Kent County Council (KCC) has announced new special leave entitlement for staff who volunteer at military cadet units in their spare time. news.kent.gov.uk/articles/na…

@therealdavidwi1 There have been times when I have nearly walked away from local politics. This week reminded me why I keep going. Stepping forward to represent your community can be daunting. I started on the town council, then stood for the district council. I began on the back benches, listening, learning how councils worked and finding out how to get things done for local people. I spent one term as a Conservative. But when I was expected to support parking meters along our high streets, I refused. I believed it was wrong for our residents and businesses, and I would not vote against them simply to keep my party happy. I was subsequently not asked to stand again, so I went independent. Back then, the Conservatives held an overwhelming majority on the council. There were disagreements and heated exchanges, but, in my experience, we could usually argue our positions without everything becoming personal. As an independent, I was sometimes laughed at or dismissed. I carried on anyway: dealing with local problems, working with officers and helping residents. That is where the real value of a councillor lies. As Labour and the Greens gained ground, I felt the atmosphere became increasingly hostile. Robust debate is part of politics. Personal humiliation should never be. Some of the remarks I experienced about my education and dyslexia were particularly hurtful. Dyslexia does not diminish someone’s intelligence, their commitment or their ability to serve their community. There were moments when my wife and family asked why I put myself through it. I asked myself the same question. Politics can be thankless, and the attacks take their toll. I came close to quitting. Since becoming a county councillor and cabinet member, I regularly work 60 hours a week. And let me tell you: you don’t do it for the money! If I put those same hours and that same effort into my own business, I could earn twice as much. I make that commitment because representing people properly takes time, hard work and a willingness to shoulder responsibility. But the response to my comments at this week’s Folkestone and Hythe District Council meeting has renewed my determination. I challenged the call for our district to become a “district of sanctuary” because I believe residents deserve proper consultation, clear answers about what any proposal would involve and an honest explanation of the costs. Compassion matters. So does responsibility to the people we were elected to represent. Residents struggling with housing, pensioners, veterans and families under pressure deserve to know how their needs will be met. The messages of support reminded me that there are people who want their concerns raised, even when doing so makes others uncomfortable. I will not be intimidated out of speaking for them. People from other parties are entitled to challenge me. I am equally entitled to challenge policies and attitudes that I believe put ideology ahead of local needs. Call my views unfashionable if you wish. I do this because I believe it is right. Next May, residents will have their say at the ballot box. And that brings me to the reason for this post: Reform UK wants to stand candidates in every seat across Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh. We need local people willing to step forward. You do not need a privileged education or a lifetime in politics. You need commitment, common sense, a willingness to listen and the courage to stand up for your community. Join Reform UK. Get involved with your local group. Help us campaign, or consider standing yourself. We are local people who want to make a real difference. If you want your council to change, come and help us change it: info@reformfhrm.org

Did somebody say chaos in Durham County Council? Nope - just @cathynewman and a few bitter ex Reformers booted out of the party. Looking forward to the coverage @SkyNews Durham Council winning “Organisation of the Year” along with 3 other awards last night at the UK Active Awards / at the Birmingham ICC

The eye-watering cost of Britain's asylum crisis. @reformparty_uk

💧 Following a challenging summer for many customers, South East Water says it is making changes to improve its response to outages and reduce leaks across the network. At the Kent Water Resilience Partnership meeting, John Halsall, CEO of South East Water, and Douglas Whitfield, Director of Operations, spoke about the lessons learned from recent supply interruptions, the work already underway to improve resilience, and the steps being taken to restore customer confidence. These include increasing leak detection and repair teams, strengthening incident management, and working more closely with partners to prepare for future pressures on the network. 🎥 Watch below.

119 migrants in two boats were brought to Dover yesterday.

LibDems Suspend Councillor After She Claimed Woman Means Biological Female order-order.com/2026/10/08/l…

Today we're bringing together organisations from across Kent to discuss our water future. In this video, Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council, explains why this conversation matters and how partners will be working together to explore the challenges facing Kent's water supply. Thank you to everyone who shared their views in our poll. We'll be taking your feedback into today's discussions.

💧 Water isn't just about what's coming out of our taps. At today's Kent Water Resilience Partnership meeting, Jamie Henderson, Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Public Health, highlights why a reliable water supply is so important for our communities, from homes and businesses to schools, care homes and hospitals. He also shares some of the positive work already happening across Kent and why partnership working will be key to helping secure Kent's water future. 🎥 Watch below.

Mohammed Abbas came by boat in March. By June, he’d assaulted a police officer and was convicted. By July, he’d been given a free home. Two days later, he sexually assaulted two young girls. Only Reform will end this utter madness.