14 April 2021
At the June 2019 Swale Borough Council meeting, Tim Valentine proposed a motion to Declare a Climate & Ecological Emergency, the motion was passed and council staff have been working towards making the council's operations carbon neutral by 2025. Sittingbourne, Sheppey and Faversham intend to be Carbon Neutral by 2030.
The Council have developed a Climate Action Plan and have set some of the most ambitious targets not only in Kent, but in the UK! The council have prioritized the improvement of energy efficiency and making space for nature, they are pursuing the Swale Strategic Air Quality Action Plan and have called on the Borough's MPs to support the motion.
In 2020 Swale Borough Council made significant achievements in their Climate Action Plan, including:
The council have also fined residents and business owners thousands of pounds for fly-tipping and littering. They have been cracking down on illegal littering in the sea and encourage local residents to contact them to report anyone who is illegally dumping waste. You can report an incident of littering or fly-tipping here or call 01795 417850.
Our councillors in Boughton & Courtenay have also succeeded with their campaign to improve the cycle lanes between Boughton-under-Blean and Faversham and are working towards making cycling safer and easier throughout the borough.
20's Plenty for Faversham
Swale Green Party started a campaign some years ago to introduce a 20mph speed limit in Faversham Town. Subsequently, Amanda Russell did a wonderful job leading 20’s plenty as a non-party campaign. We were very pleased and proud to see that scheme launched in 2020 by Faversham Town Council, with support from KCC. This scheme will help improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, improve road safety and encourage more journeys to be made by walking and cycling.
Swale Borough Council have made significant moves towards making the council's operations carbon neutral.
Zero-emission electric vehicles
The fleet of council vehicles has been replaced with nine new Nissan Env200 electric vans, saving 30 tonnes of carbon every year and making long-term cost savings.
The previous fleet of diesel vans was due to be replaced at the end of 2020 and the new zero-emission vehicles will help to improve the air quality in Swale. The fleet regularly travel through the borough's air quality management areas (AQMAs) where vehicle pollution contributes to poor air quality.
Electric vehicle charging bays installed
New charge points have been installed in central car parks across the borough to encourage as many people as possible to switch to zero-emissions electric vehicles, to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions. There is currently no charge for the electricity used, and the parking tariff for the electric vehicle charging bays will remain the same as the rest of the car park. Vehicles can be charged by downloading the free Pod Point app.
When they stood for election, Tim and Alastair called for more affordable homes in towns, close to transport links, where people could meet their daily needs without having to use a car every time they left home.
This vision has taken a great leap forward; the Rainbow Coalition running Swale Borough Council is setting up a local housing company to meet the need for affordable housing that is not being provided by the market.
The housing company, Swale Rainbow Homes Ltd, will be wholly-owned by the council. It will not place any financial burden on the council or the taxpayer. Council-owned land at the old bus depot in East Street, Sittingbourne, and the car parks at Fountain Street and Cockleshell Walk, also in Sittingbourne, will be transferred in exchange for equity in the company. The sites will be used to provide around 139 new homes. The development will provide an income from assets that will appreciate over time.
Setting up a local housing company will enable the council to intervene directly in the local housing market to provide decent affordable housing. It will give the council control of the number, location and energy efficiency of affordable homes, meaning that the council will not be at the mercy of developers trying to maximise profit.
The number of local people in need of affordable housing is rising. The company will enable us to build affordable housing in addition to those provided through the planning system, enabling Swale Borough Council to begin to meet that need.
Our Green Councillors really have proved that they can make a difference and get things done. Working together, the Rainbow Coalition have made impressive steps towards a zero-carbon future for Swale.
We believe decisions should be taken as locally as possible. Politics is not restricted to the council chamber but happens through actions in the community. From picking up a piece of plastic waste to running a group like the Brownies, positive actions make our villages the great places they are to live. We want to support positive action by everybody. So get in touch. Let us know your priorities, and what we can do to help.
Find out more about all of our 2021 Election Candidates here: https://swale.greenparty.org.uk/election-2021.html