Funding

Cllr Tom Nundy, Chair of the Swale Community Safety Partnership, is calling on the Government to continue their funding to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

In the last five years there has been a 37% increase in violence against women and girls, with 1 in 5 crimes (20%) in Kent and Medway being domestic abuse related in 2022/23.

Age UK Faversham & Sittingbourne has been awarded £3439 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund, which aims to tackle inequalities in activity levels as a result of the impact of COVID-19.

The funding award will allow Age UK Faversham & Sittingbourne to grow on the success of their 'Walking Football' sessions with the launch of 'Walking Netball', both activities provide low impact exercise while at the same time tackling isolation through group activities.

Swale Community Leisure (SCL) has received a funding boost from Swale Borough Council to help it continue to deliver essential health and fitness services for residents.

SCL is the charitable trust that operates Swallows Leisure Centre in Sittingbourne and Sheppey Leisure Complex in Sheerness on behalf of the council and the £50,000 of funding from the council is in addition to the council’s significant investment of up to £800,000 to pay for repairs to the roof at Swallows, which was damaged in Storm Ciara earlier in the year.

Kent MPs have welcomed the news of an extra £3.9 million for social care here in Kent, announced today (Tuesday 6th February) by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid.

The announcement follows a series of meetings between Kent MPs and Ministers, pressing for rising costs to be addressed in the forthcoming Local Government Finance Settlement. Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, has also argued vigorously for a more generous funding settlement for the county.

Local MP, Gordon Henderson, has welcomed a new £2 billion fund to help rebuild schools most in need of urgent repair, which could benefit schools here in Sittingbourne.

The Government announced a second round of funding for the successful Priority Schools Building Programme, which is already helping 261 schools across England, including Westlands Primary School.