Published: Monday, 29th April 2024
Sevenoaks District Council is celebrating its fiftieth birthday this spring.
When the Council first came into existence on 1 April 1974, staff were based over four sites, Argyle Road and Oak Hill Road in Sevenoaks, an office in London Road, Swanley and the Dunbrik depot.
A few years later, in 1986, a brand-new office on the site of the old Victorian swimming baths in Argyle Road was opened bringing most staff under one roof for the first time.
Over the years, the Council has opened three leisure centres, helped build relief roads in Swanley and Edenbridge, led the District’s recovery after the great storm in 1987 and built Bligh’s shopping centre in Sevenoaks town at the turn of the millennium.
In 2011, the Olympic torch passed through the District and the next year, the London 2012 Paralympic Games cycling took place at Brands Hatch. When the pandemic hit, the Council responded by distributing food to people shielding and launched Care for our Community, linking up with more than 2,000 volunteers to support our residents.
In more recent years, the Council has continued to invest in the District, building a brand-new leisure centre in White Oak Swanley, built new affordable homes and begun a £10.3 million project in Spitals Cross, Edenbridge.
Leader of Sevenoaks District Council, Cllr Julia Thornton says: “What an incredible 50 years! We’re so proud of all the work our staff and Councillors have achieved over this time.
“In 2010, the Government named us as one of the best run, and most efficient councils in the country and in 2016, we became the nation’s first financially self-sufficient council. Since then, we have been recognised nationally with awards for the way we manage our finances, been crowned the best organisation in the public sector and been named Council of the Year.
“We’re now embracing new technologies, investigating how AI can help us to do things better and have a determination to tackle the challenge of climate change. Our latest project includes exciting plans to improve part of Sevenoaks Town Centre and lots more!
“We will never rest in doing all that we can for our District – bring on the next 50 years!”
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