Wednesday 26th October 2011

We're Moving!

So that Swale Borough Council can begin to provide its frontline services from the new Gateway in Sheerness town centre, the district office in Trinity Road will be closed for two days while the move takes place.

The district office will be closed on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 November so that everything is ready to resume in the Gateway on Monday 21 November. However, services will still be provided at Swale House, Sittingbourne. For those two days, contact details are as follows:

• Contact Customer Services
• Contact Council Tax
• Housing Benefits benefitenquiries@swale.gov.uk - 01795 417555 

Gateway brings the County and Borough Council services together in one high street location. Some key Kent County Council services include customer service staff who will be able to assist with general enquiries; Adult Education (Skills Plus), Library service, Birth and Death registrations, Sheerness Library and Kent Adult Social Services.

Swale Borough Council will offer in-house services including Customer Service, Housing Options and Housing and Council Tax benefits. Gateway provides free access to the internet and offers the convenience of self-service for a wide range of public services.

A wide range of other voluntary service organisations will also be proving their skills, support and advice through the Gateway as part of a regular programme of events and surgeries.  This development is central to the regeneration of Sheerness town centre and will improve access to a range of services and make these available to customers from across the Island.

The Gateway is in prime location in Sheerness Town Centre, and is expected to increase footfall in the High Street. Thanet’s Gateway has received well over a million visitors in its town centre location.

Councillor Mike Cosgrove, Swale Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Localism, said "We want residents to expect great things when our own Sheerness Gateway is open. We will be able to combine with other services including libraries in a brand new building and we hope that the minor disruption to our normal service on the Thursday and Friday will all have been worth it when we open for business on Monday the 21st.”