Before reading his statement, the Leader condemned the behaviour of some public earlier in the meeting.

The Leader then said:

“I want to begin with an important update on Barton’s Point Coastal Park. The year-long ecological survey carried out by Bakerwell has confirmed that the park’s brackish lake and surrounding grasslands form an exceptionally rare and sensitive environment. The natural mix of salt and fresh water has created a habitat of national significance, one that would not withstand increased footfall. In response, the Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee has agreed that our earlier leisure proposals will not proceed. Instead, we will focus on preserving, enhancing and educating people about this remarkable ecosystem. A Members’ Working Group will now explore the implications and long-term stewardship, including ecological futures such as education led approaches or the creation of a habitat bank. This is the right decision for Barton’s Point and the right decision for our borough.

Staying with community wellbeing, our One Swale roadshows continue to offer vital support for residents facing the pressures of the cost of living. The latest event in Sittingbourne brought together charities, health partners, support organisations and advice services under one roof  providing everything from food and fuel vouchers to wellbeing support, debt advice and safety guidance. These events have helped thousands of people across Swale, and I want to thank all of our officers and partners for their continued commitment.

Continuing with the well being theme, I am pleased to share that Councillor Harrison and I have been invited to the official opening of the new Community Diagnostic Centre on the Isle of Sheppey on Friday. This centre will greatly improve local access to diagnostic services, reduce travel times and support early intervention for residents on the island and beyond. We both look forward to representing the borough at its opening and strengthening our partnership with local health providers.

I also want to recognise two exceptional achievements in our schools. At the Kent Green School Awards, The Sittingbourne School and Iwade Community Primary School were both named award winners with Iwade going on to win the overall Environment Award. These achievements show the passion and leadership of young people in Swale who are championing climate action and environmental protection.

That sense of youth leadership was equally abundant during our recent Youth Engagement Day here in the chamber. From the beginning, students were encouraged not just to learn about democracy but to experiment with it, to question, challenge and imagine new ways local government could work for them. They heard from me, the Mayor and Councillor Tom Nundy about the machinery of the Council, they ran a mock election, they debated real policy priorities with the Community Safety Partnership and they worked through practical policing scenarios with Kent Police’s Child Centred Policing Team. The morning ended with honest, confident feedback from the young participants and a clear sense that this was only the beginning of a stronger, ongoing conversation ensuring that younger voices are heard as todays youngsters will become tomorrow’s adults.

Moving on as we approach a time which may be joyful for some but equally very difficult for others, the Council has actively participated in this year’s White Ribbon Day and 16 days of action which ends today. I want to commend the work and collaboration of our staff and external partners for their unerring commitment to the campaign. I would add that while the 16 days of action ends today our everyday commitment certainly does not.

At this point I do want to highlight a violence against women and girls event that took place at Borden Grammar School. The event demonstrated amazing levels of commitment from young people which was incredibly inspiring.

It was a privilege to be invited to represent our council at the event and I had the honour of speaking  alongside our Mayor Karen Watson and Cllr Nundy, who spoke with passion and sincerity about the importance of the white ribbon campaign and why we stand firmly behind it.

Furthermore, I am proud to announce that Swale Borough Council has achieved the national ‘Gold Standard’ accreditation from the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA). This is the highest level of recognition for domestic abuse response within housing services. With domestic abuse present in 22% of all homelessness cases that we manage, our officers deal with this reality every single day. The accreditation confirms that we have strong procedures, excellent partnerships and a robust, survivor-focused approach. I want to thank every officer involved for their outstanding work.

Turning now to local democracy, Members will be aware that we are launching a major Community Governance Review (CGR). This will consider amongst other things whether Sittingbourne and Halfway should have their own town or parish councils, potential changes to existing councils, and the renaming of Warden Parish Council to Warden Bay Parish Council. Parish and town councils can strengthen representation, improve services and give residents a direct voice. But this must be shaped by the will of local people through the public consultation that will begin shortly.

Finally, as we approach the festive season, we have published the Christmas and New Year service changes, including the 2025 bin collection schedule, so that residents have clear and timely information.

And so, Madam Mayor, as this is our final Full Council meeting of the year, I want to wish all Members, staff, and residents across Swale a safe, peaceful and very happy Christmas and healthy and prosperous new year.”

In response, the Leader of the Conservative Group thanked the Leader for his comments on the aggressive and violent activity that had occurred by some members of the public in the building earlier that evening. He acknowledged that Members may hold differing views but said constructive debate on those differences fostered resilience and strength and he was critical of the threatening behaviour that had taken place. The Leader of the Conservative Group welcomed the news on schools and encouraged engagement with younger residents. He thanked the Sittingbourne Christmas Lights association and all those who worked on providing Christmas lights across the borough

As the Leader of the SIA Group had left the meeting, Councillor Paul Stephen spoke on the group’s behalf. He thanked the Leader for the good news contained within his statement.  Councillor Stephen expressed his concern at the earlier public behaviour. He referenced the motion debated earlier saying that everyone deserved to live in safety, free from fear and discrimination and he praised the Mayor’s chairing of the meeting to which Members applauded.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group welcomed the condemnation of earlier public behaviour and noted Faversham residents were already familiar with and actively challenging such conduct. Turning to the Leader’s Statement, she highlighted the success of the One Swale roadshows in supporting residents with cost-of-living challenges and thanked staff and partners for their efforts. She welcomed the White Ribbon campaign accreditation and commended staff in domestic abuse and housing services for achieving gold standard. She noted the divisive climate in the community, shared concerns from residents of colour feeling afraid, and urged everyone to reflect the values of the Christmas story in their lives.

The Leader of the Reform UK group said acts of violence and intimidation had no place in a modern functioning democracy. He highlighted the positives in the Leader’s Statement and said the Council worked well, when it worked together. The Leader of the Reform UK Group wished everyone a relaxing Christmas and said he looked forward to the new year of open debate.

The Leader of the Green Group welcomed the opening of the Community Diagnostic Hub, noting benefits of shorter travel and earlier treatment. He supported green initiatives in schools but urged further action to address future challenges. He also congratulated the housing team for their work on supporting victims of domestic violence.

Other Members were invited to speak and they made comments including:

·         Welcomed the comments from the Leader on the behaviour of some public earlier in the meeting;

·         congratulated Iwade Community Primary School and the Sittingbourne School for their awards, and noted the positive engagement of a pre-school entrant, showing that under-fours were embracing the initiative;

·         drew attention that Mid-Kent College had invested £15million across their campuses to become carbon neutral;

·         congratulated the staff for achieving the gold standard for DAHA and explained the complex process to achieve it;

·         thanked all staff, in all departments, across the organisation for their hard work this year;

·         referred to the Youth Engagement Day and spoke of the need to engage young people;

·         highlighted the thriving Eco Council at Kemsley Primary School;

·         every Member was welcome to bring ideas to be discussed freely and respectfully at meetings and that should not be forgotten;

·         noted that SBC had demonstrated the effectiveness of cross-party collaboration, despite the national climate of hostility often amplified by social media;

·         all Members should encourage younger residents to engage;

·         welcomed the news of the Community Diagnostic Hub, and said the Isle of Sheppey would also benefit from a mental health haven as Medway Maritime Hospital had, and highlighted its benefits;

·         spoke of SBC’s history of encouraging green initiatives in young people in the borough; and

·         had used, and praised the service at the Community Diagnostic Hub.

In response, the Leader thanked residents for their efforts with Christmas lights and acknowledged Members’ work supporting their wards. He noted that many initiatives were ongoing, appreciated Members’ contributions, and extended seasonal greetings, reminding all to keep those facing difficulties in mind.