Swale Borough Council

Kent County Council (KCC) Trading Standards have advised that a local elderly resident has been targeted by bogus council officials into paying £4,000 for urgent home repairs.

Here's what happened:-

• Cold called by two men claiming to be from Swale Borough Council
• Told occupant that they needed urgent repairs to be carried out on their house
• The work would cost £4,000 but that they would be able to claim the money back

If this happens to you here's what to do:

Swale Borough Council say that they will now save more than 30 tonnes of carbon every year with a fleet of nine new electric vehicles.

The zero-emission vehicles "will help to improve the air quality in Swale". The council’s say that their fleet "regularly travels though the borough’s air quality management areas (AQMAs) where vehicle pollution contributes to poor air quality".

Swale Borough Council have confirmed that there may be delays to waste and recycling collections as more members of staff are having to self-isolate to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

A spokesperson told SFM News that the council "have proactive plans in place for this type of occasion" and that additional staff were being brought in to help, but that there may still be an impact on collections and street cleansing over the next few weeks.

Businesses that have been forced to close or have been severely affected by the new restrictions can apply for one of the following business grants from Swale Borough Council:

• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) or
• Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)

Businesses in rated commercial premises that have been forced to close can get grants of between £1,334 and £3,000 to cover the 28-day period from 5 November through the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed).

Anyone worried about businesses not following the Government’s coronavirus regulations can report their concerns to Swale Borough Council.

With new restrictions in force, the council is increasing the number of spot checks on local businesses to make sure they are complying with the regulations in place.

The council has the power to issue fines to firms of up to £10,000 if they are found to be breaching the regulations, and the police can issue fixed penalty notices of up to £6,400 to individuals.

With new national restrictions now in place, Swale Borough Council is taking action to help support local people and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The council will be working with partners to monitor compliance with the new restrictions and has the power to issue fines of up to £10,000 to businesses who are breaking the rules.

Swale Borough Council is proposing to set up a housing company to help deliver affordable homes for local people in the area.

A report is going to the cabinet this evening (Wednesday 28th October) proposing the setting up a local housing company to increase the supply of affordable homes in the borough, without placing a financial burden on the council.

Swale Borough Councillors have approved the appointment of Larissa Reed as the new chief executive of the council.

The appointment was approved at last night’s (Wednesday, 7th October) full council meeting and follows the death of the previous chief executive Mark Radford in May.

The Leader of Swale Borough council, Cllr Roger Truelove, has called for a renewal of "community spirit" to help people get through the next six months of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the last few weeks, the government has announced new measures to try to prevent the spread of the virus, including limiting opening hours for pubs, bars and restaurants, making collection of contact details a legal requirement for businesses, and making it illegal for groups of more than six people to gather socially.

Pic: Tim Oxley and Melissa Herbert from the SBC Stray Dog Team

Swale Borough Council’s stray dog service has been highlighted as one of the best in the country by the RSPCA for the eleventh year in a row.

The service has been awarded the Gold Pawprint Award, which recognises good practice in animal welfare by local authorities in England and Wales. Alongside this award, the council has also been awarded the Gold Pawprint Award for Contingency Planning for the fourth year in a row.