Podcast: Anger as Church Street Playing Field in Whitstable is padlocked by Kent County Council

KentOnline

Residents in Whitstable have been left outraged after the county council decided to lock the gates of a playing field which has been earmarked for development.

Padlocks have appeared on the entrances of the Church Street playing field which has been open to the public for generations.

Also in today's podcast, as Americans cast their vote in the presidential election - we're being reminded the outcome could have real impacts here in Kent.

Hear from Dr Andrew Wroe who is a senior lecturer in American Politics at the University of Kent.

There are fears people will miss vital hospital appointments or become isolated due to planned cuts to bus services in Dover.

Timetable changes are due to come into force on November 17th and will see the reduced frequency of some Stagecoach services - while other routes will have a different stopping pattern. We've been getting reaction from passengers.

In politics news, the Sevenoaks MP has criticised a decision by the government to increase university tuition fees in England.

Laura Trott has been speaking on her first day as shadow education secretary.

Meantime, the new Labour MP for Ashford says it was his time working in the NHS that pushed him into politics.

Sojan Joseph was a ward manager at St Martin's Hospital in Canterbury and has been on the latest episode of the Kent Politics Podcast.

There's an urgent call to make our gardens more wildlife-friendly amid concerns for Kent's hedgehogs.

Across the country, numbers have dropped by 75 percent in rural areas since 2000. We've been speaking to a lady who runs a rescue facility near Ashford.

And in sport, former Gillingham player Nicky Southall has left his job as manager of Lordswood.

He's been in the role since last December and was hoping to push the side to promotion.