Swale Borough Council

Small businesses in the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry could be eligible for support from Swale Borough Council’s second round of discretionary grants.

The second round of the discretionary grants scheme is aimed at those businesses who directly support Swale’s visitor economy and who haven’t yet qualified for any government grants to support them through the impact of COVID-19.

Town centre visitors across the Borough will now get 30 minutes extra on all parking tickets bought at Council run town centre car parks, from Saturday (18th July)

Councillors approved an urgent motion at last night's (Wednesday 15th July) Annual Meeting of Swale Borough Counci (SBC).

It's a temporary measure and will be in place until Wednesday 30th as part of the authority's response to the coronavirus pandemic, utilising a government 'New Burdens' grant to pay for the concession.

A statement released earlier today Swale Borough Council announced that their Chief Executive, Mark Radford, has died.

Mark had been undergoing treatment for cancer since last year, but during a recent stay in hospital, he contracted coronavirus. This proved to be one fight too many, and he passed away yesterday (Thursday 28th May).

The first 776 local businesses that have applied for business rate relief grants from Swale Borough Council will be receiving payments worth £8.9 million between them later this week.

The council wrote to 2,600 eligible businesses in the borough with details on how to apply for the grants, which are part of the government's measures to support small businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through the period of disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

There has been a lot of discussion and debate recently about what is deemed an "essential" worker or service, and Swale Borough Council have confirmed that the same has been happening with their operations in an official statement issued today.

Swale Borough Council has decided to suspend Brown Bin collections until further notice during this Coronavirus outbreak.

Swale Borough Council are asking for volunteers to help support vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak.

The council has been asked by the government to coordinate how to get support out to the most vulnerable people in the community.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to develop, Swale Borough Council has begun activating plans to maintain essential services across the borough.

At present, council meetings are being scaled back to only those we are legally required to continue, and we are awaiting government advice on running these remotely - either online or by phone.

Council officers have begun working remotely, and for now council offices remain open to the public for essential services such as supporting rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness.

Local organisations are being encouraged to apply for funding from Swale Borough Council's brand-new Foodbank Grant.

The council are offering a total of £15,000 to support community projects and organisations supporting people in severe need, who are promoting healthier eating or are tackling the causes of foodbank usage by working with others to offer specialist support and advice.

The applications process is open for four weeks and closes on Monday 17th February and each organisation can apply for a maximum of £6,000.

A man has been prosecuted after garage parts, wood, a hanging basket, roofing felt, broken up cabinets, furniture items and cardboard boxes were dumped along Ridham Dock Road last year.

Officers from Swale Borough Council investigated the fly tipping and were able to trace the waste to a Chatham resident. When she was visited by the council, she discovered she had been the unsuspecting victim of an unlawful waste carrier.