Latest news with #CanterburyCityCouncil
BBC News
25-06-2025
- BBC News
Herne Bay homestay host says foreign students are being attacked
A homestay host said some foreign students have been targeted with racist abuse and catapults in a string of anti-social behaviour incidents in a Kent town. Kathy Atwal said students visiting Herne Bay had been "verbally attacked", faced "lots and lots of racist remarks" and been "physically abused".Her comments came at a meeting attended by hundreds of people on Tuesday to address anti-social behaviour concerns after teenagers launched catapults at ducks in Memorial Park and assaulted supermarket Police told the meeting at King's Hall that officers would be deployed on the streets from July as part of its neighbourhood policing guarantee. Ms Atwal, from Herne Bay and Whitstable Homestays, said student had "rocks and stones thrown at them".She added: "The local children are using catapults against them and basically they're just causing an awful lot of trouble."She said she wanted the foreign students to enjoy their time in the town and return in the future, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said."We work really, really hard to make sure the stay goes as smooth as possible, but with these children doing what they're doing it's proving an impossible task," she City Councillor Dan Watkins, who chaired the meeting, said although there had been incidents of serious crimes including theft and arson, there had been "lots of low-level unpleasant activities". He explained there were more police officers doing patrols and the council was hoping parents would take action to "help chip away" at the City Council said it was also getting extra community safety workers to help tackle the Supt Rob Marsh, divisional commander for east Kent, said: "Antisocial behaviour is not tolerated and, along with the dedicated team of beat officers and PCSOs, we will have extra officers on patrol in the area to tackle any issues."He said Kent Police would also not hesitate to use its powers to tackle the problem, including by putting dispersal orders in place."Herne Bay is a lovely place for local residents and visitors, and we are determined to keep it that way," Mr Marsh said.
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Transformation of Poor Priests' Hospital in Canterbury complete
Cash Murphy BBC News, South East Canterbury City Council Poor Priests' Hospital in Canterbury dates back to the 12th Century Renovation works to a 12th Century hospital in Canterbury have been completed at a cost of £1.6m. Poor Priests' Hospital in Stour Street has been under scaffolding for the past 11 months to allow for extensive repairs to its façade. The council-owned building has been reroofed and has had its chimney stack rebuilt. Charlotte Cornell, cabinet member for heritage on Canterbury City Council, said renovating such a historic building had "not been without its challenges".
ABC News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Former MP Daryl Maguire found guilty of giving false or misleading evidence at ICAC
Former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving false or misleading evidence to the NSW corruption watchdog at a hearing in 2018, as it investigated the former Canterbury City Council. Maguire had denied wrongdoing, but prosecutors argued the former member for Wagga Wagga engaged in a "money making exercise" when he allegedly discussed a commission with a local councillor over a multimillion-dollar property deal. He appeared as a witness in Operation Dasha, the Independent Commission Against Corruption's (ICAC) investigation into allegations of corruption against councillors and whether they dishonestly exercised their official functions in relation to planning proposals. During his appearance at the public hearing, Maguire initially denied ever doing business with former councillor Michael Hawatt, or seeking payment for brokering a deal on behalf of a Chinese property developer. Magistrate Clare Farnan on Friday found him guilty of the single charge, following a hearing in the Local Court earlier this year. That outcome was delivered after apparent confusion about listing locations caused the parties to appear before a registrar in a different courtroom, who adjourned the case until September. The Downing Centre's lower level suffered flood damage due to a burst water main on Tuesday, and will remain shut for four weeks on the latest estimates. As a result, dozens of cases have had to be relocated to the nearby John Maddison Tower, including Mr Maguire's matter. When Magistrate Farnan delivered her decision, no media were in the courtroom, and Maguire's barrister Rebecca Gall applied for a non-publication order on the grounds of potential prejudice to a separate upcoming trial. Later in the afternoon, the magistrate put on the record that she had come into court in the morning expecting to deliver judgment. The magistrate said there was nothing "deliberate" about what occurred, and she had gone to "all the trouble I could" to have parties notified yesterday of the impending decision. She denied the application for a non-publication order, after hearing submissions from barrister Dauid Sibtain SC, representing the ABC and Fairfax. Magistrate Farnan said the case had already been the subject of media attention, and the interest of the community in open justice outweighed Mr Maguire's interests in the circumstances. At a hearing in late May, the court was told of intercepted phone calls between Maguire and Mr Hawatt in which the pair discussed the sale of a property on Canterbury Road at Campsie, in Sydney's inner south west. Maguire was recorded saying: "What have you got on your books? What is DA approved?". The pair then discussed the sale of the site of the former Harrison's Hardware store on Canterbury Road, for which a 300 unit development was proposed. Maguire and Mr Hawatt estimated the development to be worth up to $48 million, with Maguire asking: "What's the margin for you?". The court heard Mr Hawatt suggested a margin of between 1.5 and 2 per cent was likely, to which Mr Maguire replied: "1.5 per cent isn't enough divided by two, if you know what I mean." Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Phil Hogan argued the two were expecting to make money from the sale and that it would be divided equally between them. "The story that he'd prepared [for the ICAC] was, 'I'd never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar, nor would I ask for a dollar,'" Mr Hogan told the court. "The Crown says that statement is demonstrably misleading." Mr Hogan argued the communications between Maguire and Mr Hawatt amounted to an attempt to do business with the expectation they would both make money from that business.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Canterbury Cathedral plaque to mark civilian WW2 deaths
A new plaque remembering civilians in Canterbury who were killed in World War Two has been installed in the city's 50 people who died in two major raids targeting the city's cathedral in 1942 are buried alongside each other at the graves were discovered by Canterbury Historical Association chairman Julian Woltho, who traced the names using local archives.A short service of remembrance will be held on Sunday when the names of all of those who died will be read out. Mr Woltho said the timing of that second raid contributed to the large loss of explained: "It took place around tea time, and the city was still quite busy with buses running and the barrage balloons had been taken down."The aircraft were "able to fly low over the city which was caught unprepared for what unfolded", he to Mr Woltho, the discovery of the graves during a general tour was "really significant"."Although the cemetery is really well kept there was no recognition of who the graves belonged to and there are 50 so it's a significant area," he days before Canterbury was bombed much of the medieval city of Cologne, Germany, was destroyed by British bombers. The attack on Canterbury was reported in the German media as revenge for to install the new plaque have been supported by Canterbury City Council and the Canterbury Commemoration relatives of those buried at the cemetery are invited to Sunday's service, which is due to start at 14:00 BST.
Scottish Sun
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Abandoned UK city centre branded a ‘grot spot' where empty department store left to rot is set for £200,000 makeover
The decision has been met by mixed reactions from locals NEW SLATE Abandoned UK city centre branded a 'grot spot' where empty department store left to rot is set for £200,000 makeover A HIGH street 'grot spot' is set to undergo a £200,000 transformation in the hopes of reviving the area. The street has been tarnished by an abandoned department store and is in desperate need of rejuvenation. Advertisement 2 Canterbury City Council approved the plans earlier this week 2 St Mary Bredman Square in Canterbury will be revamped in £200,000 project A £200,000 revamp project is set to restore a Canterbury high street to its former glory. St Mary Bredman Square, Kent, which contains a Grade-II listed war memorial, has been approved for development. Plans were approved this week following their submission in March. Canturbery City Council plan to use some of the £22 million they received from the previous government's Levelling Up scheme. Advertisement Read more News URGENT SEARCH Girl falls into huge UK dam as cops launch desperate underwater search The proposals include new steps and seating, improved flowerbeds and a new mural. The planning officer wrote: "The proposal preserves the special interest pf the Grade-II listed memorials and is acceptable." They added: "In conclusion, the works proposed are acceptable and preserve the historic and architectural significance of the war memorials." The memorial commemorates Royal East Kent Yeomanry soldiers who died in the Boer and First World War, in addition to a memorial for animals that died during the conflict. Advertisement Comments from locals seemed less enthusiastic about the development. One wrote: "Save the money. It's such a small space." While another added: "Need a bit more than £200k to sort this!" Huddersfield Station Closure: £70 Million Revamp Set to Transform Travel Yet others felt that the £200k cost seemed unreasonable given how little work the square needs. Advertisement One Facebook user commented: "I'm sorry, but I can't believe it's going to take £200k to pretty it up slightly, add a few steps and do next to nothing with the department store building around it that's been empty for years. "Surely you could do this for a fraction of the money?" Others said that the square itself isn't the problem - it's the derelict buildings surrounding it that have left it feeling uninviting. Some locals suggested that the community should come together to clean up the area. Advertisement Stewart Ross, chairman of Canterbury Commemoration Society has said that the war memorial should be moved alongside other memorials in Dane John Gardens. Stewart told the BBC: "Certainly, [the refurbishment] needs to be done because it's a pretty crucial area in the history of Canterbury. "It could be quite attractive and we'd support any work being done to improve it. "It needs a bit of artwork there rather than that out-of-place memorial statue." Advertisement The abandoned department store - a former Nasons - is also Grade II listed. It comes as towns across the country have tried to revive their high streets following a decline in footfall since Covid. High streets have been left with empty stores and dilapidated shop fronts as councils try to revive the struggling areas. Croydon recently promised a £5 billion revamp complete with a new shopping centre and train station. Advertisement While Oxford Council has become increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress on a redevelopment project in Cowley.
