Swale Borough Council has proposed a balanced 2026/27 budget that the administration says is intended to protect essential local services in Sittingbourne, Kent — such as park maintenance and neighbourhood cleaning — while addressing an estimated funding gap of about £2.5 million. The proposal is designed to avoid deep cuts to community facilities at a time when other districts are under financial pressure.
Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of the council, and the coalition Cabinet recommend the plan to keep the town’s leisure facilities and neighbourhood services running. The proposal specifically prioritises funding for Milton Creek Country Park and supports the continued rollout of the Sittingbourne Town Centre Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which focuses on public realm improvements around the railway station and High Street.
To help fund these protections the administration is proposing measures that include a council tax rise expected to be capped near the 3% referendum limit (a near-3% increase if approved). Any council tax change and the budget itself are subject to a full Council vote in late February 2026 and, if approved, would take effect from 1 April 2026. The proposals also include a planned draw‑down from General Fund reserves and modest increases to fees and charges (including car parking and permits) to help close the remaining gap.
The financial plan follows a public budget consultation (28 November 2024–8 January 2025) in which residents and local groups highlighted priorities to protect sites such as the Bourne Place leisure quarter and Albany Park. The administration says the draft budget reflects those local priorities by concentrating on protecting existing services rather than expanding them.
The council is also progressing its Local Plan Review (at Regulation 18), which asks residents for their views on how Sittingbourne should develop up to 2040. Council leaders say the Local Plan and sensible growth will be important to drive new revenue over the longer term and support the borough’s financial sustainability without losing everyday services residents rely on.
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