Swale Borough Council

Rainbow Homes is preparing its first project to deliver new affordable homes in Swale.

The new council-owned housing company is planning to deliver more than 170 new properties at three sites in Sittingbourne and has appointed Counties & Capital Consulting Ltd (C&CC) to oversee the project.

The new homes are planned for Cockleshell Walk, East Street and Fountain Street and will be the first built by Rainbow Homes.

Cllr Mike Baldock has become the new leader of Swale Borough Council.

Cllr Baldock was elected at an extraordinary council meeting held last night (Wednesday 27th April) and he replaces Cllr Roger Truelove, who announced he was stepping down as leader last month.

Access to a new job and home could be on the cards for people experiencing homelessness here in Swale.

A 12-month pilot programme, with homeless crowd sourcing social enterprise Beam, will be discussed at Swale Borough Council’s cabinet meeting this week (on Wednesday 13th April).

The programme would aim to help 38 people start jobs, 15 people leave homelessness and 23 people avoid homelessness.

Waste Carriers have been targeted as part of a day of action to crackdown on fly tipping.

Swale Borough Council teamed up with Kent Police’s Rural Task Force to carry out enquiries, arrest people suspected of fly tipping, seize vehicles and collate evidence with a view to prosecuting offenders for waste related crimes.

Outcomes from the day were:

Cllr Roger Truelove will be standing down as leader of Swale Borough Council after almost three years.

In an EXCLUSIVE first interview with 106.9 SFM's Tony Weaver, on today's (Thursday 31st March) "In The Bourne", Cllr Truelove said: "I have had the pleasure of serving Swale as a councillor for 28 years, the last three as leader of the coalition. I was very doubtful about standing as a candidate in 2019 and I long ago decided I would not stand in 2023".

Councillors have agreed to designate a new conservation area in Rodmersham Church Street.

Swale Borough Council’s proposal to create a new conservation area around the church was agreed at last week’s cabinet meeting (Wednesday 16th March).

The Leader of Swale Council, Cllr Roger Truelove, has written to Highways England calling for urgent action to clear up the extensive litter along the A249 between Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Drawing particular attention to the stretch between Grovehurst and Bobbing, Cllr Truelove points out that Highways England are responsible for this road and despite discussions and assurances, the situation remains unacceptable.

A Statement has been issued today on behalf of Swale Borough Council's group leaders:

Cllr Roger Truelove – Labour
Cllr Mike Baldock – Swale Independents Alliance
Cllr Alan Horton – Conservative
Cllr Ben Martin – Liberal Democrat
Cllr Monique Bonney – Independent
Cllr Tim Valentine - Green

The consultation on plans to try to unlock £20 million of funding for Sheerness has now closed.

Swale Borough Council say that they have received 324 responses from the public on plans that will become a bid to the government’s Levelling Up fund.

More than 75 per cent supporting the council’s plans to better connect the town centre by building a new indoor swimming pool, improving the leisure centre and health offer, expanding Sheppey College and creating new studio spaces at Master’s House.

People can now have their say on Swale Borough Council’s plans to regenerate Sittingbourne town centre.

The plans are outlined in a draft supplementary planning document that is now available for public consultation after it was approved by councillors in December.

Following consultation, the document will then become part of the current local plan and will shape how the council considers new development proposals, outlining what developers and landowners need to include in planning applications.