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August 2026

Welcome to the August newsletter for Swale Businesses. In this newsletter:

• Respond to the Draft Swale Borough Local Plan (Regulation 19) consultation
• Test the Short-Term Lets registration scheme
• Access support from the Carbon Trust
• Read about the Government's decision on the future shape of Kent and Medway
• Sign up for free business mentoring
• Register for a webinar on the Youth Guarantee

Respond to the Draft Swale Borough Local Plan (Regulation 19) consultation

Swale Borough Council is now inviting comments on the Regulation 19 stage of the Local Plan. This consultation seeks feedback from stakeholders and the community about the Local Plan’s vision, objectives, strategic policies, site allocation policies and development management policies.

Key documents such as the Sustainability Appraisal, the Habitats Regulations Assessment and supporting evidence base are also available for consultation.

This consultation will run from Monday 10th August 2026 to Monday 21st September 2026 at 5pm.

You can view the draft Local Plan Regulation 19 document, the Sustainability Appraisal, the Habitats Regulations Assessment and evidence documents at the link below.

Help shape the registration scheme for short-term lets

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is looking for people and businesses to test the new registration service for the registration of short-term lets. The testing will entail either trying an early version of the registration service on your own and providing feedback via a survey, or joining an online research session.

Access support from the Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust offers support for businesses to cut carbon emissions, save energy and work on new technologies.

This includes advice, guides, publications, tools, webinars, events and support programmes.

Ministers decide future shape of Kent and Medway councils

Government ministers have decided Kent and Medway will be served by four completely new councils from April 2028.

Following a government consultation which attracted around 3,000 responses, the Secretary of State has opted for option 4B which will create:

• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north
• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west
• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the middle of Kent
• a unitary council covering the areas currently served by Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east

Free business mentoring from the Kent and Medway Growth Hub

Growing a business doesn't mean you have to figure everything out on your own.

Whether you're looking to win more customers, improve efficiency, strengthen your finances or plan for long-term growth, having the right support can make all the difference.

Through Kent and Medway Growth Hub’s Enhanced Business Support Programme Recover, Pivot & Scale (RPS), eligible Kent businesses can access FREE one-to-one mentoring tailored to their business, goals and ambitions.

Experienced mentors provide practical guidance to help you:

• Build a clear growth strategy
• Increase sales and profitability
• Improve productivity and processes
• Explore digital tools and AI
• Make confident business decisions

Ready to see what's possible for your business?

Upcoming webinar: Funding from the Government's Youth Guarantee

Employers are being invited to discover how they can access thousands of pounds in funding and support through the Government’s Youth Guarantee programme, thanks to a new series of webinars hosted by East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group).

The Youth Guarantee is a government initiative designed to help young people access employment, apprenticeships and training opportunities, while supporting employers to recruit and develop emerging talent.

To help businesses understand the opportunities available, EKC Group will be hosting a free online employer webinar at 11am to 12 midday on Friday 18 September, providing practical guidance on available funding, apprenticeship incentives and how organisations can benefit from bringing young people into their workforce.

If you have been forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive it directly by visiting the Swale Means Business website.