Medway News
News from across the Medway towns — Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham — the unitary authority area on the north Kent coast. We report on Medway Council decisions, planning and regeneration, Medway Maritime Hospital, court cases, fire and rescue callouts and travel on the A2, M2 and Medway Tunnel.
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Economy ONS Confirms 0.4% Rise in Great Britain Retail Sales Volumes for March to May 2026
Department stores and computer and telecoms retailers drove modest quarterly growth, according to official figures from the Office for…
2 July 2026 -
Economy UK Wage Growth Holds Steady at 3.4% — What the Latest ONS Figures Mean for Kent Workers
Official statistics show regular pay rising at 3.4% annually in the three months to April 2026, but after inflation, real gains remain slim…
1 July 2026 -
Council Updates Voting on the unanswered: Kent approaches its 2027 reorganisation elections with the lawful-authority question still open
A resident asked five questions; fourteen councils and the Government were asked one. Kent heads for its 2027 reorganisation elections with…
30 June 2026 -
Crime & Justice Suspect Arrested After Alleged Distraction Theft Targeting Bank Customer in Maidstone
Kent Police detained a male suspect after a man reportedly had cash stolen from his vehicle following a withdrawal at a Maidstone town…
27 June 2026 -
Council Updates Kent County Council: Flags Can Stay on Lamp Posts — But Safety Comes First
Kent County Council says its Highways teams won’t routinely remove St George’s or Union flags from lamp posts and buildings across the…
26 June 2026 -
Fire & Rescue Kent Fire and Rescue Service Public Consultation Approved to Launch in June
Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority has approved plans to put proposals on station closures, response time targets, and council tax…
25 June 2026 -
Crime & Justice Kent Police Issue Almost 50 Fines in One Night at Medway Car Meets
Kent Police Issue Almost 50 Fines in One Night at Medway Car Meets View tweet from @kent_police Officers dispersed two unauthorised car…
25 June 2026 - Crime & Justice
Dozens Fined After Nuisance Car Racing Crackdown in Medway
Kent Police issued fines to dozens of drivers following complaints about illegal racing and anti-social driving behaviour across the Medway…
24 June 2026 - Council Updates
Kent Leads National Effort to Restore Historic Ponds and Revive Wildlife Habitats
A county-wide programme of pond mapping and restoration in Kent is targeting “ghost ponds” and degraded farmland water bodies to bring back…
24 June 2026 -
Council Updates Kent’s SEND Services: From Nine Identified Weaknesses to Lifted Improvement Notice
Kent County Council and NHS Kent and Medway moved out of formal government intervention in August 2024 after a five-year scrutiny process…
23 June 2026 -
Crime & Justice Rochester Man Jailed for Repeated Rape of Teenage Girl in Offences Committed More Than 30 Years Ago
Rochester Man Jailed for Repeated Rape of Teenage Girl in Offences Committed More Than 30 Years Ago View tweet from @kent_police Kent…
23 June 2026 - Crime & Justice
Witnesses Sought After Reported Burglary in Rochester
Kent Police are appealing for anyone with CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage to come forward following a reported residential break-in in…
23 June 2026