Local News

Major Power Cut Affecting Kemsley And Bobbing

Major Power Cut Affecting Kemsley And Bobbing

Thousands of residents are currently without power in the Kemsley and Bobbing areas.

UK Power Networks have told SFM News: "Several thousand customers are impacted by a power cut in the Sittingbourne area at 6.42pm. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience the power cut has caused. An underground electricity cable faulted on our high voltage network, causing an area wide power cut."

Stay tuned to 106.9 SFM for the latest.

** UPDATED **

Power was fully restored by 7:30pm.

New Draft Planning Enforcement Strategy Agreed

New Draft Planning Enforcement Strategy Agreed

Councillors have approved a new draft planning enforcement strategy and service charter outlining how breaches of planning permission are handled.

Swale Borough Council sought approval of the new draft strategy and charter at last month’s cabinet meeting on Wednesday 22nd September. The strategy sets out how the council protects the borough’s built and natural environment from unauthorised developments. It includes identifying priority issues for the service and explains what action can be taken.

The charter explains how the planning enforcement process works, to help people and partners like parish councils understand how investigations are carried out.

Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, told SFM News: “We’ve been working on an improved enforcement strategy and service charter since the beginning of the year, and following a successful, eight-week consultation earlier this summer, cabinet has approved our plans. It’s important that we protect the borough against unauthorised developments now and into the future. The strategy will help us do this, as well as provide a more transparent planning service for residents and give a clearer picture of what the planning process entails".

He went on to add: “It will also provide a more consistent and effective communication between us and local parish and town councils. We made a commitment to renew local democracy and make the council fit for the future in our corporate plan, and the updated strategy and charter are just one of the ways we’re sticking to our priorities".

The full report can be found here.

Rugby Club Raises Funds For A Community Defibrillator

Rugby Club Raises Funds For A Community Defibrillator

Photo: James Hobson (left) and Phil Whymark, SRUFC Club President

The collapse of Denmark’s Christian Eriksen during the Euro 2020 football match against Finland bought home to everyone that no matter how fit we are, illness can strike at any time.

The above events focussed Sittingbourne Rugby Club to consider the purchase of a defibrillator to try to safeguard the wellbeing of their playing members and, given their desire to engage with the local community, that of members of the public.

A team of cyclists from the club, led by James Hobson, undertook a fundraising cycle ride on Sunday 4th July with the proceeds being split between the Wooden Spoon rugby charity and the remainder towards the defibrillator.

They then applied for the Community Grants from Swale Borough Council members and received positive responses and funding from local councillors Mike Whiting (Teynham and Lynsted), Tony Winckless (Milton Regis), James Hunt (The Meads), Ken Rowles (Roman) and Derek Carnell (Kemsley).

The club also received a generous donation from Rotary Club Of Sittingbourne Invicta.

The defibrillator is now placed on an external wall at the Gore Court clubhouse and is registered with the local ambulance service and can be accessed by a code (which is obtained by ringing the telephone number on the unit).

Fire Crews Remain At Major Eurolink Blaze

Fire Crews Remain At Major Eurolink Blaze

Three fire engines remain at the scene of a large fire at a recycling plant on West Lane on The Eurolink Industrial Estate.

Crews are damping down any remaining hot spots while maintaining a watching brief.

No casualties have been reported and the cause is not yet known.

People who live or work in the Kemsley and Iwade areas are still advised to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution, due to smoke coming from the fire, which involved a large amount of household waste and recycling materials.

The Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a fire at the commercial premises just after 7:00pm last night (Saturday 25th September). At it's height eleven fire engines, a height vehicle and a bulk water carrier were sent to the scene. 

Stay tuned to 106.9 SFM for the latest information.

Drunk Van Driver Jailed After Schoolgirl Killed

Drunk Van Driver Jailed After Schoolgirl Killed

A drunk van driver, who ploughed into a car and killed a schoolgirl in Bobbing, has been jailed for seven years.

Benjamin Henley was more than two and a half times over the drink drive limit when he collided with a black Audi which had broken down on a slip road on the A249 on Wednesday 24th October 2018.

Henley, 45, of Illustrious Close, Chatham, failed to spot the Audi before he collided with it at around 11.50pm.

Georgia Mann, who was 15 and from Sittingbourne, was taken to a London hospital where she died on the morning of Friday 26 October.

A woman in her 20s also sustained serious injuries and a man in his 20s was taken to hospital with chest injuries. Both have since recovered.

Henley was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday (20th September) to seven years in jail after admitting causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was also disqualified from driving for nine and a half years and will have to take an extended retest. 

Georgia was inside the stranded vehicle after the car had run out of petrol. The driver had left her along with another person, inside the vehicle while he walked to get petrol, before Henley collided with the car.

The driver of the Audi was charged with causing death by careless driving but was previously acquitted following a trial.

Investigating officer Darren Chapman of Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit told SFM News: "This sentencing has come nearly three years after the collision, and I want to commend the bravery and stoicism that Georgia’s family have displayed throughout court proceedings. This was an awful incident in which a young girl lost her life and while no sentence will bring Georgia back, I hope the outcome provides some closure."

Kickstart Scheme Welcomes Over 30 Local Businesses

Kickstart Scheme Welcomes Over 30 Local Businesses

Local MP Gordon Henderson, in partnership with Sittingbourne and Sheerness JobCentres, welcomed over 30 local businesses on Friday (17th September) morning to their Kickstart Scheme Seminar, where they were encouraged to offer 6-month work placements to young people on Universal Credit.

The £2 billion Kickstart Scheme was set up by the Government in November and has created 331 placements, for claimants aged between 16 - 24 years old, in Sittingbourne and Sheppey so far. This has been achieved with the help of the 101 local employers who are already taking part. Those employers received £1,500 of grant funding per placement to help with setup and training costs, with the Government fully funding the pay and National Insurance for 25 hours work a week and, where necessary, offering transport-to-work assistance for the young people taking part.

Mr Henderson told SFM News: "The Kickstart Scheme is a brilliant Government initiative, which has benefits for both the employer and the young person taking part, because it funds placements in local businesses that provide work experience. In order for local youngsters to realise their potential and fill the many jobs that are being created locally, it’s important they gain experience and confidence in a workplace. That’s what the Kickstart Scheme helps them achieve and I hope many more local employers will take part in Kickstart and help give those young people a positive start to their working life.’

Liz Elsden, Partnership Manager for the Sittingbourne and Sheerness Jobcentres, told SFM News: "It was great to see so many local employers attend this event to find out more about the Kickstart Scheme and how they can support young people in the community get that first step on the employment ladder. Young people in Swale need the support of local employers to help build their confidence and skills by offering them a placement under the Government’s fully funded Kickstart Scheme.’

For more information about the Kickstart Scheme, please visit: https://kickstart.campaign.gov.uk/.

Grounds Maintenance Contract To Be Discussed

Grounds Maintenance Contract To Be Discussed

Councillors are being asked to approve a £1.48 million contract to maintain and improve Swale’s green spaces.

Swale Borough Council confimed that they have reviewed their current ground maintenance contract which includes country parks, parks and recreation grounds, play areas, burial grounds and sports pitches around the borough.

After holding the contract since 2007, Blenwood Ltd re-tendered for the contract and were found to be the most financially viable option.

If approved, the contractor could be awarded the five-year contract when the current contract ends in January 2022.

Cllr Julian Saunders, cabinet member for environment at Swale, told SFM News: “We have more than 600 sites across Swale totalling almost 2 million square metres that need regular maintenance all year round. The grounds maintenance contract is one of our largest services and includes cutting grass, managing hedges, providing sports pitches and removing litter from our country parks, recreation grounds and play areas. When reviewing the contract, we wanted to make sure that we were getting a service that supports our commitment to the climate and ecological emergency, improved litter management and provided better local employment conditions.”

Cllr Eddie Thomas, deputy cabinet member for environment at the council, added: “The tender included a commitment from the successful contractor to pay a real living wage, reduce pesticides, increase biodiversity, introduce electric vehicles and equipment, and provide litter clearance seven days a week. We are lucky enough to have such a huge number of green spaces, parks and beaches in Swale, and with that comes a responsibility on our contractors to maintain a safe space for everybody to enjoy.”

The grounds maintenance contract will be discussed the next council cabinet meeting on Wednesday 22nd September at Swale House.

The meeting agenda and full report can be found here.

Suspected Stolen Cigarettes Seized in Sittingbourne

Suspected Stolen Cigarettes Seized in Sittingbourne

Thousands of pounds worth of cigarettes, suspected to be stolen, have been seized following a police pursuit in Sittingbourne.

Officers recovered the tobacco last Thursday (9th September) after witnessing a van drive past them on the wrong side of the road near the A2 at around 2.15pm.

Patrols requested the vehicle to stop however it failed to do so. A short pursuit then took place, before the driver and passenger decamped the vehicle.

Officers located a man at Sittingbourne Train Station, believed to be the driver of the car, and he was arrested.

Following a search of the van officers recovered approximately £16,000 cigarettes which were suspected to be stolen.

The suspect, who is in his 30's and from Lancashire, was detained on suspicion of dangerous driving, theft, failing to stop when directed and theft of a motor vehicle.

He has been released pending further enquiries.

Cleaner Stole Over £50,000 From Elderly Victim

Cleaner Stole Over £50,000 From Elderly Victim

A cleaner who stole around £50,000 from a customer has been jailed.

Jennifer Richards stole the money from an elderly man whom she cleaned for between October 2017 and February 2018.

The 50-year-old was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (Monday 13th September) to two years and three months in jail after being found guilty of one count of fraud by false representation and one count of theft, following a trial.

Richards from Sittingbourne, befriended the man, who was in his 70s, during her employment where she worked for him for more than two years. However, while working for the man she used his bank details to transfer a total of £28,325 from his online account to her own. On several occasions she also used his bank card to make cash withdrawals totalling £4,540. She also asked the victim for a loan of £9,000 which he agreed.

The victim wrote Richards a cheque, but Richards told him the cheque would not clear quickly enough so, believing the cheque had been ripped up, he agreed to do a bank transfer of £9,000. The offender then banked the cheque, stealing a further £9,000.

The fraud came to light on 21st February 2018 when the man attempted to pay toward a credit card bill, but his debit card was declined. He contacted his bank who told him that thousands of pounds of withdrawals had been made on his account during the month of February.

Kent Police was contacted and an investigation was commenced, leading to Richards being arrested on 28 April 2018 after a warrant was carried out at her home. 

During the search officers found some bank statements which covered the time period of January 2017 to November 2017. On the bank statements there was one transaction from the victim’s account going into Richards’ account. Further bank statements were obtained which also showed large deposits from the victim’s account being paid to her.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Madeline Brackley told SFM News: "Richards was entrusted into the victim’s home, but she abused that trust in a despicable way. This was a planned and meticulous theft where she stole from him over several months and on several occasions. She preyed on his kindness and vulnerability but continued to deny her crimes resulting in a trial. I am pleased that she has received a custodial sentence."

Drunk Driver Who Caused Fatal Collision Jailed

Drunk Driver Who Caused Fatal Collision Jailed

A Sittingbourne driver has been jailed after a teenage girl who was a passenger in his car died following a collision near Ashford.

Fahren Smith was behind the wheel of a Suzuki Swift which had five passengers inside when it left Mundy Bois Road, Egerton and collided with a tree on the evening of Saturday 4th July 2020.

Millie Greenway, 17, suffered serious injuries in the collision and died in an ambulance on the way to hospital. The car's four other passengers all sustained serious injuries and continue to receive ongoing treatment.

Smith, of West Street, was arrested on the night of the collision and was later charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

The 20-year-old later admitted that charge, along with four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and causing death while unlicensed and uninsured and was jailed for six years and four months at Maidstone Crown Court today (Monday 13th September). He will be banned from driving for four years upon his release from prison.

Investigators from Kent Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit found that, on the night of the incident, Smith had been drinking alcohol with friends in a pub before driving to pick up three further friends. On his way back, his driving drew the attention of a passing police van, but he drove off at speed, evading the police vehicle in country roads near Maidstone. After drinking more alcohol at the pub, the six friends got back into the car. The group had no knowledge that Smith did not hold a driving licence or insurance for the car.

As the car exited the pub car park, Smith saw another police car and again drove off at speed. A witness saw the vehicle travelling at an excess speed before it left the road and crashed into the garden of a property. Police medics, paramedics and an air ambulance attended the scene to treat the injured and, following his discharge from hospital, Smith was arrested having failed a roadside breath test. He was later found to be over twice the legal drink drive limit.

Investigating officer PC Lee Berridge, of Kent Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, told SFM News: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Millie Greenway, whose life was so tragically cut short by this collision, as well as the victims who continue to suffer both physically and psychologically. Smith's actions were reckless, having no regards for the rules of the road or the safety of his passengers. He twice tried to evade police on the night of the incident, with the second occasion while his car was dangerously overloaded. Driving laws are in place to protect motorists, passengers and the public and I urge young people, and all drivers, to behave responsibly when behind the wheel to avoid unnecessary loss of life like that in this case."

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