On Wednesday 28 January 2026, Councillor Kieran Mishchuk (Reform UK) presented a motion titled the “Border Emergency” to Swale Borough Council in Sittingbourne, Kent. The motion, seconded by Councillor Richard Palmer (Reform UK), asks the council to formally recognise that both legal and illegal migration are placing an unsustainable strain on local infrastructure — in particular the supply of housing and temporary accommodation across Sittingbourne and the wider Swale district.
The motion proposes that the Council Leader should write to the Prime Minister and relevant ministers to demand clear national leadership and legislative changes that would allow local authorities to prioritise local residents for housing and other essential services, and to acknowledge a “local emergency” over the council’s ability to deliver services.
The debate follows a period of local tension. On 10 December 2025, a council debate over a motion to make Swale a “District of Sanctuary” descended into violent protests during which the council’s East Street offices were vandalised (including damage to toilets and water systems) and the building was temporarily closed for repairs; two teenagers were arrested in connection with the incident.
Councillor Mishchuk, who represents Milton Regis, has argued that the town is losing its historic identity amid rapid growth — language he used in earlier public statements — and has highlighted the pressures on housing, pointing to around 1,000 households on Swale’s social housing waiting list.
If adopted, the Border Emergency motion would direct the Council Leader to lobby national government for recognition of a local emergency over service delivery and for legislative support to ease the financial burden on the council caused by high demand for temporary accommodation and other services.
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