The Sheppey Area Committee met to discuss the Sheerness Revival Project, the Swale Bus Forum, and the Household Support Fund, among other items. The committee requested updates on the Local Government Reorganisation and the Swale Community Governance Review at future meetings. Additionally, the committee agreed to ask the Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods about the future of the Swale Local Bus Forum.

Swale Bus Forum

The committee discussed the minutes of the Local Bus Forum meeting held on 29 July 2025. Councillor Dolley Wooster proposed that the Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods be asked to make enquiries about the future of the Swale Local Bus Forum, as no meeting had taken place since January 2025. This proposal was seconded by Councillor Elliott Jayes and approved.

Sheerness Town Councillors raised the issue of the lack of bus services along Queenborough Road by the new development. Swale Borough Council (SBC) councillors noted that Minster Road, Halfway was closed due to works on gas supplies.

The Local Bus Forum meeting on 29 July 2025 included the following updates:

• Kent Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP): Dan Bruce from Kent County Council (KCC) provided an update on the Kent BSIP, including the submission of the 25/26 Delivery Plan to the Department for Transport (DfT) in March 2025 and the receipt of funding in June 2025.
• Kent Bus Information Portal: The Kent Bus Information Portal is scheduled to be formally launched in the coming weeks, offering journey planning, real-time information, and a reporting tool.
• District Shelter Grant Scheme: The District Shelter Grant Scheme for 25/26 has been launched, with a wider District Grant Scheme to follow.
• Revenue Spend: Dan Bruce gave a breakdown of the revenue spend for 25/26, including promotions and Plus Bus Expansion to be introduced to Swale. Roland Eglinton from Chalkwell, was unaware that Plus Bus Expansion was not administered in Swale, and this was to be discussed outside of the meeting.
• Summer 360 Leysdown Bus Route: Councillor Dolley Wooster raised a question regarding the additional Summer 360 Leysdown bus route, and KCC agreed to provide an update.
• Parish Rural Shelter Grant: Stephne Pay from KCC, summarised the 2025/2026 Capital initiatives, including the Parish Rural Shelter Grant, where Parish Councils can bid for match funding to refresh or install bus shelters.
• Bus Subsidy: Stephne Pay updated the forum on the bus subsidy and available funding, including the schools transfer element.
• Home to School Transport: Mike Baldock raised concerns regarding KCC's future funding for home to school transport within next year's budget. Stephne Pay clarified that home to school transport is a separate statutory responsibility budget and would request information from colleagues in Education regarding budget and home to school transport appeal positions.
• Government Support: Stephne Pay reminded the meeting that Government support is extremely important as funding through BSIP Revenue and Capital is only secure for this financial year.
• Road Closures: Roland Eglinton advised that the main issue for bus companies was the challenging road closures at Grovehurst and on the Island. A shuttle bus was being introduced for the planned closure of Key Street.
• Area Committee Feedback: Karen Watson noted that the Sittingbourne Area Committee had met and raised concerns regarding accessibility for customers with dementia/zimmer frames and were waiting for a response from bus companies. Emma Wiggins noted that the Western Area Committee had noted that Section 106¹ funds were provided for bus services and KCC hold the money. Emma Wiggins was to look at ways to show Section 106 allocation for buses. Emma Wiggins also noted that the Eastern Area Committee had suggested that a representative from Faversham Town Council should sit on Swale Local Bus Forum and suggested Councillor Alastair Gould as the representative.
• Enhancement Partnership Board: Stephne Pay updated that the Enhancement Partnership Board had not met due to the change of administration and cabinet members. An inaugural introduction board meeting was being scheduled for August and Stephne Pay would forward an update bulletin to stakeholders once it had taken place.

Sheerness Revival Project

The Capital Programme Manager provided an update on the Sheerness Revival Project, which includes the following projects:

• Beachfields Regeneration: Demolition and strip-out work has been completed. The leisure facility reception continues to operate from temporary cabins outside, with the gym and workout studio in the sports hall. The Adventure Golf official opening was on 23 July 2025. There had been an escalation in anti-social behaviour (ASB) at Beachfields over the summer. Officers are working with contractors and local community partners to engage young people by sharing information on the project to encourage more positive involvement and highlight the benefits of the project to their specific demographic in an effort to instil a sense of pride of place. Work is planned to install a new outdoor gym and multi-use games area, as well as a refresh to the tennis court and paddling pool area. Early design work has begun on TAG Active and Soft Play activities due to come forward next year.
• Sheppey College: The building is being made weather tight with windows currently being installed. Internal works are expected to commence in the coming weeks along with the remaining finishing touches. The programme of works is expected to complete in December and will be open to students from January 2026.
• Masters House: Contractors were onsite with works commencing in July 2025 and completion expected Autumn 2025. A milestone event to mark the start of the refurbishment work took place in August. Works are ongoing around the structure of the building, installation of the roof and steel and glass frontage. Expected completion of works by mid-November.

A programme of engagement activities is planned over the coming months and into 2026, including information stalls at careers fairs, assemblies within secondary schools, activities to engage 'hard to reach' young people, and local business forums.

Matters Arising

The committee reviewed the progress on actions from previous meetings, as detailed in the Item X Matters Arising Update Sheppey AC 2025-09-18 report. Key updates included:

• Barton's Point: Reports are being prepared for the Economy and Property and the Environment and Climate Change Committees that will be focused on considering and resetting the Council's future approach to realising the site's potential.
• Emergency Contact Details: Parish and Town councils should contact blue light services or utility companies in case of water/gas emergencies. These organisations will alert Swale Borough Council through pre-agreed responses structures and ensures that the correct agencies are told at the correct point.
• Area of Special Control of Advertisements (ASCA): Following an all members briefing in May 2024, it was agreed that a draft consultation document be prepared for approval by the Planning Committee, before undertaking public consultation. The draft consultation document is estimated to be ready by autumn of 2025.
• Sheerness - Conservation Area Reviews: Press notifications to London Gazette and one local newspaper are being organised. The final adopted version of the appraisal documents is envisaged to be published on the SBC website by mid-September 2025. The adopted map of redesignated Conservation areas with their changed boundaries are available on the SBC website. Review of Sheerness Blue Town Conservation Area is estimated to start in spring of 2026 as part of Heritage Strategy Action plan 2.
• Local Heritage List: An additional call for 'invitation to nominate' Local Heritage assets is scheduled to start from 8 September 2025 for 6 weeks, with the Selection Panel meeting again in the autumn of 2025. In addition to the above, a protocol for urgent designation of assets on Local Heritage was adopted at the June 2025 Policy & Resources Committee.
• Lack of Enforcement at 10-Month Occupancy Caravan Parks: The Head of Place advised that enforcing the closed season on holiday parks is a complex task.

Household Support Fund

The committee received an update on the Household Support Fund (HSF), which aims to provide crisis support to vulnerable households with the cost of essentials. The total allocation for Round 7 (1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026) is £445,415.81.

Support is available through direct funding of Swale's voluntary, community, and enterprise sector, including emergency support packages and advice services. Organisations providing support include Age UK Kent Rivers, Age UK (Sheppey), Children & Families, Citizens Advice Swale, Diversity House, Fuel & Water Advice Service (Children & Families), West Faversham Community Association, and Swale Borough Council's Housing Team.

The HSF will no longer continue in its current format from April 2026.