The Leader said:

“As Leader of Swale Borough Council, I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to serving all of our communities, whether that be in Sittingbourne, Faversham, the Isle of Sheppey, or our rural areas. As a diverse borough, with a strong sense of community, a rich heritage, and an ambitious future our role is to ensure that, regardless of external factors or wider changes, we remain focused on delivering high-quality services, supporting our local economy, caring for our environment, and improving the quality of life for all residents.

At a time when elections will be taking place for Kent County Council, our responsibility remains to support residents by maintaining stability, ensuring public services continue uninterrupted, and facilitating a fair and transparent democratic process. Whilst Swale Borough Council is not directly involved in this cycle of elections, I encourage all residents to stay engaged, be well informed, and take an active role in local democracy. The incentive being that decisions made at county level will have an impact on our borough, from highways and education to social care and public health. Participating in the democratic process ensures that the voices of Swale’s residents are heard at every level of government.

Over the past year, we have faced a range of challenges, from economic pressures and cost-of-living concerns to the increasing demands on local services. Despite these challenges, the council has continued to deliver for our residents. Whether through housing support, waste collection, environmental initiatives, planning services, or community programmes, our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that key services remain accessible and effective.

The strength of a community is built on its ability to adapt, support one another, and plan for the future. That is why, alongside delivering essential services, we are looking ahead to ensure that Swale is well-placed to improve opportunities for residents and businesses alike. We remain committed to our duty of ensuring the smooth running of local government, including providing factual, impartial information to residents, ensuring transparency in decision-making, and continuing our day-to-day work without disruption.

During this election period, we also recognise the importance of political neutrality. The work of this council must remain above party politics, ensuring that residents receive services without bias and that our resources are used solely for the benefit of the community. I also want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our dedicated council officers and staff. Their professionalism, hard work, and commitment ensure that Swale continues to function effectively, whether that’s in frontline services, administrative support, or strategic planning. Their efforts, often behind the scenes, keeps our borough running smoothly, and I want to personally thank each and every one of them.

I also want to acknowledge the incredible work of our community organisations, businesses, voluntary groups and volunteers. Their role in supporting residents, whether through social initiatives, business development, or environmental projects is vital. It is through collaboration between the council and our local partners that we can continue to strengthen Swale as a place of opportunity and resilience.

Regardless of the political landscape, what remains unchanged, is a shared commitment to Swale and its future. This council will continue to work in the best interests of our borough, ensuring that services remain accessible, that communities are supported, and that Swale remains a great place to live, work, and visit.”

In response, the Leader of the Conservative Group said Swale Borough Council (SBC) needed to be a Council for all communities and all Members should make their residents aware of the upcoming Kent County Council (KCC) election and take up their right to vote. He referred to the improvement in waste collection over the past year and he said that SBC were so much richer when Members engaged with and took the advice and guidance from officers. Finally, the Leader of the Conservative Group acknowledged the hard work of all officers, especially those behind the scenes, and of local organisations.

The Leader of the Swale Independent Alliance (SIA) group thanked all staff for their hard work. He referred to the often low turn-out of voters generally but particularly in Swale and called for work to be done to address the issue. The Leader of the SIA group said he had received complaints that non-collection of brown waste bins was not being rolled over their 12 month contract as an assurance was given this would be automatic. He said it was disappointing the Place Strategy had now been paused for a year, as this would have brought community groups and businesses together.

The Leader of the Reform UK group said the Leader’s Statement was well thought out and balanced and agreed there were challenges. He referred to the recent introduction of the community lottery that supported the community and voluntary sector going forward. The Leader of the Reform UK group said one of the best assets of the Council was officers.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat group said that the future of key services were in the hands of voters in the KCC election. She said many people felt abandoned by services run by KCC such as social care and special needs education, and she hoped all residents would vote. The Leader of the Liberal Democrat group highlighted the importance of voluntary or community groups in keeping communities together and supporting residents in need. She thanked officers for their hard work.

The Leader of the Green group thanked all staff for keeping the Council running over the past 12 months.

All Group Leaders commended the Mayor for his successful term and his chairing of Council meetings.

Other Members were invited to speak and made comments including:

·         The knock on effect to Council services and impact on children in the borough as funding was reduced;

·         the impact on the environment was often forgotten in all the other pressures the Council was under and the focus should also be on the longer term; and

·         praised the work carried out around the Active Travel Agenda.

The Leader acknowledged Members’ comments and thanked the Mayor for his chairing of the Council meetings over the past year.