麻豆约拍

One-in-five children leaving Medway's primary schools are obese, according to the latest NHS figures. It is higher than the national average and higher than the overall figure for the rest of Kent.

The figures have not changed in the last five years, despite programmes to tackle childhood obesity. There are now calls for junk food adverts to be banned before nine at night.

Kent needs an extra 9,000 primary school places by 2015, according to figures from the Labour Party. That is the equivalent of 42 new schools.

The shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg admits neither their party nor the Conservatives planned school places early enough, when they were in government. He is now urging prompt action.

There is growing controversy over the introduction of what has been called a "granny tax" in the Budget. The change will see personal allowances frozen for some - and cut for others when they turn 65 after April 2013.

As part of our Surviving 2012 series, Clare McDonnell has been following a group of people to find out how they are coping in these increasingly tough economic times. Lara Stenning from Southborough is unemployed, she has just turned 18 and lives alone after falling out with her mother. She tells us how a recent family loss had taken its toll on her.