Local News

Pictured: Kevin McKenna MP and The Mayor of Swale Cllr Karen Watson.

After weeks of conversations with residents, community groups, young people, artists and local organisations, Kevin McKenna MP announced today (Tuesday 31st March) the launch of grassroots bid to make Sheerness and Sittingbourne the UK Town of Culture 2028.

The bid has been shaped through discussions in schools, community hubs and local high streets, ensuring it genuinely reflects the voices, ambitions and creativity of the people who call these towns home.

Celebrating Heritage and Community Sheerness and Sittingbourne have long played a key role in Britain’s national story. Sittingbourne’s brick and paper industries helped build modern Britain, contributing materials for landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and King’s Cross Railway Station. Across the Swale, Sheerness boasts a proud history of naval engineering and innovation, contributing to pivotal moments in the country’s maritime past.

Adding to their vibrant cultural landscape, Sheerness and Sittingbourne are home to three thriving local radio stations, providing platforms for local voices, music, and stories that connect communities every day. The bid is centred on the theme of “building bridges”, inspired by the crossing linking the Isle of Sheppey with the mainland. The programme aims to use culture as a force to connect communities, link past and future and open new opportunities for residents.

It also recognises local challenges, including unequal access to cultural opportunities and limited pathways into creative careers for young people. The Town of Culture programme seeks to address these issues by increasing participation, developing skills, and strengthening community bonds.

Exciting Cultural Activities Planned Planned activities include major local events such as the Sittingbourne Carnival and the Sheppey Festival, alongside innovative initiatives like a Thames sailing barge regatta and the revival of the Queenborough Medieval Fair. Young people will play a central role in creative projects, skill-building, and telling the story of their communities, while older residents will be involved in sharing and preserving local heritage through storytelling and community-led activity.

The bid aims to leave a lasting legacy beyond 2028, including supporting local talent, boosting the creative economy, and linking cultural initiatives to emerging industries and future employment opportunities.

Kevin McKenna MP told SFM News: “This bid has been shaped by the people of Sheerness and Sittingbourne. It reflects our history, our creativity, and our ambition for the future. Culture has the power to bring people together, build confidence, and create opportunity. This is about making sure no one is left behind and giving our communities the platform they deserve. By 2028, we want to show the country what is possible when our communities come together with pride and belief.”

Stay tuned to 106.9 SFM and keep an eye on our socials for updates on this exciting project and we will be the first to keep you up-to-date with the latest developments.

Helen Whately, MP for Faversham & Mid Kent that takes in Teynham, Bapchild and surrounding areas of Sittingbourne, has taken part in the consultation for local government reorganisation in Kent and Medway which closed at 23.59pm on Friday (27th March).

In a letter seen by SFM News Helen makes clear that Local Government Reorganisation without devolution and a mayor – is "the worst of all worlds causing major disruption and likely to end up costing more". 

Helen goes on to tell the Secretary of State for Local Government in her letter: “Kent’s voice won’t be as effective if the county is split into more than one entity surrounded by counties with Mayors representing them. This whole local government reorganisation is ill thought through, inconsistent and a complete mess. The sad truth is that my constituents and the residents of the county will suffer as a result of this folly. This really is a bad idea, and the Government needs to think again."

Our very own Tiony Weaver will be catching up with Helen in the next few weeks. 

Here is a link to the Government’s proposals for local government r-eorganisation in Kent and Medway that was being commented on: -

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-reorganisation-in-kent-and-medway/proposals-for-local-government-reorganisation-in-kent-and-medway  

Swale Borough Council (SBC) have announced that they "will be providing housing for in-need families while regenerating Sittingbourne’s Town Centre, thanks to funding from Homes England". 

The council will be creating 51 new high-quality affordable homes on a former car park in Cockleshell Walk, Sittingbourne for local people.

All homes will be classed as Social Rented homes meaning the rent will be around half of the cost of similar privately rented apartments in the area.  

The low rental income makes the £6.4m funding from Home England’s Affordable Homes Programme critical to make sure the scheme could proceed.

SBC have confirmed that this development will provide homes for the borough’s priority households on the housing register and will also "create a more attractive gateway into the High Street and contribute towards the annual housing targets the Government has set for the borough".  

The landscaping, including planting, will significantly improve St Michael’s Road, while providing a biodiversity net gain of 117%, well over the 10% requirement.  

The energy efficient buildings will include modern building techniques, reducing the amount of energy needed to light and heat the homes, saving residents’ money, and reducing the impact on the environment. 

There will also be 28 parking spaces available for residents and 52 cycle spaces across two secure storage spaces, helping to promote active travel within Swale.  

Planning permission for the scheme (23/503228/FULL) was granted in 2025, and the council have appointed a development partner, Regiis, following a competitive tender process, who are in the process of preparing the land for the development.  

Cllr Hannah Perkin, Chair of the council’s Housing, Health and Communities Committee, told SFM News: “The social housing available within Swale simply can’t keep up with the housing register, meaning vulnerable families are having to wait for much-needed homes. There are currently over 1,800 households on the register but only around 350 houses become available each year, meaning these new high-quality builds will help us provide homes for the most in-need families in Swale. When the multi-storey car park was built, it increased the available parking for the town to free up this land to bring forward much needed, high-quality, affordable housing. 

Cllr Perkin went on to add: “Developing these homes ourselves allows us to create a development which truly reflects the heritage and character of the town, while improving the town centre. They will help home Swale’s families, increase the biodiversity of the area and help us meet the annual housing targets set by central government.”