Issues and SWOT

strength

Maintain the Paddock as a useful everyday space

The renewed space is open between two busy destinations.

Care and accessibility matter after construction ends.

Evidence

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,232 a month (August 2026) in Medway council area. This is £227 lower than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 9% in Cuxton, Halling & Riverside to 45% in Gillingham South — a gap of 35.9 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

5.1% of people reported bad or very bad health in Medway council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 3.3% in St Mary's Island to 7.3% in Twydall — a gap of 4 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

weakness

Test whether Gillingham improvements address the problems

The programme includes new cameras and street enforcement.

Success should be judged by outcomes, not equipment or hours alone.

Evidence

opportunity

Connect the new studio to local learning and work

Docking Station has reached a construction milestone.

Local benefit depends on access to training, facilities and jobs.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

16.5% of people in Medway council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 9.7% in Gillingham South to 27.8% in Hempstead & Wigmore — a gap of 18.2 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Connect local skills to local opportunities

25.6% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Medway council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 10.5% in St Mary's Island to 25.6% in Wayfield & Weeds Wood — a gap of 15.1 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Medway council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

4 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 10% in St Mary's Island to 27.4% in Twydall — a gap of 17.4 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Protect town-centre access during housing redevelopment

The Brook closure changes parking arrangements before housing is built.

People with limited mobility need workable alternatives.

Evidence