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Noise complaints about loud house parties continue to pour in to councils across the county despite the lockdown.
Almost every authority in Kent has reported an increase in grievances raised as people remain confined to their homes to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
Some councils believe the jump in numbers is largely down to a combination of most people being effectively housebound and the warmer weather driving them into their gardens.
The biggest hike was in Folkestone and Hythe, where complaints have almost doubled from 77 to 149 – with 50 of them about loud music.
Gravesham Borough Council has experienced a 50% jump in grievances since lockdown began, including about noisy parties.
More bizarre complaints were filed about a squawking parrot and a driveway being installed at 3am.
In Medway, reported issues have jumped from 78 to 108, while in Canterbury 101 grievances have been raised – up from 81.
Issues in the city included party noise, bird scarers and cockerels.
A spokesman said: “It is probably unsurprising with everyone essentially confined to their home or garden, we’ve seen an increase in noise complaints over the last few weeks.
“The majority of them are for things like loud music or everyday domestic noise – the kind of behaviour that can often be nipped in the bud early by having a friendly quick word with your neighbour.”
Swale Borough Council echoed these thoughts, saying more people being confined to their homes and gardens had likely contributed to it receiving 20% more complaints, up from 36 to 43.
A spokesman said: “While more people are staying home to protect themselves and their community from Covid-19, there are many factors that can impact noise complaints including children being home more and the warmer weather getting people out into their gardens.”
Ashford Borough Council received 27 complaints – two more than last year – but said typical grievances about noisy licensed premises have, predictably, been non-existent.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council believes the “fine weather” may have played a role in the 53% increase in complaints it received – up to 72 from 47.
Meanwhile, there were 18 reports of noise issues to Maidstone Borough Council – up seven from the same period in 2019.
A spokesman said: “We have only seen a slight increase in noise complaints about neighbours’ behaviour compared to the same time last year, which is reassuring.
“With everyone at home it is no surprise to see some increase, although it is very difficult to compare as this is such a different situation to normal and we cannot be sure that these would all be related to Covid-19.”
Elsewhere, lockdown appears to have made the south and west corner of the county a little quieter, with a drop in noise complaints reported to councils in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge and Malling.
