Local Authority
@localauthority.news
After years of legal battles, the fight over Chatham Docks has reached a turning point.
The High Court has dismissed ArcelorMittal’s challenge, clearing the way for Peel Waters’ long-planned redevelopment of Basin 3.
The High Court has dismissed ArcelorMittal’s challenge, clearing the way for Peel Waters’ long-planned redevelopment of Basin 3.
High Court clears the way for Chatham Docks redevelopment
What the ruling means for Medway, what’s coming up at Medway council, and everything else you need to know this weekend
www.localauthority.news
January 19, 2026 at 4:33 PM
After years of legal battles, the fight over Chatham Docks has reached a turning point.
The High Court has dismissed ArcelorMittal’s challenge, clearing the way for Peel Waters’ long-planned redevelopment of Basin 3.
The High Court has dismissed ArcelorMittal’s challenge, clearing the way for Peel Waters’ long-planned redevelopment of Basin 3.
Medway’s Local Plan has gone to inspection, with formal objections from two Labour councillors in the ruling administration, who warn it is unsound and not legally compliant. Plus Ofsted on children’s services and Medway on standby as Kent’s water network came under strain.
Labour councillors raise red flags over Medway’s Local Plan
Plus Ofsted’s inspection of children’s services and Medway’s on alert Kent’s water network comes under strain
www.localauthority.news
January 14, 2026 at 8:58 AM
Medway’s Local Plan has gone to inspection, with formal objections from two Labour councillors in the ruling administration, who warn it is unsound and not legally compliant. Plus Ofsted on children’s services and Medway on standby as Kent’s water network came under strain.
Hoo’s Christmas lights were so disappointing that Medway Council has cancelled the invoice to the parish. The council says its festive lighting stock is “extremely limited” after years of under-investment, and the programme relies on sponsorship to have any lights at all.
The Christmas lights so rubbish even Medway Council wouldn’t charge for them
Plus council business, planning applications, a £700,000 house behind the walls of Kitchener Barracks, what’s on this week and the weekend’s sport.
www.localauthority.news
January 12, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Hoo’s Christmas lights were so disappointing that Medway Council has cancelled the invoice to the parish. The council says its festive lighting stock is “extremely limited” after years of under-investment, and the programme relies on sponsorship to have any lights at all.
Our weekend interview is with Jack Packman, the new CEO of Medway Voluntary Action, on what MVA does, the pressures facing the voluntary sector, and why he says he doesn’t sit on boards to be important.
“I don’t sit on boards to be important”
What Steven asked Jack Packman, CEO of Medway Voluntary Action
www.localauthority.news
January 5, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Our weekend interview is with Jack Packman, the new CEO of Medway Voluntary Action, on what MVA does, the pressures facing the voluntary sector, and why he says he doesn’t sit on boards to be important.
Our interview this week is with Philip Hesketh, Dean of Rochester, on what it costs to keep Rochester Cathedral running, how the church works in practice, and why “people are always searching for something."
“People are always searching for something”
What Steven asked the Philip Hesketh, Dean of Rochester
www.localauthority.news
December 16, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Our interview this week is with Philip Hesketh, Dean of Rochester, on what it costs to keep Rochester Cathedral running, how the church works in practice, and why “people are always searching for something."
Hopefully you won't notice much difference, but today, we have left Substack and migrated our work to Ghost.
Read more about why we've done it here:
Read more about why we've done it here:
Local Authority has a new home
We’ve moved, but nothing should change for most of you.
www.localauthority.news
December 11, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Hopefully you won't notice much difference, but today, we have left Substack and migrated our work to Ghost.
Read more about why we've done it here:
Read more about why we've done it here:
New interview: Musician Pete Molinari went from recording his first album in Billy Childish’s house to performing globally and working with some of the biggest names in music.
Now living in LA, he spoke to us about leaving Medway, recording with Childish, performing with Yoko Ono, and lots more.
Now living in LA, he spoke to us about leaving Medway, recording with Childish, performing with Yoko Ono, and lots more.
“I did everything I could to get out of Chatham”
What Steven asked musician Pete Molinari
www.localauthority.news
December 8, 2025 at 5:38 PM
New interview: Musician Pete Molinari went from recording his first album in Billy Childish’s house to performing globally and working with some of the biggest names in music.
Now living in LA, he spoke to us about leaving Medway, recording with Childish, performing with Yoko Ono, and lots more.
Now living in LA, he spoke to us about leaving Medway, recording with Childish, performing with Yoko Ono, and lots more.
🚑 Ambulance service criticised after secret Medway filming
🏥 Inspection finds Medway A&E still not good enough
💷 Councillor allowances admin error
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🏥 Inspection finds Medway A&E still not good enough
💷 Councillor allowances admin error
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Ambulance service criticised after secret Medway filming
Plus inspection finds Medway A&E still not good enough, councillor allowances admin errors, news in brief, and more
www.localauthority.news
December 3, 2025 at 6:27 PM
🚑 Ambulance service criticised after secret Medway filming
🏥 Inspection finds Medway A&E still not good enough
💷 Councillor allowances admin error
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🏥 Inspection finds Medway A&E still not good enough
💷 Councillor allowances admin error
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Cllr Louwella Prenter speaks to us about housing, homelessness, Love Gillingham and why being a YIMBY doesn’t mean harming the local environment.
This week’s Sunday interview:
This week’s Sunday interview:
“A YIMBY doesn’t mean you’re ruining the local environment”
What Steven asked Cllr Louwella Prenter, Medway Council Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness.
www.localauthority.news
December 1, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Cllr Louwella Prenter speaks to us about housing, homelessness, Love Gillingham and why being a YIMBY doesn’t mean harming the local environment.
This week’s Sunday interview:
This week’s Sunday interview:
Reposted by Local Authority
I really enjoyed this excellent and very timely article on the Medway Towns’ many lost pubs, by Chris de Coulon Berthoud, and published by @localauthority.news
#Bskybeer #Beersky
open.substack.com/pub/localaut...
#Bskybeer #Beersky
open.substack.com/pub/localaut...
The ghosts of a working-class landscape
Plus a proper Christmas for care leavers, new High Span album, our weekly events guide, and more
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:25 AM
I really enjoyed this excellent and very timely article on the Medway Towns’ many lost pubs, by Chris de Coulon Berthoud, and published by @localauthority.news
#Bskybeer #Beersky
open.substack.com/pub/localaut...
#Bskybeer #Beersky
open.substack.com/pub/localaut...
Record label @spinoutnuggets.bsky.social have released some of the best Medway music of the last decade. Steven met owner and DJ Lee Grimshaw to discuss why he set up the label, how he came to release the latest 5.6.7.8’s single, and what counts as success in the modern music business.
"Success is doing it in the first place"
What Steven asked Lee Grimshaw, owner of record label Spinout Nuggets
www.localauthority.news
November 27, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Record label @spinoutnuggets.bsky.social have released some of the best Medway music of the last decade. Steven met owner and DJ Lee Grimshaw to discuss why he set up the label, how he came to release the latest 5.6.7.8’s single, and what counts as success in the modern music business.
🛍️ Gillingham Street Angels has closed. What comes next?
🗳️ Politics latest
⛪ St. John's Church reopens
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🗳️ Politics latest
⛪ St. John's Church reopens
🗞️ News in brief, and more
GSA has closed. What comes next?
Plus politics latest, St. John's Church reopens, news in brief, and more
www.localauthority.news
November 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
🛍️ Gillingham Street Angels has closed. What comes next?
🗳️ Politics latest
⛪ St. John's Church reopens
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🗳️ Politics latest
⛪ St. John's Church reopens
🗞️ News in brief, and more
📮 We've launched something different: A pen pal scheme between Medway and a tiny village called Port Medway in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Learn more about the project and how to get involved here 👇
Learn more about the project and how to get involved here 👇
Connecting two Medways
A new pen pal project linking Medway and Port Medway, one handwritten letter at a time
www.localauthority.news
November 24, 2025 at 2:40 PM
📮 We've launched something different: A pen pal scheme between Medway and a tiny village called Port Medway in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Learn more about the project and how to get involved here 👇
Learn more about the project and how to get involved here 👇
In our latest column by Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, he talks about his Annual Policing Survey, the Police Property Fund, and the Safer Streets initiative.
www.localauthority.news/p/voice-of-t...
www.localauthority.news/p/voice-of-t...
Voice of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Matthew Scott on his Annual Policing Survey, the Police Property Fund, and the Safer Streets initiative
www.localauthority.news
November 19, 2025 at 3:28 PM
In our latest column by Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, he talks about his Annual Policing Survey, the Police Property Fund, and the Safer Streets initiative.
www.localauthority.news/p/voice-of-t...
www.localauthority.news/p/voice-of-t...
🤏 Medway shrinks its democracy
📍 4D for the future
👨⚕️ Medway to build care home
🗣️ Spalding censured
🗞️ News in brief, and more
📍 4D for the future
👨⚕️ Medway to build care home
🗣️ Spalding censured
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Medway shrinks its democracy
Plus 4D to the future, Medway to build a care home, Spalding censured, news in brief, and more
www.localauthority.news
November 18, 2025 at 3:23 PM
🤏 Medway shrinks its democracy
📍 4D for the future
👨⚕️ Medway to build care home
🗣️ Spalding censured
🗞️ News in brief, and more
📍 4D for the future
👨⚕️ Medway to build care home
🗣️ Spalding censured
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Tonight's full Medway Council meeting is underway. @edjennings.bsky.social is covering it live.
Good evening from tonight’s full Medway Council meeting.
A big meeting tonight where the council will set out their local government reorganisation position, and we also have the remaining business from last month’s abandoned meeting.
Full agenda here: democracy.medway.gov.uk/ieListDocume...
A big meeting tonight where the council will set out their local government reorganisation position, and we also have the remaining business from last month’s abandoned meeting.
Full agenda here: democracy.medway.gov.uk/ieListDocume...
November 13, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Tonight's full Medway Council meeting is underway. @edjennings.bsky.social is covering it live.
🏴 Flags down
💷 Medway still struggling to balance the books
📚 Strood Library finally gets a new lift
🗞️ News in brief, and more
💷 Medway still struggling to balance the books
📚 Strood Library finally gets a new lift
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Flags down
Plus Medway still struggling to balance the books, Strood Library finally getting a new lift, news in brief, and more
www.localauthority.news
November 12, 2025 at 4:03 PM
🏴 Flags down
💷 Medway still struggling to balance the books
📚 Strood Library finally gets a new lift
🗞️ News in brief, and more
💷 Medway still struggling to balance the books
📚 Strood Library finally gets a new lift
🗞️ News in brief, and more
⛺ Medway Streets Angels are not closing
⚽ Gills latest
✉️ The Silent Postman
🎸 adults at Poco Loco
🎟️ Our weekly events guide
🗞️ News in brief, and more
⚽ Gills latest
✉️ The Silent Postman
🎸 adults at Poco Loco
🎟️ Our weekly events guide
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Medway Street Angels are not closing
Plus Gills latest, the Silent Postman, adults at Poco Loco, our weekly events guide, news in brief, and more
localauthority.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:39 AM
⛺ Medway Streets Angels are not closing
⚽ Gills latest
✉️ The Silent Postman
🎸 adults at Poco Loco
🎟️ Our weekly events guide
🗞️ News in brief, and more
⚽ Gills latest
✉️ The Silent Postman
🎸 adults at Poco Loco
🎟️ Our weekly events guide
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🔐 Gillingham Street Angels suddenly announces closure
🔵 Conservative defects from Conservatives to Conservatives
🏴 The latest flag-off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🔵 Conservative defects from Conservatives to Conservatives
🏴 The latest flag-off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Gillingham Street Angels suddenly announces closure
Plus Conservative defects from Conservatives to Conservatives, the latest flag stand-off, news in brief, and more
www.localauthority.news
November 5, 2025 at 8:18 PM
🔐 Gillingham Street Angels suddenly announces closure
🔵 Conservative defects from Conservatives to Conservatives
🏴 The latest flag-off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🔵 Conservative defects from Conservatives to Conservatives
🏴 The latest flag-off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
📚 Medway River Lit returns
🧑🎨 Requiem for a hoodie
🪕 New Singing Loins album
🎨 Give art a second chance
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
🧑🎨 Requiem for a hoodie
🪕 New Singing Loins album
🎨 Give art a second chance
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
Medway River Lit returns
Plus requiem for a hoodie, new Singing Loins album, give art a second chance, our weekly events guide, and more
www.localauthority.news
November 4, 2025 at 12:03 PM
📚 Medway River Lit returns
🧑🎨 Requiem for a hoodie
🪕 New Singing Loins album
🎨 Give art a second chance
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
🧑🎨 Requiem for a hoodie
🪕 New Singing Loins album
🎨 Give art a second chance
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
From Militant to TUSC and now Your Party, Chas Berry, who has long been at the forefront of leftist politics in Medway. We talk to him about his journey, leaving Labour, his hopes for the new party, and lots more.
“I still support the idea of revolutionary change”
What Steven asked Chas Berry, socialist and coordinator for Your Party Medway
www.localauthority.news
November 3, 2025 at 2:55 PM
From Militant to TUSC and now Your Party, Chas Berry, who has long been at the forefront of leftist politics in Medway. We talk to him about his journey, leaving Labour, his hopes for the new party, and lots more.
🗣️ Kent and Medway's relationship seems increasingly strained
🏴 Anti-immigration march for this weekend is off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🏴 Anti-immigration march for this weekend is off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
Kent and Medway's relationship seems increasingly strained
How a plan to save Kent’s tourism voice became another casualty of Reform’s chaos. Plus
www.localauthority.news
October 29, 2025 at 11:10 AM
🗣️ Kent and Medway's relationship seems increasingly strained
🏴 Anti-immigration march for this weekend is off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🏴 Anti-immigration march for this weekend is off
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🇺🇳 Medway marks 80 years of the UN
🪕 Music supergroup South Shore launches crowdfunder
🎭 Play by Medway creatives reaches the London stage
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
🪕 Music supergroup South Shore launches crowdfunder
🎭 Play by Medway creatives reaches the London stage
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
Medway marks 80 years of the UN
Plus crowdfunder launched for Medway supergroup, we review the Flowers of Srebrenica on stage, our weekly events guide, and more
www.localauthority.news
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
🇺🇳 Medway marks 80 years of the UN
🪕 Music supergroup South Shore launches crowdfunder
🎭 Play by Medway creatives reaches the London stage
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
🪕 Music supergroup South Shore launches crowdfunder
🎭 Play by Medway creatives reaches the London stage
🎟️ Our weekly events guide, and more
We've shared lots more photos from Saturday's UKIP march and counter-protest in Rochester over on our Instagram:
localauthoritynews on Instagram: "More photos from Saturday’s UKIP march and counter-protest in Rochester. All photos: Authority Media.🔗 Link to full coverage in bi…"
More photos from Saturday’s UKIP march and counter-protest in Rochester. All photos: Authority Media.🔗 Link to full coverage in bio/story.
www.instagram.com
October 22, 2025 at 12:01 PM
We've shared lots more photos from Saturday's UKIP march and counter-protest in Rochester over on our Instagram:
📣 UKIP's march on Rochester fails to find an audience
🗣️ Medway Council meeting comes to an abrupt end
📸 The return of Rehman
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🗣️ Medway Council meeting comes to an abrupt end
📸 The return of Rehman
🗞️ News in brief, and more
A protest in search of a crowd
Plus Medway Council meeting comes to an abrupt end, the return of Rehman, news in brief, and more
localauthority.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
📣 UKIP's march on Rochester fails to find an audience
🗣️ Medway Council meeting comes to an abrupt end
📸 The return of Rehman
🗞️ News in brief, and more
🗣️ Medway Council meeting comes to an abrupt end
📸 The return of Rehman
🗞️ News in brief, and more