Local News
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Council Updates Ashford council proposes cutting new staff probation periods from six months to three months ahead of employment law change
Ashford Borough Council’s cabinet considered a revised probation policy on 8 October 2026 that would halve the standard probationary period…
9 October 2026 -
Council Updates Archaeological surveys planned at Sovereign Way car park before Angel Centre decision
Boreholes and trenches will be dug at Sovereign Way Mid Car Park in Tonbridge this week as preparatory groundwork ahead of a Full Council…
8 October 2026 -
Council Updates Tonbridge and Malling Local Plan: residents have until 25 October to comment in consultation the council was directed to hold
Tonbridge and Malling’s Regulation 19 Local Plan consultation closes at 11.59pm on 25 October. Councillors voted to pause it over water…
8 October 2026 -
Council Updates Otterpool Park updated plans open for comment until 4 November, with first 300 homes earmarked near Westenhanger
Updated information for the Otterpool Park garden town, which proposes up to 8,500 homes around Westenhanger, is open for public comment…
7 October 2026 -
Council Updates Tonbridge & Malling to update corporate debt recovery policy to cover garden waste and homelessness for first time
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council’s Cabinet considered a recommendation on 6 October 2026 to publish an updated Corporate Debt Recovery…
7 October 2026 -
Council Updates Heart of Kent Hospice awarded £3.53m towards new hospice in Linton
Maidstone Borough Council has approved £3.53 million from developer contributions towards a new hospice and community care hub in Linton…
7 October 2026 -
Council Updates Tonbridge & Malling cabinet considers Article 4 Direction to require planning permission for new HMOs in parts of Tonbridge, Snodland and East Malling
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council’s Cabinet considered a proposal on 6 October 2026 to restrict the conversion of family homes into…
7 October 2026 -
Council Updates KCC seeks views on new five-year plan for disabled children’s short breaks
Kent County Council is consulting on a draft five-year Short Breaks Strategy that proposes widening activity options, changing how…
6 October 2026 -
Local News New rail ale trail links 16 pubs from Rainham to Gravesend and West Malling
The free Thames & Medway Rail Ale Trail uses the train to link micropubs, traditional pubs and a brewery taproom across nine stops in north…
6 October 2026 -
Local News Giant inflatable monsters to take over Maidstone town centre this half-term
Maidstone’s Monster Mash runs from 25 to 31 October with a free trail, and a seven-year-old’s ice-cream-loving design has been named its…
6 October 2026 -
Council Updates Dover council’s housing service rated C2 by regulator as tenant satisfaction holds above national median
Dover District Council’s housing service received a C2 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing in 2025/26, confirming compliance with…
6 October 2026 -
Council Updates Dover cabinet considers adopting updated playing pitch strategy covering more than 80 sites across the district
A revised Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Facilities Strategy, informed by visits to more than 80 sites and a public consultation that…
6 October 2026