SWALE A DIRTY BOROUGH?

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 27th August 2007
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Gordon “frustrated at the way in which the level of tidiness and cleanliness is rapidly deteriorating across Swale”.

The director of the Swale Community Action Project (SCAP), Gordon Henderson, has written to Kent Highway Services to complain about the poor service being provided to the residents of Swale.

In his letter Gordon highlighted a number of issues including:-

· The poor standard of road sweeping, particularly on Sheppey.

· Blocked drain culverts that cause flooding.

· Overgrown and litter strewn alleys.

· Badly overgrown roundabouts and verges on the A249, which are unsightly and a hazard to motorists.

Gordon said:
‘I am becoming increasingly frustrated at the way in which the level of tidiness and cleanliness is rapidly deteriorating across Swale.

‘As the director of the Swale Community Action Project (SCAP) I am doing all I can to encourage members of our various communities to take ownership of their areas and help keep them clean and tidy. But it would make my task much easier if those agencies with a statutory responsibility for keeping our highways, verges, alleys and footpaths clean, set a better example by fulfilling their obligations with more diligence!

‘The situation has certainly become noticeably worse since the highways agreement with Swale Borough Council was ended a couple of years ago. Perhaps it is time to revisit that decision!’

In his letter Gordon also raised again the problem of speeding in Queenborough Road and Minster Road, and the lack of proper white lines in the area.’
….ends….

Enc: Copy of letter to Kent Highway Services