Waste

Swale Borough Council are currently undertaking a waste and street cleansing survey in which they are asking local people to participate.

The survey gives residents the opportunity to tell the council how the waste and street cleansing service can be improved before the current 10-year contract ends in October 2023, and will help guide the council’s future contracts.

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.

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.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) were called reports of a shed alight on School Lane in Iwade earlier today.

The Sittingbourne crew were called out at around 1:35pm to a large pile of rubbish that had caught alight and spread to a nearby shed and an outbuilding.

Four fire engines and a bulk water carrier attended, with crews wearing breathing apparatus and using two hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze. There were no reported injuries and the cause is not known at this stage.