Swale Borough Council

Swale Borough Council is writing to local Kent County Councillors to ask them to oppose £2.3 million of cuts to homelessness support.

The proposals to stop funding Kent Homeless Connect are part of Kent County Council’s budget proposals being discussed  next Thursday (10th February).

Swale Borough Council has confirmed that it will be sending an update on the Highsted Park planning applications to parish councils and local groups.

The council states that the two planning applications for the development are "currently not lawful as they needed to include an environment statement setting out the significant effects of the proposals on the environment".

People across Swale are being encouraged to check if they are eligible to receive help under a new scheme being launched to help local householders be warmer in their homes, lower their carbon emissions, and save money on their fuel bills this winter.

Bowls players with mobility challenges will be able to continue playing thanks to a grant of more than £2,000 from Swale Borough Council.

Borden Short Mat Bowls Club applied for the funding to have a special bowling wheelchair made to provide players experiencing mobility challenges the opportunity to continuing playing.

Councillors have approved plans to revitalise Sittingbourne town centre.

A supplementary planning document was discussed at last night’s virtual Local Plan Panel meeting on Wednesday (15th December) evening and was approved to move to the next step which is public consultation.

Following consultation, the document will then become part of the current local plan and will shape how the council considers new development proposals.

The Leader of Swale Council, Cllr Roger Truelove (Labour) is urging the government to introduce public health measures to deal with the winter threat of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses as soon as possible.

Whilst we still navigate our way through the pandemic, Swale Borough Council will this year deliver a scaled back Civic Service of Remembrance at the Sittingbourne War Memorial on Sunday 14th November.

Individuals and organisations wishing to attend the service are asked to arrive by 10.45am and gather in the vicinity of the War Memorial and in Central Avenue car park, which will be closed all morning for the service.

The High Court has rejected an appeal by Wheelabrator to overturn a decision by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to refuse permission for its new Kemsley North energy from waste (EfW) plant here in Sittingbourne.

At last night’s (Wednesday 6th October) Council meeting, councillors unanimously agreed to change the way Swale Borough Council makes decisions by moving to a committee system.

Councillors have agreed that the council’s current leader-and-cabinet led structure, where most decisions are taken by fewer people, will be replaced with a committee system, which will come into effect at the annual council meeting in May 2022.

The new system will mean decisions are made by politically balanced committees representing all councillors.

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.