Issue - meetings

Background:

The report provided the Cabinet with an update on Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and set out the next steps on developing plans for LGR in Kent and Medway.

Devolution, which was a separate process, would involve the transfer of additional powers to local communities. Medway and the areas across Kent had not been successful in their request to join the Devolution Priority Programme. Congratulations were given to neighbouring Essex and Sussex whose applications had been accepted.

The Government had written to all local authorities in two-tier areas to invite them to work towards becoming part of a new unitary authority area. While Medway was already a unitary authority, the other areas in Kent currently had a two-tier system.

The first key milestone was 21 March 2025, which was the deadline for an initial declaration to be submitted to the Government. While this submission would not include detailed plans, the aim was for the 14 councils in Kent and Medway to have a collective position.

The creation of a single council for the whole of Kent and Medway was not considered to be viable and the prevailing view across the area was that three or four unitary authorities should be created. Medway favoured the establishment of four councils. Medway would be making its own submission as well as being part of a joint Kent and Medway submission. It would be made clear that there was no merit in creating a single council for the whole area and that there was no need for any parts of Kent and Medway to be joined with any areas in neighbouring counties for the purposes of creating the new councils.

Engagement would take place over the next few months with residents and stakeholders and the Minister of State for Local Government and Devolution would be taken up on his offer of a visit.

A second deadline of 28 November 2025 would require a more detailed submission to be made to the Government setting out proposed boundaries of new local authority areas. The Government had advised that these new authority areas should each contain populations of around 500,000. As Kent and Medway had a combined population of around 2million, Medway considered that the creation of four authorities would be needed.

The changes proposed were considered to be more significant than the local government changes that had taken place 50 years previously and it was anticipated that they would support improving quality of life and outcomes for local areas.

Thanks were given to senior officers for the work they had undertaken on LGR and Devolution to date. It was noted that resources had been set aside by Medway Council to support the work and that support offered by the Government would also be taken up. It was emphasised that Medway Council would continue with business as usual until the new authorities were fully operational. It was considered that the Government had made a strong case for Devolution and LGR and the Council wanted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4