The Leader said:

“This evening I want to reflect on the council’s continued focus on regeneration, community wellbeing,   planning and partnership working.

I will begin in Sheerness, where we have reached an important milestone in the Sheerness Revival project with the opening of the new Makers Studios at Masters House. This marks the completion of the first of three major regeneration schemes being delivered as part of the council’s £20 million investment into the Isle of Sheppey. It was a privilege to be involved in last weeks ribbon cutting ceremony which saw a happy and welcome return to the borough of former leader Roger Truelove who has retained a keen interest in the wider sheerness revival project.

The studios are modern, sustainably built, and provide affordable, professional spaces, operated by the national enterprise charity Launch It. The studios offer mentoring and business support alongside workspace, helping young entrepreneurs turn creativity into sustainable livelihoods. This builds on the earlier £1.5 million refurbishment of Masters House, which now hosts a thriving community of small businesses.

Madam mayor, regeneration is not just about buildings, it’s about people and how communities function from day to day.

That is why the council is giving equal emphasis to tackling loneliness and social isolation across Swale. This work is informed by feedback from residents and organisations, who highlighted barriers such as rural isolation, transport challenges, digital exclusion and lack of confidence.

Working with the Swale Voluntary Alliance and Swale CVS, and funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the council is supporting a coordinated programme of practical action. This includes a Swale Activities Directory, a telephone befriending service for younger residents, loneliness champion training, for volunteers and frontline staff, and work to support residents who are digitally excluded to get online and stay connected.

The aim is simple but vital, to help people feel seen, supported and able to belong, and to ensure that no resident in Swale feels they have to face loneliness alone.

Supporting residents through the cost of living also remains a priority. The council will continue to deliver One Swale Roadshows across the borough between January and March, bringing together charities and partner organisations to offer advice and practical help with bills, food and fuel, employment, health and wellbeing. The first event of the year will take place in Sheerness on 29 January.

Madam mayor I also want to briefly highlight the launch of the Regulation 18 consultation for the council’s next Local Plan, which sets out our early vision for how development should take place across Swale.

This stage focuses on development management policies, the rules used to assess planning applications and places a clear emphasis on infrastructure, design quality and environmental protection. 

The council has chosen to bring forward these essential policies now, with a further consultation on potential development sites to follow later this year. This ensures we are in a strong position to demand quality design, appropriate infrastructure, affordable housing and high environmental standards when sites are considered.

The consultation is open until 23 February, and I encourage all residents and stakeholders to take part.

Staying with consultations our Community Governance Review stage 1 consultation is live and will close on 9 February and I would ask you all to promote engagement from all of your residents.

Moving on I wanted to acknowledge that this new year didn’t start well for everyone. In fact I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for the residents of Faversham witnessing the sickening fire at The Alexander Centre on New Year’s Eve. I would like to thank Kent Fire and Rescue Service, other emergency responders and the local community for their swift and professional response. Thankfully, no one was injured, and the council is working closely with the Centre’s management team and partners to support assessments and repairs. I visited the centre and met with Graham Setterfield Director and chair of the CIC to witness the aftermath. I  have to say I have nothing but admiration for him, his fellow directors and staff in their dedication and tenacity in ensuring as much as possible that it is business as usual although some events have had to be inevitably cancelled.

Finally, I would like to reflect on the importance of partnerships in keeping our communities safe. Recently, I visited the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance alongside leaders from across the county. Informative and enlightening presentations from the charity’s Chief Executive and Clinical Director provided a clear insight into the complexity and importance of the life-saving services that they deliver across our region. However one particularly take away from the session for me is the need for each and everyone of us to have an awareness of CPR. Given that for every minute CPR is not commenced the patients chances of survival reduce by 10% .Early this week an elderly resident who had collapsed by a major road in my ward was successfully resuscitated by people passing by, and whilst offering my congratulations to those kind individuals it highlights that if they hadn’t been aware of how to implement CPR the outcome could have been very different.

Madam mayor on that truly positive note I will sign off, thank you.”

In response, the Leader of the Conservative group, endorsed the Leader’s comments on the importance of CPR, drawing on personal experience to highlight both the physical and emotional challenges involved, while stressing that it remained a vital and potentially life‑saving intervention. He expressed support for the One Swale Roadshows and looked forward to the event scheduled for 29 January, hoping it would mark the start of a successful and worthwhile programme.

Referring to the Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation and the Community Governance Review (CGR), the Leader of the Conservative Group emphasised their importance in shaping the future of the borough, but stressed the need to encourage residents to engage through the formal consultation process rather than commenting on social media, which could not be taken into account.

He expressed sadness but relief that nobody was injured in the fire at the Alexander Centre, and acknowledged the strength of the community response.

In concluding, the Leader of the Conservative Group referred to a recent incident involving the theft and subsequent recovery of a therapy dog from a local school, highlighting both the significant emotional impact on the school community and the positive role that social media could play in mobilising public support and achieving a good outcome.

The Leader of the Swale Independents Alliance (SIA) welcomed progress on the Sheerness Revival project, particularly the restoration of Master’s House, noting its importance as a heritage asset previously at risk and the value of bringing it back into use for the benefit of Sheerness. He referred to the involvement and commitment of former Councillor Knight and emphasised the importance of continuing to protect buildings at risk, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding the water tower.

The Leader of the SIA group welcomed the progress being made in tackling loneliness and social isolation, noting this had been a long‑standing priority for the SIA group. He referred to existing initiatives within Swale West, including the Bobbing Loneliness Café and other local events, and advised that, in his capacity as Chair of the Swale Area Committee, relevant organisations would be invited to a future meeting to discuss how loneliness and social isolation could be addressed further. He expressed hope that parish councils could play a role in helping to address what he described as a serious social issue.

Finally, the Leader of the SIA group welcomed progress on CGR, expressing concern about the future of local representation across Kent. He described the Review as a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to establish a town council for Sittingbourne, in order to ensure that local voices were not lost under potential future unitary arrangements, and welcomed any progress made.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group welcomed the positive impact of the regeneration scheme on the Isle of Sheppey, particularly its benefits for young people, which she considered an impressive project that supported them in building their futures. She suggested that it would be beneficial to see similar schemes extended to other areas of the borough, and potentially within any future unitary authority.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group emphasised the importance of reducing loneliness and social isolation, noting that the One Swale Roadshows had been highly effective in supporting vulnerable residents, particularly during the cost of living crisis, by helping to put money back into people’s pockets when it was most needed.

Referring to the Local Plan, she welcomed progress on the development management policies currently out for consultation and described them as ambitious. However, she expressed concern about whether Faversham could accommodate a proposed additional 4,000 homes.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group went on to thank Kent Fire and Rescue Service for their rapid and professional response to the fire at the Alexander Centre, also paying tribute to the dedication of the Centre’s staff and volunteers. She noted the strong community response in Faversham, with support being offered from across the local area.

Finally, she echoed comments made regarding CGR, expressing concern that future unitary arrangements could distance councillors from the residents they represented. She stressed that local government functioned best when it was closest to communities and welcomed any efforts aimed at reducing that gap.

The Leader of the Reform UK Group welcomed the regeneration taking place on the Isle of Sheppey and the progress of initiatives aimed at reducing loneliness, noting that these projects demonstrated what could be achieved when Members worked collaboratively towards shared objectives.

While acknowledging its importance in sustaining life, he highlighted the critical role of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in improving survival rates, noting that delays in defibrillation significantly reduced the chances of survival. He referred to the Council’s role in supporting the provision of AEDs across rural communities, town centres and other locations, and stressed the importance of increasing public awareness and training.

He concluded by reiterating the value of collective effort and thanked Members for their contributions.

The Leader of the Green Group focused on the comments made regarding CPR, suggesting that the most effective way of improving survival rates from heart attacks was through prevention rather than intervention alone. He highlighted that several elements within the Leader’s statement—such as promoting economic activity, community integration and tackling loneliness—were proven to have positive impacts on public health and in reducing the likelihood of heart disease.

Referring to the Regulation 18 Local Plan, he welcomed the inclusion of policies promoting active travel and physical activity, which he considered central to creating healthier communities. He commented that CPR represented a final line of defence, whereas community wellbeing and preventative measures needed to be embedded much earlier. He also welcomed the emphasis within the Regulation 18 consultation on net zero design for both residential and employment buildings, describing this as one of the most significant elements of the emerging policies.

Other Members were invited to speak and made points which included:

• thanked the Leader for highlighting the CGR consultation and reassured the public that all comments received would be read carefully and taken seriously by the Working Group;
• suggested there was work to be done to rebuild public trust in Council consultations, following previous decisions where residents felt their views had not been fully reflected;
• welcomed the opening of the Master’s House garages and praised the quality of the restoration work, noting both the aesthetic improvements and benefits to the Isle of Sheppey community;
• congratulated officers, including the Communications Team on improved engagement and updates relating to the Sheerness Revival project;
• welcomed progress on regeneration on the Isle of Sheppey and expressed hope that conservation areas and historic buildings elsewhere in the borough, including Milton Regis, would be considered in future regeneration plans;
• raised concern that awareness of the CGR remained limited among residents and welcomed explanatory videos produced to support understanding of the Review;
• reflected on the importance of long‑term vision and consistency in regeneration projects to ensure the Council was well‑placed to respond to future funding opportunities;
• welcomed progress on further education provision on the Isle of Sheppey, including the college extension, and the potential benefits for young people both on the island and the mainland;
• encouraged cross‑party working and long‑term thinking when developing policies and regeneration schemes; and
• expressed concern that some children on the Isle of Sheppey were currently without appropriate school places, and noted that this issue should not be overlooked.

In response, the Leader reflected on comments made by Members, beginning with the incident involving a therapy dog and highlighting the important role animals could play in supporting wellbeing, particularly for children who required additional support in educational settings.

He emphasised that encouraging engagement with consultations was a key issue for all Members, stressing that elected Members needed to lead by example by responding themselves, while also recognising the ongoing challenges in raising awareness among residents despite best efforts at ward level.

The Leader welcomed comments regarding the Council’s work on protecting heritage assets, acknowledging the importance of having a dedicated focus on buildings at risk. He also referred positively to initiatives addressing loneliness and social isolation, including local café‑based schemes, noting their apparent success and positive feedback.

Responding to comments from Group Leaders, he acknowledged the work undertaken to support residents facing cost‑of‑living pressures and welcomed the cross‑party support for regeneration on the Isle of Sheppey. He commented on the discussion around CPR and automated external defibrillators, agreeing that AEDs represented best practice while recognising that availability remained limited and that Members and residents must continue to do what they could in the circumstances.

He agreed that promoting healthier communities and addressing wider social determinants of health would, in the longer term, reduce the need for emergency interventions such as CPR, while acknowledging that further progress was required to achieve this.

The Leader:

• acknowledged the difficulties in encouraging residents to respond to consultations, particularly where issues were not widely understood or did not generate strong public interest;
• expressed appreciation for the work of the Chair and Vice‑Chair of the CGR Working Group and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to supporting efforts to increase public engagement;
• aligned himself with comments praising the work of officers, noting that their contribution to regeneration projects was often unseen but had been exceptional;
• formally recognised the dedication and effort of officers involved in delivering the Sheerness Revival and related projects;
• reflected on the importance of maintaining a long‑term, forward‑looking vision for regeneration and policy development;
• noted that lessons had been learned from past experience and that consistency and perseverance had contributed to recent successes; and
• emphasised that where approaches were working well, there was value in continuing them rather than changing direction unnecessarily.