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Simon Finlay, Local Democracy Reporter

Simon Finlay started his career at a news picture agency in his home city, Belfast, during the Troubles. He moved to London in the 1980s and worked on local and national Sunday newspapers as well as a five year stint in television. He moved to Kent in 1999 where he has edited the Dover Express, Folkestone Herald, Times of Tunbridge Wells and latterly the Downs Mail. He joined the KM Group in 2023 at a Local Democracy Reporter covering Kent County Council

Simon Finlay, Local Democracy Reporter

Kent’s fast track devolution plan derails - so what happens next?

16 February 2025
Kent’s fast track devolution plan derails - so what happens next?

The government’s decision to exclude Kent from its devolution “priority” programme has come as a major blow to the county’s political leaders.

4

Population rockets but house building can’t keep up

14 February 2025
Population rockets but house building can’t keep up

The population of Kent is soaring at a time when housing stock is insufficient to meet demand, a new study has found.

17

‘Nothing seems to slow rise of Reform - electorate has become mutinous, intolerant and vexatious’

14 February 2025
‘Nothing seems to slow rise of Reform - electorate has become mutinous, intolerant and vexatious’

Local democracy reporter Simon Finlay considers the increasingly “mutinous” electorate and what it means for established parties amid Reform’s rise.

25

‘There is no cavalry coming over the hill...’

13 February 2025
‘There is no cavalry coming over the hill...’

Kent’s biggest and most beleaguered local authority has agreed a balanced budget – but its leadership issued dire warnings about the future.

46

Pub ‘shook visibly’ as juggernaut smashes into building

11 February 2025
Pub ‘shook visibly’ as juggernaut smashes into building

A landlady has described how her pub “shook visibly” as a juggernaut smashed into the building twice after getting stuck in a road closure.

18

Fears new bus lane signs will lead to more fines

08 February 2025
Fears new bus lane signs will lead to more fines

There are concerns motorists will be hit in the pocket when new road signs are introduced to deter people from entering town centre bus lanes.

10

Kent and Medway miss out on fast track devolution - KCC elections are on

05 February 2025
Kent and Medway miss out on fast track devolution - KCC elections are on

Kent and Medway have missed out being part of the government fast-tracked devolution programme.

101

Ousted Tory MP vows to fight for his old Westminster seat

04 February 2025
Ousted Tory MP vows to fight for his old Westminster seat

A former Conservative MP has become the first to declare he will attempt to fight for his old constituency in 2029.

1

Government delays decision on Kent’s ‘devolution revolution’

31 January 2025
Government delays decision on Kent’s ‘devolution revolution’

A government announcement on the biggest shake up of how local councils are run in Kent for half a century has been delayed.

24

Disabled children’s charity ‘devastated’ at losing £600K council funding

30 January 2025
Disabled children’s charity ‘devastated’ at losing £600K council funding

A charity boss has told of her “devastation” at losing almost £600,000 of public funding to look after parents of disabled children.

3

‘We’ve won a battle but not the war’: Family hubs decision stalled after revolt

30 January 2025
‘We’ve won a battle but not the war’: Family hubs decision stalled after revolt

Campaigners opposed to the loss of children’s services at two family centres have won their latest battle to retain them after a backbench revolt.

Charity faces ‘crunch time’ as council rejects bids to buy building

29 January 2025
Charity faces ‘crunch time’ as council rejects bids to buy building

A youth charity has had two bids to buy its home of 12 years turned down, as the cash-strapped county council looks to sell the premises

1

Anger at claim landowners ‘will pay for housing development’s railway station’

25 January 2025
Anger at claim landowners ‘will pay for housing development’s railway station’

A senior official in charge of a contentious 5,000 home development says the cost of building a railway station will have to be met by the landowners.

10

‘Greedy’ Kent scammers wiped millions of miles off cars and vans

24 January 2025
‘Greedy’ Kent scammers wiped millions of miles off cars and vans

Three “selfish and greedy” men who illegally wiped more than two million miles off cars and vans in a “clocking” scam have been spared prison.

12

Green light given for £10m primary school

23 January 2025
Green light given for £10m primary school

Work on a new primary school which will have space for 420 pupils is expected to start in the summer after being granted planning permission.

2

Fewer parents winning appeals over free school taxis

22 January 2025
Fewer parents winning appeals over free school taxis

The county council has paid out £340k less to parents in the last year after the number winning appeals over free school transport halved.

11

Child given £18k council payout after missing school for two years

21 January 2025
Child given £18k council payout after missing school for two years

A family of a child with special needs who missed out on education for two years has been awarded more than £18,000 by Kent County Council.

4

Cost of ‘bottomless pit’ housing scheme could rise to £8m

19 January 2025
Cost of ‘bottomless pit’ housing scheme could rise to £8m

A huge housing scheme in the heart of the Kent countryside has cost taxpayers millions of pounds -much of it in lawyer’s fees - and is set to rise.

17

‘There was a huge bang as my BMW hit a massive pothole’

18 January 2025
‘There was a huge bang as my BMW hit a massive pothole’

Repair bills for drivers who hit potholes, which now includes a senior county councillor, are on the up - but why are Kent’s roads in such a state?

49

Axe falls on children services at Kent family hubs

17 January 2025
Axe falls on children services at Kent family hubs

Campaigners opposed to the loss of children’s services at two Kent family centres have vowed to fight on despite a decision not to recommission them.

2
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