麻豆约拍

Nearly a third of Kent's councils are proposing to increase council tax, breaching government guidance to freeze bills this year.

Tonbridge and Malling has become the fourth council in the county to plan a hike from April. Gravesham, Tunbridge Wells and Dover have also planned an increase.

They will be turning down a share of 拢650m from the government to freeze the bill for the next financial year.

Demands by some Canterbury residents, for a limit to the proportion of a neighbourhood that can be used as student accommodation, are being treated with caution by the city council.

People living in the St Michael's Place area, just down the hill from the university, say when more than 50% of the houses are occupied in that way, the community spirit and the family atmosphere disappear. They want the council to intervene as a matter of urgency.

Tributes have been paid to Whitney Houston throughout the "Grammy" award ceremony, which took place overnight in Los Angeles.

The singer, who was found dead in her hotel room at the weekend, had been due to attend the event, but instead Jennifer Hudson gave an emotional rendition of one of her biggest hits, I Will Always love you.

As far as the awards themselves were concerned, it was a good night for one Brit in particular. Adele, making her comeback after throat surgery, won six awards, equalling Beyonce's record for the most Grammys awarded to a woman in one night.