Local News

Swale Borough Council wants people’s views on the future of public toilets in the borough.  

Members of the council’s Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee agreed to consult on the future of their 16 toilet facilities across Swale at their meeting on Thursday 10th July.  

The council is considering transferring seven toilets to town and parish councils to operate so they can make sure they remain open to the public. They are also exploring the option of working with local businesses to create a community toilet scheme. This would allow members of the public to use the toilet facilities of businesses that have signed up to the scheme, without having to make a purchase. 

The council would also like people’s views on closing three toilets that have low use and are costly to maintain.

The three public toilet facilities that they are proposing to close are from the following options:

• Library Car Park, Sittingbourne - the cost per user is £0.82
• The Forum, Sittingbourne - the cost per user is £0.85
• Milton Regis High Street, Milton Regis - the cost per user is £2.77
• The Spinney, Leysdown - the cost per user is £3.60
• The White House, Minster - the cost per user is £4.52

They say that the results from the consultation will help them to choose which of these toilets - with some seeing as low as 13 users per day - should be closed. They confirm that: "these changes will make sure the most used toilets remain open and are well-maintained, while the council works towards a sound financial footing".  

Cllr Dolley Wooster, chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, told SFM News: “We know how important good public toilet facilities are for local people, but the costs of providing them – which are £478,000 each year - means we have to try to think of new ways to provide a service that is affordable in the longer term. The costs aren't just for the regular cleaning and unlocking the toilets, there are also ongoing maintenance costs and - in some cases - significant investment would be needed to bring them up to standard.

Cllr Wosster added: "To balance this out and make sure the service is on a sound financial footing, we want to work with local town and parish councils, as well as local businesses, to make sure people have access to clean and accessible toilets. I know that any talk about closing toilets is likely to cause some people to worry, which is why it’s important that we carry out an open and transparent consultation. I hope as many people as possible take part in the consultation, so we have as many views as possible to help us plan for the future of the service.” 

You can have your say on the future of public toilets in the borough here:- https://swale.gov.uk/your-council/consultations/public-toilets

A Sittingbourne-bound train collided with a van on a level crossing near Lower Road in Teynham earlier this afternoon (Sunday 13th July), resulting in the death of the driver.

Emergency Services were alerted shortly after 12.45pm today and it is believed a South Eastern Service collided with the van on the level crossing at high speed resulting in the vehicle bursting in to flames a rolling down the trackside bank near the crossing.

In a statement issued to SFM News this afternoon, British Transport Police confirmed: “Officers were called to the line in Tonge just after 12.45pm following reports of a train striking a van. Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is currently being investigated.”

It is believed there were around 200 train passengers trapped on board the train for several hours following the collision, who were eventually transferred to another train under the supervision of emergency crews on the scene.

South Eastern have confirmed that "services between Canterbury East & Victoria remain disrupted" and that a Rail Replacement service has been introduced.

A spokesperson for Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) told SFM News: "crews also arrived at the scene at 12.48pm to reports of a van fire on train tracks at Teynham, near Sittingbourne. Four fire engines attended with crews wearing breathing apparatus to extinguish the flames. The road has been closed near Lower Road, Hempsted Lane and Frognal Lane".

We will bring you more on this story as we get it.

Kent Police officers are appealing for information after reports of criminal damage to several vehicles in Sittingbourne at the weekend.

The incidents happened in Denbigh Close, Middletune Avenue and Glenbrook Grove at around 3.30am on Saturday 28 June 2025. Victims contacted Kent Police after they found offensive messages had been scratched into the paintwork of their cars overnight. Some of the vehicles also had paint sprayed on them.

Officers have completed enquiries in the area and have been examining available CCTV footage. They are now urging residents with private CCTV and motorists with dashcam to check for relevant footage.

Anyone with any information should call Kent Police on 01795 419 119, quoting reference 46/110234/25.

Alternatively ou can also contact Crimestoppers FREE and anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by using the online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/pre-form

Swale Borough Council has issued an urgent safety warning about the dangers of lighting fires and using disposable barbecues on the borough's beaches and in open spaces. 

The council is emphasizing the severe risk to public safety and the environment as temperatures rise, with temperatures expected to soar locally over the weekend and in to next week in excess of 30 degrees celcius. 

Lighting fires, including disposable barbecues, is prohibited on all of Swale's public spaces, including the Isle of Sheppey’s popular bathing beaches, under council bye-laws.  

The council says "these rules are in place to protect people, property, and the local environment".

The warning comes as fire services across the country continue to deal with the consequences of careless outdoor fires, with several incidents in recent years. 

In an incident last week in Sheerness, a roof and fence were caught alight due to a disposable barbecue, thought to be extinguished, being discarded in a bin. Similar situations can and have led to refuse lorries catching on fire.

In another incident, a child received serious burns after stepping on sand where a disposable barbecue had been buried, highlighting the hidden dangers. 

The council says: "These are the types of serious incidents the council is determined to prevent in Swale. 

Hot coals from barbecues can easily ignite dry grass, and discarded units pose a significant threat.   Burying disposable barbecues in the sand is not a safe method of disposal; they can retain heat for many hours, creating a hidden hazard for other beach users, particularly children and animals.  

Disposing of them in litter bins also frequently leads to bin fires, which can spread to become larger, uncontrolled blazes. Long periods of warm weather have left grasslands and other open spaces exceptionally dry and vulnerable to fast-spreading fires. 

Cllr Dolley Wooster, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, told SFM News: “We are asking people to be careful and to understand the serious risk that lighting fires or using disposable BBQs in our public spaces creates. You are not only putting yourself in danger, but also other people enjoying our beaches and our cherished local wildlife. The current hot weather results in a very dry environment, increasing the risk of fires that can quickly become uncontrollable and cause devastating damage.   We want everyone to enjoy our beautiful, award-winning beaches, but you must do so responsibly. We remind everyone that lighting fires or using single-use BBQs is not permitted.” 

Mark Gosling, Group Manager for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, added: “As summer approaches, we encourage everyone to enjoy the warmer weather safely. If you’re planning on lighting a barbeque, position it away from greenery and property, have a means of extinguishing close to hand, try not to leave the barbeque unattended, and always wait for it to be fully out and cooled before disposing. Lastly, make sure the barbeque is in a designated location and if it becomes out of control then move to a safe distance and call 999.”