Local News

Local Burglar Jailed Two Days After Arrest

Local Burglar Jailed Two Days After Arrest

A Swale burglar has received swift justice and is starting a prison sentence just two days after his arrest.

Last Tuesday (7th November), Kent Police received a report that a van had been stolen from a garage belonging to a business in Sittingbourne High Street. One of the company’s employees checked an onboard tracker and was able to alert officers to its location.

The van was spotted in Church Road and a patrol caused it to stop by pulling in front of it. The driver, Kyle Tyler, was then arrested and taken into custody. Once at the police station, Tyler spat on the floor of his cell and kicked one of the officers.

Tyler, of Victoria Road, Chatham was later charged by investigators from the Swale Victim Based Crime Team with burglary, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis, criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker. The 44-year-old pleaded guilty at his first hearing before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (9th November). He was immediately sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment and will be disqualified from driving for 16 months.

District Commander for Swale, Chief Inspector Diane Middlemiss, told SFM News: "This offender has learnt to his cost that our patrols will quickly respond to crimes if we are alerted when they are happening. He has also learned that assaulting a police officer will have a significant effect on any sentence he receives at court. Constables and other emergency workers should be able to complete their duties without being attacked by violent individuals. Criminals who seek to cause injury to those who are responding to calls for assistance from the public can expect to be arrested, charged and swiftly brought to justice."

Local Remembrance Day Services 2023

Local Remembrance Day Services 2023

REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICES

SUNDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2023

SITTINGBOURNE

Church of St's Peter & Paul, Borden  (Borden)   

9.30am    The Parish Eucharist, followed by an Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial at 10.40 am, The Mayor will be represented by Councillor Mike Baldock, who will lay a wreath.

Church of St Bartholomew, Bobbing   (Grove)

10.45am    An informal service of Remembrance.  Councillor Simon Clark, representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath. 

Church of St Mary the Virgin, Newington (Hartlip, Newington, & Upchurch)

10.15am   Service followed by an Act of Remembrance at 11am. Councillor Richard Palmer will attend and lay a wreath.

Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Upchurch  (Hartlip, Newington, & Upchurch)

10.15 am    Service of Remembrance Hon. Alderman Gerry Lewin, representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath.

Church of St. Michael & All Angels, Hartlip  (Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch)

10.30am    The Service and Act of Remembrance. Councillor Chris Palmer representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath.

St. Margaret’s Church, Lower Halstow  (Iwade & Lower Halstow)  

10.30am  Councillor Lloyd Chapman, representing the Mayor, will attend the service and lay a wreath.

All Saints Church, Iwade  (Iwade & Lower Halstow)  

10.30am   Service, with an Act of Remembrance at 11am, The Mayor will be represented by Councillor Roger Clark who will lay a wreath.

Holy Trinity Church, Milton Regis  (Milton Regis)

10.00am  Councillor Tony Winckless and Councillor Angie Valls representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath at the memorial in the Church grounds.   

All Saints Church, Murston  (Murston)   

10.45am  Councillor James Hall representing the Mayor will attend the Service and lay a wreath at the Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial outside the church at 11am.   

St Michael’s Church and the War Memorial, Central Avenue 

9.45am The Mayor, Councillor Sarah Stephen, accompanied by her consort Councillor Paul Stephen will attend the Church service and lay a wreath at the War Memorial.  Leader of the Council Councillor Tim Gibson will be in attendance.

St. Laurence Church, Bapchild  (West Downs)

10.30am Councillor Monique Bonney representing the Mayor, will lay a wreath on the altar. 

 

FAVERSHAM

Church of St. Mary of Charity, Faversham  (Abbey/St Anns)

10.45 for 11am.  Laying of wreaths at the War Memorial, Stone Street. The Mayor will be represented by Councillor Carole Jackson who will lay a wreath.  The Service in the Church will be at 11.30am (approx) Councillor Hannah Perkin, representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath.  

Church of St. Barnabus, Boughton.  (Boughton & Courtney)  

10.50 am.  Service and wreath laying at the War Memorial, The Street, Boughton.   The Mayor will be represented by Councillor Alastair Gould.

St. Mary’s Church, Selling (Boughton & Courtney) 

10.30 am Councillor Rich Lehmann, representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath. 

Doddington and Newnham War Memorial (East Downs)  

3.00pm Hon Alderman David Simmons representing the Mayor, will attend and lay a wreath. 

 

ISLE OF SHEPPEY

All Saints Church, Eastchurch and Eastchurch War Memorial

10.00 am   Service and wreath laying.  The Mayor will be represented by Councillor Lee-Anne Moore and Councillor Tara Noe

The Lychgate, Leysdown (Leysdown and Warden)    

2pm.   Act of Remembrance.  Councillor Lee-Anne Moore and Councillor Tara Noe will attend and lay a wreath.   

Abbey Church of St. Mary and St. Sexburgha, Minster  (Minster Cliffs)

10.45am.   A Remembrance Service will be held.   Councillor Tom Nundy representing the Mayor will lay a wreath in the Chapel of Remembrance.   

Holy Trinity Church, Queenborough  (Queenborough & Halfway)

10.45am.  The Service of Remembrance in Church followed by the laying of wreaths at the War Memorial at 11am - Councillor Ashley Shiel will represent the Mayor.  

The Cenotaph, Sheerness  (Sheerness West)

10.45 for 11am   Service and wreath laying at the Cenotaph.  Councillor Angela Harrison will attend and lay a wreath.  Participants then process to Holy Trinity Church, Broadway, for a service at 11.45am

War Grave, Harty  (Sheppey Central)  

3pm approx.  Service and Act of Remembrance.  Councillor Elliott Jayes will attend the Service and lay a wreath.

Suspected Shoplifter Charged With Thefts

Suspected Shoplifter Charged With Thefts

An ongoing Kent Police campaign, to protect businesses in Swale from crime, has continued with multiple charges for a suspected shoplifter.

Kent Police was notified that on Monday 21st August 2023, a man had attempted to steal Lego worth almost £280 from B&M in Neats Court Retail Park, Queenborough.

Between Thursday 19th October and Sunday 29th October, staff at Sainsbury’s in Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne reported five separate thefts. Bottles of spirits valued at around £1,000 were allegedly taken by a man who left the store without paying.

Yesterday (Wednesday 1st November) Kent Police made an arrest in Central Avenue. Benjamin Ferrell, of Murston Road, Sittingbourne was later charged by officers from the Swale Victim Based Crime Team with six counts of theft.

The 36-year-old was remanded in custody to appear before Medway Magistrates Court later today (Thursday 2nd November). 

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Selected

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Selected

Members of the Sittingbourne and Sheppey Conservative Association have voted, by secret ballot, and have selected Aisha Cuthbert as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Sittingbourne and Sheppey at the next General Election.

A special general meeting owas held on Friday 20th October 2023 at the Sheerness Conservative Club and Aisha, who has been active in the Sittingbourne and Sheppey Conservative Association attending functions and helping with election campaigns, such as the two recent by-elections for Cllr Mike Whiting and Oliver Eakin, was selected by members.

Aisha has been a councillor in Bromley since 2018 and is the Cabinet Member for Environment. She also works as Head of External Affairs for one of the leading providers in social housing, Riverside, which is responsible for The Quays in Sittingbourne.She is also a former Team GB masters national synchronised swimmer, for which she won the British Championships and was a medallist at the World FINA competition.

Speaking after her selection, Aisha told SFM News: "I am immensely honoured to be selected as the next Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Sittingbourne and Sheppey. I am keen to start running a positive and respectful campaign and look forward to meeting with local residents, businesses, schools, organisations, and more. If elected, I will try my best to represent the views of the residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey in the Houses of Parliament.’

Welcoming Aisha selection, Jess McMahon, the Chairman of the Sittingbourne and Sheppey Conservative Association, told SFM News: "We are delighted that Aisha has been adopted as our candidate for the next General Election. We are excited to support her with her campaign and hope the residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey will give her the chance to prove herself as the best candidate to be the next Member of Parliament.

The current Member of Parliament for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Gordon Henderson, also welcomed the selection of Aisha and told SFM News: "I look forward to working with Aisha over the next year and passing over to her some of my experience. I am confident that if successful at the next General Election, she will make an excellent Member of Parliament and be a real champion for local people."

The maximum term of a Parliament is five years from the day on which it first met. The current Parliament first met on Tuesday 17th December 2019 and will automatically dissolve on Tuesday 17 December 2024, unless it has been dissolved sooner by order of King Charles III.

 

Witness Appeal - Attempted Burglaries And Theft

Witness Appeal - Attempted Burglaries And Theft

Witnesses and dashcam are sought after several attempted break-ins and the theft of a car in Swale.

Officers are investigating 10 incidents in which four men are alleged to have targeted houses and vehicles over seven days in September.

At around 2am on Friday 22nd September, an attempt was made to enter a home in Aspen Drive until the four suspects were disturbed by a neighbour.

Similar reports were received around an hour later in Nelson Avenue, where a group of people were seen trying to break into two properties.

Later that morning, offenders sought to gain access to a house and a vehicle in Southsea Avenue, and a black MG was stolen from Jasmin Close.

Kent Police were notified of further attempted burglaries during early hours in Faversham and Sittingbourne, between Saturday 23 and Friday 27 September.

The four suspects are described as wearing grey tracksuits with the hoods worn up. They also had black gloves and dark shoes. One man was carrying a black bag over his shoulder and holding what was believed to be a notebook. They all had their faces covered.

Investigating officer PC Georgina Harris of Swale’s Criminal Investigation Department told SFM News: "While the suspects were unsuccessful in their attempts to get into the properties they were targeting, we are linking all the reports and are urging anyone with information that may identify those responsible to contact our appeal line. Drivers with dashcam and residents with CCTV are also asked to check for relevant footage."

Anyone with any information is asked to call Kent Police on 01795 419119 quoting reference 46/170845/23 or, alternatively, they can contact Kent Crimestoppers FREE and anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by using the online form on their website.

Council Meeting Passes Motion On GP Provision

Council Meeting Passes Motion On GP Provision

The leader of Swale Borough Council, Cllr Tim Gibson, will write to the Government to ask for help to combat the shortage of general practitioners (GPs) in the borough. 

The request follows the unanimous passing of a motion proposed by Cllr Lloyd Bowen, and seconded by Cllr Gibson, at this week's full council meeting on Wedmesday (11th October), where councillors agreed on the need for more Government support.

Swale has one of the lowest levels of fully-trained GPs per 1,000 patients in England – 0.39 in 2022, compared to 0.58 in the rest of the country.  That means on average each local GP has more than 2,500 patients.

Cllr Gibson will write to Steve Barclay, the Secretary of State for Health, asking him to work with the council to provide innovative, funded solutions to encourage more GPs to relocate to Swale. 

Cllr Tim Gibson, Leader of Swale Borough Council, told SFM News:  “Access to healthcare is a fundamental right and GPs play an important central role, especially with diagnosis and referral. Unfortunately, there is a dire shortage of GPs and recruitment is not able to keep up with the numbers leaving the profession. Couple this with an increase in demand due to the population growth of Swale, hospitals that were already stretched are now under even more pressure. There are some places in Swale where there are over 7000 people to just one fully trained GP, this is completely unacceptable and needs to be resolved. 

Cllr Gibson went on to add: “Following the urgent motion at the council meeting we are asking the government to help us solve these issues, through funding and innovative solutions. The cost of living and housing in our area is stated as one of the biggest reasons GPs won’t relocate to Kent. We need to make Swale an attractive option for new GPs to locate to and financial assistance from the government given to the council and GPs to assist with the cost of housing would go a long way.” 

For more details, including the meeting agenda, and a link to a recording of the meeting once available, visit the council website here

 

New Waste Collection Vehicles To Be Named

New Waste Collection Vehicles To Be Named

Local residents are being invited to help name Swale Borough Councils’ new fleet of waste collection and street sweeper vehicles.

Swale Borough Council wants people to get creative and help name 24 new waste collection vehicles and four new street cleansing vehicles that will be working across the borough from March.

The vehicles are currently being built as part of the new waste and street cleansing contract with SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd.

The brand-new fleet will "help the council deliver improved waste collections and street cleansing services across the borough in a more environmentally friendly way. They will continue to collect general waste and recycling on alternate weeks, as well as collecting food waste separately every week, which is required by law".

These new vehicles will ensure the council have the capacity for all residents of Swale to recycle their food waste, every week with some vehicles will also be dedicated to the garden waste subscription service.

The contract begins on 25th March 2024 and will make use of the latest technology such as these new vehicles.

Cllr Rich Lehmann, chair of the Environment Committee, told SFM News: “These new vehicles will massively boost our ability to provide the crucial waste services that the Borough needs. This is one of the many improvements coming to our waste disposal services thanks to the new contract with SUEZ. They will replace the old fleet with new, more environmentally friendly vehicles to provide a more reliable and greener collection service. We want to get residents involved by asking for help to name the lorries that will be driving through their streets every week.

Cllr Lehmann went on to add: “It is a great opportunity for you to be creative and we’re hoping to get better suggestions than “Binny McBinface”! Please share your ideas with us via social media or by using the dedicated email address. We can’t wait to see all of your suggestions!”

You will be able to leave your suggested names in the comments of the Council's posts on  their Facebook page, or by emailing your ideas to NameABinLorry@Swale.gov.uk.

The campaign will be running from through until Tuesday 31st October.

The council will then create a shortlist of the best ideas which will allow the public to vote for their favourites.

 

Appeal For Witnesses Following "Dangerous Driving"

Appeal For Witnesses Following "Dangerous Driving"

Local Police officers, investigating allegations of dangerous driving, are appealing for witnesses.

Kent Police were called at 8.45pm last night (Friday 6th October) to a report of a van driving dangerously in St Michael’s Road, Sittingbourne.

Officers attended the scene alongside South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Fire and Rescue Service, where a local man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

He has since been bailed pending further enquiries.

Anyone with any information, relevant doorbell or dashcam footage, is asked to contact Kent Police on 01795 419 119, quoting reference 46/179308/23.

Alternatively they can also call Kent Crimestoppers FREE and anonymously on 0800 555 111 or complete the online form on their website.

Swale Independent Councillor Joins Labour

Swale Independent Councillor Joins Labour

Councillor Ann Cavanagh, who was elected to Swale Borough Council in May this year, as a Swale Independent representing Borden and Grove Park ward, has joined the Labour Group and will sit with Labour when the Council convenes its next Full Council meeting next week.

The balance of the Council will thus change to; Labour-16 seats; Swale Independents 12; Conservatives 11; Liberal Democrats 5 and Green Party 3. It will make no difference to the balance between the Coalition administration and the opposition, as Cllr Cavanagh is exchanging one coalition group for another.

Cllr Cavanagh told SFM News "Since being elected to Swale Borough Council in May, I have found the Labour Councillors very friendly and supportive. I have known Tim Gibson. Leader of the Council and the Labour group, for about 5 years. He clearly has the respect of the whole Council. Since the elections of 2019 and the creation of the Rainbow Coalition, which I found very exciting and positive for Swale, I have followed its progress with interest. So, when asked by the Swale Independents, part of the coalition, to stand, I thought it would be a privilege to be part of the coalition. However, having seen how Tim leads his group, and how welcoming his group has been to me as a new councillor, I believe I will flourish in this group. So, for me I feel that Labour will be a better fit and am excited at the thought of getting involved with Labour both locally and in the forthcoming general election.”

Tim Gibson, the Leader of Swale Borough Council and the labour group told SFM News: “Ann is most welcome into the Labour group and of course into the Labour Party. She has developed very good working relationships with my members. With a general election looming and people focussing on liberating us from the current chaotic government, it is good to know that we have added another strong local voice to our team”.

The Full Council Meeting is at 7:00pm on Wednesday 11th October in the Council Chambers on the 3rd Floor of Swale House in East Street, Sittingbourne.

Appeal To Find Owner Of Dogs Found In Bobbing

Appeal To Find Owner Of Dogs Found In Bobbing

The owner of two unaccompanied dogs found wandering on their leads is being sought by Kent Police officers.

The male and female dogs were found at around 10pm on Monday (2nd October) evening in Parsonage Lane, Bobbing.

Typically, unaccompanied dogs considered lost or abandoned are handed over to the local dog warden when their owners cannot be located. However, the circumstances in which the animals were found on Monday suggest their owner may be unaccounted for and officers are keen find them to ensure they are safe, as well as reunite them with their pets.

The dogs are believed to be between 12 and 18 months old, the male dog has a green collar, and the female dog is wearing a pink collar. One lead is blue and the other lead is green. The male dog has been neutered.

Officers have searched the Parsonage Lane area, including using the Kent Police drone, and have not been able to locate the owner.

Inspector Stephen Callow of Swale’s Local Policing Team told SFM News: "As the area is surrounded by countryside we are keen to make sure the dogs’ owner isn’t unaccounted for and I am asking anyone who recognises the animals to get in touch with us. We have checked them for a microchip, but they do not have one and at present we do not know who they belong to.’

Anyone with information is asked to call 999 quoting 03-0718 or, alternatively, they can call kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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