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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Abby Hook.
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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:25I'm Abbey Hook. Here are your top stories on Monday the 21st of July.
00:30Save Our Seas government water report not enough for Whitstable pollution fears.
00:36People are unable to swim, unable to bathe, you know, this is a prime tourist location.
00:42Increasing concern, more than 300 Kent police officers signed off for poor mental health.
00:48There are officers in all sorts of roles exposed to all sorts of traumatic stuff.
00:53And one step at a time.
00:55Annual Medway Mile encourages families to get active this summer.
01:02Everyone in the community are welcome to participate in one great, one Medway community spirit.
01:07Good evening.
01:18The government has today announced it will replace the regulator off Watt.
01:23But many across Kent's coastline say the change won't bring improvements to their sewage ridden seafronts.
01:29It comes as one of the 88 recommendations laid out in a review of the water industry.
01:35But with areas like Whitstable still suffering from frequent discharges, experts aren't confident change will come any time soon.
01:44As Phil McDermott reports.
01:47Kent's coastline has had pollution problems for as long as many can remember.
01:51And with sewage discharges now a regular occurrence, not just in the county but across the country, the government have decided to scrap the water regulator.
01:59This comes after a report into the industry that laid out 88 recommendations for the government to improve the system.
02:04One place where locals admit improvement is needed is in Whitstable, which sees frequent sewage discharges into its waters.
02:11And local politicians say keeping the industry private isn't a step in the right direction.
02:16They're not addressing the real issue.
02:18And of those 88 recommendations, there's not one recommendation which looks at bringing the water industry back into public ownership, which I think is the key here.
02:29We can't have, we can't expect the water industry to take into account local interests or people wherever they live around the country and here in Whitstable,
02:43when the key aims of these companies is to make profits for shareholders.
02:48And as the government decide which of these 88 recommendations they're going to take on board,
02:53here in Kent a pollution risk forecast has actually been issued for multiple beaches across the county.
02:58One of them being here in Tankerton, just near Whitstable.
03:01There are also warnings at Hearn Bay, Deal Castle, Dim Church, Littlestone and multiple beaches in the Thanet area.
03:08So while the government discusses the water report, here in Kent we are actually seeing some of the negative effects of the water system.
03:15National campaign group Surfers Against Sewage said the report and its recommendations were like putting lipstick on a pig.
03:21The report doesn't really suggest concrete moods.
03:24A great example is they made a recommendation that the government suggests to water companies that they incorporate a measure to work in the interests of the public and public health in their articles of association.
03:37However, this would be something maintained alongside their financial duty they have to their shareholder.
03:42According to the Environment Secretary Steve Reid,
03:46the government will abolish off-what in the biggest overhaul of water regulation in a generation,
03:51we will bring water functions from four different regulators into one.
03:54A single powerful regulator responsible for the entire water sector will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment and prevent the abuses of the past.
04:03So far, the government have agreed to some of the 88 recommendations, but with sewage still a major concern across Kentish coastlines,
04:11many of the public might not care which company runs the system so long as the seas stay clean.
04:16Finn McDermid for KMTV in Whitstable.
04:20Well, Finn joins me in the studio now.
04:23Finn, we know a huge part of these discharges, legal discharges as well.
04:28It's related to the storm overflow systems, which, of course, water companies have in place for this very reason.
04:35But something that comes hand in hand with it is the weather we're seeing in some parts of Kent at the minute.
04:41If you head to the front page of Kent Online this morning, you'll see Kent roads left underwater after rain batters the county.
04:49What can you tell us?
04:50I mean, it's absolutely true.
04:52And we're still feeling that a little bit now.
04:53Even as I was driving back from Whitstable today to our Medway office, torrential rain.
04:59But I did not see the half of it.
05:01As you can see there, I believe this is Hearn Bay.
05:03You can see some cars struggling to get through there.
05:07Some cars even submerged, not in that photo.
05:10You can see there some of the cars trying to get through.
05:12Intense rainfall all across the county, particularly overnight, created this build-up.
05:17The warning, there is a warning, sorry, now the Met Office, they've issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain across much of the county and the country today, with Kent included in that alert zone.
05:30But this also stretches across the eastern side of England and Scotland.
05:34Forecasters predict downpours and thunderstorms that might cause some further travel and flooding disruptions.
05:39So if you're planning to drive anywhere, make sure to check the weather in your area, especially here in Canterbury.
05:45We can see some pictures of cars trying to get through significant water on Stoddmarsh Road, navigating through deep flood water there.
05:54You can see the emergency services have had to help out some cars that were particularly submerged.
05:59So obviously coming across all of those thunderstorm warnings.
06:02And this is the result.
06:03Yeah, and it's not something that we haven't seen a lot of.
06:07We've been reporting on these huge heat waves, then these big storms as well.
06:11I was recently down in Dover, myself and Bartholomew, speaking with people who had lost a lot of belongings.
06:18Ultimately, their homes turned upside down by serious floodwaters.
06:22So there is some warnings to be careful.
06:25And perhaps with that knowledge from the previous storms in mind and that effect that it did have, people can be better prepared this time?
06:32Absolutely. The Met officers urged people to avoid driving through floodwater like this and prepare for possible disruptions by securing garden items and stocking up on essentials just in case of some of those worst case scenarios, like you say there, like what we saw in Dover.
06:47But at the moment, we still have some of these yellow weather warnings.
06:50So people do take care.
06:51OK, Finn, thank you very much for those details.
06:53Now, next this evening, the daughter of a Kent police officer who was murdered in 2021 has raised £11,000 in her memory with a 53 kilometre ultramarathon running one kilometre for every year of her mother's life.
07:10Bethan Coles, along with her friends, raised the money to tackle violence against women in memory of Julia James, who was murdered in Snowdown.
07:19Julia, who worked with domestic violence victims, was killed by a 21-year-old near Dover back in 2021.
07:26Bethan decided to start running with her friends as they felt safer in a group and it built into training runs and has now led to their ultramarathon.
07:35The money, which they're fundraising, is going towards the White Ribbon Campaign.
07:40Now, people living in Chesfield near Whitstable were being told to close their windows and doors following a fire at a business park.
07:48Footage shows emergency crews spraying a car with foam and water just after two o'clock this afternoon.
07:54Three fire engines are at the scene alongside crews wearing breathing apparatus.
07:59The John Wilson Business Park has shut its units as firefighters deal with the incident.
08:04Now, next this evening, road accidents, violence on the streets and crimes against children.
08:11Just some of the reasons why some Kent police officers are grappling with poor mental health, according to the Kent Police Federation.
08:18At least 320 members of the force were signed off work last year due to stress, depression and PTSD.
08:25And that number has only increased.
08:28Bosses say mental health support is available, but the way they police may have to change, as Neil Menny explained earlier.
08:35We've seen a year on year increase, sadly, over the last few years.
08:38I think mental health has probably become one of those areas that we've got much better at talking about.
08:46But I still suspect that there is a certain amount of stigma attached to it.
08:50And in fact, one of my concerns is that these figures are still probably not as high as they should be.
08:56And by that, I mean, I have a suspicion that a number of officers are either to feel there's too much stigma or too embarrassed to come forward or indeed are masking their mental health sickness by utilising other means of sickness.
09:11So we don't have data for any other emergency services.
09:15But for instance, what is it that Kent police faces compared to other emergency services where we are seeing negative impacts on mental health?
09:24I think comparators are always very, very difficult.
09:28Our colleagues in the other emergency services also do difficult and demanding jobs, you know, and colleagues and paramedics certainly I know are not doing particularly well.
09:37But I think with policing, it's such a huge and wide variety of work.
09:43There are officers in all sorts of roles exposed to all sorts of traumatic stuff.
09:48And I think that's what makes it very, very unique.
09:50You know, we may have officers at one end who are dealing with very, very difficult scenes on the street, often scenes of violence, upsetting scenes, road traffic crashes.
10:00At the other end of the spectrum, we may have officers who are exposed to very difficult materials such as child pornography and everything in between.
10:09And while there are concerns for the police force and those impacted, especially those within these figures that we've got today, questions from the public, whom to which the Kent police force does serve, will be what impact does this have on the force's ability to function overall?
10:27What do you do when 320 members of staff aren't able to be in doing their jobs?
10:32I think the testament to my colleagues that the public probably won't see too much of a difference because, you know, our colleagues are working flat out with those high demand workloads.
10:43And also they want to support those colleagues who are unwell.
10:46So it's it's I mean, we're very fortunate in Kent police, I should say.
10:50We do have an excellent occupational health department.
10:53And indeed, in Kent, there is the ability to contact a 24-7 crisis line called the Employee Assistance Programme.
11:03So in terms of services that Kent police provide, they're doing marginally better, I would suggest, than some other forces.
11:08And also the Police National Wellbeing Service have literally just launched a mental health crisis line for police officers.
11:15We're still not at the stage where we treat physiological injury the same as mental health injury.
11:21And it's it's quite obvious to all of us.
11:23If someone's broken an arm or a leg, they're going to need recuperation.
11:26They're going to need looking after.
11:27And really, I'm not quite sure we're there at the same level with those suffering with mental health conditions and that fear of them coming forward and talking about those issues.
11:37OK, more from Neil Many later on in the programme.
11:40But time for a very quick break now.
11:41I'll see you in just a few minutes.
11:45Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
12:07Now, an aircraft carrier was spotted by passengers on a ship travelling between Dover and Calais.
12:12The HMS Queen Elizabeth passed close to the ferry where onlookers took photos, one saying it was actually a rare sighting.
12:19The Ministry of Defence confirmed the warship was sailing from Portsmouth to Scotland, where it recently underwent maintenance and was on its way for another stage of upkeep.
12:28The nearly 300-metre-long ship entered service in 2020 and is one of the most powerful ships in the Royal Navy, with the capacity to carry 60 aircraft and 250 troops.
12:39All right, it's been a busy weekend for sport, of course, across the county.
12:45And, of course, it's Monday, a brand new episode of Invictus Sports.
12:48The show's producer and presenter, Bartholomew Hall, joins me now in the studio.
12:52Cricket on Friday, but some big news today.
12:55Yeah, for Kent especially, Nathan Gilchrist, he's been with the team for a few years now.
12:59Originally joined on a loan deal, ended up having 80 appearances across all formats.
13:04Has announced today that he'll be leaving Kent and going to Division One team, Warwickshire, on a three-year deal.
13:11It's a big move for Kent, not something that was expected, especially after, as you mentioned, a big result on Friday,
13:18where they beat Essex to get to the knockout stages of the T20 Blast for the first time since 2021.
13:24And we all know what happened in 2021.
13:26So for Nathan Gilchrist, as he remains with Kent for the rest of the season,
13:29he'll be hoping to get another championship win for the side.
13:32But we can look back at what happened exactly in that Essex match.
13:35A packed-out St Lawrence ground watched on as the Spitfires took off in this must-win game against historic rivals Essex.
13:44Kent won the toss and chose to bowl first, letting the visitors race to 65 for nought after the power play.
13:50Matt Parkinson got a desperately needed breakthrough, though, when Michael Pepper reverse-swept him to Classen for 28.
13:56That is brilliant work. Pretty clashing.
13:58Charlie Allison hits Stewart to leaning on the long-on boundary in the final over,
14:02leaving the contest evenly poised at halfway.
14:04End of the first innings and Kent Spitfires held Essex to 172 for six.
14:10Into the second innings now and Kent were 46 without loss after five overs
14:13when Walter came on at the Knackington Road end and took a wicket with his first ball.
14:18Daniel Beldrumman chipping him to pepper.
14:20Didn't look 100% throughout.
14:22The Spitfires managed to hold on, though, easing to 82 for one at halfway,
14:26before Finch hit Simon Harmer for successive sixes in an over that went for 19.
14:30A strong Kent chase meant the Spitfires were in need of just 17 runs off the last five overs,
14:36but things got twitchy when two wickets were lost in quick succession.
14:39A 114 partnership between Tawunda Mawaii and Harry Finch effectively won Kent the game,
14:45but it was captain Sam Billings who hit the winning runs with 16 balls to spare.
14:48All eyes switched to the big screen, though,
14:51as Kent's fate in the quarterfinals was all to be determined by the Surrey-Sussex game.
14:55Canterbury erupted when Chris Jordan took a wicket with the penultimate ball
14:59and it was finally confirmed they'd reached the last eight for the first time since 2021.
15:03I mean, firstly, incredibly proud of how the lads played tonight.
15:09Pressure game, of course.
15:10We knew we had to win at the very least.
15:13Yeah, these are the kind of games you want to be involved in to qualify as a team,
15:17but, yeah, we're really looking forward to it,
15:20and obviously third time lucky, hopefully, in a quarterfinal against Lancashire.
15:23So, yeah, really proud of the guys.
15:26So, with the tensions turning to the knockouts now,
15:29Kent Spitfires will face Lancashire at Old Trafford on Saturday 6th September.
15:35Well, more on the cricket and the rest of the sports news in about an hour or so
15:39with another episode of Invictus Sport.
15:41But for now, don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent
15:45over on our website.
15:46It's kmtv.co.uk.
15:48You'll find all of our reports there,
15:49including this one about Kent Online's campaign
15:52to get a better blue badge system for those who need it.
15:56Having to battle for a blue badge while fighting cancer
15:59is something patients say they simply don't have the energy for.
16:03That's why Kent Online started campaigning for a fairer system.
16:08Reporter Ellie Hodgson discovered that under current guidance,
16:12an illness must last at least three years to be eligible.
16:17The issue now being taken straight to Parliament.
16:20She first spoke to Sandy, who was living with cancer,
16:23and heard how a blue badge would ease her recovery
16:26from intensive treatment and its side effects.
16:29There's no other option but to apply for a full three year.
16:34If there was a different option, that's what I would have applied for.
16:37But, you know, to deny somebody that needs a badge,
16:42to deny them it because their ailment might not last three years,
16:48isn't good enough.
16:49Since that first story, dozens of other patients have come forward
16:53with similar experiences of being refused a blue badge.
16:57This week, the issue being debated in Parliament.
17:00Sandy hopes her voice will be heard.
17:03It was the MP for Mainstone and Morning who secured this Westminster Hall debate,
17:08an opportunity to speak directly to the Minister.
17:11We need a fairer and faster approach to blue badge eligibility.
17:17An approach that recognises there are highly vulnerable people
17:21at the centre of these faceless application processes.
17:26People who deserve care, dignity and respect.
17:31With every Kent MP backing the campaign,
17:33it now has local cross-party support.
17:36The focus should be on getting well and it shouldn't be about battling a system.
17:42I also want to pay tribute to the honourable member for bringing this debate.
17:46Can I thank my honourable friend?
17:48I absolutely agree with her that we all have to work within systems,
17:52but this system seems heartless and a bit cold.
17:56And I think that is the general experience of many.
17:59The minister then responded.
18:02While a debate like this can't change the law directly,
18:05campaigners say it's a vital first step.
18:08And I am open to the possibility of change
18:12to address some of the concerns that have been rightly raised today.
18:17At the end of the day, I think that's positive.
18:19She's also agreed to reconsider the matter.
18:22And I was quite concerned before the debate
18:24that the government were fairly resistant,
18:26but now there's been a movement and that's good.
18:29For Sandy, she finally feels the government is listening.
18:33Yes, I felt that in our initial meeting a few weeks ago,
18:36they'd really taken on board everything I'd said.
18:40I could tell from the debate that they'd listened.
18:44It wasn't just lip service.
18:46And also the minister as well was listening to what they said.
18:49So I'm feeling really positive.
18:51A meeting with the minister, MPs and councillors is now expected to be arranged.
18:56But in the meantime, patients could still be being refused a blue badge.
19:01Gabriel Morris for KNTV from the Houses of Parliament.
19:04All right, now there is, of course, a yellow weather warning,
19:10as we reported earlier, in place for thunderstorms,
19:13which was effective since 3am this morning,
19:15ends at 9pm this evening.
19:17So a few hours yet to go.
19:19The Met Office warns of potential flash floods
19:21and lightning strikes that may cause delays
19:23or cancellations to public transport,
19:26along with some power cuts to homes and businesses potentially.
19:29Well, with that said, let's take a look at the forecast where you are.
19:39Well, tonight brings partly cloudy weather,
19:42along with that thunderstorm warning still until 9pm.
19:45Tomorrow morning, cloudy weather again.
19:48Temperatures still warm, so expecting more of this muggy and humid weather.
19:52We're experiencing much the same into the afternoon.
19:54Some wind picking up, especially by the coast.
19:56Temperatures in the highs of 21.
19:59And this is the picture for the next few days.
20:01Highs of 22 on Wednesday and Thursday,
20:04but that rain persisting.
20:05Some sunshine and cloud clearing up on Friday.
20:16And now it's a chance for families to get active together
20:19and join sports clubs in their local area,
20:22while the Medway Mile returned to Gillingham.
20:24Taking place every summer, the event showcases Medway's active spirit
20:29by welcoming all ages and all abilities to get involved.
20:33Well, our community reporter Henry Luck laced up his running shoes
20:36and jogged on down to find out more.
20:38Despite the downpour taking place over the weekend,
20:43Medway were lucky enough to make the most of the sunshine
20:46with its annual Medway Mile.
20:50This event encourages local residents
20:52to put on their running shoes and get active.
20:56People from all across Medway have been running right across this track
21:02to enjoy a beautiful day out and make the most of the Medway Mile.
21:09And this is when thousands of runners, walkers, joggers,
21:14basically everyone in the community are welcome to participate
21:17in one great, one Medway community spirit, have fun together.
21:22And, you know, it is also something that we do
21:24as a way of improving our fitness
21:27as well as bringing all community members together for fun activities.
21:31Of course, the highlight is the races that we have.
21:33So we've already had our brilliant young people's races.
21:36We've had the mascots, which are amazing.
21:39People will be very hot in there.
21:40And then later on, we've got the elite races and the Medway Mile,
21:44which will be starting and finishing this year on the Great Line.
21:47So a great opportunity to show off lots of different aspects of Gillingham,
21:51which we're really proud of here at Medway Council.
21:53So the Medway Mile, for me, is just so inclusive.
21:58It's so diverse.
21:59It brings so many different people together, so many different cultures.
22:03And that's what Parkrun does and what Webber Runners does,
22:05it's exactly the same thing.
22:08We're all-inclusive for everybody
22:10and we have a great following across Medway.
22:12It's just fantastic.
22:14However, sprinting wasn't the only way for families to get fit,
22:19as there were plenty of other sports on offer.
22:22As well as getting people involved,
22:23they're always looking for more volunteers that will help with coaching
22:26or looking after children or parents support and liaison.
22:29It's a big thing to do a local club,
22:31but generally those people are passionate about their sport.
22:33So the idea tonight is that the adults and children will join in.
22:37It's for everybody.
22:37It's inclusive for any ability, any sort of able-bodied person
22:40can join in all the sports that we've got here
22:42and they'll talk to everybody about getting involved.
22:44Well, that looked like a lot of fun for those joining the Medway Mile.
23:12Not for me, though.
23:13All right, time for us to take a very quick break.
23:14When we come back, more news from right across the county
23:17and we'll look forward to another brand-new episode of Invictus Sport
23:20coming up with Bartholomew Hall.
23:21All that and more after this very short break,
23:24more news from across the county.
23:25I'll see you in a few minutes.
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29:04which of these 88 recommendations they're going to take on board, here in Kent a pollution
29:08risk forecast has actually been issued for multiple beaches across the county, one of
29:12them being here in Tankerton, just near Whitstable. There are also warnings at Hearn Bay, Deal
29:17Castle, Dim Church, Little Stone and multiple beaches in the Thanet area.
29:22So while the government discusses the water report, here in Kent we are actually seeing
29:26some of the negative effects of the water system.
29:29National campaign group Surfers Against Sewage said the report and its recommendations were
29:33like putting lipstick on a pig.
29:35The report doesn't really suggest concrete moods. A great example is they made a recommendation
29:41that the government suggests to water companies that they incorporate a measure to work in
29:46the interests of the public and public health in their articles of association. However,
29:52this would be something maintained alongside their financial duty they have to their shareholder.
29:57According to the Environment Secretary Steve Reid, the government will abolish off what in
30:02the biggest overhaul of water regulation in a generation, we will bring water functions
30:06from four different regulators into one. A single, powerful regulator responsible for
30:10the entire water sector will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment
30:15and prevent the abuses of the past.
30:18So far, the government have agreed to some of the 88 recommendations, but with sewage still
30:22a major concern across Kentish coastlines, many of the public might not care which company
30:27runs the system so long as the seas stay clean. Finn McDermid for KMTV in Whitstable.
30:32Okay, well Finn joins me now in the studio. No surprise that a huge part of the sort of discharges
30:42that we see, the pollution, the sewage discharges are a lot to do with the storm overflow systems and no
30:48surprise that that comes up in conversation when we're looking at the weather forecast and the weather alerts
30:53that are in force for us as well. So it is something of huge concern. We've seen lots of heat waves and now
30:59we're seeing, I suppose, the storm after the calm. Let's put it that way.
31:03Absolutely. We've been battered by thunderstorms over this last weekend. Many will have experienced heavy
31:09overnight rain throughout the county and throughout the country. We have pictures of Herne Bay here
31:15with vehicles navigating through several inches of standing water. This might look bad, but it isn't the worst of it
31:21across the county. It's also being seen in Canterbury and other areas. But as you can see there,
31:27the flooding has followed an intense night of rainfall. There was also some flooding in Tunbridge,
31:32but like I say, this is Herne Bay. It led to widespread surface water and hazardous driving
31:38conditions. And in fact, the Met Office said that motorists should still expect heavy spray and sudden
31:45flooding that could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures. They do advise
31:50people to be careful and plan their routes when they are embarking on trips.
31:54Yeah, and that weather warning enforced till 9pm this evening.
31:58Yes, that's right. There's a risk of thunderstorms between 11am and 9pm today. It's all still part of
32:04that yellow weather alert for heavy rain across much of the country today, with Kent included in that zone.
32:12OK, and it's not something we're too disfamiliar with. We've seen recently in Dover, the impact flooding's had there.
32:19Bartholomew and I visited a flat, an underground flat, one of the bottom floors, where it had such severe flooding
32:28that it was almost like their house had been turned upside down. So there are some real warnings and advice to people as well.
32:34Absolutely. And it's like you said, you know, we've seen that before here in the county, whether it's
32:38heat waves or thunderstorms, we have seen extreme weather events. Luckily, this time we haven't seen
32:44anything as bad as it was in Dover, but there are still warnings, like I mentioned, for travel. And you
32:48can see some pictures there of some of these submerged vehicles in Canterbury.
32:51Yeah, definitely. OK, Finn, perhaps not the extreme weather in some countries, but perhaps some would argue
32:57we just don't have the infrastructure to cope with the differentiating weather. OK, Finn, thank you very much.
33:05Next this evening, road accidents, violence on the streets and crimes against children. Just some
33:11of the reasons why some Kent police officers are grappling with poor mental health, according to the
33:16Kent Police Federation. At least 320 members of the force were signed off work last year due to stress,
33:23depression, anxiety or PTSD. And that number has only increased. Bosses say mental health support is
33:31available, but the way they police may have to change, as Neil Many explained to me earlier.
33:37We've seen a year on year increase, sadly, over the last few years. I think mental health has probably
33:43become one of those areas that we've got much better at talking about. But I still suspect that there is a
33:50certain amount of stigma attached to it. And in fact, my one of my concerns is that these figures are
33:56still probably not as high as they should be. And by that, I mean, I have a suspicion that a number of
34:01officers are either to feel there's too much stigma or too embarrassed to come forward or indeed are masking
34:08their mental health sickness by utilising other means of sickness. So we don't have data for any other
34:15emergency services. But for instance, what is it that Kent Police faces compared to other emergency
34:22services where we are seeing negative impacts on mental health?
34:26I think comparators are always very, very difficult. Our colleagues in the other
34:31emergency services also do difficult and demanding jobs, you know, and colleagues and paramedics,
34:36certainly I know, are not doing particularly well. But I think with policing, it's such a huge and wide
34:43variety of work. There are officers in all sorts of roles exposed to all sorts of traumatic stuff.
34:50And I think that's what makes it very, very unique. You know, we may have officers at one end
34:55who are dealing with very, very difficult scenes on the street,
34:58often scenes of violence, upsetting scenes, road traffic crashes. At the other end of the spectrum,
35:03we may have officers who are exposed to very difficult materials such as child pornography
35:10and everything in between. And while there are concerns for the police force and those impacted,
35:16especially those within these figures that we've got today, questions from the public whom to which
35:21the Kent Police Force does serve will be what impact does this have on the force's ability to function
35:28overall? What do you do when 320 members of staff aren't able to be in doing their jobs?
35:34I think the testament to my colleagues that the public probably won't see too much of a difference
35:41because, you know, our colleagues are working flat out with those high demand workloads. And also,
35:46they want to support those colleagues who are unwell. So it's, I mean, we're very fortunate in Kent Police,
35:51I should say. We do have an excellent occupational health department. And indeed, in Kent,
35:56there is the ability to contact a 24-7 crisis line called the Employee Assistance Programme.
36:04So in terms of services that Kent Police provide, they're doing marginally better, I would suggest,
36:09than some other forces. And also, the Police National Wellbeing Service have literally just launched
36:14a mental health crisis line for police officers. We're still not at the stage where we treat
36:20physiological injury the same as mental health injury. And it's quite obvious to all of us,
36:25if someone's broken an arm or a leg, they're going to need recuperation, they're going to need
36:28looking after. And really, I'm not quite sure we're there at the same level. But it is an increase
36:34of 5% on the year before. So the number hasn't gone down. It's gone from 305 to 320. So how are you
36:43ensuring it doesn't happen again? It's not increasing again this year? Because presumably,
36:48whatever was put in place last year, clearly didn't work. Well, I wish I had the answer to that. And of
36:54course, the responsibility for officers' welfare and wellbeing primarily lies with Kent Police.
37:00And we will continue to pressure them and ask them what they are doing. But it's difficult at this
37:06moment in time to see beyond the services that they are already trying to provide. But I suppose one of
37:12the other difficulties we have, as we've described about this being a high-pressure job, is that at a
37:17very fundamental level, there is still far much more work to be done than there is officers to do it.
37:23And I suspect also that probably has a significant impact, aside from those external economic factors
37:28that I've already talked about. If there's support out there for members of the force struggling,
37:33you'd presume you want to tackle the reasons behind that, behind the poor mental health. So
37:38will the police have to change the way you do your jobs?
37:41I think this is a far bigger conversation. I think policing tends to be a service that's
37:47available 24-7. And there's a much bigger conversation to be had around what should the
37:52police be focusing on? What should they be concentrating on? Because inevitably, there will
37:57be things that, by virtue of priority, will have to fall by the wayside. You know,
38:02my colleagues want to provide an excellent level of service. They want to investigate all crime.
38:07But the reality is, we're still doing an awful lot of stuff that probably policing shouldn't be
38:13doing. And I think it's time to have those difficult conversations with the public
38:16and try and determine what it is they want. So at least then, we can try and ensure that our
38:21colleagues have a manageable workload to provide that quality of service to the public, whilst also
38:27looking after their own mental health and wellbeing.
38:28It's time for us to take a very quick break now. When we come back, more news from across
38:34the county. I'll see you in a few minutes' time.
38:58.
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51:24any ability, any sort of able-bodied person joining all the sports that we've got here
51:28and they'll talk to everybody about getting involved.
51:36The event finished with the all-famous run across Great Lines Heritage Park,
51:42hopefully giving participants of all ages a head start on health this summer. Henry Luck,
51:50for Kane TV in Medway.
51:54Well, that looked like a lot of fun, but that's almost it from us this evening on Kent tonight.
51:58But don't go anywhere. A brand new episode of Invicta Sports starts in just a few minutes' time.
52:03Well, before we hand over to Bartholomew, he's here to give us an idea of what's to come,
52:08but also looking forward to tomorrow as well.
52:11I know. Well, obviously Euro 2025 is going on at the moment.
52:15For anybody that's been watching along, they'll know just how much of a nail-biter it was last week
52:19when England went up against Sweden in the quarter-finals.
52:23They managed to get through after those penalties.
52:24I think a few people, if you did see it, like me, I was behind the sofa trying to watch it.
52:28We were pretty much screaming at the TV, weren't we?
52:30Yeah, happy to say, though, this is Alessia Russo on the screen there.
52:33Our lioness, you know, from a beer-stead player from Maidstone,
52:37always flying the flag for Kent.
52:39She's been back out in training. In fact, the whole of the squad have been.
52:42So it looks like we've got a full, fit squad ready to go out and face Italy in the semi-final tomorrow.
52:48It is amazing watching it. I do absolutely love it.
52:50But I have to ask, what snack are you going for tomorrow?
52:52What snack? While I'm watching it?
52:54Yeah, football.
52:54Oh, I don't know. If it's another match like that, I don't think I can...
52:58I'll say nachos would be lovely, yeah.
53:00I might have nachos too, then.
53:02Well, if you'd stick around and have some nachos now,
53:04you can watch Invicta Sport after the break,
53:05because on the show, we're talking all-women's football.
53:08We've got the women and girls development officer for Kent FA.
53:11She told me that since the 2022 Euros, the demand has gone up so much for Kent,
53:16especially for girls and women in the county.
53:18They've had to hire more staff to deal with it and to put up more things in place
53:22so that there are more routes into football for young girls, which is brilliant.
53:25So, of course, with a bit more Lioness power, a bit more magic,
53:28we can have another round of that inspiration.
53:30Yeah, it's always the message this time of year
53:32and when we watch the women play again.
53:34Right, I'm looking forward to it tomorrow.
53:36Yeah, me too.
53:36All right, see you later, everybody. Enjoy Invicta Sport.
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