Maxine Jacobs

Swale Borough Council

Located on Kent's northern coast, Swale sits around 60km from central London in one direction and 40km from the Channel tunnel in the other. The borough is home to just under 150,000 people, but for such a relatively small area, the borough is a remarkably diverse place. The borough is home to the historic market town of Faversham, the traditional seaside resort of Sheerness and the more industrial market town of Sittingbourne, which in recent years has been the focus of major council-led redevelopment. These urban centres are connected both physically and culturally by the borough's extensive and important rural areas, accounting for around a quarter of the population, which take in a number of protected wildlife habitats and part of the Kent Downs area of outstanding natural beauty. Swale's demographic make-up is no less diverse than its geography, including a mix of affluent and less affluent communities. Our priorities are: * building the right homes in the right places and supporting quality jobs for all * investing in our environment and responding positively to global challenges * tackling deprivation and creating equal opportunities for everyone * renewing local democracy and making the council fit for the future