No tickets are available on the day or admission allowed · The match is segregated for supporters’ safety and enjoyment; we ask that both sets of supporters stay in their designated areas at ALL times · Dover fans will enter through the turnstiles at the car park end Any supporters found in the wrong end will be escorted out with no readmittance the car park is closed to the general public Please use public transport or alternative car parks in the town centre or local streets · PLEASE REFRAIN from entering the pitch after the match The players will want to celebrate their season with the fans and the winning team celebrate together with supporters in a sensible fashion Supporters will incur a fine for their club if they enter the pitch · The main bars are for Dartford supporters ONLY · Pyrotechnics are strictly prohibited Additional match information for Dover fans: * a burger bar snack kiosk and draught beer will be available in the Dover end Dartford Football Club hopes all supporters enjoy the match and asks that both sets of supporters create a positive GrassbanksDartfordKentDA1 1RTUnited Kingdom Telephone: 01322 299991Email: info@dartfordfc.com Dartford FC prides itself on being a community club wholly committed to eradicating all forms of discrimination and we continue to take a zero-tolerance approach we remind all supporters that anyone using discriminatory or abusive language will be asked to leave the stadium immediately and will face future punishment Dover head to Dartford on Monday in the Isthmian Premier Division Play Off Final for a chance to return to the National League South Dover Athletic reached the Isthmian League Play-Off Final with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Billericay Town at New Lodge his shot deflecting off the post and Walker’s back But Dover hit back immediately through Alfie Matthews who curled a stunning free kick into the top corner delivering another sublime free kick in the 119th minute to seal victory His heroics sent Dover through to face Dartford in Monday’s final In our home meeting earlier in the season Dover cruised to a dominant 5-1 win over Dartford Ruben Soares-Junior opened the scoring after a goalkeeping error Luke Baptiste added a third just before half-time Alfie Matthews curled in a stunning free kick early in the second half and although Dartford replied through Jeremiah Pinder In the away encounter just a few weeks ago Despite a bright start and early chances for Nikaj and Matthews Dover fell behind to a sublime Carruthers free kick and Hill’s header made it three just after Soares-Junior nearly responded with a thunderous strike off the post then scored a stunning 20th league goal to offer late hope Dover pushed forward but couldn’t break through again Dartford’s physicality and clinical finishing proved decisive sealing victory in the Good Friday Kent Derby Dartford staged a dramatic comeback to beat Cray Valley PM 4-3 after extra time and reach the Isthmian Premier League Play-Off Final Trailing 2-0 after two headers from Danny Waldren Dartford pulled one back through a Samir Carruthers penalty following a red card for Cray Sam Odaudu equalised deep into stoppage time He then set up Hayden Bullas to make it 3-2 before George Whitefield added a fourth A pulsating night at Princes Park ended in wild celebrations as Dartford booked a final clash with Dover Dartford finished in 3rd place in the Isthmian Premier League with with 84 points from 42 matches Their away form was similarly strong: 13 wins 12/04 – Whitehawk (A) – Won 1-018/04 – Dover Athletic (H) – Won 3-121/04 – Cray Wanderers (A) – Drew 2-226/04 – Carshalton Athletic (H) – Lost 1-430/04 – Cray Valley PM (H) – Won 4-3 AET (Play Off Semi Final) Bericote Powerhouse Princes ParkGrassbanksDarenth RoadDartfordKentDA1 1RT More information: https://www.dartfordfc.com/directions-to-the-ground/ Join us in The Centre Spot as we stream the full Play-Off Final LIVE Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a casual supporter everyone’s welcome at The Centre Spot to soak in the atmosphere grab a bite to eat while you enjoy the action Dartford’s hopes of a swift return to the National League South were ended by a strong Dover Athletic side who won in front of a bumper crowd of 3,805 at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park With the weather offering a combination of cold and windy conditions on this Bank Holiday Monday nothing concrete materialised in the final third as the wind added additional speed to the ball when it was in flight Dover soon began to venture forward and looked the more likely to break the deadlock in what was a rather cagey first forty-five Luke Baptiste’s excellent run was ended in its tracks by a late George Whitefield challenge While the Dartford defender was given a yellow card Alfie Matthews sent the resulting free-kick straight into the grateful arms of Jacob Marsden (17) Olly Box and Callum Jones combined well to steal the ball away from Jacob Mensah only for Fuad Sesay put in a brilliant block to prevent Jones’ strike from troubling goalkeeper Mitch Walker (25) the remainder of the half would see both sides cancel each other out as both defences stood strong things began hotting up out on the pitch during the opening exchanges of the second-half it was The Whites who started the brighter of the two sides And as Dover overloaded the Dartford box in the 56th minute Josh Hill’s superb challenge was followed by a late one by someone else which saw referee The lively Ruben Soares-Junior stepped up to edge Jake Leberl’s side ahead (57) The hosts responded immediately and won a corner but once again the Dover defence remained solid Ady Pennock moved to swap Michael Olarewaju with Luther Williams (61) before swapping Samir Carruthers and Samuel Okoye with Eddie Dsane and Jeremiah Pinder (74) The Dartford boss would throw on Louis Dunne for George Whitefield late on (87) as the hosts looked for a way back into the contest we find Mr Scott book Joe Tennent for time wasting (63) before Jacob Marsden’s rush of blood saw him booked for fouling Sesay (66) Ruben Soares-Junior came close to doubling Dover’s advantage with a curling effort from the edge of the box (74) before Mitch Walker pulled off a wonderful save to prevent Olly Box’s drive from flying in (83) as he rushed out to make a brilliant save from the resulting corner (84) Mr Scott then denied the Darts a blatant penalty after Box had been clearly fouled inside the Dover area (86)… before awarding a free-kick at the other end within seconds And Alfie Matthews was the player to react quickest to the set-piece as he sent a thumping header beyond Jacob Marsden to seal the win and promotion for his team (87) but there just wasn’t enough time and the visitors managed the remainder of the game So it’ll be another season in the Isthmian Premier League for Ady Pennock’s Darts every single player can be proud of themselves even more so when you consider how the campaign started Denzelle Olopade became the eleventh player to be given the Man of The Match award which tells you how good this Dartford team has been this season Everyone will take a well-deserved rest now before we return for pre-season and start building for another chance to challenge at the top Match Photos Gallery Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters In a result that reflected the overall winners and losers of the 2025 Kent County Council elections Reform UK took all seven seats on offer in Dover off of the Conservative party The Tories started the election in control of every seat in Dover district but byu the end of the day the seven seats were among the 50 the party lost overall In total on Kent County Council Reform UK now has overall control and holds 57 out of the 81 seats the Lib Dems are the second largest party with 12 councillors The final two seats are taken by Labour councillors down from the five the party held before the election.# Full results for Dover District are listed below: For a full list of results from across Kent click here: Kent Local Election results full list For detailed results from the other 11 Kent County Council areas Ashford Canterbury Dartford Folkestone and Hythe Gravesham Maidstone Sevenoaks Swale Thanet Tonbridge and Malling Tunbridge Wells Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right DOVER — Police are investigating a physical altercation at the Ninety Nine Restaurant where a man was found with multiple non-life-threatening stab wounds Thursday afternoon at approximately 4:35 p.m police responded to 8 Hotel Drive to a reported altercation at the restaurant officers found an adult male suffering with multiple non-life-threatening stab wounds and "an adult female with non-life-threatening injuries to her forearm," according to a police press release Authorities allege another individual involved in the incident fled before police arrival "The altercation reportedly began as a verbal dispute between the two males which escalated into a physical confrontation and the female was injured while attempting to intervene," the press release stated and all people involved have been identified An investigation is ongoing to the motive and circumstances The Dover Police Department asks the public with any information to contact them at 603-742-4646 Anonymous information can be submitted via the Dover Crimeline at 603-749-60000 The big day is almost here – and while we know not everyone can make it to the Play-Off Final in person we’ve got the next best thing right here at The Megger Community Stadium as Dover Athletic take on Dartford to regain a place in the National League South we’ve got a little something to soften the blow Season ticket holders can enjoy a free pint of Fosters on us Just show your season ticket card at the bar and we’ll do the rest Voters across Dover district will head to the polls on Thursday (May 1) to elect seven councillors to represent them on Kent County Council Residents in Dover as well as towns such as Deal and Sandwich and surrounding villages have the chance to use their vote to influence policies on issues such as roads Dover district has 35 candidates standing across five wards with some wards electing one councillor and others two to county hall the seven seats are held by six Conservative and one independent councillor 425 candidates are standing for your votes in 72 wards across the 12 boroughs and districts that make up the Kent County Council region Medway Council does not have elections scheduled in 2025 Kent County Council currently has a Conservative majority with the Lib Dems as the next largest party on six Labour and the Green Party hold five seats each three members for Reform and one each for the Heritage Party and the Swale Independents Elections in Kent are going ahead this year despite the ongoing devolution process that is set to see the county’s current councils abolished to be replaced with a smaller number of unitary authorities A full list of candidates for all of the Dover district seats in the 2025 Kent County Council elections are listed below: For a full list of candidates standing in ever area of Kent in the 2025 Local Elections click here. For a detailed list of Ashford candidates click here For a detailed list of Canterbury candidates click here For a detailed list of Dartford candidates click here For a detailed list of Folkestone and Hythe candidates click here For a detailed list of Gravesham candidates click here For a detailed list of Maidstone candidates click here For a detailed list of Sevenoaks candidates click here For a detailed list of Swale candidates click here For a detailed list of Thanet candidates click here For a detailed list of Tonbridge and Malling candidates click here For a detailed list of Tunbridge Wells candidates click here Dartford target promotion to the National South in a big Kent derby playoff final against rivals Dover Athletic on Bank Holiday Monday A return to the National South at the first attempt awaits the winners in what will be Josh Hill’s final game The Dartford skipper will want to hang up his boots in style by captaining the Darts to victory Dover Athletic will arrive at Princes Park wanting to spoil the party after claiming the final playoff place on the final day Dartford were seconds from bowing out on Wednesday and seeing their season come to an end Set pieces were the Darts downfall with two identical corners by Cray Valley Paper Mills in each half Danny Waldren got on the end of both to give the visitors a 2-0 lead and leave Pennock’s side on the brink Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV The hosts were handed a lifeline with 20 minutes to go when Cray Valley’s Crossley Lema was red carded for an off the ball incident in the penalty area Roland Edge and Cray Valley boss Steve McKimm both acknowledged the dismissal was the turning point in the game The match official awarded the hosts a penalty After hitting the woodwork and throwing everything at the Millers a free kick was given for one final chance Sam Odaudu went for goal with the last kick and his shot deflected into the net The turnaround was complete in extra time when Hayden Bullas swept home a third Then it got better with George Whitefield netted his tenth of the season the ten men of Cray Valley threatened another twist when Adam Coombes pulled a goal back Pennock made three changes to the starting lineup Luther Williams replaced the suspended Michael Olarewaju whilst Jez Pinder came in for Samir Carruthers who has been struggling to play a full ninety minutes due to injury Carruthers was later substituted in extra time Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV Dover Athletic also needed an additional half hour in their win over league runners up Billericay Town Alfie Matthews was the hero scoring an extra time brace Jake Leberl named the same team that clinched the playoff place with a win against Chichester City the Whites came from behind to reach the final and set up a Kent derby Billericay Town took the lead early in extra time when former Dart The visitors fought back immediately when Matthews equalised Matthews netted the winner late in the second period Match highlights courtesy of DAFCtv Home advantage counted in the two league meetings between Dartford and Dover Athletic this season the Darts were made to pay for defensive errors by their rival’s potent strike force Ruben Soares-Junior and Luke Baptiste have all scored over 20 goals this season totalling 69 between them Soares-Junior grabbed a brace in the 5-1 win over the Darts by starting and finishing the scoring George Wilkinson and Baptiste had the hosts three up before half-time and Matthews added another five minutes into the second half The Good Friday reverse match over a fortnight ago went Dartford’s way demonstrating how far the side have progressed this season any derby day nerves for the Darts were settled on quarter of an hour when Carruthers brilliantly curled in a free kick The lead was doubled when Denzelle Olopade pounced on a flicked header In the second half a third arrived with Hill heading home at the far post after great work from Olly Box to get in the cross Dover Athletic managed to get one back through Soares-Junior For both teams this is their seventh playoff campaign and the two clubs have experienced plenty of heartbreak in the past Although the Darts won the 2012 National South final in another Kent derby at home against Welling United they have lost three penalty shootouts including the final versus Weymouth five years ago The Darts have looked down and out a couple of times this season Most notably back in October when they were in 15th spot A club record equalling 21 matches unbeaten put Dartford in the title race Defensively the Darts have generally been solid Only champions Horsham kept more clean sheets this term and Dartford conceded the fourth fewest they have conceded nine in their last three outings Attacking wise the goals have been shared out with five players hitting double figures in all competitions Dover Athletic’s solitary playoff winning campaign also resulted in a Kent derby triumph when they beat Ebbsfleet United 4-2 to reach the National League in 2014 Like the Darts they have also had five failed attempts including one chance to make it to the Football League nine years ago The Whites have been losing finalists on two occasions In 2006 they were beaten by Tonbridge Angels in the Isthmian Division One South and in 2013 by Salisbury City in the National South The Whites grabbed the final playoff spot with a winner takes all showdown against Chichester City on the last game Failure to cement a playoff spot would have been disastrous for Dover considering they were the early front runners to win the league The Whites were top from October to the New Year then they lost form for a couple of months The Whites had a strong enough finish to the campaign to hold on to fifth place Dartford wins: 19 / Dover Athletic wins: 12 / Draws: 12 Dartford 3 – 1 Dover Athletic (18/04/2025 – Isthmian Premier)Dover Athletic 5 – 1 Dartford (07/09/2024 – Isthmian Premier)Dover Athletic 1 – 2 Dartford (17/02/2024 – National South)Dartford 2 – 0 Dover Athletic (28/08/2023 – National South)Dartford 2 – 1 Dover Athletic (10/04/2023 – National South)Dover Athletic 1 – 3 Dartford (13/09/2022 – National South) Billericay Town and Dover Athletic faced off in a high-stakes Isthmian League Premier Division Play-Off Semi-Final With a place in the final and the chance at promotion on the line both sides brought intensity and grit in a game that would ultimately be decided in extra time Despite a lively and fast-paced start from Billericay with Bradley Williams bursting down the right and firing over after a strong run Elliot Long tested the Dover keeper with a low drive while Femi Akinwande and Frankie Merrifield created dangerous openings that couldn’t be converted testing Sam Donkin with a long-range shot and curling a free kick just wide Their best opening came when a free header from Ryan Hanson was comfortably collected Billericay’s biggest chance of the half came just before the break when Long’s strike was parried into the path of De-Carrey Sheriff The second half continued in much the same fashion Dover should have taken the lead early on when Donkin made a superb double save to deny George Nikaj and Matthews Davis rattled the crossbar with a towering header while Williams and Akinwande kept the visitors’ defence alert There was controversy as Dover looked to have scored after a frantic goalmouth scramble but the officials judged the ball hadn’t crossed the line Billericay’s penalty appeals were waved away shortly after and both sides pushed for a late winner without success The deadlock was finally broken in extra time Femi Akinwande struck first for Billericay after a brilliant counter-attack cutting in from the left and seeing his effort bounce off the post and onto Walker’s back before trickling over the line Alfie Matthews curled a sensational free kick into the top corner to equalise a stunning response that shifted the momentum the game appeared destined for penalties until Matthews delivered again Another expertly taken free kick dipped over the wall and found the back of the net to give Dover a late lead Matthews was substituted in stoppage time to a hero’s ovation and Dover saw out the final moments to secure their place in the play-off final against Dartford on Monday Isthmian League – Premier Division Play-off Semi FinalAttendance: 2,857Kick-off: 7.45pmVenue: New LodgeBillericay Town: After discussions with the Isthmian Premier league DFC has been forced to halt the sale of online tickets for the Dartford v Dover Play-off Final on Monday To ensure match-day safety and in order that genuine Dartford fans are given the opportunity to buy tickets the club will be selling the remainder of their allocation at the club Please don’t be concerned that you may have missed out – there are still 1,000 tickets left from 10am to 3pm – or until tickets sell out – for supporters to come in person and buy their tickets While the Club followed league protocol for this important match it is aware that away fans may have purchased tickets meant for home fans and will have extra security on the day Any Dover fans found in the Dartford areas will be removed from the ground For any queries please contact operations@dartfordfc.com Dartford FC prides itself on being a community club wholly committed to eradicating all forms of discrimination and we continue to take a zero-tolerance approach, we remind all supporters that anyone using discriminatory, foul, or abusive language will be asked to leave the stadium immediately and will face future punishment. Community donations have been flooding in for families evacuated during a large fire at a block of flats in Dover Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to Conqueror House in Crabble Hill just after 1am on Easter Sunday Firefighting operations are now complete after crews spent the day yesterday making sure that there were no hotspots Kent Police are now managing the building while further investigations into the cause take place Jackie McGarry from the Dover Working Men’s Club says communities are coming together to deliver aid to families Jackie McGarry from the Dover Working Men’s Club told ITV News Meridian that they’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness of locals She said: "This is what Dover community has done I said that I would be the hub for any donations not expecting half as much as what we have "Sadly we've had to tell people that we are sorry but no more donations at the moment but we have toiletries there's new duvets and everything." and two people were checked over by SECAmb paramedics for smoke inhalation Dover District Council has been working to offer support and provide emergency accommodation to those affected Around thirty people are thought to be staying in nearby hotels Leader of Dover District Council Kevin Mills said some families had sadly lost everything and would need lots of support Leader of Dover District Council spoke to reporter Joe Coshan The KFRS Volunteer Response Team also attended providing welfare support for the crew and assistance to displaced residents A fundraiser set up to help those affected is hoping to collect £3500 Meanwhile Maya's Community Support Centre is also offering those affected help with clothing and toiletries Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. Dover Clinch Play-off Spot with Composed Win at Oaklands Park Dover Athletic secured their place in the 2024/25 Isthmian Premier Division play-offs with a crucial 3-1 win away at Chichester City on the final day of the regular season With both sides vying for the final play-off spot – Dover in fifth and Chichester in sixth – the stakes could not have been higher while a draw would be enough for the visitors The hosts started brightly in front of a strong home crowd Their possession-heavy approach put Dover under early pressure and an injury to Curtis Da Costa forced an early reshuffle with Charlie Bennett introduced in the 16th minute Chichester’s persistence paid off in the 25th minute when Lewis Rustell executed a stunning overhead kick looping the ball past a stranded Mitch Walker who made his first start in five months for Dover following injury Luke Baptiste’s inswinging corner was met at the near post by George Nikaj whose glancing header nestled into the bottom corner They dominated the closing stages of the half Dover came out after the break with renewed energy a powerful header from Luca Cocoracchio was denied by a superb save from Kieran Magee The hosts had their moments but failed to capitalise with efforts from promising positions flying over the bar A surging run and cross from Roman Charles-Cook found Ruben Soares-Junior lurking at the back post for a simple tap-in Dover nearly extended their lead through an audacious bicycle kick from Soares-Junior and a powerful drive that Magee parried away making two critical saves to preserve Dover’s lead The second came just before the breakaway that led to a penalty deep into stoppage time the referee pointed to the spot after a foul in the box coolly converting in 90+9 to round off a clinical away performance The goal marked his 20th of the league season joining Nikaj and Soares-Junior in an elite trio for the Whites Dover Athletic finish the season in fifth and now turn their focus to a play-off semi-final against Billericay Town on Wednesday night Chichester’s brave campaign ends in heartbreak falling just short of a historic play-off push in their first season at Step 3 Isthmian League Premier DivisionDate: Saturday 2025Venue: Oaklands ParkAttendance: 1,356Referee: Daniel D’UrsoKick-off: 3:00 PM Dover head to Billericay in our Isthmian Premier Division Play Off Semi Final Dover Athletic secured a play-off place with a 3-1 win at Chichester City in a tense final-day clash Lewis Rustell’s spectacular overhead kick gave the hosts a 25th-minute lead but George Nikaj equalised before half-time Ruben Soares-Junior tapped home in the 70th minute after great work from Roman Charles-Cook and a late penalty from Luke Baptiste—his 20th league goal—sealed victory deep into stoppage time Mitch Walker made key saves on his return from injury In our away meeting earlier in the season Dover earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Billericay on a hot afternoon in Essex George Nikaj set up Luke Baptiste for a saved effort while Lindell Stewart and Baptiste both missed late first-half chances The breakthrough came on 70 minutes when Baptiste cut back for Nikaj to tap home capitalising on defensive uncertainty to equalise Dover Athletic fell to a narrow 1-0 home defeat against Billericay Town with Montel McKenzie’s deflected first-half free-kick proving decisive Despite dominating possession and creating several chances—most notably through George Wilkinson who was twice denied brilliantly by keeper Sam Donkin—Dover couldn’t find a breakthrough Roman Charles-Cook and George Nikaj combined early on while Alfie Matthews and Luke Baptiste impressed in midfield Late efforts from Fuad Sesay and substitutes Eniye Amgbaduba and Francis Mampolo couldn’t beat a resolute Billericay defence Billericay Town beat Cheshunt 4-2 in a thrilling finale but fell short of securing the Isthmian Premier Division title with Tommy Davis and Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite putting them 2-0 up Frankie Merrifield struck before half-time to give Billericay hope Matt Johnson and Decarrey Sheriff turned the game around Sheriff then missed a penalty as Constable pulled off a fine save but it wasn’t enough to clinch the title on a dramatic afternoon Billericay Town finished in 2nd place in the Isthmian Premier League with 87 points from 42 matches level on points with leaders Horsham but behind on goal difference with a goal tally of 83 scored and 42 conceded 09/04 – Chatham Town (N) – Won 3-2 (Alan Turvey Trophy Final)12/04 – Potters Bar Town (A) – Won 2-018/04 – Folkestone Invicta (H) – Won 2-021/04 – Canvey Island (A) – Won 3-026/04 – Cheshunt (H) – Won 4-2 Adult £13 Concession £8Young Adult (12-17) £511 or Under £1 Whether local politicians like it or not – people tend to vote on national issues in local elections The Kent County Council election results have confirmed what the polls have been saying for some time – Reform UK are the big name on the block and are sticking it to both Labour and the Tories KCC has been a Conservative stronghold almost since its creation in 1974 with only a brief gap of no overall control in the 1990s Decades of near-unbroken Tory hegemony have been shattered by Reform UK like each of Nigel Farage's outfits before it depends on capturing an anti-system energy: being seen to be the party against all the established ones This is a viable strategy for an insurgent opposition – but is it one for governing Nigel Farage told a press conference in Dover last week that the first thing his party would do in control of KCC is "bring the auditors in" to investigate "gross financial mismanagement" by the Tories in recent years KCC had to cut more than £70 million this year to make its budget balance in April Will Reform UK be able to counteract the ever-expanding costs of KCC's legal responsibilities Social care in particular is a sink for the funds of local authorities and they are legally forced to provide it whatever the cost So when Reform say they'll try to sort out the county's finances their options look limited – the only things they can cut are 'discretionary' services and reduce the provision of services such as libraries Perhaps these auditors will help the new administration find novel ways of raising and saving cash to reduce their immediate financial headache but they would have to find something the previous Tory leadership didn't seem to know about KCC's next budget in 2026 will likely see even more severe cuts unless these auditors work magic for the new administration The authority does have significant reserves so isn't likely to go bankrupt – at least not before it's abolished in the reorganisation of local government around 2028 These elections will be KCC's last ever and the new Reform leadership of KCC will have to agree with all 12 districts and Medway Council on exactly what they want the county to look like when split into multiple separate unitary authorities is not one that KCC really has any control over The council provides housing for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children KCC members of all parties have for some time thought our county gets a raw deal when it comes to asylum-seeker accommodation with most of those needing to be housed arriving via Dover Reform UK could maybe attempt to reduce its expenditure on this Any attempt to reduce the cost and subsequently the quality of such housing would no doubt be met by legal challenges but refusing to house them full stop is legally out of the question The risk of being unable to deliver on their priorities or solve KCC's financial woes may not bode well for their general election prospects Recent polling suggests Reform would be the largest party in a general election if held now – perhaps not so if they have to govern parts of the country for the next several years Criticising the Tories for cuts to services works well for all opposition parties on the campaign trail but if Reform can't sort out KCC's coffers they may well be forced to make extensive cuts of their own Reform could find themselves having to take responsibility for the same sort of unpopular local cuts scandals and fiascos which already bedevil Labour and the Tories This is to say nothing of the politics of a new Reform-led KCC They will soon have to vote on a leader of their group who will become leader of KCC and no doubt any number of the first-time councillors wearing Reform rosettes today see themselves potentially at the helm but the fight for power within Reform itself is already underway For a full list of results from across Kent click here: Kent Local Election results full list For detailed results from each of the 12 Kent County Council areas click below: Dover A double shooting outside a Dover pub early May 4 leaves one man dead as Dover police said a large group formed in the parking lot of McGlynns Pub Arriving officers found the wounded men who had multiple gunshot wounds to their upper bodies The men were taken to Bayhealth Hospital Kent Campus in Dover His identity was not released by police pending notification of his family The younger man's medical condition was not provided Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com Dover Athletic has announced that two banning orders have been issued against supporters who were identified as behaving in a totally unacceptable manner at the away match at Dartford on Good Friday.  “We cannot name the individuals for legal reasons but we have stated very clearly that we will not accept this type of behaviour and will act when it occurs are not welcome as Dover supporters; they tarnish the good name of the club and the majority of our fan base who behave in a respectable manner If individuals believe that it’s nearly the end of the season and it will all be forgotten at the start of next season I appeal to our younger supporters who were in and around the group causing issues on Friday to consider their actions and not allow themselves to be led by a few older individuals who should know better do you really want to risk being banned from the club you support?” DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Dover Corporation (NYSE: DOV) today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.515 (fifty-one and one-half cents) per share Investor Contact:Jack DickensVice President – Investor Relations(630) 743-2566[email protected] Media Contact:Adrian SakowiczVice President – Communications(630) 743-5039[email protected]  announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31 part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) and a world-leading supplier of brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHEs) today announced the introduction of CO2-reduced .. Electronic Components HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) Computer & Electronics Computer Software Do not sell or share my personal information: What we witnessed today in the Kent County Council elections was less a political "earthquake" as the Liberal Democrat Richard Streatfeild put it and more like an Exocet To see the Conservatives reduced to five seats when they started the day on 57 is almost unthinkable The new Reform UK administration has full control of the council and cannot be outvoted by the other parties The Tory Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott described the catastrophe that befell them today as "potentially existential" A (former) back bencher put it slightly more succinctly when he said: "Reform is the new Conservative Party They have nicked many of the values of traditional Conservatism and they appeal in a way that Thatcher did 40 years ago "How we build back from here is impossible to know." Reform UK inherits some of the problems that ousted KCC leader Roger Gough soon found when he had 60-odd in the chamber at County Hall in 2021 The sheen of victory tarnishes very quickly when the day to day business has to be done Once the cabinet and deputy cabinet jobs are doled out there will still be more than 30 sitting on the back benches wondering why they were not picked bored and dispirited rank and file members start to cause trouble The Tory back bench was full of plotting cabals whose allegiances could shift from one day to the next They felt excluded from the top table's decision making because that is what the cabinet system is in danger of creating the new Reform UK council leader and top team will soon experience this These are changing times for local government Reform UK will have to oversee the dismantling of KCC as the new unitary authorities come into being in a few years' time That means the members at County Hall will meet their electors sooner than the full four year term and defend their record Its cabinet will be responsible for a £1.5bn budget does not cover the cost of the services it must provide by law If the new leader thinks there is a legion of hidden 'woke' appointments costing the beleaguered tax-payer tens of millions then he or she may possibly be greatly disappointed the new leader of the opposition and his deputy Cllr Streatfeild will present a small but effective body of 12 members who will hold KCC to account He is right to ask how the changes Reform UK claims it make will be achieved and he is all ears over its plans to pay for adult social care the biggest drain on the KCC purse serving a tiny proportion of the population Reform UK has sent a message out loud and clear today and the people have most definitely spoken While they might celebrate tonight with their triumphant leader Nigel Farage as they beat Kent rivals Dover Athletic to remain top of the Isthmian Premier League table with a fifth win in six games With a bumper crowd of 1,878 turning up at Princes Park neither side failed to disappoint during an excellent game of Non-League football on a lovely Good Friday afternoon Both teams went at it hammer and tong in a competitive opening few minutes as George Nikaj fired straight into the arms of Jacob Marsden early on Olly Box and Samir Carruthers both went close at the other end before the former’s excellent control and run was abruptly ended by a foul on the edge of the Whites’ box Carruthers stepped up to send a wonderful curling effort beyond Jordan Gillmore and into the top corner to give the Darts a fourteenth minute lead The visitors responded via Alfie Matthews who couldn’t keep his header down before great goalkeeping by Marsden prevented the excellent Ruben Soares-Junior from having a free shot on goal (28) The Dover Captain would prove to be the only real bright spark in his team and was a constant thorn in Dartford’s side all afternoon Dover soon found themselves further behind when they failed to deal with a long throw from Sam Odaudu The ball was flicked into the path of Denzelle Olopade who doubled the hosts’ lead with his seventh goal of the season (36) The Whites responded once again via Soares-Junior who smacked the Dartford upright with a delightful effort before the break the hosts were forced into an early change in personnel with Louis Dunne having to replace Samir Carruthers (46) Ady Pennock would then go on to swap Hayden Bullas with Jeremiah Pinder (65) before Callum Jones left the field to be replaced by Tyler Christian-Law (80) Jake Leberl responded by swapping Alfie Matthews with Francis Mampolo (63) and Fuad Sesay with Tamas Amgbaduba (82) The Whites’ boss then made a triple substitution four minutes from time with Conrad Lucan and Eniye Amgbaduba all coming on for George Nikaj As we return to the restart of the second-half we find the Darts bursting out of the blocks once again before sending a delightful cross towards the head of Josh Hill And the commanding Dartford Skipper couldn’t miss with his towering header Ruben Soares-Junior pulled one back for the visitors with a delightful and deserved strike with eleven minutes remaining but it would prove to only be a consolation goal because the Darts saw out the remainder of the match with another solid defensive display Substitute Eddie Dsane almost had the last laugh after stealing the ball away from Joe Tennent but the Dartford striker was thwarted by an alert Jordan Gillmore in the end (85) There were many excellent performances across the Dartford squad this afternoon but another solid defensive unit led by Josh Hill meant that it was the Skipper who was rewarded with a well-deserved Man of The Match award for his efforts on what was a happy Good Friday indeed Sign up to our Untold Stories newsletter for news and stories from a diverse range of communities Research shows that the core of any great high street is variety which, in turn, drives up footfall, attracts visitors, and makes a positive impact on the local economy. But in one Kent town business owners and workers lament the lack of shops For travellers arriving by ferry, the port town of Dover is the first place they set foot in the country with many staying in town for a short period of time Dover has a lot to offer: from its iconic White Cliffs to its castle overlooking the town But businesses believe there needs to be more stores in the high street to attract shoppers Gokul Rawat, employee at Pan Asian restaurant Calcutta Port, told KentLive: “There should be more shops, more shopping centres coming to the town because if I have to buy something I have to go to Canterbury which is an hour away “Dover is a port town where you get people from everywhere "There should be more shops and people would definitely be coming." The 28-year-old moved from London to Dover just a year ago and described his new home as being ‘welcoming’ and ‘friendly’ But he also highlighted the lack of pubs and nightlife venues If there are shops which remain open until 8pm “I hear that there were around 50-60 pubs in Dover back in time but now there are only a few.” Explaining the reasons behind his decision to relocate he said: “I found the city [London] very chaotic and I want to live in a peaceful place "It was too busy and I didn't like the environment I found people to be more friendly compared to London I think Kent is one of the best parts of being in the UK.” Calcutta Port is one of only a few restaurants serving Indian food in Dover It includes all the classics from the traditional Tikka Masala to traditional homemade curries Amarillo’s Sandwich bar serves freshly-made baguettes and sandwiches in Worthington Street The family-run business has been trading in the town for more than two decades The owner Jeyakanthan Thieventirampillai works with his son Thilagsham who helps him run the business “We've just picked up a lot of customers that have been coming for years unless you're cutting down prices,” Thilagsham said it needs to be like St James to attract more customers But Thilagsham remains confident: “We want to attract more customers and open new branches." Dover District Council said it continued to work with partners to deliver an “ambitious programme of regeneration and investment” and to support local businesses and communities in the town The council is working on a number of projects to improve the centre including the regeneration of Bench Street This project is supported by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (£18.1m) and Future High Streets Fund (£3.2m) Other projects include the restoration of Dover Maison Dieu which is nearing completion the St James development featuring a range of popular shops and hospitality venues and a range of events set to be organised in Dover including live music in the Market Square during the summer months The council is also improving the Marine Curve on Dover Seafront to bring footfall to the town centre A spokesperson added: “We continue to work with partners to make sure Dover remains a safe place to live work and visit "The Community Roots van regularly visits the town (four times a month) to engage with residents." Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE Protesters who fall on either side of the immigration debate are expected to descend on a Kent town this weekend. Police have been alerted to the potential clash between the two sides, and will be sending extra resources to Dover Almost 900 people have confirmed their attendance to the meet titled ‘Stop the boats now 10,000+ bikers and friends illegal migrant protest ride to Dover’ The event has been set up by ‘Kent Motor Heads Events’ which created an invitation on social media site Facebook A description of the day reads: “Enough is enough Nothing is and never will be done to stop the mass invasion of our tiny island we are known to do what we say we are going to do and will line the roads and the whole area of Dover in a mass protest to show how p****d off everyone is with this now A later update to the description continues: “This started off as a ride/meet that a few of us decided to do by just showing a presence in and around Dover harbour/town and our frustration at the amount of illegals coming into the country We want to make it a fun day but also get a strong message across.” A counter protest was later announced by the Kent branch of campaign group They promise to “stand up for migrants and refugees” and “oppose the stop the boats mass protest ride to Dover” Members of SUTR are expected to assemble at town centre spot The bikers say their plan is to meet at 1pm at the site of the former leisure centre next to Townwall Street car park As the town where many small boats arrive in the UK carrying asylum seekers Dover has previously been a flashpoint for pro- and anti-immigration protests when hundreds of protestors on each side took to the town The clashing groups turned violent in the Folkestone Road area and after a two-year investigation 64 people were convicted for their actions that day there have been smaller demonstrations in March 2023 and August 2024 Also in August 2024, a leaked list of supposed targets for far-right protests and disorder included an address in Dover. A spokesperson for Kent Police said of this weekend’s protests: “Kent Police has been made aware of a planned protest and counter-demonstration in Dover on Sunday “The force is in contact with the organisers of both and will have sufficient resources in place to keep any disruption to a minimum.” Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of KentLive content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Willmott Dixon and property developer Milligan have secured the job to regenerate several council-owned sites in Dover town centre. The pair will now work with the council on bringing forward detailed proposals as part of a strategic alliance. Plans will target new homes, improved public spaces, and mixed-use developments – including a potential public sector hub bringing health and community services into the town centre. The move is a major step in Dover District Council’s long-term regeneration push to turn the port town into a vibrant destination rather than a place people just pass through. Nadeem Aziz, chief executive of Dover District Council, said: “Dover has incredible potential, but it has not yet been fully realised. “Meaningful regeneration takes time and needs collaboration between the public and private sectors. “We are excited to be working with Willmott Dixon and Milligan to help us take the next steps towards a transformational masterplan, blending public and private sector investment to create a thriving town centre.” The town has already seen progress with housing at Leyburne Road, the soon-to-open Maison Dieu restoration, and the ‘Bench’ creative hub due to complete next year. Detailed site plans will follow in the coming months. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The number of migrants crossing the English Channel so far this year has reached 11,000 just days after arrivals passed 10,000 in record time Some 294 people made the journey in five boats on Wednesday, bringing the provisional total for the year to date to 11,074, according to the latest Home Office data This comes after 473 migrants arrived on Monday which brought the cumulative total for 2025 to 10,358 It is the earliest point in the calendar year the 10,000 milestone has been reached the figure of 10,000 was not reached until May 24 that number of arrivals was not reached until June 6 last year Data on Channel crossings was first collected in 2018 The current total for 2025 – 11,074 – is up 46% on the number recorded at this point last year (7,567) and 86% higher than the same point in 2023 (5,946) according to PA news agency analysis of the data Crossings continued on Thursday, the warmest day of the year so far, as pictures show people, including children, wearing life jackets being brought ashore from a Border Force boat in Dover said in a translated post on X: “The day looks set to be busy again and hundreds of people will attempt to cross.” The arrivals come as the Met Office confirmed the warmest start to May on record while last month was the sunniest April in the UK since records began in 1910 On Tuesday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Times Radio that gangs have been “taking advantage of the much higher number of calm weather days” and that the situation “cannot continue” where “the impact on our border security of the weather is so significant”. Voters head to the polls in local elections on Thursday in Labour’s first electoral test since taking power last July. Since the general election, the Government has announced plans to crack down on people smuggling across the Channel, including by handing counter terror-style powers to enforcement agencies. Reacting to the figures on Thursday, shadow home secretary Chris Philp hit out at the Government for scrapping sending migrants to Rwanda as a “deterrent”, and said on X: “Keir Starmer has absolutely no control over who is coming into this country. “⁠Labour’s ⁠claim that they are ‘smashing the gangs’ is a sick joke – everyone can see they have absolutely no plan to stop these crossings.”