the practical aspects rather than petty politics”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/were-focused-on-the-practical-aspects.md) - What we asked Stuart Jeffery, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council
- [A win for Virgin, but not for Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-win-for-virgin-but-not-for-kent.md) - Plus Reform fractures deepen in Kent, two very different by-elections, news in brief, and more
- [Two councillors expelled as County Hall turmoil deepens](https://www.kentcurrent.news/two-councillors-expelled-as-county.md) - Plus two by-elections this week, a new solar conflict, and a head-spinning song and dance routine
- [“It lets people show where their truth strengths lie”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/it-lets-people-show-where-their-truth.md) - What we asked Richard and Alexandra Wise, husband and wife team behind outdoor education experts WiseUp
- [A week of reckoning](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-week-of-reckoning.md) - Plus Kent firms caught underpaying staff, latest financial declarations for Kent MPs, news in brief, and more
- [Reform turns on itself](https://www.kentcurrent.news/reform-turns-on-itself.md) - Plus flag wars in Faversham, a Conservative rising star, on patrol with Mike Tapp, news in brief, events, and lots more
- ["We should wave our flags more"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/we-should-wave-our-flags-more.md) - What we asked Matt Boughton, the Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
- [Protecting imaginary countryside](https://www.kentcurrent.news/protecting-imaginary-countryside.md) - Plus Reform suspends councillor in misconduct row, new hope for international rail in Ashford, news in brief, and more
- [Change isn’t coming. It is here.](https://www.kentcurrent.news/change-isnt-coming-it-is-here.md) - Tim Aker’s new column on how Westminster decisions play out in real businesses and real communities across our county
- [A distant war reaches the gates of BAE](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-distant-war-reaches-the-gates-of.md) - Plus KCC set to divert £2m from schools budget, Sole Street dispute, and tea on the moon
- [“I have had a few Cabinet ministers over my knee”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-have-had-a-few-cabinet-ministers.md) - Melissa Todd on kink, comedy, and why she loves her life as a sex worker and writer
- [Not magic?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/not-magic.md) - Reform-led Kent crashes into financial reality, five Conservatives defect, and old tweets resurface once again
- [A quiet test of the rules at County Hall](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-quiet-test-of-the-rules-at-county.md) - Plus KCC hits financial reality, could a Kent MP be the next Tory leader, an lots more
- ["Growing apart may indicate healthy growth"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/growing-apart-may-indicate-healthy.md) - What we asked Rosie Wilby, podcaster, comedian, and author.
- [Maidstone reformed](https://www.kentcurrent.news/maidstone-reformed.md) - The party sweeps by-election to take three seats in the borough. Plus anti-immigration protests expand to more towns, covid is back, news in brief, and more
- [The long wait for Paris](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-long-wait-for-paris.md) - Ashford and Ebbsfleet continue to wait while Eurostar speeds through
- [Producing growth in Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/producing-growth-in-kent.md) - Plus Maidstone author Dan Abnett on video games, upcoming Kent events, news in brief, and more
- [Sport England objects to homes on a fenced-off field](https://www.kentcurrent.news/sport-england-objects-to-homes-on.md) - Plus new levelling up money for Kent, councillors applaud far-right intimidation of press, latest donations to MPs, news in brief, and more
- [From saddle to soil](https://www.kentcurrent.news/from-saddle-to-soil.md) - Two autumn journeys through Kent's wild places
- [“I really don’t like party tribalism”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-really-dont-like-party-tribalism.md) - What we asked Antony Hook, Lib Dem leader of the opposition at Kent County Council
- [Kent councillors decide there is no climate emergency](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-councillors-decide-there-is.md) - Plus Medway school u-turns on Reform essay contest, more from KCC this week, news in brief, and more
- [It’s time for Kent to build!](https://www.kentcurrent.news/its-time-for-kent-to-build.md) - Prices are out of reach, waiting lists are growing, and councils are still saying no.
- [Maidstone makes it up as it goes along](https://www.kentcurrent.news/maidstone-makes-it-up-as-it-goes.md) - Plus more with Dan Abnett, we review Fifi's Italian in Maidstone, upcoming Kent events, news in brief, and more
- [Trailblazing or takeover?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/trailblazing-or-takeover.md) - Universities of Kent and Greenwich to merge, plus Reform councillor defects to 2015, what's going on at KCC this week, news in brief, and more
- [From fruitcakes to frontrunners](https://www.kentcurrent.news/from-fruitcake-to-frontrunner.md) - Reform’s rise leaves Kent’s old political certainties looking shaky
- [“If you don't have hope, you're essentially complicit in the thing you hate”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/if-you-dont-have-hope-then-youre.md) - What we asked Dorian Lynskey, writer and podcaster
- [Kent’s tourism megaphone suddenly switched off](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kents-tourism-megaphone-suddenly.md) - Plus KCC set to sell off five sites for housing, latest donations to Kent MPs, a questionable descent, news in brief, and more
- [When Kent was coal country](https://www.kentcurrent.news/when-kent-was-coal-country.md) - How mining shaped the east side of our county
- [Remembering the Maidstone Witches](https://www.kentcurrent.news/remembering-the-maidstone-witches.md) - Plus the IP Man returns, upcoming Kent events, news in brief, and more
- [Kent Police rebrand lawbreaking as free speech](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-police-rebrand-lawbreaking-as.md) - Plus the latest happenings at KCC, news in brief, and more
- [“You get a lot more political power by persuading people than you do by crushing them”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/you-get-a-lot-more-political-power.md) - What we asked Tim Aker, former Member of the European Parliament
- [Kent Reform councillors pictured smiling alongside neo-Nazi activist](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-reform-councillors-pictured.md) - Plus KCC blurs neutrality line again, Lower Thames Crossing tries new regulatory system, news in brief, and more
- [The Prolific IP Man](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-prolific-ip-man.md) - Plus new Folkestone outlet joins Kent's indie news wave, upcoming Kent events, news in brief, and more
- [Map wars intensify in Kent reorganisation](https://www.kentcurrent.news/map-wars-intensify-in-kent-reorganisation.md) - Plus slogan blurs council neutrality line, what's going on at KCC this week, awful person has a point, news in brief, and more
- [“I was interested in creativity, it is my God as it were”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-was-interested-in-creativity-it.md) - What we asked Dave McKean, comic creator, artist, musician and filmmaker
- [When in doubt, secede](https://www.kentcurrent.news/when-in-doubt-secede.md) - Plus new donations for Kent MPs, politicking through the summer lull, Kent's favourite baby names, news in brief, and more
- [Rural festival brings poetry and music together](https://www.kentcurrent.news/rural-festival-brings-poetry-and.md) - Plus satirising Faversham, third toilet visits Rochester, Kent author kickstarts new book, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [Can Thanet really police bad language?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/can-thanet-really-police-bad-language.md) - Plus former Gravesham MP jumps to Reform, news in brief, and more
- [“I think there's a lot gone wrong with politics, not just in Kent”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-think-theres-a-lot-gone-wrong-with.md) - What we asked Linden Kemkaran, the new Reform leader of Kent County Council
- [Kent edges toward a three-way split](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-edges-toward-a-three-way-split.md) - Plus the latest from KCC, a 'national protest' in Dover, latest MP interest declarations, news in brief, and more
- [Iain Dale on Margaret Thatcher](https://www.kentcurrent.news/iain-dale-on-margaret-thatcher.md) - Plus a Kent chicken hotel, a pilgrimage along the River Medway, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [Paper anniversary](https://www.kentcurrent.news/paper-anniversary.md) - Paul Francis on the highs and lows of Labour's first year in government
- [“Culture's never an accident”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/cultures-never-an-accident.md) - What we asked Ed Perry and Rosie Brown, the brother and sister co-CEO's of COOK.
- [Culture wars and cost-cutting set tone at KCC](https://www.kentcurrent.news/culture-wars-and-cost-cutting-set.md) - Plus what else has happened at KCC this week, the padel fightback begins, news in brief, and more
- [New Plunder to be found in Ramsgate](https://www.kentcurrent.news/new-plunder-to-be-found-in-ramsgate.md) - Plus marathoning Shakespeare for charity, comic shop celebrates small publishers, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [First they came for the books](https://www.kentcurrent.news/first-they-came-for-the-books.md) - Plus things actually happen at KCC, Kent's water supply creaks in the heat, news in brief, and more
- [“You never feel like you've cracked it”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/you-never-feel-like-youve-cracked.md) - What we asked Harriet Kemsley, comedian and podcaster
- [Can Manston flights get off the ground again?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/can-manston-flights-get-off-the-ground.md) - Plus Kent MPs rebel on welfare reforms, the latest happenings at KCC, news in brief, and more
- [College seeks to reconnect with former students](https://www.kentcurrent.news/college-seeks-to-reconnect-with-former.md) - Plus Silent Synced comes to the UK, songwriting with the Ashen Keys, library news, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [What’s (not) happening at KCC this week?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/whats-not-happening-at-kcc-this-week.md) - Plus Lower Thames Crossing edges forward, Kent residents recognised by the crown, news in brief, and more
- [More than a crossing](https://www.kentcurrent.news/more-than-a-crossing.md) - On Dartford's ambiguous identity on the edge of Kent and London
- [“I might well be interested in putting my name forward”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-might-well-be-interested-in-putting.md) - What we asked Matthew Scott, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner
- [Port of Ramsgate revival stalls again](https://www.kentcurrent.news/port-of-ramsgate-revival-stalls-again.md) - Plus Reform councillor suspended, still no meetings at KCC, news in brief, and more
- [Is art really saving Kent's struggling towns?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/is-art-really-saving-kents-struggling.md) - Creative regeneration has transformed Folkestone and Margate, but are the benefits felt by everyone?
- [East Thanet MP reiterates push toward clean energy](https://www.kentcurrent.news/east-thanet-mp-reiterates-push-toward.md) - Plus award-winning Canterbury ales, new Filaments exhibition in Medway, Folkestone fish and chips, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [Musk style politics comes to Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/musk-style-politics-comes-to-kent.md) - Plus basic democratic functions aren't getting done, some excellent nominative determinism, news in brief, and more
- [Between Ham and Sandwich](https://www.kentcurrent.news/between-ham-and-sandwich.md) - Exploring some of Kent's most curious place names
- [“People creating inspires me to create”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/people-creating-inspires-me-to-create.md) - What we asked Sexton Ming, artist, musician, and poet.
- [East Kent might actually be able to build things again](https://www.kentcurrent.news/east-kent-might-actually-be-able.md) - Plus more flag news, a lack of meetings at KCC, news in brief, and more
- [The return of the beautiful tabletop game](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-return-of-the-beautiful-tabletop.md) - Plus the magazine keeping Kent history alive, Maidstone fish and chips keeps winning awards, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [Reform plants its flag at County Hall](https://www.kentcurrent.news/reform-plants-its-flag-at-county.md) - Plus Ebbsfleet to eventually get international trains again, a wild planning dispute in Tunbridge Wells, news in brief, and more
- [Six months to redraw Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/six-months-to-redraw-kent.md) - 14 councils, a new administration, and no clear answers
- [“A lot of the stuff I do is below the radar”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-lot-of-the-stuff-i-do-is-below.md) - We talk to Tristan Osborne, the recently elected MP for Chatham and Aylesford
- [Is it possible to character assassinate a city?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/is-it-possible-to-character-assassinate.md) - As the Spectator presents Canterbury as a lawless no-go zone, we look at the truth beyond the sensationalisation. Plus the serious work begins for Reform at KCC, news in brief, and more
- [Mucking in at Foal Farm](https://www.kentcurrent.news/mucking-in-at-foal-farm.md) - Columnist Zahra Barri volunteers at a farm animal rescue to see whether charity can really begin at home, or at least in Kent.
- [Ragged optimism in Margate](https://www.kentcurrent.news/ragged-optimism-in-margate.md) - Plus the photorealist painter, new Kent music from Hunter, we review Frederic Bistro, upcoming Kent events, and more
- [A town separated by spiders](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-town-separated-by-spiders.md) - Plus new KCC leader chosen, Network Rail finds inclusivity too costly, news in brief, and more
- [Invented traditions](https://www.kentcurrent.news/invented-traditions.md) - Morris dancers and pagan curious residents gather in Kent for Jack in the Green festivities
- [A new dawn for Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/a-new-dawn-for-kent.md) - Reform sweeps to control of Kent County Council in a dramatic election
- [It’s election day in Kent](https://www.kentcurrent.news/its-election-day-in-kent.md) - Plus exercises in futility around the county, news in brief, details of our results coverage, and more
- [“I'm now operating as a freelancer in the wild west of local government”](https://www.kentcurrent.news/im-now-operating-as-a-freelancer.md) - We talk to Paul Francis, long-time journalist of Kent politics and newly minted freelancer
- [One week to go](https://www.kentcurrent.news/one-week-to-go.md) - We look at the state of the campaign, the potential winners and losers, and the colourful characters standing in the county
- [Adventures in doodleland](https://www.kentcurrent.news/adventures-in-doodleland.md) - Plus James O'Malley has an abundance agenda, we review Macknade, upcoming Kent events, news in brief, and more
- [Can international rail return to Kent?](https://www.kentcurrent.news/can-international-rail-return-to.md) - Plus Canterbury improvement schemes, news in brief, letters, and more.
- [The Lib Dems and Reform on the coming local election](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-lib-dems-and-reform-on-the-coming.md) - We discuss the upcoming Kent County Council election with Antony Hook, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, and Thomas Mallon of Reform UK.
- [The Greens and Labour on the coming local election](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-greens-and-labour-on-the-coming.md) - We discuss the upcoming Kent County Council election with Rich Lehmann, Leader of the Greens, and Alister Brady, Leader of the Labour Group.
- [Conservative leader Roger Gough on the coming local election](https://www.kentcurrent.news/conservative-leader-roger-gough-on.md) - We discuss the upcoming Kent County Council election with Roger Gough, current Leader of Kent County Council and the Conservative Group.
- [Lower Thames Crossing: The winners and losers](https://www.kentcurrent.news/lower-thames-crossing-the-winners.md) - Plus the 425 people that want to run Kent, news in brief, and more
- [An interactive pantomime](https://www.kentcurrent.news/an-interactive-pantomime.md) - Behind the scenes of Kent grapplers United Kingdom Pro Wrestling
- [“I don't think I'm much of a performer"](https://www.kentcurrent.news/i-dont-think-im-much-of-a-performer.md) - We speak to Ralph Steadman, legendary illustrator.
- [Kent County Council prepares for its final election](https://www.kentcurrent.news/kent-county-council-prepares-for.md) - Plus Operation Brock returns, Kent April Fools, news in brief, and more
- [The local journalism problem](https://www.kentcurrent.news/the-local-journalism-problem.md) - We launch next week - here's what to expect

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