By Local Democracy Reporter Simon Finlay
The shape of the biggest shake-up in local government in 50 years should become apparent this week.
Council leaders and chief executives are waiting for the Secretary of State Steve Reed to make an announcement on Kent’s future this week, possibly on Wednesday or Thursday.
It will force all 14 elected county, borough and district councils to abolish themselves and be reshaped into a smaller number of much larger unitary authorities.
The government believes that unitaries are cheaper to run, hand greater autonomy to local communities and make the sector more streamlined.
Although a significant proportion of the current staff may be needed for the new authorities, far fewer of the top-salaried officers and chief executives will be required in future.
Mr Reed has had five options to choose from but some local observers’ “best guess” is he may choose “option 4d” submitted by Labour-run Medway Council.
This proposes a four unitary model which is divided into rough north, south, east and west boundaries but not based on current council geographies.
Green Party leader of Maidstone Borough Council Cllr Stuart Jeffery anticipates an email on Tuesday or Wednesday calling him and his chief executive to a virtual meeting with either Mr Reed or his local government minister Alison McGovern.
An announcement will be made shortly after the meeting ends.
Option 4d would comprise parts of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale in the north; the remaining part of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway, with Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, and parts of Tonbridge and Malling in the west; Maidstone, Ashford with the remaining parts of Tonbridge and Malling, Swale, and part of Folkestone and Hythe in the centre and south; Canterbury, Thanet, Dover with the remaining parts of Swale and Folkestone and Hythe in the east.
An elected Kent mayor, currently off the table, may be back on as Prime Minister in waiting Andy Burnham, formerly mayor of Greater Manchester is understood to be in favour of mayoralties.
Elections to the transitional “shadow” authorities could be held as early as next May.
It remains to be seen if there is a judicial review challenge to the Kent decision, whichever way the decision lands. Option 1a, promoted by Kent County Council’s Reform UK administration, is a one authority unitary with three assemblies sitting underneath.
Under local government reorganisation (LGR), announced in late 2024 by the then Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, all of Kent’s council will effectively abolish themselves and be replaced by a much smaller number of large unitary authorities.
The government will be anticipating a judicial review challenge from any number of local authorities – including in Kent – over Mr Reed’s choices.
Option 3a, this would consist of three unitary councils consisting of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west and Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe in the east.
Option 4b comprises four unitary councils consisting of Dartford, Gravesham and Medway in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west; Swale, Ashford and Folkestone and Hythe in the middle of Kent and Canterbury, Thanet and Dover in the east.
Option 1a: KCC announced its intention to explore the case for a single unitary council, known as 1a, covering Kent and Medway supplemented with three area assemblies of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells in the west and Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe in the east.
Option five: Known as 5a, Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council have developed a proposal for a five-unitary model with boundary changes, consisting of Dartford, Gravesham, parts of Medway west of the River Medway, and Swanley in the north; Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells, and Maidstone (excluding Swanley) in the west; the remainder of Medway with the western part of Swale (Sittingbourne area) in the middle; the rest of Swale (Faversham area) combined with Canterbury and Thanet; and finally, Ashford, Folkestone & Hythe, and Dover in the east.
All of the options lead to TDC being abolished so this is a total win-win for residents. All of our neighbouring Councils run much better quality services so we just need to make sure that none of the existing Cabinet or TDC senior managers have anything to do with the new Unitary.
Who knows ? We might even start to get our rubbish collected on time and the streets cleaned !
I would agree. The printing for TDC is carried out outside the district. Our refuse vehicles treave;l outside the district. Our management appears chaotic. If /should we become part of the unity authority no matter what amalgamation we can only hope that things improve. The next thing to be abolished should be town councils that is a drain on residents money and for what. A duplication of service charges.
50 years ago the abolition of town councils and the creation of a district council was hailed as the catalyst for greater savings, efficiencies, etc. in local governance. This did not work. More duties and responsibilities have been devolved back to town councils over time. A town council for Margate is due to be reinstated. The district council was seen to not be meeting the needs and aspirations of local people.
Now there are proposals for a further step to abolish those districts to form a unitary authority. Clearly, nobody knows how to best achieve this as there are five permutations on the table. No consensus can be reached.
How long will it be before every town throughout the county is complaining that whichever unitary is appointed is failing to provide the required services or listen to the town’s particular needs or problems ?
I agree with Thanetian Blind, but I feel the senior managers will be transferred across, if they don’t avail of a severance package and take the opportunity to move on. I was thinking, how to improve local government and I have come to the conclusion we need to take policies out of it, i.e. Labour who generally bankrupt things, Reform who are just completing incompetent in everything they touch!, and the Conservative & Unionist party who just sell everything off to make things look good for a very short period of time.
Why do I get a bad feeling about this?
I find Steve Reed one those bland functionaries who are lead by civil servants who have failed to understand the problem of coastal communities and deprivation. It maybe that they have just plastered something together which they hope will not fall apart in months.
Labour often gets into government when the economy is busted, the Tories think short term and are wedded to the contract culture, the Libdems often oppose everything,the Greens do well in.places that are socially progressive, and Reform well, its time for show and tell from them.So far we have seen the pantomime, before the construction of the stage.
Bye-bye, TDC.