Swale Borough Council

A three-month inquiry regarding the two applications known as 'Highsted Park' commenced at 10am this morning (Tuesday 11th March) at Swale House here in Sittingbourne.

More cameras have been added to Swale Borough Council’s CCTV network to help tackle crime and keep people safe. 

Six cameras have been installed in Sittingbourne and Sheerness town centres, bolstering the existing network of more than 300 cameras across the borough already being monitored 24/7 by the council’s CCTV control room. 

An additional three rapid deployment cameras, which are mobile and can be installed in the event of an emergency or in locations that see a spike in crime, have also been purchased.  

Swale Borough Council have reviewed the roll out of their waste contract with Suez Recycling and Recovery UK , which began in March 2024, and agreed recommendations for future working practices within the council.  

A cross-party member working group at the council have carried out a scrutiny review on the contract, following several months of disruption for many residents, and the results have been published.

The Labour Group on Swale Borough Council have confirmed that the five year coalition has come to an end with the council now becoming a hung Council with Labour Leadership.

The Labour group have said "it is time to agree that the coalition has played its part but it is time to move on to a more representative and inclusive form of decision making".

The one contested seat for the Milton Regis Ward on Swale Borough Council went in a by-election in the area yesterday (Thursday 19th December).

Kieran Robert Oleg Mishchuk, Reform UK, was elected with 272 votes.

The full results were:

A local animal charity, based on Iwade Road in Newington, has been given 9 months to relocate following a three year battle with Swale Borough Council.

Happy Pants Ranch is home to more than 400 animals, most of which have special needs including an epileptic pig, a blind and deaf dog and some three-legged cats.

Amey James, who runs and lives on the site, has confirmed that if she cannot relocate, before the nine-month notice is up, all the animals will have to be put down. She also added that it would mean the charity going under and she stood to lose her house.

Yesterday (Thursday 21st November) saw the Swale Borough Council By Election in Murston.

With a poor 17% turnout the election was won by Carrie Pollard for the incumbent Swale Independents.

Leader of the Swale Independents on the council, Cllr Mike Baldock, told SFM News: "I'm really delighted by this result - Carrie is not a party politician but just really cares about her local area. The big parties threw a lot at this, but sometimes a local person who cares about their local area can break through. Well done Carrie".

The full results were as follows:-

Swale Borough Council’s CCTV control centre, based in Sittingbourne, is expanding to become a national safety hub.

The council’s control centre monitors Swale’s public space CCTV cameras 24/7, 365 days a year and works closely with Kent Police to tackle crime and keep residents safe.

The Highsted Park development, proposed by Quinn Estates, to the south and east of Sittingbourne has been "called in" by The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Swale Borough Council’s Planning Committee were due to decide on the application at a meeting at Swale House last night (Thursday 7th November), but the decision was “ripped out of its hands at the eleventh hour” as Swale BC confirmed it had been called-in by the government at short notice after a letter was received from them at 3:00pm.

A list of prosepective candidates standing in the up and coming By-Election in the Murston Ward of Sittingbourne has been released by Swale Borough Council.

The list of candidates is as follows:-