Village News

More than 250 people have signed a petition urging Swale Council to take complaints about foul stenches in Bapchild seriously.

Following the rather disappointing response to complaints about the odours by Swale Borough Council’s environmental department, the Parish Council have decided to start a petition to record resident’s views following the worst year on record for odours.

Kathleen Rush, a Year 5 pupil at Bapchild and Tonge Primary School, won the aged five to nine category and former pupil Ashley Hudson, who is now at Sittingbourne Community College, won the 10-13 age group.

During a question and answer session at the recently held Swale Rural Forum Andrew Ogden from the Environment Agency is reported as saying that “overall in Kent, complaints had been low”

At a time when trust in democracy is at an all time low, and our elected officials seem more intent on servicing their own self interests ahead the electorate, it will probably not be surprising to learn that lying has now all but been officially sanctioned by Swale Borough Council.

Swale BC have been monitoring this situation in Bapchild, and officers have responded to complaints. As yet, substantiated complaints have been limited,

Once again I find myself in receipt of a number of complaints following another two consecutive weekends of foul odours, both of which according to the residents who have reported these incidents have been the result of activities on local farms in or around Bapchild.

We have literally only just been informed the afternoon before the work starts that Panteny Lane will be closed between the junction of Church Lane to the junction with The Street for around 3 days.

I have been approached by quite a few residents this weekend with regards to the unbearable smells which are thought to originate from the spreading of the muck heaps along church road towards Rodmersham, although this has not been officially confirmed yet.

The Kent Science Park has been sold to us as a centre of excellence and high tech innovation but basic arithmetic certainly isn’t their forte.