Swale Borough Council

The Conservatives have lost control of Swale Borough Council after this year's Local Elections.

In a shock result from Boughton And Courtenay Council Leader Andrew Bowles lost his seat.

The full results (by party) were as follows:-

Band D households will will be paying £3.35 per week for Swale Borough Council's portion of the Council tax services from April.

Council tax for the 2019/20 financial year was set at last night's full council meeting, with band D households set to pay £174.42 a year to the council, an increase of £4.59 (2.7%).

Most properties (63.7%) in Swale are in bands A-C meaning that their rise will be even less than this.

An Eastchurch man has been convicted and was fined £500 on Monday 17th December at Medway Magistrates Court for illegally carrying waste, in a prosecution brought by Swale Borough Council.

Keith Hodgson, aged 56 and of Shannon Place, was pulled over as part of Operation Assist, in co-ordination with Kent Police on Wednesday 20th June 2018. He was carrying waste on his truck in Eurolink Way, Sittingbourne, but was found to have no waste carrier licence and no waste transfer notes. His vehicle was also impounded by police for having no insurance.

Local residents and visitors are being asked to go online and vote for Oare Gunpowder Works Country Park as their favourite park in the country.

The park was among 1,883 UK parks and green spaces that received a prestigious Green Flag Award in July - the mark of a quality park or green space.

That win means it is eligible for the People's Choice Award, where the public get to pick the 10 best parks in the country.

Swale Borough Council, which manages the park, is asking visitors and residents to get online and vote for Oare.

A Sittingbourne man is almost £1,000 out of pocket after waste, including pallets and building waste were found dumped.

Barry Daynes, aged 30 and of Swanstree Avenue, was prosecuted by Swale Borough Council after waste was dumped at Rawlings Street, Milstead.

Council officers traced the waste back to Mr Daynes who, when asked to help explain how it got there, failed to assist the council with its enquiries.

A Maidstone man is almost £2,200 out of pocket after building waste was dumped in Iwade.

Josh Allen, 26, of Wallace Avenue, Parkwood in Maidstone, was prosecuted by Swale Borough Council after building and demolition waste, including wood, shelves and carpets, was found dumped on Raspberry Hill Lane, Iwade in November 2016.

Council officers traced the waste to a fast food restaurant. The owner of the restaurant confirmed he had paid a company called Josh Clearance £150 to remove the waste, and provided contact details and text messages as evidence.

Swale Borough Council are appealing for any information following the dumping of 118 tyres last week on the roadside in Bobbing, Hartlip, Iwade, Lower Halstow and Upchurch.

Residents young and old will be able to sharpen their skills after improvements to the Kemsley Recreation Ground were unveiled for the New Year.

The new £19,500 multi-use games area has been installed by Swale Borough Council and gives visitors the chance to enjoy a range of ball games such as football and basketball, alongside the existing pitches at the park.

A Teynham woman has been fined £100 and ordered to pay £235 costs after household waste was found dumped by a level crossing.

Shana Dale, aged 31, of Lower Road in Teynham, was prosecuted by Swale Borough Council following an investigation into a large quantity of waste found dumped near the level crossing on Lower Road, in December 2016.

The waste comprised 12 sacks full of household, construction and demolition waste, as well as a kitchen sink and cardboard boxes.

A dropped cigarette butt has cost an Surrey man £535, after he was prosecuted for littering in Sittingbourne.

Maidstone Magistrates Court found Anthony Nevin, of Reigate Road in Epsom, guilty and sentenced him to a fine of £50 and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and legal costs of £455 within 90 days.