Local News

Small businesses in the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry could be eligible for support from Swale Borough Council’s second round of discretionary grants.

The second round of the discretionary grants scheme is aimed at those businesses who directly support Swale’s visitor economy and who haven’t yet qualified for any government grants to support them through the impact of COVID-19.

The council has already handed out more than £1 million in discretionary grants designed to help specific types of micro and small businesses who were not eligible for the small business grant scheme or the retail, leisure and hospitality grant schemes offered by the government.

Now that 130 businesses have received their grants, the council is opening the discretionary scheme for a second round.

Cllr Monique Bonney, cabinet member for economy and property at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “The government guidelines on who should receive the discretionary grants were very strict in the first round. Now that we’ve helped 130 businesses who fell into the categories of flexible workspaces, market trader’s, B&Bs and charities, we are adding another category for businesses that specifically support our visitor economy. This includes tourism businesses and our hospitality and leisure service providers who are crucial to helping get our local economy going, especially now the summer is here, and lockdown restrictions are easing. We have £400,000 left in the pot to give to eligible businesses and if we have some remaining after this round, we may open the scheme up for a third round to expand the criteria even more. Local businesses are important to the community and we’re doing everything we can to support them. As well as the discretionary grants, we’ve also paid more than £27 million in small business and retail grants.

The grant scheme is open from Wednesday 22nd July for one week only.

Now that the first four categories have received support, a fifth category has been added:

1. small businesses in shared premises or other flexible workspaces, e.g. industrial parks, science parks, incubators etc, which do not have their own business rates assessment
2. regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment
3. B&B’s that pay council tax instead of business rates
4. charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief that could otherwise have been eligible for small business rates relief or rural rate relief
5. businesses that directly support Swale’s visitor economy; this can include tourism, hospitality & leisure service providers but does not include sporting activity providers and/or supply chain businesses.

For more information about what help is available for businesses visit www.swale.gov.uk/advice-for-businesses.

Businesses wanting to sign up for updates from the council should email edu@swale.gov.uk.

Town centre visitors across the Borough will now get 30 minutes extra on all parking tickets bought at Council run town centre car parks, from Saturday (18th July)

Councillors approved an urgent motion at last night's (Wednesday 15th July) Annual Meeting of Swale Borough Counci (SBC).

It's a temporary measure and will be in place until Wednesday 30th as part of the authority's response to the coronavirus pandemic, utilising a government 'New Burdens' grant to pay for the concession.

It was introduced as rules around spcial distancing mean that more queues are likely with businesses taking longer to serve customers when people pop in to town.

SBC's Leader, Cllr Roger Truelove (Lab), told SFM News: "We are now going to let drivers have an extra half hour in all of our town centre car parks, which will give them longer to look around the shops, visit a cafe and hopefully stay a bit longer. We w2ould have loved to have made it 2 hours but financally we just couldn't afford it. We are currently looking at a £4M shortfall due to Coronavirus".

Motorists still have to pay at least 50p but the 30 minutes will be extended to a full hour.

The council's officers did warn members, prioir to the meeting, that the move would cost the council £96,000 in lost pay and display income and another £13,000 in a lack of fines/enforcement action.

A motorcyclist who fatally injured a teenager has been jailed for five years and three months.

Robert Varrier, 29, of Limehouse Court, Sittingbourne, dangerously drove an off-road motorcycle on a residential street on Thursday 16th April before he colliding with a 17-year-old boy.

The teenager was attending a funeral and walking along Tonge Road, Sittingbourne, when he was hit by the vehicle at around 10.42am. He sustained serious head injuries and was flown to a London hospital where he died 3 days later on 19th April.

During the incident Varrier also seriously injured a 27-year-old man from Sittingbourne. He was taken to a local hospital where he has since recovered.

After the collision Varrier attempted to evade capture and left the scene, however officers arrested him at his home address at around 4:00pm on the day of the incident.

He was charged on 19th April and subsequently pleaded guilty to the charges of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to five years and three months in jail when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court early today (Thursday 9th July).

Varrier was also banned from driving for three years which will come into effect when he is released from prison. He was also ordered to take an extended retest.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Lee Neiles, of Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, told SFM News: "Robert Varrier undertook a dangerous and appalling level of driving on a residential street among a large group of pedestrians having absolutely no regard for anyone else's safety. Following the collision his main concern was evading capture and prosecution and he only admitted his guilt several weeks later when he realised the evidence secured and presented was so vast it gave him no choice but to plead guilty. This case has highlighted the devastation of driving dangerously on our roads, in particular performing stunts on off-road motorcycles. Not only has the driver received a prison sentence, he has to live with the fact that he has caused someone's death for the rest of his life."

Witnesses are sought by officers investigating reports of concern for a woman in Sittingbourne.

On Saturday (4th July) Kent Police were called after a group of people were seen in Ridham Avenue, Sittingbourne, where they appeared to be arguing.

Two men are then believed to have assaulted a woman at around 4.12pm before leaving in a black Mazda with a silver trimming. It is believed the woman also left the scene with the men.

Both men were described as white and in their early 30s with short hair. They were tanned and both were wearing blue jeans without tops.

One of the men, who is believed to be a passenger, was also described as having a slim build with broad shoulders and short, dark hair.

The woman was described as white, aged between 20 and 30 and around 5ft 2ins with a slim build. Her hair was dark and worn up in a ponytail. She was also tanned and was believed to be wearing a short skirt and top or a dress which was black or dark in colour.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Samantha Stuart told SFM News: "This is a concerning report and we are keen to talk to those involved to ascertain the details surrounding the circumstances of this incident. We have carried out a number of enquiries and are now encouraging anyone with information to get in touch."

Anyone with information is asked to call Kent Police appeal line for Swale on 01795 419119 quoting crime reference 46/114915/20.

Alternatively they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, free and anonymously, by calling 0800 555 111, or by using the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org.