The Swale Borough Council Eastern Area Committee met on Thursday, 4 September 2025, to discuss a range of local issues. Key topics included the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, public toilet consultations, an extension of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and updates on flooding in the Eastern Area. The committee also agreed to refer several local issues to the relevant service committee chairs for consideration.

Local Issues Referred to Service Committee Chairs

The committee agreed to refer several local issues to the relevant service committee chairs for consideration. These included:

• Installing car anti-idling signs in Central Car Park and Preston Street, Faversham.
• Introducing the Litterlotto App in Faversham.
• Installing goal posts on the green at Whiting Crescent, Faversham.
• Reviewing the layout of the taxi rank and lack of a public drop-off area at Faversham Railway Station.
• Increasing enforcement patrols at the taxi rank outside Faversham Railway Station.

Flooding in the Eastern Area

The committee reviewed the updated flooding tracking report for the Eastern Area. Councillor Charles Gibson is responsible for updating the tracker with progress on flooding issues.

The flooding tracker lists a number of locations that are subject to regular flooding, and notes what actions have been taken to resolve the issues. Some of the locations listed in the flooding tracker are:

• Abbey Road Recreation Ground, Whitstable
• Abbey Road Bus stops, Whitstable
• Church Road, Whitstable
• Orchard Place, Whitstable
• Conduit Street, Whitstable
• Tanners Street towards South Road, St Anns
• Forbes Road under bridge, St Anns/Watling
• Curtis Way opposite Stonebridge Pond, St Anns
• Oare Street/Western Link Road, St Anns
• Love Lane Cemetery, Watling
• London Road, Watling
• Ashford Road, Watling
• Frognal Lane, Teynham and Lynstead
• Hempstead Lane, Tonge End, Teynham and Lynstead
• Teynham Water Treatment Plant, Teynham and Lynstead
• Staple Street Crematorium, Boughton and Courtenay
• Fox Lane Selling station, Boughton and Courtenay
• Church Road ME13 0HL, East Downs

The report also noted new actions and issues, including that Councillor Charles Gibson had contacted Helen Whately, the Member of Parliament, to request a meeting with Swale Borough Council, Kent County Council, and Southern Water to resolve flooding issues in Faversham.

Swale Bus Forum Update

The committee received an update on the Swale Bus Forum.

The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods advised that Faversham Town Council can feed issues to the Swale Local Bus Forum via the Eastern Area Committee representative, Councillor Alistair Gould.

The minutes of the Local Bus Forum meeting on 29 July 2025 were included in the agenda pack. Items discussed at the Local Bus Forum included:

• The Kent Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) headlines since January 2025.
• The Kent Bus Information Portal launch.
• Major projects in Dover and Canterbury.
• The District Shelter Grant Scheme for 2025/26.
• The revenue spend for 2025/26, including Promotions and Plus Bus Expansion to be introduced to Swale.
• The additional Summer 360 Leysdown bus route.
• The bus subsidy and available funding including schools transfer element and the shared aspiration to provide additional and enhanced initiatives.
• Kent County Council's future funding for home to school transport within next year's budget.
• Road closures at Grovehurst and on the Isle of Sheppey.
• Accessibility concerns for customers with dementia/zimmer frames.
• Section 106¹ funds provided for bus services.

Matters Arising From Previous Meetings

The committee reviewed a report on matters arising from previous meetings.

Actions and issues discussed in the report included:

• Anti-idling signage: Parking Operations confirmed they would arrange for signage to be erected in Central Car Park and Preston Street, Faversham, to stop car idling.
• Litterlotto App: The request to have the Litterlotto App in Faversham was referred to the Chair of the Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee for consideration.
• Whiting Crescent: The installation of goal posts on the green at Whiting Crescent, Faversham, was referred to the Chair of the Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee for consideration, including the costs and risks.
• Taxi rank, Faversham Railway Station: The request to review the area around Faversham Railway Station will be discussed at the next Swale Joint Transportation Board Chair's briefing.
• Tree damage/maintenance: Environmental Services advised that a tree in the Central Car Park/Multisave area of Faversham that needed branch clearance after a car collision was on private property and the concerns had been passed onto the owners.
• Local Bus Forum: The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods advised that Faversham Town Council can feed issues to the Swale Local Bus Forum via the Eastern Area Committee representative, Councillor Alistair Gould.
• Flooding in the Eastern Area: Councillor Charles Gibson contacted the Member of Parliament Helen Whately, to request a meeting with Swale Borough Council, Kent County Council and Southern Water to resolve the flooding issues in Faversham.
• Conservation Area Reviews: The Conservation & Design Team reported progress on the following Conservation Area Reviews:
  • Faversham - Preston Next Conservation Area
  • Faversham- Town Conservation Area
  • Cellar Hill & Greenstreet Conservation Area
  • Graveney Bridge, Graveney Church and Graveney Goodnestone Conservation Area
• Heritage issues:
  • Area of Special Control of Advertisements (ASCA)
  • Swale Local Heritage List