A restaurant boss who built an illegal outdoor dining area before “gaslighting” authorities for years with promises to pull it down has been fined and ordered to pay court costs totalling more than £40,000.

The glass-fronted enclosure outside A La Turka in Herne Bay was put up in 2019, despite there only being planning permission for awnings.

Also in today’s podcast, a public meeting's been held in Tunbridge Wells to discuss the recent water crisis.

Around 100 people showed up last night to express their frustrations following a number of outages before and after Christmas.

Controversial plans for a solar farm have been approved - despite residents warning it will despoil a “historic, rural agricultural landscape”.

Covering 40 hectares - roughly the size of 55 football pitches - the site on Romney Marsh is currently used to grow crops.

A sports and social club with more than 650 members will close at the end of the month.

The facility in Maidstone is set to shut following a “difficult decision” by the organisation that runs it to cease its affiliation.

And a school with pupils from more than 80 nationalities has launched a community campaign to celebrate togetherness and belonging.

Ashford’s John Wallis Academy has put up flags, banners and posters around its grounds – you can hear from their Head who says it’s come at a time when we know the world is increasingly divided.

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A Chinese takeaway was forced to close after thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused to the shop.

Police were called to the restaurant in Tunbridge Wells after a man went inside and lay down on the floor, before smashing up screens and equipment.

Also in today’s podcast, a group of doctors are calling for better resilience within NHS IT systems after a major outage affected GP surgeries across Kent.

Medics were unable to access patient details, appointment lists or process prescriptions on Monday and health bosses say it’s led to a huge backlog.

A councillor who struggles to speak after developing motor neurone disease is using pioneering AI technology to communicate using his own voice.

Nick Varley, who represents Kippington on Sevenoaks district and town councils, made recordings of himself speaking, which were used to train the AI to produce an accurate copy of his voice.

Protesters held a large banner demanding “Keep your hands off Rays Bottom” as they voiced their anger over plans for a new housing estate.

More than 300 letters of objection have been lodged in little over a month against proposals to build 75 houses on farmland near Deal.

And an ice cream man who “gambled” on serving scoops when work dried up during the pandemic is in the running for a top national award.

You can hear from the Rainham resident who runs Bossie’s Ice Creams’ who told us he’s excited to have his hard work recognised.

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Investigations are underway following reports a woman had her drink spiked while out celebrating her 21st birthday in Maidstone.

Tia Jennings was at Bierkeller on Gabriel's Hill on January 10th when she started acting out of character - she then collapsed outside a short time later. We've asked the venue a number of times for a comment.

Also in today's podcast, the mother of a teenager killed in a crash in Thanet says the number of people caught over the limit during a crackdown last month is 'shocking'.

18-year-old Ethan Entwhistle was a passenger in a car that hit a tree in Broadstairs in October 2023 - the driver was more than twice the drink drive limit.

Police stopped around 300 motorists for drink and drug driving offences in the county in December.

Families in Kent are being asked to share their experience of maternity and neonatal care for a major national review.

The 'Call for Evidence' will be used to shape recommendations to improve services across England - hear from Zoe Finn who lost her son Carter when his heart stopped beating while she was 35 weeks pregnant.

The MP for Ashford has signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for a ban on social media use for people under the age of 16.

Sojan Joseph is the only Kent MP to put his name to the letter and joined 60 others from across the country.

Campaigners from Kent are due at the High Court as a legal challenge against plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport gets under way.

It's after the transport secretary gave approval last September for the airport to bring its Northern runway into regular use as part of a 2-point £2 billion expansion.

In sport, Lenni Cirino has signed a contract extension with Gillingham. The new deal keeps the left-back at the club until the end of this season.

And, find out who Chatham Town's women will be playing the fifth round of the FA Cup.

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A man in his 20s has been charged with murder after a fatal stabbing on Sheppey.

Police were called to Noreen Avenue in Minster on Saturday night, close to a children’s play park, but the victim died at the scene.

Also in today’s podcast, the number of so-called 'trolley waits' in Kent continues to rise.

That’s when there’s a delay of 12 hours or more from a patient being admitted to being given a bed – new figures show there were over 28,000 last year.

Parents across Kent are being urged to act as the debate on raising the social media age to 16 is set to continue this week

A proposed amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently before the House of Lords, will be debated in the coming days

We spoke to a local mental health charity who have launched a campaign to rethink Blue Monday.

North Kent Mind says it doesn't have to be a dark and depressing time and they're urging us to rebrand it "Mulicolour Monday".

And in football, Chatham Town have booked an FA Women’s Cup last-16 spot.

Watched by a bumper crowd of almost 1,700 they beat fellow fourth-tier side York City 3-0 – you can hear from manager Keith Boanas.

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A woman who died in a motorbike crash in Kent just days before Christmas has been remembered as 'loving and free spirited'.

Syntia Franczak is thought to have been the pillion passenger on the bike that was involved in a collision on the A228 Pembury Northern Bypass on December 20th. Hear from reporter Joe Crossley who has been covering the story.

Also in today's podcast, we've got an update on the water supply issues that have been affecting Kent over the past week.

The taps are flowing again in Tunbridge Wells but not before a calf died of suspected dehydration at a farm.

The Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP is leading calls for the government to treat gambling as a public health emergency.

Kevin McKenna has hosted a debate in Westminster Hall addressing how problem gambling has long lasting and serious impacts on children.

Meantime, the Dartford MP has spoken in the commons about the importance of investment in grassroots sports facilities.

An entrepreneur is about to embark on a new venture - opening the first Caribbean takeaway restaurant in Maidstone.

Mitchell Bennett has spent the last 15 years as a music promoter presenting Garage National events at venues across the town.

And in sport, bottom of the table Newport County are the visitors to Priestfield this weekend.

Gillingham have gone two weeks without a game after their match with Notts County was postponed because of a frozen pitch, hear from manager Gareth Ainsworth.

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A “handsy” Kent police officer once praised for bravery has been barred from all forces for life after groping two colleagues.

The Folkestone-based PC would have faced dismissal this week had he not already resigned after his lurid actions.

Also in today’s podcast, Ofwat has announced it has opened an investigation into South East Water following the major water outage in Kent.

It comes as thousands of homes and businesses across the county continue to be left without supplies – we’ve spoken to a farmer who’s criticised a lack of provision for livestock.

Utility companies who flout the rules while carrying out road works are in danger of being prosecuted.

Kent County Council hopes that its get-tough policy will mean highways will be safer, flow more freely and force contractors to speed up the work.

A town’s mayor has lashed out at people who have repeatedly vandalised a toddlers’ playground – saying “it needs to stop”.

The site in Sevenoaks has seen a spate of attacks costing the local authority time and money.

And a defiant Canterbury man is threatening to chain himself to a historic lamppost if council bosses attempt to tear it down.

He says the Victorian structures are “precious” features that must be “preserved at all costs” rather than being replaced with “grotesque” modern replicas.

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Kent and Medway’s best-performing secondary schools have been ranked from best to worst by GCSE results.

However some education experts warn a legacy of Covid means the latest league table isn’t the “fairest” measure of performance.

Also in today’s podcast, a man has died in a crash involving a car and a water tanker.

The motorist was travelling on the A2070 Ashford Road in Hamstreet yesterday afternoon when it collided with a purple tanker heading the opposite way.

Pressure is piling on the boss of South East Water with more local leaders calling for his resignation following water supply outages.

Thousands of properties and businesses have been affected and several schools around the county are closed again today.

Hopes of saving a town’s library building have been dealt a fresh blow - and the site may proceed to an auction sale next month.

But the deputy leader of Reform UK-run Kent County Council says the “door remains fully open” for alternative proposals for the site at Grace Hill in Folkestone – community groups have been campaigning for it to be saved.

And a new support group has been set up in Kent for bereaved parents, by a nurse who lost her own son

You can hear from Amber Selvey, whose son died from a rare genetic condition in 2023 - she's now launched Together in Grief based in Whitstable.

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New figures which show even primary school children in Kent are being suspended for substance misuse have been described as “heartbreaking”.

More and more students are being pulled out of the classroom as shock new statistics reveal a significant rise in under-18s being treated for addiction problems — including use of cannabis, ketamine, cocaine, ecstasy.

Also in today’s podcast, schools are closed again today and thousands of residents are still without supplies as the Kent water crisis continues.

South East Water confirmed 25,000 customers still have issues including in Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, and Whitstable following a breakout of leaks and bursts across their network.

Bosses have declared a critical incident at a hospital due to a sudden “high demand” for its services.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust made the announcement due to sustained pressures at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

An historic former library described as a town’s “most treasured community asset” is set to be auctioned off by Kent County Council sparking fury among residents.

The site in Folkestone has been closed since 2022 because of flood damage - with the authority expected to make a decision to sell it today.

And money is on offer to independent business in Maidstone to improve their shopfronts.

It's part of council plans to make the town centre more appealing and draw shoppers away from the online market.

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